Windows account for a fifth to a third of all heat loss at home, so the comfort of all households depends on their thermal insulation. Despite the ubiquity of sealed windows, old wooden windows have not yet left our apartments and are unlikely to do so in the next few years. They are certainly good in many respects, but they have low thermal insulation qualities, and therefore require modernization. Consider all possible ways to insulate wooden windows with your own hands, from the most budgetary to more expensive and most effective. The text of the article was prepared with the support of specialists from the Moscow RemSila company specializing in the provision of services for the insulation of wooden windows of any type using high quality consumables and European production (rubber sealant, adhesive sealant). You can learn more about the company's services at the link http://oknoremsila.ru/uteplenie-derevynnih-okon/ ( services are relevant for Moscow).
Why, with the frenzied popularity of modern eurowindows with sealed double-glazed windows conventional old wooden windows are still in use in thousands and millions of apartments? Among the main reasons:
- the cost of plastic windows, doubts about their harmlessness, in addition, plastic windows sometimes themselves;
- the ability of wooden windows to provide natural ventilation;
- living in houses of high historical and architectural value, where the replacement of old windows is not allowed;
- lack of desire and ability to carry out repairs, albeit small ones, after replacing windows;
- living in a rented apartment.
With numerous advantages, old-style wooden windows do not provide adequate thermal insulation. This was noticed by our ancestors, who developed many ways to deal with their insufficient tightness. More modern ones have been added to the old-fashioned solutions, so we have plenty to choose from.
No. 1. Where does the insulation of wooden windows begin?
Insulation of old wooden windows begins with a survey of the structure for detection of cold bridges, i.e. the main ways of penetration into the apartment of cold air. It is important to find all the weak points in order to complex insulation. The main cold bridges in wooden windows include:
- the junction of the window frame and sash;
- wood from which the frame is made;
- glass;
- slopes, and low tide.
Slopes, ebb and window sills are best insulated from the outside, the rest of the elements require insulation from the inside, so you have to work hard to turn an old wooden window into an airtight one that meets current comfort requirements. 
If the examination of the window and its insulation are carried out with high quality, you can count on an increase in the temperature in the apartment by 3-4 0 C if you are connected to a centralized one, or significant cost savings if individual heating is used. In addition, it will be possible to get rid of drafts. The reverse side of the coin is the cessation of natural air circulation. This problem is also characteristic of hermetic plastic windows. Its solution is periodic ventilation or installation, which allows you to regulate the amount of fresh air entering the apartment.
Get ready for the fact that for effective insulation you will have to use several of the methods described below. Let's start with the technologies that are used for internal insulation.
No. 2. Window insulation with paper
Most ancient, simple and inexpensive way. Today it is rarely used, but it is suitable if the budget is very limited. Exists several variations this method of insulation:
The classic old-fashioned recipe involves gluing paper insulation strips of fabric or paper. To keep them well, they were moistened with a solution of laundry soap or a home-made paste was used. The latter can be obtained by mixing water and flour in equal proportions, mix well and bring the resulting mixture to a boil.
A more modern option is to use masking tape or special window tape. In this case, the task is simplified, but the costs still remain. Insulated with paper cannot be opened for ventilation if it suddenly becomes warmer in the middle of winter. In the spring, you will have to remove strips of paper / fabric / adhesive tape and take out the insulation. Noticeable traces remain on the window frames, sometimes even part of the paint is removed, so, alas, one cannot do without updating the decorative coating. However, fabric and self-adhesive paper can be removed more easily all and leave a minimum of traces. 
No. 3. Wool insulation
Instead of paper, you can use cotton wool - there are fewer problems, and the thermal insulation qualities are almost the same. All the cracks are carefully closed with cotton, strips of paper, fabric or adhesive tape are glued on top. The disadvantages of the method are the same as the previous one, but cotton wool is much easier to get out of the cracks. 
No. 4. Linen cord insulation
The gaps can be filled with linen cotton cord. They fix it with small carnations or glue, and a fairly good level of sealing is achieved, but in the spring you will have to devote a lot of time to dismantling the insulation. 
