How to insulate low-quality plastic windows. Insulation of plastic windows: step-by-step instructions

Large heat losses during the cold season make you think about how to insulate plastic windows for the winter with your own hands. In many cases, it is worth inviting professionals to do this, but there are problems that can be easily fixed on your own.

In contact with

Why do you need insulation?

Most of the heat loss in the house occurs through window openings. The roof, floor and walls are significantly inferior in this indicator.

Low temperature is uncomfortable, significantly reduces the quality of life, not only the same home comfort. Along with the heat, money spent on utilities or heating natural resources also leaves the home.

Therefore, practical owners think in a timely manner about plastic window designs. This will reduce housing maintenance costs, will make life more comfortable.

plastic effective material;
affordable price;
ease of use;
susceptible destruction under the influence of ultraviolet light, needs protection with facing material;
budget option for insulation;
over time it collapses and “sags”, is sensitive to temperature changes;
better choice of material high density, it is more resistant to destruction;
low safety class; reliable cladding is required.

Basalt (stone, mineral) wool:

excellent thermal insulation properties, suitable for indoor and external insulation plastic windows;
elastic, durable material;
fireproof and environmentally friendly.

Penoplex:

a modern version of insulation made from extruded polystyrene foam, endowed with excellent properties;
superior to foam both in characteristics and price.

A new inexpensive, easy-to-use material is gaining popularity - thermal insulation. film for insulation of plastic windows. It is glued directly to the glass and allows you to effectively insulate damaged double-glazed windows in any plastic windows. Energy-saving properties are ensured by a special metal-containing coating that reflects infrared radiation and does not release heat. Strengths:

electrostatic (does not attract dust);
tolerance to household chemicals;
transparent, thin, invisible canvas;
does not glare;
good size range;
affordable price;
ease of application.

Among the few disadvantages is a short service life; after 2 years it will require replacement.

A new inexpensive, easy-to-use material is gaining popularity - heat-insulating film for insulating plastic windows.

How to stick film

With the help of energy-saving film, you can achieve noticeable results in heat conservation. Let's consider the algorithm for applying this material to a plastic window:

You will need a film slightly larger than the window block.
For fastening, take a special transparent double-sided tape and cut it off with a small margin.
Thoroughly clean and wash the surface of the glass and plastic elements of the window.
Place a strip of adhesive tape around the perimeter of the frame.
Straighten a piece of film (cut with an allowance of 1.5-2 cm on each side).
Filming protective layer from the tape on the top bar.
Apply the top edge of the film to the tape.
Stretch the coating so that it does not come into contact with the glass; make sure that the tension is not too strong - the film breaks.
Starting from the top, gradually remove upper layer from the adhesive tape, apply the film to it.
Secure the bottom edge of the covering.
Using a regular hairdryer, heat the film evenly over the entire area.

Cover a large window area with new material using two people. Remember, during the process of sticking the film should not come into contact with the surface of the glass unit, it should not be stretched too much to avoid tearing.

As a result of the last manipulation, the film is stretched, leveled, and becomes transparent and matte. So in a simple way Any owner can insulate double-glazed windows in plastic windows.

The film should not come into contact with the surface of the glass unit.

Main mistakes

When carrying out work on sealing plastic windows that have lost their heat-protective properties with their own hands, inexperienced owners make typical mistakes:

dismantle, change structural elements, components and accessories during the manufacturer's warranty period and installer; V guarantee period Invite specialists to eliminate defects;
when replacing mechanisms and accessories, “non-original” repair kits are used;
begin to eliminate defects with the onset of frost; it is better to do repairs in the warm months or, at least, on a dry, windless day;
show negligence in identifying gaps and voids, seal seams and voids poorly.

Important! Failure to comply with the technology for insulating plastic windows and the use of low-quality materials leads to constant problems and discomfort for residents.

Useful video: insulating a plastic window using a special tape

Take care of the “health” of your windows. The weather in the house will always be good if its thermal protection is in order. Any, even the smallest crack will cause a large heat leak. Conduct a timely audit and eliminate defects, following simple but very important rules.

Reading time ≈ 9 minutes

Plastic double glazed windows They are considered one of the most airtight types of home windows, but even they eventually begin to let cold air into the house. In this article we will look at how you can insulate plastic windows indoors for the winter with your own hands. This will increase the indoor temperature by several degrees and save a lot of money on heating.

