Blowing from under the sill of a plastic window: eliminating the gaps

Conversation between two friends:

— I installed new “breathable” double-glazed windows.

- Well, how?

“Yesterday, in 20-degree frost, they inhaled and exhaled so much that my cat was frozen to the radiator.

A life anecdote, isn't it? Many consumers face the problem of draughts coming from slopes or blowing from under the sill of a plastic window. The causes of the defect must be clarified and definitely corrected, otherwise in the cold season the street will be heated, and not the living space.

Causes of drafts

You won’t have to figure out why it’s blowing if the warranty period has not yet expired after installing the double-glazed window. You just need to contact a company whose specialists will fix everything for free.

If the warranty has expired, you will have to solve the problem yourself. It is possible to follow the path of least resistance: block the flow of cold air with some kind of barrier (blanket, books).

Even a small gap can be the cause of blowing

However, this is a temporary measure. It is not the consequences that need to be eliminated, but the causes. They are different:

Defect due to violation of plastic window production technology.
Low-quality materials, as well as materials that do not suit our climate. Thus, the profile loses its strength under the influence of low temperatures. In this case, even a small crack leads to blowing.
Seal wear.
Incorrect installation of the window structure.
Subsidence of the polyurethane foam or the use of low-quality adhesive-sealant.
Warping of the glass unit due to shrinkage of the house.

Having discovered one or more causes of blowing, you need to begin to act depending on the nature of the defect. You can eliminate it in several ways:

Remove the gap using sealant;
Close the cracks with a profile;
Insulate the window sill.

Blowing from under the hinges

Even when installing a high-quality plastic structure, the hinges gradually become loose. In winter, cold bridges begin to move away from them. To solve the problem, the area to be dismantled is identified. The hinges are directly adjusted with the Asterisk key after removing the plastic protection from them.

Attention! In areas near the window, it is recommended to tighten the hinges more.

It happens that window fittings are not adjusted correctly. The window sash dangles and does not press tightly against the frame. It is worth opening and closing the double-glazed window one at a time and checking whether it moves smoothly and smoothly. If a draft seeps through the frame, then the transom probably remains in summer mode during the winter. We correct the situation by tightening the trunnions clockwise until they stop, having first opened the doors.

Cover with sealant

This method is suitable if the gap between the window sill and the window frame is not very large . In addition, compared to other methods of combating drafts, this is the cheapest.

Defects are eliminated using a transparent sealant. Before using it, the gap should be cleaned of dust and dirt, degreased, and dried.

The gap between the frame and the window sill must be cleaned of dirt

Then, using the tube nozzle, apply the maximum possible amount of the substance until it is completely filled.

For the easiest way to eliminate a defect, use a sealant

To get a beautiful seam, run the edge of a 10-ruble coin along it. Do this in a continuous motion to avoid crooked seams.

The advantage of this method is that all the work takes a matter of minutes. Disadvantage: fragility. After two years, the sealant begins to peel off and darken.

When is a simple repair not enough?

In some situations, simply repairing the window sill board and sealing the seam may not help , since more serious intervention in the building structures is required:

If there is insufficient insulation in the outer wall, it is necessary to install additional insulating material on the facade of the building. In old apartment buildings, such work is carried out as part of a major overhaul by local authorities.
In case of insufficient power of heating devices, they must be replaced, since the heat input must ensure heating of the entire volume of the room.
If there are cold bridges or cracks in the wall structure, it is necessary to carry out finishing or restoration work after a detailed examination of the structure.

Note! If the owner of a residential or public premises decides to carry out a complete renovation of his property, experts advise using all of the listed methods simultaneously.

With a combined approach, maximum energy efficiency of the space being used is achieved, and external structures almost completely eliminate heat loss.

Closing the gap with a profile

This method is based on creating additional protection for the sealed seam using a plastic profile.

