DRAUGHT PROOFING WINDOWS 101: EVERYTHING YOU SHOULD KNOW
Draught proofing windows are intended to prevent heat from escaping through gaps around the perimeter of the window.
Get A Quote
Sealing the gaps around your windows will help keep the heat in while also reducing cold draughts that circulate throughout your home. Almost every opening window in your home has a small gap around the edge that should be completely sealed when the window is fully shut.
If the seal isn’t strong enough, cold air can enter through the gap and warm air can escape through the gap as well. When windows are old or poorly installed, they can have gaps around the frame or glass even if they are not in use. These gaps, unfortunately, are something you should be concerned about because they will increase your heating bills because all of the money you spend heating this air will be wasted as soon as the air leaks through.
A draughty place will also make you feel less comfortable because the cold air feels even colder when it is blowing through the room. It helps to reduce condensation and dampness by allowing fresh air to enter only when it is needed, thanks to controlled ventilation.
Draught-proofing an existing window is a relatively simple process provided that you have hired professionals who have the necessary knowledge and expertise to complete the entire job. It is the guarantee of Heritage Window Specialists that draught proofing windows is a low-cost but effective way to improve the energy efficiency of your home, lower your heating costs, and reduce cold air draughts throughout the house.
QUESTIONS YOU PROBABLY HAVE:
These are some of the questions you might be having right now. Well, you no longer need to be concerned because Heritage Window Specialists is here to provide you with an answer!
HOW WILL I KNOW IF I NEED DRAUGHT PROOFING WINDOWS?
Draught-proofing isn’t necessary for all windows in a home. As long as your windows are double or triple glazed, and if they were installed after 2002, you should not be required to carry out draught proofing. This is because new building regulations introduced in 2002 required all window installations to meet certain quality standards which put you away from the edge.
Draughts can be detected by a trained professional, who may use a smoke pencil or a match to do so. Alternatively, you can inspect your window yourself. The quickest way to detect a draught is to wet the back of your hand and pass it over the area where you suspect a draught may be present; a draught should cause a noticeable temperature difference when it is felt.
WHERE TO LOOK FOR DRAUGHTS?
Draughts around the edge of a window are not as likely to occur compared to a door, but the cumulative draught from all of the windows in your home can account for significant amounts of energy loss. Draught proofing windows is indeed extremely important. You must first identify the areas that require draught-proofing. Most draughts are found around the frames of external wooden windows. This is usually caused by improperly installed doors or windows, as well as seasonal variations in temperature.
Other places where draughts can be found are between the frames of windows and the brickwork, the caulk around the outside of your windows, the gaps around locks or catches, as well as under the sills of the window. They can also be found in areas where services or waste pipes pass through the walls of a building. Once you’ve determined which areas of the window require draft proofing, you can get to work on the project.
IS THERE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DRAUGHT PROOFING WINDOWS AND NOT?
Professionals always recommend having draught proofing windows if you notice that the air is colder near the windows. While the occasional draught through a window may not appear to be a major problem for you, you might reconsider. If several windows in your home are allowing hot air to escape and cold air to enter, you will again, as a result, be paying more for heating and squandering energy. Draughts also cause colder temperature which is both uncomfortable and potentially dangerous.
QUICK ADD ON: SASH WINDOWS DRAUGHT PROOFING
Draughts are most commonly known and found in sash windows, which are found in many older homes. As well as adding character to your home, sash windows, like many other aspects of your home, require regular maintenance to keep them in good condition. If this is not addressed, wet rot, cracked putty, failure of joints, rattling or sticking, and draughts are all possible consequences of neglect. Unmaintained sash windows can cause draughts the size of a small open window in a room.
It is difficult to properly seal a sash window to prevent draughts because the window halves are sliding up and down and they have a tendency to rip off any window seals that have been glued on. In addition, the gaps are irregularly spaced along the length of the frame’s channels. Sash windows draught proofing can be accomplished in a variety of ways, including the use of weather stripping or timber and plastic beading. Heritage timber beads are recommended for sash window properties because they are in keeping with the style of the windows.
In essence, when it comes to sash windows draught proofing or any other type of draught proofing for that matter, the goal is to restore the ventilation of a room, which is something that professionals can do for you with relative ease!
GET YOUR WINDOWS AND FRAMES DRAUGHT WITH HERITAGE WINDOW SPECIALISTS
Energy-efficient windows save up to 22% on annual heating and cooling costs. Timber window repairs Sydney have grown ever since as they provide the best solution to cut down on massive monthly bills. Insulated glass windows consist of double or triple-paned windows that hold an air pocket between the seals. That space provides insulation and can significantly improve saving on your energy bills.