Identifying draft locations

To effectively insulate windows, it is necessary to find and eliminate the cause of the draft. Otherwise, all procedures aimed at insulation will not give the desired effect. To find problem areas, you need to independently check all the critical nodes of the window:

Glass holders.
Seal.
Hinges and handles.
The junction of slopes, walls and window sills with window frame.

The appearance of technical faults in one of these places can lead to the appearance of drafts, which in cold weather greatly affects the temperature inside the room.

To determine the exact location of the heat leak, the following methods are used:

Causes of drafts

You should also have basic information about the causes of drafts. Having basic knowledge, you can avoid such unpleasant situations in the future.

If you evaluate in detail all the causes of drafts and heat leaks, you can divide them into two categories, if possible, eliminate them - with the help of window installation specialists and independent decision problems.

It is best to use the services of professionals to solve the following problems:

If the work is done from the inside, then most of it can be done independently.

Insulation of a plastic window

Depending on the identified location of the heat leak, the work performed will be different. Let's look at each direction in more detail, and also determine how to insulate plastic windows for the winter.

Insulation of slopes

If a draft was detected in the cracks between the window frame and the wall, then the cause of this phenomenon should be considered poor thermal insulation. It could have become unusable over time, or there were technology violations during the installation process.

The most correct would be full installation thermal insulation materials again. To do this, you need to remove the slopes and do the following:

If the cold weather has already set in, and there is no way to complete replacement thermal insulation materials, then you can take temporary measures and treat the cracks with sealant. This will save you from cold penetration into the house for a while, but in the future it will be necessary to carry out a more thorough reconstruction.

Important! Many sealing compounds have a clear temperature range within which they can be used. Violation temperature regime may affect the main qualities of the composition. Be sure to check if you can use sealant.

Window sill insulation

In case of loss of tightness in the window sill area, it is necessary to accurately determine the location of the leak.

Such measures will be enough to insulate the window sill and eliminate any drafts in these places.

Insulation by adjusting windows

The reason for the appearance of drafts may be an insufficiently tight fit of the locking elements to each other. To eliminate this, you need to know the basic principles of operation of plastic window sashes.

If the windows were initially installed correctly and closed tightly enough, then the problem can be eliminated by slightly moving the sash. How to adjust a window at home yourself is described in detail in this video:

The windows of most brands have a system for switching to winter or summer mode. To determine what position the windows are currently in, you need to pay attention to the locking pins. Depending on the window manufacturer, they are marked Current state window. If the mark is turned inward, then the windows are in the “summer” mode, and in the winter mode if the trunnion is turned in the opposite direction.

When installing the window in summer mode, when the sash is closed, it does not fit tightly enough to the frame. This allows you to maintain microventilation in the premises.

In winter from such ventilation more problems than good, so the window needs to be switched to winter mode. To do this, rotate all the trunnions to the desired position.

The average state represents a balance between micro-ventilation and heat retention. It is also called spring or autumn mode.

Important! Windows in winter mode are designed to press the sash against the frame as much as possible, which means fogging of the glass will be almost guaranteed. To avoid the appearance of fungus, it is necessary to regularly ventilate the room, even on winter days.

Replacing sealing material

Another way to insulate plastic windows for the winter with your own hands is to replace the rubber seal between the window frame and the opening sashes.

Important! It is worth replacing the seal only if it has become unusable. With regular care and treatment with softening compounds, it can last more than 5-8 years without losing its qualities.

First you need to determine whether the seal can be replaced. If you are the happy owner of a window with a replaceable rubber seal, then you can proceed to the next steps.

You can get acquainted in detail with the procedure for replacing the seal using the example of the work of one of the installation companies:

Attention! If you are not sure about the correctness of the work listed above, and also doubt the own strength, we recommend that you seek help from professionals. Most vinyl window installation companies can provide additional customization and minor restoration work for an appropriate fee.

Insulation with additional means

Sometimes the plastic window is in in perfect order and does not create drafts, but in itself is a place of heat loss. In this case, it must be insulated with additional means. Let's look at a few simple ways additional insulation window.

The use of improvised means used for, in the case of correctly installed and configured double-glazed windows, shows minimal effectiveness. Their main purpose is to eliminate drafts, but does not work with hermetically sealed plastic windows.

Now you know how you can insulate plastic windows in your home for the winter and can put most of the methods into practice. Also remember that windows are not the only place where heat is lost. You can get maximum heat retention after and..

Most likely the installation metal-plastic windows was part of your plan for insulating your house or apartment. And now this element itself needs insulation, but it shouldn’t be blowing from anywhere... Why is it blowing? Properly installed metal-plastic windows do not need insulation. But, if errors were made during installation or the a long period, during which the double-glazed window has not been serviced, insulation of PVC windows may well be required.