For work you will need the following materials:

Transparent silicone sealant;
Stationery knife, sharp scissors;
Plastic profile in internal corner configuration.

Armed with everything you need, get to work.

Algorithm of actions

First, measure and cut the profile to the length of the window frame with a margin of 2-3 cm.
Then cut off its perforated part so that there is a distance of about 1 cm from the curved plate, and 2 mm from the bend of the right angle.

The profile cutting line must be sharpened
Using a utility knife, sharpen the cutting line by scraping off the corners on both sides. This is done so that this part of the profile easily fits into the crevice, thereby creating a barrier for air entering the room.
Make holes in the lower corners of the window with a depth of one to one and a half centimeters.

Holes must be made in the lower corners of the window
Clean the joint between the frame and the window sill from debris, wash, degrease, and wipe dry.

The joint between the frame and the window sill must be clean and free of grease.
Seal the gap by filling it with caulk.

The gap is sealed with sealant
Apply an even layer of sealant into the holes made and onto the joint.
Apply a thin layer of sealant to the profile, insert one end into the hole, and insert the pointed edge of the cutting line into the slot. The profile is installed in the joint between the window and the window sill
This way the entire profile is adjusted. Its opposite edge is inserted into the second hole.
Press the corner tightly and hold for several minutes for better fixation.
Sealant that has squeezed out can be carefully removed after hardening.

The disadvantage of this method is that it is labor-intensive and time-consuming. However, the result is impressive: a beautiful, durable corner in place of the black gap.

Now you know exactly what to do when it blows between the window sill and the plastic window. But sometimes this knowledge is not enough, since the source of the draft may be under the windowsill. A completely different method will be used here.

Modern ways to save energy

Technologies do not stand still, and instead of increasing the number of chambers, increasing their volume and using other, expensive fillers, experts decided to pay attention to cheaper solutions. By applying a special coating, multifunctional glasses are created, and on the inside they create a barrier to thermal energy, i.e. will reflect it back. Lightweight tinted film can block ultraviolet rays and prevent the room from overheating in the heat. In addition, light transmission will be perfectly maintained. An innovative development that has become much more popular is heated glass. On loggias and balconies they can be used instead of heating radiators.

Let's start with insulation

Insulating the window sill of plastic windows will provide additional thermal insulation and eliminate blowing. The materials used are polyurethane foam and acrylic sealant . If you find a gap between the window sill and the wall, you cannot do without dismantling it.

Dismantling

Arm yourself with a hammer, hammer drill, chisel, hacksaw, knife. Dismantling can be done in two ways.

Method No. 1

First of all, remove the wallpaper. Then, using a chisel and hammer, beat off the plaster under the window and in places where there is a junction between the side parts of the window sill and the slopes.

Cut off the mounting foam and carefully pull the canvas towards you, tilting it down a little.

To insulate the window sill you will need to dismantle it

Method No. 2

Using this method, you will not need to beat off the plaster. Run a long-bladed knife under the window sill and cut away the foam and sealant near the slopes. The blade should not come into contact with the plastic. After getting rid of the fastening elements, pull out the canvas.

After dismantling, clean the work surface of debris with a broom or vacuum cleaner. This will allow you to see all the cracks through which cold air entered.

Polyurethane foam is used to fill cracks

Fill all cracks with foam. And if there are significant deformations, use silicone sealant.

Installation

After completing all the necessary procedures, you can install the window sill. To do this, apply polyurethane foam along the perimeter of the front side, as well as along the diagonals of the product. Lay the canvas on the work surface.

To ensure that the canvas adheres to the base, lightly press it and hold for a few minutes. Use a spirit level to make sure everything is level.

The correct installation of the window sill is checked using a level

For better fixation, place something heavy (for example, books) on the windowsill, as it may warp as a result of foam expansion.

More reliable insulation is achieved through the use of sealant. It is applied to each area where there is a joint .

The final stage in the installation is plastering the slopes. It is made from both cement mortar and ordinary dry mixture.

