Window seal for a plastic profile plays the role of insulation, protects the interior space from external noise, ingress of cold, wind, and moisture. You can use it in the windows of buildings for any purpose. Recently, residents of modern houses and apartments have increasingly begun to install plastic windows, which differ in practicality and functionality from their wooden counterparts. With their help, you can reduce the cost of heating services. But over time, any, even the highest quality thing can fail, plastic windows are no exception. Sealing gums and other elements of modern systems periodically need maintenance.
Description
Window seal prevents foreign objects from entering the room. With it, you can protect the hardware from moisture, which can destroy it. Sealing elements have high strength, which is sometimes compared with the qualities inherent in vulcanized rubber. Such sealants can be used at a wide range of temperatures, which vary from -40 to +55 ° C. These elements are resistant to deformation, they are environmentally friendly, and their field of use is quite extensive. If we talk about environmental friendliness, the window seal does not contain elements that would be toxic. Having visited the store, you can choose the color of the seal, which will match the shade of the window frame.
Specifications
Window seals can last up to 30 years, and the operating temperature may vary depending on the production technology. The material at the base of this element is not so sensitive to ozone and ultraviolet. Technical characteristics of different brands of gaskets may vary, therefore, special attention should be paid to this issue.
Material selection: rubber and silicone seals
The manufacturing technology of the rubber sealant involves the vulcanization of rubber using sulfur and ultraviolet radiation. Soot is the main component; these elements can be used for 30 years. This version of the seal provides sealing of all existing joints.
Silicone is ready to last longer for 10 years. In the manufacture of these elements, environmentally friendly materials are used that are highly resistant to temperature extremes. Properties are not lost during operation, even if the temperature varies from -40 to +150 ° C. The material is resistant to sunlight, oxygen and ozone.
EPDM and TPE seals
Window seal for plastic windows can be made of ethylene propylene. In this case, the service life reaches 20 years, the material is resistant to atmospheric factors and does not crack, which allows it to be used effectively for its intended purpose. When the material is based on thermoplastic elastomers, the name sounds like TPE, while the material manifests itself as rubber, based on modified synthetic polymers.
Features of PVC Sealant
Window seal, the profile with which you can effectively isolate and protect, can be made of polyvinyl chloride, which has many advantages and some disadvantages. You can use it exclusively in warm rooms of a residential type, but the operational period is only 3 years. The manufacturing technology is quite simple against the background of analogues, which positively affects the cost, which, unfortunately, can not be said about the quality.
The need to replace the seal
The elastic for the window needs to be replaced if you notice that a draft has appeared in the rooms, condensation has appeared on the glass surface, and the windows themselves have begun to freeze. As a result, ice may form on the inner surface, which contributes to the full or partial wear of the sealing rubber. Condensation may result from poor closing of the sash; as a result, the temperature between the windows decreases, which leads to the formation of moisture.
Seal replacement
If the silicone window seal is out of order, has lost its properties and no longer protects the profile, then it must be replaced. To do this, use a specific set of materials and tools, among them:
- sharp scissors;
- glue;
- sealing material.
As soon as the old seal was able to be removed, the pores should be cleaned of dirt; an elastic brush can be used for this. The grooves are then wiped with a damp rag, and then dried well. Corners are treated with glue, processing is also carried out in those places where new material will be fixed. The cord should be solid, it is important to cut off the excess with scissors, and connect the joints obtained using glue.
Specialist recommendations
Window frame sealant must not be tensioned during installation. You can avoid the need to replace the seal by adjusting the seal; for this, a key is installed in a specially designated hole and rotated until the desired result is obtained. If this technique did not allow to achieve the desired effect, then the window sash is removed at the first stage, it is best to do this starting from the top loop. Next, the old seal is removed, and then a new one is installed to the grooves, and it is necessary to act gradually.
When a window rubber seal is installed, it is not necessary to get rid of the old glue. It is better to apply a new layer. You should not rush during this procedure, as the glue may be smeared. You should wait until the mixture has completely dried, only after which it is recommended to install the window sash in place. If it turned out that the old rubber band is not completely worn out and can still be used, it is recommended to restore the sealant, for this it is lubricated with aerosol grease.
Additional recommendations for choosing a seal
If you still do not know which seal to choose, then you should pay attention to the features of each of them. For example, the polymer is made from high quality polyvinyl chloride, but has disadvantages in the form of high susceptibility to negative weather conditions. In summer, such a sealant softens, and in winter it hardens, among other things, it is exposed to sunlight. But rubber and rubber seals are the most reliable and versatile in operation. They have the qualities of resistance to temperature extremes. Ultraviolet does not affect such seals; they have high wear resistance. Self-adhesive window seal can be made of polyethylene with foam rubber. This material is less common due to poor quality and a small variety of shapes. The most expensive is silicone, so it is not in such high demand. The material is immune to weather conditions, has high stability and is inferior to the rubber sealant in terms of exposure to mechanical effects. Low protection against wind and noise is inherent in a porous EPDM sealant.
Conclusion
The service life of the sealing gum will depend not only on external negative factors, but also on proper care. To extend the life of this window element, it is necessary to keep it clean. To do this, as necessary, the surface of the seal is cleaned of dirt and dust, lubricated with silicone gel. Such manipulations should be carried out several times a year, only under such conditions it will be possible to replace the elastic bands much less frequently.