To understand how to solve the problem, you need to find out what elements the window consists of. Below in the diagram you can see all the main details.

So now we need to figure out which parts are most likely to cause difficulties.

It can be:

Joint (seam) between the frame and the wall (window sill, slopes);
Double-glazed window fittings;
Bead (The element that holds the glass in place - if it blows from under the glass).
Seal.

Here we have arranged the reasons not according to any principle, but only in a chaotic order. But a little further we will understand the reasons sequentially - starting from the simple solution, to the most difficult (labor-intensive, labor-intensive). We will see that insulating windows with your own hands is not as difficult as it might seem at first.

Problems with windows

In the previous subtitle, we dealt with structural elements that can cause problems and may require insulation of double-glazed windows. Employees of one Kyiv company identify the three most common:

Has not been serviced for a long time and came to bad condition rubber compressor. This insulating element plays important role in thermal insulation;
Lack of tight contact between the sash and the frame. For example, this can happen due to skewed hinges;
The seam between the frame and the window opening was poorly made initially and destroyed as a result of erosion.

How to find out what the problem is in a particular case?

This stage of insulating PVC windows usually does not raise any questions. A person may not know what the element is called, but where it most often blows from is not difficult to determine. Most people use one of three proven methods.

Check with a candle or lighter. Light a candle and hold it to the gap between the frame and the wall or between the sash and the frame. In the place where the candle goes out, a cold stream is passed through. This is where examinations need to be carried out;
The sash pressure should be very tight. There should be no pulling from under it. To check the “strength” of the clamp, insert a sheet of paper into the sash and slam it shut by turning the handle. If a sheet falls out, the hardware may need adjustment. Or the window may be in “summer mode”;
Although the third method is more expensive, it can help identify problems not only with windows - thermal imaging research. Using special equipment, heat leakage zones can be identified. An example photo is shown below.

Summer and winter window modes

If you open the sash and look at its end, you can see several pressure rollers. They are responsible for adjusting the pressure density, in fact, summer and winter modes. Using a special key, adjust the degree of pressure and seal of the sash to the frame. In some profiles you can do without a key by turning such rollers manually.

You can see a notch on the pressure roller itself. If it is turned closer to the sealing rubber, it means winter mode, and if outward, it means summer mode.

For more information on how to change the window mode, watch the video.

So, at this stage, we have already figured out the structure of the window itself, found out which elements can cause difficulties, and found out what problems residents most often encounter. Now let's look at the most common problems and find out how to solve them.

Handles, hinges...

When insulating windows with your own hands, you need to start with the fittings. As employees of the same Kyiv company for repair and installation of windows say, if the problem is not started, it can often be solved by adjusting the fittings. Since the topic of our article is, after all, window insulation, it’s only worth saying here that average cost ordering adjustment from a company in Kyiv costs approximately 100-150 UAH. ($4), and in Moscow 400-700 rubles. You can correct this yourself by watching the video:

Sealing rubber bands

In the CIS countries, for various reasons, it is unpleasant to regularly conduct service maintenance. This leads to premature or very severe wear of various parts. Therefore, when deciding how to insulate windows, make sure they are in good condition sealing elements windows

The seals are located on the frame and also on the sash. In most cases, removable parts are installed that can be easily replaced. How do you know if the seal needs replacing? One of the methods was given at the beginning of the article.

Second. Open the sash and feel the seal. If it is hard (and especially if it starts to crumble, it needs to be replaced). There is an easier way. Test without getting up from your chair.

The seal requires lubrication at intervals of approximately 6 months. If such a procedure has not been carried out for at least 3 years, there is a 90% chance that the rubber band needs to be replaced.

What is the best way to insulate windows? There is no definite answer, but the seal definitely needs to be changed.

In a separate article, we have already described in detail how the procedure is carried out and showed a video.

A short summary of this section. Two small, but most common problems when insulating windows are fittings and cutters in plastic windows. But there are also more “severe patients” who need “hospitalization”. In such cases, the problem is usually with the window sill or ebb.

Low tide

How to insulate a plastic window with your own hands if problems are observed in the lower part of the window? The first thing that might come to mind would be window sill insulation. But its removal is a thorough matter, which is more reminiscent construction project, so there is an alternative. You can start by insulating the outside of your windows by adding flashing insulation. First you need to dismantle the old ebb. To do this, we twist all the screws that secure it and carefully remove the piece of iron itself.