By insulating a plastic window in this way, you will forever forget about the cold window sill and drafts in the house.

Types of materials and results

Liquid plastic

Liquid plastic is most often used to fill cracks and seams between the frame, slopes and window sill. This composition is widely used among professionals. Available in a tube or as a cartridge for a pistol. The color of liquid plastic can be white or transparent.

The kit usually includes a special nozzle that allows you to apply the strip into the seam as thinly as possible. One of the well-known brands that produce these materials is Cosmofen.

After drying, the mass becomes hard, resembling plastic.

Silicone sealant

Silicone sealant is also a means for grouting joints, but many reject its candidacy because of its elasticity. In fact, softness after drying will not affect the performance in any way, so you can safely use it.

By the way, after several years of service, such material can be easily removed from the surface of the window sill and slope panels. This line of products has many shades, so this material is perfect for the owner of textured and colored windows.

Acrylic sealant

Acrylic sealant also has a wide color palette, but the classic white color is also available in almost every store. After drying, it becomes more rigid, but not as hard as liquid plastic. It has a lower percentage of elasticity, but this is its advantage for many buyers. You can also use this product, but it is better to choose from sanitary representatives with special additives. Well-known and high-quality sealants: “Tytan”, “VGT”, “Makroflex”, “Moment”, etc.

Adhesive/cold welding

Adhesive/cold welding can also be used to seal seams on window units, but their properties differ from sealing materials. These compounds glue one part to another, which eliminates the possibility of their easy replacement if they lose their properties after some time. At the same time, the slope panels may be slightly deformed when the cold weld dries, despite the fact that it was originally intended for PVC; this occurs due to the strong adhesion, given that the panel and frame are perpendicular to each other, creating an angle of 90 degrees.

You can purchase any of the above products, but the results will be different, so you must initially decide which product is more suitable in a particular case.

Lack of drafts is the cause of condensation

When you start fighting against the blowing of double-glazed windows, everything turns out like in medicine: you treat one thing, but you cripple the other. It’s the same here: as soon as the blowing stops, condensation appears on the glass.

The tightness of the PVC window can cause condensation on the glass

The reasons for this are:

Lack of air circulation;
Increased humidity in the house;
A wide window sill that prevents warm air from entering the glass from the radiator;
Low indoor temperatures;
Poor quality installation.

To avoid this trouble, you need to ventilate the rooms more often, clear the window of everything unnecessary, and change the radiator.

Blowing from under the windowsill

If it blows between the double-glazed window and the window sill, then the thermometer in the room probably drops sharply and excess heat escapes. The situation threatens significant heat loss and the occurrence of colds in the owners. Significantly shows through even when a gap of 0.5 mm appears. Although, you shouldn't fall into despair.

In order not to return to the problem again after self-remodeling, you need to find out where the blowing is coming from: from the sashes, profile, hinges, joints.

The exact location of the draft is determined by the flame of a lit candle brought to the joint. If it starts to fluctuate, it means there is a draft in that place. Surely the double-glazed window is thin, single-chamber. It is better to replace it, because it is difficult to correct the situation on your own.

Adjusting the window handle

Problems with handles are one of the most common problems when using double-glazed windows.

The steps to eliminate them depend on the type of problem: • If the handle simply wobbles, you need to firmly tighten the two bolts located under the plug with a screwdriver. • If the plastic window does not close and the handle does not turn completely, the problem can be solved by cleaning and lubricating the mechanism. To work, remove the part and use WD-40. • If problems arise with the handle due to strong pressure, it must be loosened by adjusting the eccentrics at the end and the bolts on the hinges. See the winter mode adjustment section. The handle may jam, after which it is impossible to close the structure. But to solve the problem it is not necessary to change the fittings. Most likely, the handle jams due to a triggered lock, which prevents you from changing the position of the sash. The problem can be resolved by manually releasing the locking lever.