WHY DRAUGHT PROOFING WINDOWS ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU THINK
Winter can be the most liked season throughout the year but can also be the most dreadful at the same time. The main problem when winter comes is not enough insulation or even with proper insulation, cold air still enters the house and keeps everything cold. The main entrance for cold temperatures is the window. In most houses, windows are designed for the summer seasons, to let air inside the house and control hot temperatures. So how do you go about this problem? Draught proofing windows are the mainstream today. They have been the main option for family who have poor insulation or simply just want to decrease their bills. How does draught proofing windows work? Keep reading and we will tell you all about it!
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT DRAUGHT PROOFING WINDOWS
- What is draught?
- What does draught proofing windows mean?
- How does draught proofing windows work?
- Benefits of draught proofing.
- Common places to draught proof.
WHAT IS DRAUGHT?
The first sign of having draught problems is having difficulty keeping your home warm during winter. The heat stays inside and the cold air stays outside in a well-sealed, well-insulated building.
Your interior feels comfortable and warm and your energy bills are now and low. But, if you have a draughty home, the cold air currents from outside are seeping in through small openings around your windows and doors. Some of these spaces can be easily spotted, like the gap between the bottom of your front door and your floor. Over time, cracks form in different places because materials in and around your windows and doors deteriorate over time from moisture and pressure. These gaps are what is causing the draughts inside your homes and draught proofing them can stop it.
WHAT DOES DRAUGHT PROOFING WINDOWS MEAN?
Draught proofing windows simply mean blocking up and sealing gaps that let cold air into the home and let warm air out, while ensuring adequate ventilation and fresh air. Cracks in skirting boards and gaps in windows and door are the main areas of the home where draught proofing is needed. Draught proofing measures (such as draught excluders) help increase energy efficiency and reduce energy bills. As a result, the existing heating system does not have to work as hard to retain a comfortable temperature. Draught proofing also helps to reduce carbon footprint.
HOW DOES DRAUGHT PROOFING WINDOWS WORK?
This method works by stopping the cold are currents from coming into your home. When you diminish these currents, you do not need as much energy to heat your home. Even with the heat off, you will still have a more comfortable exterior. This means a more comfortable and relaxed environment and time to read or watch movies.
They can make you less dependent on heating to keep your home warm and comfortable during winter if your draught seals are installed and used correctly. In order to get the most effective draught seal, however, you should expect a tight fit for minimal openings, a rubber seal and a permanent seal. Draught proofing should be done once to enhance your windows and doors. It should not diminish the look or function and make sure that there is no clunky external sealing and nothing that makes your windows or doors difficult to open.
BENEFITS OF DRAUGHT PROOFING
To achieve greater comfort, we must keep on looking for options and the benefits they provide when we invest them. Here are some key benefits draught proofing window frames provide:
1. Increase energy efficiency
Draught proofing is a fantastic way of reducing heat loss in the home. This means your heating system won’t have to work as hard or be on for as long to produce a comfortable temperature.
2. Lower energy bills
A heating system that doesn’t have to work as hard means you’ll be using less energy, resulting in lower energy bills.
3. Lower carbon footprint
Reducing energy consumption with draught proofing helps you reduce your own carbon footprint and be part to mitigate the event so climate change. If you have a fossil fuel powered heating system such as a gas boiler, it will be used less resulting in fewer carbon emissions being released into the atmosphere.
4. Cost-effective
They are cheap and works 100% of the time as long as they are installed properly. They do not become a on time use, they can be used throughout the year and still functions during winter which they are purposely installed for.
5. Easy installation
They can be installed by yourself as a DIY project or a professional. If this is your first time it might be wise to let professionals do the job first especially if you are not handy.
6. Increase home value
A home that efficient and cheap to run are the things that attract potential buyers. The increased level of efficiency will be an attractive selling point. The same is true for other types of insulation.
COMMON PLACES TO DRAUGHT PROOF
If you inspect around your house you might find places that have gaps in them and sometimes you fail to spot them, here are the major areas around the house where draught can seep into:
- Windows
- Doors
- Chimneys
- Floorboards and skirting boards
- Loft hatches
- Pipework
- Old extractor fans
- Cracks in walls
There are two types of proofing strips for your windows:
- Self-adhesive foam strips: These are cheap and easy to install, but may not last as long.
- Metal or plastic strips: These have brushes or wipers attached and are more expensive, but tend to last longer.
The strip should be measured to the right size to fill the gap in the window. Too big and it will get crushed when closing the window. Too small and there will still be a gap.
HERITAGE SPECIALISTS – KEEPING YOU WARM DURING WINTER
Sash windows draught proofing is one of the services we provide here. We also provide timber window draught proofing and the like. We provide cheap yet top-quality service to our clients. We make sure that we assess the client’s needs and wants and then share our professional opinion to come up with the best possible solution. If you have any questions, explore our official website or contact us so we can directly reply to your questions.