No. 5. Insulation of a wooden window with foam rubber and sealant
A much more modern, reliable and effective way of warming is to use foam tape and sealing cords.
foam tape It is inexpensive, but its service life is only about 2 years. This method of insulation is optimal when sufficiently large gaps have formed between the wings and the frame. The installation process itself is simple, but time-consuming, since everything must be accurately measured and carefully glued so that the window is well insulated, but at the same time does not stop closing normally. The main advantage of the method- the ability to open a window. 
The process of insulation with foam tape is as follows:
Much more durable will be insulation made using sealing cords. They are made from different materials:
Main advantage rubber seal- the price, but when the temperature drops, it is able to tan and break. In addition, rubber has a high wear resistance, so it is better to choose it for windows that constantly open and close. Other types of cords, although they are more expensive, but in terms of operation they show themselves much better.
Sealing cords are made different shapes- the choice depends on the size of the gaps in the window structure:
Tubular seals allow you to achieve a sufficiently high level of sealing, do not interfere with the free opening of the window, can remain in the summer and serve for several seasons in a row. The seal may have self-adhesive base and then its installation will be identical to the installation of foam tapes described above. If you take such a seal, pay attention to the expiration date of the glue: if it comes to an end, then the cord may either not stick at all or peel off quickly. 
It is most reliable to take the seal separately and separately the glue for it, which can be used as silicone. In this case, the durability of insulation reaches 5 years.
There is one more nuance. All work with tubular profiles is carried out at temperatures above +10 0 C, so it is better not to delay until cold weather. It is necessary to glue the seal very carefully so as not to disturb the opening system of the valves.
No. 6. Insulation of wooden windows using Swedish technology
This the most progressive, modern and efficient way. Windows insulated according to Swedish technology actually are equal in terms of tightness to modern plastic windows. This method also involves the use of a sealant, only for it special grooves are prepared in the window sashes. 
Swedish insulation technology involves the following procedure:
The durability of such insulation is 15-20 years Therefore, the complexity and high cost of the method are fully justified. It is worth doing such work on your own only if you have at least a little experience in carpentry, otherwise you can only make it worse. The easiest way, of course, is to entrust all the work to specialists.
Windows insulated using Swedish technology can be opened at any time of the year, their appearance does not deteriorate, but Soundproofing is an added bonus. 
No. 7. Insulation of a wooden window with a sealant
This method is aimed at thermal insulation of the junction of glass and sash, can be done by hand, but will require a high degree of care and accuracy. The procedure is as follows:
- extraction of glazing beads, thin rails that hold the glass around the perimeter. During dismantling, almost all glazing beads break, so it is better to buy new ones in advance, and with a margin. Extraction starts from the bottom glazing bead, then the side ones are removed and only then the top one, for this it is convenient to use a small knife or a screwdriver;
- the seat inside the sash is thoroughly cleaned of dirt and dust;
- applying silicone sealant and installing glass in place. All work on the dismantling and installation of glass is carried out with thick gloves;
- installation of new glazing beads.
Can be used instead of sealant putty for windows. The procedure remains the same, only after installing the glass, excess putty must be immediately removed with a knife. In terms of aesthetics, this method is no worse, since subsequently the junction will still be closed with a new glazing bead. 
Reading 8 min.
Any window needs additional sealing. This is especially important if street noise has increased, a draft has appeared, and heat is lost in winter. Warming is best done in warm weather. Many methods are used for this, up to window replacement. Fortunately, there are building materials that successfully solve this problem. Such material is considered a tape for insulation.
About warming
The microclimate of the room depends on the windows. Because of the uninsulated windows, the glass fogs up, cracks and fungus appear on the slopes, there is a constant draft and street noise. In order to effectively insulate windows, it is necessary to determine the causes of low thermal insulation.
Most often they are the following:
Wooden windows
First of all, insulation is required for old window structures for the following reasons:
- Previously, glass was attached to the frame with a special putty. Over time, it dries out and crumbles;
- the frames dry out, so cracks and gaps appear between the glazing bead and the glass;
- the sashes are deformed and loosely held on the frame.
Plastic windows
It is erroneously believed that such windows are quite tight, so they do not need insulation. Unfortunately, after a few years, the seal is destroyed, and insulation is indispensable.
There are other reasons why you need to deal with plastic windows:
- violation of window installation technology;
- skewed window structure due to shrinkage of the house;
- factory defect of the window structure;
- mechanical damage to structural elements.