We looked at the most common failures of PVC windows. Now you can adjust the windows yourself! We carefully look and listen to what prevents the sash from closing normally. We adjust the corresponding screws with a hex key and achieve free opening and closing of the window sash without friction.

Why does water accumulate on the windowsill of plastic windows?

Often, after the blowing has been eliminated, users are faced with the fact that complete tightness leads to water accumulating on the windows and sills of plastic windows. This is condensation that forms for various reasons, in particular:

due to lack of ventilation,

due to the significant width of the window sill. It protrudes beyond the heating radiator and the warm air does not have time to warm up the glass and prevent the appearance of moisture;

high indoor humidity. The appearance of condensation is typical for the kitchen or for rooms in which renovation work is being carried out;

low temperature in the rooms;

defects in window installation and slope insulation.

How to get rid of condensation on a windowsill:

install a convection valve;

remove all unnecessary things from the windowsill, in particular potted indoor plants;

replace the heating radiator or replace the window sill with a narrower one;

Ventilate the room periodically.

How to eliminate condensation on PVC windows is shown in the video

Why windows can let cold in

There are several factors that can lead to the appearance of blowouts. These include:

Defect in the manufacturing process. Most often this is typical for budget windows. The use of low-quality raw materials for production, which significantly decreases in characteristics with a sharp decrease in temperature and can crack or change shape. Also, the reason may be incorrect storage of window structures. If parts of metal or plastic profiles were stored outdoors, or in rooms with low temperature and humidity, the shape also changes. This leads to problems during the installation process and accelerates the appearance of drafts.
The material or fittings are of insufficient quality. Problems especially often arise with fittings. For this reason, it is not advisable to purchase windows from little-known manufacturers. Also, the cause of a draft may be an incorrect adjustment, which causes defects in contact with the surface.
The main reasons include problems with seals. If they are made of rubber with a large number of impurities, or are clogged with dirt, then cracking of the gaskets is observed, and as a result, the tightness of the structure is significantly reduced. To get rid of drafts, you will have to replace the seal yourself or with the help of specialists. The cause of problems with the seal may be its obsolescence, manufacturing defects or improper installation.
The installation was performed incorrectly or with a number of errors. During the installation process, even minor deviations from the norm, which are extremely difficult to notice, can subsequently become a factor leading to the appearance of a draft. Therefore, it is necessary to attract professionals who would check the work at every step.
A draft from windows can appear due to poor-quality installation of interior finishing, insulation of slopes and other cladding work, as a result of which a misalignment occurs between the sash and the frame, then a gap appears, and cold atmospheric air penetrates through it.
Incorrect adjustments or adjustments made at the wrong time can also cause problems. This occurs due to the loss of quality of the fittings during operation. The mechanisms begin to sour or rust, which leads to a change in plane. As a result, the room becomes cold. To prevent this, you need to correctly switch the shutters to the appropriate mode.
Depressurization. The problem arises due to the obsolescence of the double-glazed window. All window components lose their properties over time. Therefore, the tightness of the structure is broken and, as a result, cold air, dust, and other particles penetrate into the room.

Possible reason

What to put

If it blows between the window and the windowsill, you can cover this area with a blanket. This is a temporary measure, it will only slightly reduce the flow of cold air. This method cannot be called a complete solution to the problem.

A reliable way is to install a plastic profile with your own hands. How to proceed:

Prepare a plastic profile in the internal corner configuration, glue-sealant, scissors and a stationery knife, as well as a measuring tape.
Find out the length of the window sill.
Measure the profile and trim it with a margin of a couple of centimeters.
The perforated part must be removed so that 1 cm remains to the corner. The bending height is 2 mm.
Using a sharp knife, the edge of the profile should be sharpened so that it easily fits into the gap between the window sill and the wall.
Now - work with the window. On the walls in the corners you need to make holes about 1-1.5 cm wide.
Before inserting the profile, it is necessary to clean the window from dust, degrease and dry the surface.
First you need to apply a small layer of sealant into the gap and holes on the wall.
Next, apply glue to the profile.
Insert one end into the hole in the wall, and place the sharpened edge into the slot.
Align the profile along the entire length of the window sill.
You need to hold the structure for a few minutes so that it is better fixed.