Carrying out work on high floors, be extremely careful and use insurance.

We are interested in the seam between the frame and the window opening. It is sealed with polyurethane foam - a material that is easily affected by cold and moisture. Therefore, if the foam was not reliably protected, it may be the reason for the blowing.

Look at the layer of foam under the frame. If:

The foam itself crumbles,
There is no vapor barrier,

The seam needs repair.

Carefully scrape off the old foam layer with a knife. Prime the remains of the old layer and the entire surface and cover it with a new vapor barrier membrane. You need to place one edge of the membrane under the frame, and place the second under the ebb. Apply a new layer of foam. The foam can be protected from the outside using PSUL tape.

At this point, the sealing of the outer seam, which can be a source of cold, can be considered complete

Let's create another camera

Among the three reasons for blowing out metal-plastic windows mentioned at the beginning of the article was glazing bead. To insulate this element, special films are used. It creates, as it were, another air pocket between the glass and the film itself, which eliminates all blowing between the glass and the frame. Thanks to this, a single double-glazed window becomes a double-glazed one.

How to insulate double-glazed windows in this way?

Film - a good option, when insulation was needed “yesterday”. In this article we are only, in general, discussing all the ways to insulate plastic windows with your own hands, but in a separate article we discussed this topic in more detail.

External insulation

How to insulate plastic windows from the outside? There are two key points here:

Firstly, in an apartment on the floor above the second, it is prohibited by law to insulate anything from the outside - you need a special license. You can insulate windows yourself only in a house or on the first or second floors of an apartment.
It is better to entrust such work to professionals.
Secondly, when we talk about external insulation of windows, we are talking about insulation of slopes and insulation of the seam under the ebb, which we talked about above. The issue was discussed in a separate article a little earlier.

Cost of services

Window insulation includes several procedures. Below in the table we give the approximate cost of the services of contractors.

Results

You probably understand how to insulate plastic windows depends on the method and approach. Maybe you need to replace the seal or use polyurethane foam for sealing the external seam. Insulation for plastic windows can also be a film that is glued to the frame from the inside. You can seal the seams inside using tape, well, this is already the case for very old PVC windows. And let's repeat: how to properly insulate windows?

The first thing you need to find out is the cause of the heat leak. As you remember, there are only three main ones. Although, of course, there are various unusual and unforeseen situations, especially in our area, where windows were not always installed soberly. Therefore, if you still have questions, use the comments or the “Q&A” section.

Over time, even PVC windows begin to lose their airtightness. Therefore, in Russian winter conditions they need additional protection and adjustment. In this article we will look at how to insulate plastic windows for the winter with your own hands.

Before insulating windows with your own hands, you should identify “problem” areas. Over time or if installed incorrectly, metal-plastic structures can begin to let in cold air. This is most noticeable in winter, so identifying the causes of cold air is easier at this time of year.

Cold air can enter the room through:

Accessories.
Places where frames adhere to slopes, walls or window sills.
Rubber seal (between frame and glass).
Fastening strip (“glazing bead”).

You can determine where the gap is located in the old proven way: take a lighter (a simple gas lighter) and bring it to all of the above elements. The flame will begin to fluctuate as air leaks. The main thing is not to bring it too close to the frames, so as not to melt the plastic.

Main scope of work

Preparing plastic windows for winter with your own hands includes replacing damaged elements. Many Russian manufacturers do not indulge high quality consumables (seals, etc.). Therefore, they have to be changed regularly in order to block cold air from entering the apartment.

We replace the glazing bead

If an air leak is detected in the bead area, it must be replaced. This is done very simply:

Using a narrow spatula (or, in extreme cases, a knife), pry up the glazing bead and carefully pull it out.
We buy a new one. It is necessary to select it according to the size of the window.
We put the glazing bead in place of the old one and use a rubber hammer to hammer it in with light taps.

The cost of this element is low - in the range of 100-200 rubles, but it determines whether street air will enter the room.

Replacing the fixing pad

The lining loses its elasticity during use. This is primarily due to temperature changes. Replacement is carried out as follows:

We remove the glazing beads (side ones first).
We take out the linings.
We dismantle the double-glazed window.
Remove the old tape.
Cut out a new one. In this case, you should leave a margin of a few centimeters.
We lay a new tape. There is no need to put in any effort.
We collect all the dismantled elements.

We eliminate leaks in the frame area

If there are leaks in the frame area, then the problem lies in the clamping elements. There are two possible reasons for this.