Varieties of insulation tapes
The widespread use of tapes for window insulation is due to a number of reasons:
- no annual replacement required
- warming is carried out in a short time on their own;
- when pasting there is no dirt, since no water is used;
- there are no traces of adhesive on the frame;
- no diffusion of the adhesive layer with the frame paint.
But this method of insulation also has disadvantages:
- after gluing, you can not open the window sashes;
- low-quality or poorly glued tape lags behind the frame in small sections.
Hardware stores offer two types of tapes, which differ in the way they are installed.
pasting
Adhesive-backed foam tape
Tapes of this type have a wide grip. The adhesive composition is applied during manufacture (self-adhesive type) or during installation work.
To create a self-adhesive tape, polyvinyl chloride, rubber and polyethylene foam (foam rubber) are used.
Due to the plasticity of these materials, the tape is easily compressed to the size of the gap. So that the insulation does not stand out against the background of the window, dyes are added: black, brown, white.
Typically, the packaging indicates the size of the gap that the tape closes. Popular options with sizes 3 - 7 mm.
Foam tapes were the first to be used. Their popularity is due to a number of advantages:
- high compression ratio;
- the frame does not collapse in places of insulation;
- low cost;
- high protection efficiency.
Such tapes have negative qualities:
- insufficient efficiency for large gaps;
- short service life. Effectively operate during one winter season;
- for cheap models, the adhesive tape is poorly fixed;
- low water resistance.
Important!
It is more convenient to use self-adhesive tapes on foam rubber for insulation.
They stay longer on the window and adjust the degree of pressing of the sashes.
Sealing
D - shaped tubular sealant with adhesive base Tapes of this type have a hollow tubular shape, which is why heat is retained. The material used is rubber and polyvinyl chloride.
Read also: Features of laminated plastic windows
On one side of the tape is a grooved hook or adhesive coating with paper protection.
It is believed that the groove is more resistant to mechanical stress.
The following qualities are considered to be advantages:
- gaps up to 0.7 cm are blocked;
- any temperature fluctuations are maintained;
- it is possible to choose the color to match the frame color;
- the use of the window is not limited;
- affordable cost.
But most of the disadvantages relate to adhesive tapes:
- not suitable for all window designs;
- when the temperature changes, the adhesive layer is destroyed;
- with frequent deformations, delamination occurs in glued places;
- The foam tape gets wet quickly and dust sticks to it. For this reason, frequent replacements are carried out.
Tubular seals are checked annually. If necessary, individual fragments are replaced.
As a rule, the tape is selected according to three indicators.
By material
Main advantages:
- low cost;
- high elasticity, allowing you to close gaps of different sizes.
There are also disadvantages:
- due to the porous structure, moisture is quickly absorbed. The drying process takes a very long time;
- low durability. With prolonged use, the material turns yellow and crumbles.
Unfortunately, such tapes are rarely used for window insulation, as they increase the cost of window construction by up to 15%.
- Rubber― it is used for production of two kinds of tapes: self-adhesive and sealing.
Groove Tubular Seals Self-adhesive tapes are made on the basis of synthetic rubber and have all its positive qualities: elasticity and resistance to temperature fluctuations.
Rubber seals are not afraid of aggressive environments, so they last a very long time.
- Polyurethane foam (PPE)― porous material from the made foam polyethylene.
Due to the high elasticity, very effective tapes for small gaps. Good insulating qualities. Due to the presence of air in the structure, a heat-insulating environment is created.
Its use is limited by the ability to go into a liquid toxic state at high temperatures.
Manufacturers
In hardware stores there are tapes from different manufacturers.
However, only materials from the following brands are in demand:
- Russia ― Profitrast, Ekon, Zubr.
- Germany - KIMTEC, Deventer.
- Poland - Sanok.
Domestic manufacturers, as a rule, work according to European technologies and produce quality material no worse than foreign samples. At the same time, although German and Polish tapes are more expensive, they last longer.
By cost
Insulating tapes are sold at retail and in coils from 6 to 10 meters.
Since a standard window requires about 5 meters of self-adhesive insulation, retail purchases are most often made.
The price range is very wide.
For a linear meter of Russian material, you need to pay up to 15 rubles, and the most expensive German rubber insulation will cost 50 rubles.