Miss Clean magazine recommends removing any remaining sealant immediately after installation before it dries.

A special case

The window is sealed, but it still blows.

Perhaps the apartment has too much forced ventilation, for example, an exhaust hood in the kitchen or bathroom.

By pumping air out of the apartment, it creates a vacuum, and due to the difference in pressure inside the house and outside, air will be sucked into the apartment through micro-holes in the places where handles and fittings are attached.

In this case, you need to adjust the pressure in the apartment (install check valves on the hood).

Blowing from plastic windows

With the onset of cold weather, many owners of plastic windows discover drafts and blowing. And this problem is relevant not only for old windows, but also for those that were installed more recently.

There can be quite a lot of reasons. And the problem does not always lie in the design itself. Let's look at how to tighten plastic windows so that it doesn't blow, and why a draft can appear in general.

Polyurethane foam protection

To hide the mounting foam, any of the existing types of putty is convenient. However, the preparation process and the proportions of dilution of the mixture depend on the choice of manufacturer and specific model.

Puttying foam

After mixing is completed, the mixture has acquired a thick, uniform consistency; it is applied to the polyurethane foam.

They make a small, protruding excess, which is then eliminated with a spatula, but you should not go too deep, otherwise you will get a notch, a depression, which will have to be eliminated again.

The excess, when it dries, is simply wiped off using sandpaper or a special construction mesh, which is used for finishing work with plaster.

How to seal the gap between a plastic window and the wall inside. How and with what to seal cracks in windows

In this note we will not talk about the windows themselves, but about the gaps between the window frame (whether PVC windows or wooden ones) and the wall (wood, brick, concrete). This is a common disease of a post-installation installation: the cracks are poorly foamed or completely empty, after a year or two fungus and mold spread, the wind blows, or even a nasty insect breeds (this can also happen). If your hands are growing from the right place (a prerequisite), then you need to take care of your windows as quickly as possible - before frost sets in. All images in the article are clickable. The first part of “caring” is the preparatory work. The cracks need to be cleaned and the brown dry foam removed. If a window is blowing inside the apartment from under the window sill, then you need to hang from the street side, unscrew the ebb (2-3 screws), clean the subframe/substitute profile and the gutter and foam it (be sure to wait until the foam comes out and dries, then you need to cut it off and paint over it). The second part of the job is to find material to fill the gaps between the wall and the frame. For some reason, the majority of the population is firmly convinced that polyurethane foam is the key to sealing, whereas it is just insulation, fasteners and a sealant that is afraid of dampness, moisture and direct exposure to ultraviolet rays. Nowadays you can find anything you want on the RuNet, but we live in the real world, so what is sold in a nearby hardware store or the nearest construction market is much more relevant. The best idea is to make external slopes with your own hands and sleep peacefully by the window in winter. If you are too lazy to bother with plastic, there are options with cement mortar and even simple painting of building plaster (concrete). All this is good and better than nothing, but first you need to get rid of the inter-frame gaps. And the necessary belongings:

Newspaper
White spirit (kerosene)
Rubberized gloves (preferably the smallest ones so that they crack on your hand)
Spatula (you need a clean one, but mine is dirty)
Rag (wipe the nose of the sealant gun so as not to stain everything around it)

Essentials of the second order (hidden advertising of Tytan polyurethane foam):

Not everything that stands here is suitable for harsh winter conditions. Can:

Acrylic frost-resistant sealant (tested!)
Roofing rubber-bitumen sealant (tested!)
Cork or polyurethane sealants (tested!)
Bitumen mastics - possible, but will probably have to be heated before use