The sash is not pressed well. To fix this, you need to use a hex wrench (or a screwdriver with an appropriate attachment) to tighten the flaps more tightly. Simply insert the hexagon into the corresponding slots and scroll until the frame is properly pressed.
The seal fits poorly. In this case, we proceed as follows:

Remove the layer of old sealant.
We clear the installation site of all kinds of debris.

Tip: if there are glue residues or other stubborn stains, use a special PVC surface cleaner.

Place the seal strip in the appropriate grooves. The length of the cut piece should be perfect in size.
Lightly pressing the strip, glue it.

It is better to purchase the seal from the manufacturer or window installer. Buying low-quality models will make insulating plastic windows a pointless task.

Additional scope of work

Other effective measure- sealing existing joints and seams thermal insulation material. It is the only solution in case of incorrect installation of double-glazed windows.

We study materials that can be used

There is diversity in this market segment. You can insulate plastic windows for the winter using the following materials.

Polyurethane foam. It is most popular due to two advantages: affordable price and high installation speed. However, it quickly deteriorates as a result of temperature changes and exposure to UV rays.
Mineral wool. It is fire resistant and environmental safety. It is usually used to insulate a window sill or large gaps between a window and a wall.
Silicone sealant. Pros - low price and reliability. The downside is poor thermal insulation.
Special film. It is transparent and is glued onto the glass unit itself, which allows you to retain more heat (up to 70% of it sometimes escapes through the glass).
Foam plastic is the most cheap option. It can be used to seal seams in slopes.
Construction tape. It is usually glued over sealant or polyurethane foam to improve thermal insulation characteristics.
Warm mixtures. Used for external sealing of seams and joints.

Film

Cover the glass with the above-mentioned film. It is sold in rolls, so it is convenient to cut. We do everything in this sequence:

We clean the windows.
We cut the film to the size of the window. You need to leave an allowance of 1-2 cm for each side.
Remove the protective layer.
We wet the glass and film.
Glue and level it using a plastic spatula.
Trim off the excess with scissors or a cutter.

Exterior works

Before the onset of cold weather, the outer part of the facade should also be prepared. To do this we close external slopes and cracks (if any) using a warm mixture. This can only be done at positive temperatures.

Sealing seams and cracks

If even small cracks are observed, they must be sealed with any of the materials listed above. It is better to first plug large joints with cotton wool (or similar material) and fill with foam on top.

Conclusion

The problems listed in this article can only arise if the double-glazed window was installed incorrectly. The exception is if you have had them for a long time (more than 10 years). Therefore, if problems arise in new windows, first of all call the installer - he is obliged to correct his shortcomings.

Why insulate plastic windows? This reasonable question probably arises among all owners of modern hermetic structures, because the manufacturers sold us a perfect product with ideal thermal insulation. Installation errors, improper operation, shrinkage of the house and time can play a cruel joke even on the most quality windows. Don’t rush to change the entire structure - you can try to insulate plastic windows yourself. It's easy and doesn't take long. Let's deal with weak points modern windows and learn how to eliminate them.

No. 1. Why do plastic windows need insulation?

High-quality and installed plastic windows will certainly be reliable barrier cold air, drafts and noise. Over the years, of course, problems can arise, and often the user himself is to blame. In case of improper installation various defects can make themselves felt in the first season.

The most common reasons for additional thermal insulation of plastic windows:

installation performed in violation of technology;
shrinkage of the building, which is especially typical for;
wear of rubber insulation. Responsible manufacturers and installers inform the user about the rules for caring for the rubber seal, but few follow the rules and regularly inspect the condition of this structural element. Lack of proper care leads to an accelerated process of thinning and drying of the rubber, the appearance of microcracks in its structure, the result is a decrease in the tightness of the fit to the frame and deterioration of thermal insulation;
incorrectly installed slopes.

A window of poor quality or with technical characteristics that do not correspond to climatic conditions will also not be able to provide normal thermal insulation, which is why it is so important to be able to correctly and immediately decide on the appropriate one.

No. 2. We identify weak points

To spend effective insulation plastic windows, you must first figure out where the seal is broken. The only thing that can be taken off the list of suspects right away is the frame: multi-chamber plastic is a good heat insulator, it does not dry out, unlike.

Cold air can penetrate through the following structural elements:

A double-glazed window rarely causes a violation of thermal insulation (the exception is its depressurization), but it can also be additionally insulated. “Extra” heat in winter will not hurt.