Features of preparing a window for insulation
Preparing a window for insulation with tape is almost the same as preparing for other heaters. At the same time, there are some peculiarities.
The main steps are:
- Everything is removed from the windowsill. Blinds are removed from the window.
- The frames are washed with soapy water and then dried. The tape requires a dry and grease-free surface.
- Glasses are carefully examined. Wooden windows have cracked glass. They must be replaced, as they are a source of heat loss.
- Grooves are prepared for the sealing tape. They should be free of old tape, dirt and paint.
- Before starting work, they are determined with places where cold air comes from from the street. They warm up first. Weak points are sashes, slopes, window sills.
Have cracks appeared in the windows and it has become too cold in the apartment? Do-it-yourself insulation of wooden windows will help. There are many ways to insulate wooden windows and keep the heat in the house. To do this, you can use the simplest tools at hand. There are temporary methods that allow you to do-it-yourself window insulation for the cold season. And there are means for long-term thermal insulation that will provide the required tightness for several years. Explore the most popular options for insulating wooden windows and choose the one that suits you best.
To choose one or another method of window insulation, it is necessary to assess how much the windows let in cold and in what places.
Window insulation with newspapers and paper strips
Prepare tools and materials that will allow you to perform window insulation in accordance with each of the following methods:
- Silicone or window putty.
- Sealing cord.
- Detergent for frames and water.
- Rubber spatula.
- Detergents for glasses.
- Rags, rags.
- Foam pads or window seal.
- Scotch tape, sticky paper or strips of fabric.
- Wide bowl, soap, flour and water.
Thermal insulation of windows by this method does not require practically any material costs. Old newspapers are used for embedding. It is enough to soak them in water and fill the gaps between the glazing beads and glass and in other places with the resulting substance. You can roll the paper into tubes, moisten them with water and stuff them into the cracks.
Scheme of window insulation with silicone and sealant.
The joints of the sashes and the supporting frame, as well as the glass with frames, must be glued with strips of paper. To do this, it will be enough to take laundry soap, dilute it to a liquid state, apply the solution to the paper strips and quickly stick them to the right place. You can buy tape if you want.
The method is simple, cost effective and efficient. But he also has his own drawback - with the onset of heat, all thermal insulation must be removed. At this stage, an unpleasant surprise may await you - the paint will begin to peel off along with the paper. Yes, and the remnants of newspapers are very difficult to wash out. That is why the following method is more often used.
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Step-by-step instructions for warming with cotton wool and foam rubber
Such window insulation is more convenient. You need to take technical cotton wool, fill the existing gaps with it, and stick adhesive tape or strips of fabric soaped with laundry soap on top, as in the previously discussed method. Wool is an excellent heat insulator, and if necessary, it can be removed without problems. Fabric strips can also be removed without leaving any traces or damage to the paintwork.
The method is very simple and cheap, but wooden windows insulated according to it will not let in cold air.
The method using foam rubber and adhesive tape is great for windows that have large gaps in the porches. Such gaps appear in those situations when the sashes shrink so much that they begin to loosely fit to the frames. Ordinary cotton wool in this case will not help.
The tubular seal must be installed using a special tool and not by hand. Then it won't move or fall out.
To exclude heat loss and drafts, it is necessary to glue the sash around the perimeter with foam rubber. It will contribute to the hermetic closing of the window. Buy special foam rubber with an adhesive side, or take a regular one and nail it to the wooden frame with small nails.
Foam rubber will flawlessly perform its functions for 2-3 years. After that, it will need to be replaced. Tape the top of the frame with tape or soapy paper tape. In the spring, the paper will need to be removed. You can leave the foam rubber for next winter.
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Swedish insulation technology
A very popular method at present. In fact, it was not invented by the inhabitants of Sweden. The method owes its name to the material used for window insulation - EuroStrip. And already the material was created by Swedish specialists. This technique is also known as "groove seal".
The main difference of the method from other existing ones is that it allows not only to insulate windows for the cold season, but also partially reconstruct them. Windows are not glued, i.e. if necessary, they can be opened in winter. Such insulation serves an average of 15 years. You need to buy the mentioned material and use it according to the manufacturer's instructions.