DRAUGHT PROOFING WINDOWS: BIGGEST PROBLEMS AND HOW YOU CAN FIX IT
If you’re having problems with draught proofing windows, you may be wondering how to do this. Asking yourself questions like, do I have to replace them outright? Are there other effective ways to stop draught windows?
Draught-proofing windows can have a significant impact on the level of comfort in your home during the winter, as well as on your energy bills. Draught-proofing your windows involves a number of subtle nuances that aren’t immediately apparent unless you have a great deal of experience with how windows work and the common problems that lead to draughty windows.
Generally speaking, draughty windows and draughty doors are caused by gaps in the structure of your home’s envelope. These openings allow cold air from the outside to enter your home, making it significantly colder than it should be. Keep an eye out for the following errors when draught proofing windows to avoid making them yourself and either getting poor results or causing more problems than the cost of the installation was worth.
USING A DRAUGHT SEAL THAT WILL FALL OFF
Whether you shop locally or online, you are likely to get the typical draught-proofing kit for windows, which consists of foam strips with self-adhesive sides. These draught seals look simple enough. But you must trim them to size and not stretch them or they will not work.
The draught seal, on the other hand, is the bigger issue. You’re stuck with the results after all that measuring, cutting, and properly applying the foam tape. You can’t open your windows for fear of losing the seal. To properly draught proof your windows, you must not open or close them for a season – no ventilation or fresh air for half the year. Windows is not designed to work the way it does now.
LEAVING THE FOAM SEAL
It is possible that you will not only be unable to open your windows, but you may also end up ruining the joinery or ripping off your paint when you attempt to open your windows at the end of the season. It is possible that when you open the windows and try to peel the self-adhesive tape off after it has been tightly stuck to your window for four or five months with no airflow, it will take some of the window frames with it, resulting in the window frame being damaged.
DRAUGHT PROOFING WINDOWS UNEVENLY
One of the most common mistakes people make when draught proofing windows are failing to account for the uneven gaps that may be the source of their draught problems in the first instance. Casement windows are prone to this problem.
Putting up your draught seal, whether you are using a foam seal, a brush seal, or even having a professional install it, if they do not have a lot of experience with different types of windows, can result in a really tight seal on the window rebate – where the hinges are – and a loose seal on the leading edge of your window.
USING A LOW-COST DRAUGHT-SEAL
It’s tempting to fix draughty windows cheaply. Quality seals surpass foam tape and low-cost brush seals in terms of performance and longevity. Draught proofing windows that consistently gives the best outcomes in terms of cold draughts and noise pollution is the one we choose to stick with. An acoustic draught seal beats all other options for draught protecting windows. It also helps muffle sound waves, making your home more tranquil.
WAYS ON HOW YOU CAN FIX DRAUGHT PROOFING PROBLEMS
1. Fortify the Glaze
Windows can last for years, but a fractured glazing putty seal means they won’t perform correctly. Replacing the glazing putty is simple. We used a heat gun, putty knives and utility knives. Wearing gloves, slowly heat the old putty and scrape it off. Pour in the fresh glaze, following the manufacturer’s directions, which may vary based upon the type of glaze. To hold the glass in place while the putty dries.
2. Caulk the Gap
Caulking fills gaps on sash windows draught proofing and draught proofing window frames quickly and easily. Incorporate rope caulk both inside and out. Caulk is a disposable flexible waterproof sealant. Caulk comes in several forms, so study the box carefully. Fill up any gaps around your windows and doors in a straight line.
3. Use Nail Polish for Draught Proofing Windows
Aside from removing scratches from glass, nail polish can also be used to cover gaps on draught proofing window frames and sash windows draught proofing. If it’s clear, it should dry almost invisible.
4. Include Weatherstripping
If your home insulation isn’t working as well as you’d want, adding weather stripping to the edges of window sashes can assist. Compression, foam, and V-type weatherstrips are the most common. Compression weatherstripping seals window sashes better. V-shaped weatherstripping blocks cold air from entering a window jamb. Easiest to install but not as long-lasting as foam weatherstrip
5. Use Film to Cover the Windows
During seasons when you won’t be opening your windows, the insulating film can help. Shrink film can make an airtight seal over existing windows with double-sided tape. The adhesive often ruins surfaces when removed in the spring.
6. Layer Up the Window Dressings
If you’re not ready to replace your windows, combining your favourite window dressing ideas will not only look wonderful but also help stop drafts. Adding layers of translucent curtains, shades, and large drapes can provide all-weather protection. Close the windows when it’s too cold. If the room is cool and has direct sunlight, open the blinds or drapes to let the light in.
7. Apply Foam Tape
If you can’t find weatherstripping, you can use foam tape to seal your windows, which works well for curved windows. Cut it to size and fill in the spaces.
Looking for window solutions? Heritage Window Specialists got you, whether it’s a small or big project. Call us now and get a quote!