It is forbidden:

Polyurethane foam - it is needed only for sealing seams, but not for final sealing
Silicone sealant - rolls off after winter; however, if it becomes overgrown with dirt, it will turn into a real piece of gum

Let's focus on acrylic sealant. It has been tested and holds up well (no matter what anyone says; although, of course, acrylic shows the best result on a thick seam, a thick layer + paint on top - it turns into concrete, not subject to frost, ice, or water). And here is the gap itself from different angles. Sound familiar? Due to the fact that it is quite thin and the nose of the gun will not fit there without an attachment, the gap between the PVC frame and the wall remains empty. Or this misfortune (future moisture collector), which needs to be dug deeper in order to put a layer of sealant there:

The third part of the work is practical. We drive the tube with acrylic into the gun. It is advisable to cut the spout at an angle so that you can rotate it in slots of different widths:

We find a relative who has a sufficient sense of participation to hold your legs for half an hour while you writhe on the windowsill in front of the open window. This is not necessary, but I had to write something about safety ;-). The whole idea will be ruined if, when ordering the windows, they were greedy and ordered one half to be blind. In this case, you can't reach the wall. However, trying is not torture. Well, then we press the trigger, move the gun, like a tube of toothpaste, on the crack, trying to fill all the malicious gaps without hackwork:

Actually, further actions depend on skill and diligence. After you have sealed all the gaps with sealant, take a regular small spatula and level it “flush”. Was:

We went through it with a spatula and it became:

The black daub on the spatula indicates that I recently did the same thing with bitumen. Same thing at the top. There is no need to leave gaps - the foam will become unusable (if it has not already arrived). Was:

Became:

Well, actually, 20-40 minutes per window - but it will be more pleasant (from realizing the importance and productivity of one’s own work) and warmer in the cold season.

What to do

After discovering a gap, you need to decide what to do with it and what result you need. There are quick and inexpensive methods, and there are more expensive and durable ones. The simplest thing is to seal the gap; the more difficult thing is to insert a plastic profile. The most difficult thing is to dismantle a window with your own hands; this labor-intensive process requires knowledge and accuracy.

Advice! To determine where the wind is coming from, cover the area with tape. If it gets better, then start repairing.

Diagnostic methods

To establish the exact location of the penetration of cold air, it is necessary to carry out diagnostics. The method is very simple: take an ordinary candle, light it and carry it around the frame, at the joints with the slopes and the window sill.

Fluctuation of the flame may be due to trembling of the owner’s hands, so you need to hold the candle carefully and move it slowly. If the flame deviates strongly from the vertical position, the blowing point will be established. If it burns almost evenly, then the reason for the penetration of cold air should not be sought in the windows. You can use a lighter instead of a candle.

There are other diagnostic methods:

When blowing near the cracks, dirt will certainly settle. You need to open the sash and inspect the frame. Where the layer of dirt is larger is where air passes through.
You can check the tightness of the connection of the sash using a sheet of paper. It needs to be closed along with the window. If the paper can be easily removed, the fit is loose. The cold from the street will pass through this gap.

Combining these diagnostic methods will make it possible to identify all the real places where cold frosty flows appear.

How to cover it up

The fastest way is to seal the gap with sealant. It only works if the joint is separated by a small distance.

Wash the window from dust and dirt, degrease and dry.
Take a transparent composition with a special nozzle and place it exactly at the junction of the frame and the window sill.
Pour in as much sealant as possible.

This putty will last for 1-2 years. It's not much, but the method is cheap and fast.

Advice! To make the sealant seam look beautiful, immediately after pouring, go over it with the edge of a large coin, for example 10 rubles.

What to do if a defect is discovered is up to you. If you are not satisfied with the short-term result, arm yourself with knowledge and begin dismantling. If in doubt, this process should be entrusted to specialists.