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Window insulation with sealant and paraffin
Suitable for filling small gaps. Wash the windows and let them dry. After that, you can apply sealant. Do not use the composition if the air temperature has dropped below +5 °.
The composition is easily applied to any place with the help of a construction gun intended for this. You can remove the sealant that accidentally got on the window sill or frame with a rag soaked in gasoline. From the glasses it can be knocked off with a knife.
The method using paraffin is suitable for sealing small gaps. It is necessary to melt the paraffin, draw it into a syringe and fill the existing gaps. Use a clothesline to fill large gaps. Another string will do. Push the rope into the cracks and fill them with paraffin.
The method is efficient and durable. It will last at least 2-3 years.
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Using a tubular seal
Modern and efficient way. Based on the use of a special seal made of silicone rubber. Manufacturers claim that such material can be painted and it normally tolerates dirt and temperature changes. The tubes can have different structures and diameters, therefore, when choosing a seal, the size of the existing slots should be taken into account.
The seal is marked. Focus on it:
- "E" - sealant for gaps no more than 2-3.5 mm.
- "R" - sealant for gaps from 3 to 5 mm.
- "D" - sealant for gaps up to 7 mm.
Determining the size you need is very easy. Take a piece of plasticine, wrap it in foam and clamp it between the frame and the sash.
The technology is very effective and allows you to partially restore windows, and not just close them up for the winter. However, it is quite expensive, and the material itself requires certain handling skills. Suitable only for windows without serious defects, which were looked after during use and maintained in good condition. If the frames are not in the best condition, there is a violation of the window geometry, the wood is partially rotten or dried out, then repairs using this technology will cost almost the same as new plastic structures.
If you wish, you can try to do everything yourself. You need to do the following:
- Remove all window sashes from hinges.
- Mark a place for the groove in the window frame.
- Select a groove along the perimeter of the frame with a cutter.
- Cut a groove in the window frame with a cutter and roll up the sealing material.
The seal is rolled up and glued into the groove. It is necessary to do everything so that it does not fall out and does not shift over time. At the end, the sashes are hung back on the hinges. If the window is old, you may need to replace the fittings or even work on aligning the geometry of the structure. It is very difficult to do this without the appropriate skills.
With an appropriate ratio, such a sealant can serve up to 15-20 years without problems.
What should be done first of all in order to save heat in your house or apartment when cold winds blow on the street and the temperature steadily starts to slide down? The answer is simple, first of all, it is necessary to resolve the issue of how to insulate windows for the winter.
In fact, do-it-yourself window insulation does not require special skills.
One of the cheapest and easiest ways to insulate windows (one might say "old-fashioned" method) is sealing windows with strips of paper smeared with paste. Previously, it is desirable to caulk technical cotton wool or foam rubber in the gaps of the windows. If there is nothing suitable at hand, then the newsprint is torn into small pieces, soaked in water and the gaps between the frames are plugged with the resulting mass. For this work, use a sharp knife with a thin blade, a screwdriver with a flat edge, or any other thin, sharp object, even a metal ruler.
Paste preparation:
- 2-3 tablespoons of flour or starch;
- 0.5 cups of cold water;
- 1 cup boiling water
While stirring the flour (starch), gradually pour half a glass of cold water. After the formation of a homogeneous mass, pour a glass of boiling water in a thin stream.
Don't forget to keep stirring the mixture. Make sure that the thickening paste does not form lumps so that the mass remains homogeneous. If the mixture does not thicken well, it can be heated on the stove (stirring constantly) until bubbles form on the surface of the mixture.
After that, cool the paste by placing the dishes with it in a bowl of cold water. The paste is stored in the refrigerator in a tightly closed container. But do not forget that every day its adhesive qualities are deteriorating. From practice, the paste is well stored in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
Warming process:
- "insulators" (medical wool, cords for drying clothes or thin foam rubber) are inserted into the frame slots (it is important that they fill the cavities completely);
- paper is taken, the desired piece is measured, smeared with paste;
- the product is pressed against the frame, air bubbles are removed, the strip is extremely carefully ironed with a rag.
Moisten strips of paper with warm water in spring. After 5-10 minutes, the dried paste will swell, and the paper can be easily removed. You just have to wipe the frame with a damp cloth.
Instead of a paste, you can use ordinary laundry soap. Dampen it in water and run it over the paper several times, “wash” it well. After that stick to the window.
The disadvantage of this method is that if the slits are very air-permeable, the paper will not last long. When sealing the cracks, the strips of paper will not fall off until spring. Dampen the paper in the spring and it will easily come off the windows.
Can be used instead of paper strips stripes of light fabric. The technology is similar to the previous method and is as follows:
- filling frame slots with the selected material;
- wetting the fabric with soapy water for the purpose of subsequent gluing;
- gluing strips to insulated places, removing air from under the fabric surface.
If you do not want to mess around with paste / soapy water, windows can be sealed special sticky paper (paper tape), which is sold freely in retail trade. But keep in mind, if you have old painted windows, removing the indicated tape in the spring may leave paint from the windows on it.
Another way to insulate wooden painted windows. Cover all cracks with regular gypsum putty. It is sold in hardware stores in the form of a white powder. 
Dilute the powder with water to the density of softened plasticine. It is best to cover the cracks with your hands, without any tools. Wipe the spots with a damp cloth to remove excess putty. On windows painted with white paint, the places where putty is applied are practically invisible.
In the spring, such windows open easily, while most of the putty crumbles. The rest can be easily removed.
During the entire cold period of time, windows smeared with putty do not let in cold air at all, they retain heat well.
Another method worth mentioning is filling window cracks with paraffin. To do this, ordinary candle paraffin was heated in a water bath at a temperature of about 65-70 degrees, and then this paraffin was poured into the slots using the same heated syringe.
For high-quality and long-term insulation of wooden windows, use silicone sealant. In this case, it is advisable to purchase a lever syringe. The cylinder with sealant is inserted into the lever syringe and by pressing the lever the necessary portion of silicone is squeezed out. It is better to use a transparent sealant, in case of accidental contact with windows, it will be hardly noticeable.
Warming process:
- To do this, first remove the frame from the hinges and lay on a flat surface.
- Using a sharp knife or a flat screwdriver, remove the glazing beads from the entire perimeter of the frame: lift the wooden glazing beads that hold the glass (as it were, “tear off” slightly), then remove the lower, side and at the end upper glazing beads.
- After removing the glazing bead, the glass is removed from the frame. This procedure is best done with cloth gloves to avoid cuts.
- Clean the glass landing sites from dirt and dust and apply silicone there with a lever syringe. It is better to take transparent silicone, it will not be so noticeable if it hits the glass.
- Put the glass in place, secure with glazing beads. The frame is hung in place.
- It should be noted that glazing beads often break when removed, so make sure you have spare glazing beads. They are sold in building supermarkets or in "wooden" markets.
Advice: In parallel with this method of insulation, you can immediately repair the frames (since the frames have been removed: o). Remove old paint, putty cracks and knots, cover up cracks. At the same time, you can change the fittings by installing more modern and reliable locks and valves. All this will also affect the thermal insulation of the apartment.
An effective and inexpensive way to insulate windows is use of adhesive polyurethane seals with a tubular profile. This method is great if cold air enters the apartment through the gaps between the frames. True, this method is rather a repair and insulation of windows, as they say, “in one bottle”, since it will not be possible to do without additional work.
The insulation is attached to one of the sides of the window frame - along the perimeter of the transom. When closing, the frame will bend the seal at an angle, and thus block the passage of cold air in the slot. Remember, the products adhere well to the base at a temperature of at least ten degrees. Therefore, do not postpone thermal insulation indefinitely. The sooner you do it, the better.
It is important to position the seal in such a way that the frame bends it, and does not slide over it. Otherwise, there will be little sense from such warming.
Before gluing the sealant, the surface of the frame must first be prepared - remove peeling paint, clean the frames from dust and dirt.
If necessary, the surface of the frames can be sanded with fine-grained sandpaper, degreased with acetone or a solvent.
You can glue in one row or, if the width of the frame allows, in several, parallel to each other. If you chose a sealant with an adhesive surface, it is better to nail it around the edges with small nails for greater fixation.
An indisputable plus of tubular profiles is the ability to open or close the valves at any convenient time. Thanks to this, airing the premises in the cold season ceases to be a problem.
Tubular profiles have a durability of five to six years.
And finally, consider another way to insulate windows - window insulation film. You can use ordinary plastic wrap. They fix it outside the window, and if the windows are located at a height, then from the inside.
The entire window is covered with a film, fixing it along the outer edge of the frame. The film must be evenly stretched, otherwise the wind will tear it in places of slack.
Choose a frost-resistant film, ask the seller about it in advance. Usually a frost-resistant film of a yellowish tint.
The film is fastened with push pins through some kind of lining (you can use cloth electrical tape, or cut pieces from a denser film) in order to avoid tearing the film at the attachment points over time.
If you have an industrial stapler, it will make your task of attaching film easier. Under the brackets, you also need to put a lining.
A relative innovation was the use of heat-saving films. They let light into the room, but do not "release" infrared radiation from it, thus retaining heat. Such a film has two sides, one with a metallic sheen, conducts current, the other does not. When sticking a film on glass, it is imperative to make sure that it "looks" at the street with its metal side - that's the whole point.
It should be glued with an overlap on the frames, fixed with adhesive tape. If you stick it carefully, its presence will not even be visible.
There are many ways to insulate wooden windows. Choosing the best one for you, based on cost, labor and reliability, is not difficult. Whatever method you choose, the main thing is that it keeps the heat in your house to the maximum.
Warmth and comfort to your home!
Frosts are approaching, and it becomes very cold in the apartment, despite the normal operation of the radiators and even additional heaters? Then the first thing you need to do is check the condition of your windows and, if necessary, insulate them for the winter.
A huge amount of heat escapes through the windows. In order to prevent this, you can use elementary improvised materials. There are many methods to temporarily solve the problem of window insulation. There are also means for longer thermal insulation, with which you can ensure the tightness of window structures for several years.
We offer you instructions for using the most popular heaters. Explore the available options and choose the best one.
Regardless of the chosen method of thermal insulation of windows, you will need approximately the same set of tools and materials.
Devices for self-insulation of windows.
- putty. You can use silicone or a special window.
- Water.
- Sealing rope.
- Detergents for window frames and glasses.
- Old rags.
- Rubber spatula.
- Special window insulation. Instead, you can use ordinary foam rubber.
- Adhesive tape.
- Wide bowl.
- Flour.
- Laundry or cosmetic soap.
One of the most budgetary and most simple options for insulating window structures. In accordance with this instruction, newsprint is used to seal the cracks. It is enough to simply take old newspapers, wet them with water to get a homogeneous mass, and then fill all kinds of cracks with this substance. For greater convenience, the soaked paper can be folded into tubes.
If you want to save even more, you can use plain paper. Cut it into long strips and glue it to the frames with laundry soap diluted in water.
Despite its simplicity and low cost, the method is very effective and proven by many generations of housewives. However, such insulation also has its own significant minus - when the air temperature in the street starts to rise, the thermal insulation will have to be removed. The problem is that paint often peels off along with the paper. And getting rid of soaked newspapers is not so easy. Therefore, this method is increasingly being abandoned in favor of the next thermal insulation option.
This option is very convenient and easy to implement. You need to buy technical cotton wool in the hardware store and fill all the gaps with the material. The joints of the structural elements are sealed with a cloth. Technical wool is characterized by excellent thermal insulation properties and can be removed without any difficulty with the onset of warm weather.
Such insulation, although it is the most budgetary and extremely simple in execution, but its effectiveness is beyond doubt - the windows stop letting cold air through and heat is stored in heated rooms.
To seal large gaps, it is more convenient to use foam rubber. Typically, such cracks form when the window sashes shrink very much, to the point that they stop adhering normally to the frame. It will not be possible to save the situation with the help of ordinary cotton wool in such a situation.
To eliminate drafts and reduce heat loss, foam rubber must be fixed around the perimeter of the window sashes. It will allow you to close the windows hermetically. You can buy the material immediately with an adhesive side to save time and make installation more convenient. In the absence of such material, purchase ordinary foam rubber and nail it to the window frame with small carnations.
The service life of foam rubber is on average 2-3 years. Check its condition and replace if necessary. On top of the foam rubber, you can stick paper, tape or fabric. In the spring, you need to get rid of such thermal insulation. You can leave the foam rubber itself and use it next winter.
Warming according to the "Swedish" method
Currently, this method of insulation is very popular. It got its name thanks to the EuroStrip material used for insulation. This material was developed by Swedish specialists. The second name of the technology is groove seal.
The main advantage of the technique under consideration is that it allows you to perform a partial reconstruction of windows, and not simply create temporary insulation, like the other methods above. Windows do not need to be sealed, so even in winter they can be opened for ventilation. The service life of insulation is about 15-20 years.
The only drawback is the rather high cost. Also, certain difficulties may arise during the installation process, because. a similar insulation is laid in a much more complex pattern than cotton wool, paper and foam rubber. Buy the material and use it to insulate your windows according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Paraffin and Sealant Insulation Guide
To eliminate small gaps, you can buy silicone sealant. You need to wash the windows in advance and wait until they are completely dry. Such insulation is prohibited at air temperatures below +5 degrees.
The sealant is very convenient and easy to apply using a construction gun specially designed for this purpose. Excess material should be removed immediately before it dries. In the future, to eliminate the protruding sealant, it will be enough to wipe the surface with a cloth lightly moistened with gasoline. From the glass, you can simply gently pick it off with a knife.
Also, small gaps can be sealed with paraffin. To do this, take a few paraffin candles or buy ready-made material right away. Paraffin must be melted, drawn into a syringe of a suitable volume and carefully filled with it in each available slot.
Large defects can be repaired with an ordinary clothesline. Any other cord will work too. The rope is tightly pushed into the slot, after which it is filled with paraffin.
Such insulation will last at least 2-3 years. For the rest, be guided by the state of thermal insulation and, if necessary, add new paraffin.
One of the most modern and effective methods. To perform such insulation, a sealant based on silicone rubber is used. The material withstands temperature changes and is not afraid of pollution. If desired, it can even be painted - the thermal insulation properties will not deteriorate from this.
Tubes of different diameters are available for sale, so you can choose the material that is best suited for the insulation of your windows.
You can set the required diameter using plasticine. It is enough to take a piece of plasticine, wrap it in plastic wrap and clamp it between the sash and the frame. By the thickness of the resulting "cast" you can find out the size of the gap.
The rubber seal provides reliable thermal insulation and allows partial restoration of windows. But it is quite expensive, plus everything requires some skills for successful styling. Suitable exclusively for windows without significant damage, which they tried to maintain in good condition throughout their entire service life.
If the windows are in a very neglected state, with a violation of the normal geometry, the presence of cracked or rotten areas, it is better to refuse such restoration, because. it will cost about the same amount of money as a full-fledged new window costs.
You can install the seal yourself. First you need to remove the sashes from the hinges, and then mark a place in the window frame for sampling the groove. Next, you should choose a groove around the perimeter of the window frame. This is easily done with a cutter. A sealant is rolled into the prepared groove. It needs to be glued on. Fixing is done with glue. It should be of the highest quality and reliable so that the material does not move or fall out. After laying the seal, it remains only to return the window sashes to their place.
If necessary, replace the fittings and try to align the geometry of the window, but without the necessary skills, this is almost impossible to do. With proper installation and proper handling, the seal will last about 15-20 years.
Another modern and effective method. The technology involves the use of specially designed heat-saving films. Their structure is such that they normally let the light of the sun into the room, while not allowing the heat to leave the room. The film must be fixed with the metallized side facing the street.
Fastening to the frame is carried out with an overlap. Adhesive tape is used for fixation. If you do everything carefully, the film will almost not be evident.
Features of using polyurethane foam as a heater
To seal cracks and reduce heat loss, you can use ordinary polyurethane foam. It is extremely easy to use and allows you to get the highest quality thermal insulation. It is only necessary to show maximum attention and accuracy during work in order to close up all the existing gaps. After the foam dries, its excess should be cut off with a sharp knife, and the insulation itself should be hidden with something.
To mask such thermal insulation, you can use homemade putty. To prepare it, you need to take part of the chalk and 2 times more building gypsum. Mix the ingredients, dilute the mixture with water to a semi-liquid state and spread on the foam. Of course, it will not be possible to completely hide the traces of insulation, but at least the mounting foam will not be so conspicuous.
Thus, for self-insulation of windows for the winter, you can use a wide variety of materials. Choose the most suitable and convenient option for you and proceed. Good luck with your work and warm winter!
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