Identify leaking elements window It’s simple - just run your palm along and across the entire structure, and you will feel that there is a decent amount of air in some places. Some people recommend using a lighter for this purpose. If you light a flame and pass it around the perimeter of the window, maintaining a safe distance, it will tilt in those places where there is even a small draft. Be extremely careful with this method!

As a rule, work on insulating a plastic window can be done with your own hands. The exception is cases when it is necessary to insulate with outside, and the apartment is located above the second floor. You need to be prepared that comprehensive insulation may be needed if several zones of warm air leaks are found, but first things first.

No. 3. Debugging the clamping mechanism

House shrinkage and weather factors can lead to slight misalignment of window sashes and minor deformation sealing gum. This leads to deterioration of thermal insulation, but in this case, returning to its former tightness is a matter of a couple of minutes, however, knowledge of the design of a plastic window and skills in working with tools will be needed.

Adjustment of the clamping mechanism can be done using special eccentrics located around the perimeter of the sashes. To ensure a tighter fit of the sash, the eccentric must be turned clockwise using a 4 mm hex key. Focus on the serif located on each such element. When it is directed towards the street, the pressure is weakened; when it is directed towards the seal, it is strengthened. The video shows everything well.

Sometimes a simple solution helps to insulate a plastic window. loop regulation, which also have own mechanism, responsible for the clamping density. Here the regulation is carried out using a hexagon. You should follow a simple rule: if the tongue is pushed out strongly, then the sash fits well. To pull it out, you need to turn the hex counterclockwise if the hinges are on the left, and clockwise if on the right.

Things are even simpler with glazing bead. It is enough to pry off the old, loose glazing bead with a thin spatula, and install a new one in its place, which can be bought from the same company that sold and installed your windows.

After adjustment, check whether the tightness of the structure has improved using your palm or a lighter. If everything is done correctly, but there is still a draft, you will most likely have to change the seal.

No. 4. Replacing the seal

Ideally, a rubber seal can last quite a long time, but for this to happen, certain conditions must be met. According to the operating rules for plastic windows, the seal must be regularly lubricated with special substances, but which of us does this? So it turns out that after 5 years the rubber dries out and begins to let in the cold breeze from the street. The problem may be in the seal, which is located under the glass, or in what is located along the contour of the sash. Replacing the seal in a plastic window is not so difficult as it is responsible. If you doubt your skills, it is better to call a specialist.

Procedure for replacing the window seal:

May need replacement seal, which is located along the contour of the sash. In this case, it is better to remove the sash. First, decorative overlays are removed from the hinges, and then using mounting handle or the pin is pulled out of the loop. All that remains is to carefully remove the sash, and only then it is very easy to remove the old seal from it. It is better to start installing a new seal from the top of the sash, gently pressing it, but not stretching it. It is better to secure the beginning and end of the sealing tape with glue. All! All that remains is to hang the sash back: the pin can be installed with bare hands and then returned to its place decorative overlay. The video shows and describes everything very well.

No. 5. Window sill insulation

Installation of a plastic window is often associated with significant damage, which is especially significant in the area between the wall and. Some installers fill the cracks with cement and construction waste. No comments here. It’s better, of course, when the space under the window sill is filled, but this option is not ideal either. Over time, the foam can shrink or even dry out, forming decent gaps through which cold air enters the house.

To insulate a plastic window, you will have to get rid of the old foam and fill in new one. Keep in mind that it tends to expand as it hardens. After complete hardening, the excess is cut off; some builders recommend additionally filling small cracks silicone sealant. This is followed by plastering work and application of decorative coating.

If possible, the window sill area can be additionally insulated from the outside. Polyurethane foam is also used for this, but sometimes foam is also used. Everything is gridded on top and finished off.

No. 6. Insulation of slopes

Today, often when installing plastic windows, slopes are additionally installed, smooth, beautiful, made of dense plastic. It often happens that between decorative strip and there is a wall big crack, which perfectly conducts cold and wind into the apartment, therefore, to improve the thermal insulation of plastic windows, it is recommended to insulate the slopes from the inside or outside.

The procedure is as follows:

dismantling unnecessary parts polyurethane foam;
if the surface is very uneven, you can plaster it;
treating the slope with a primer, you can use antibacterial compounds to prevent the development of mold;
A fragment corresponding to the slope is cut out of foam plastic. To make it stick better to the surface, with reverse side it may be slightly scratched. All that remains is to apply assembly adhesive and press tightly to the surface of the slope; for guarantee, you can install several dowels;
All that remains is to mount the corner, putty the surface and secure the casing.

No. 7. What else can be done to insulate a plastic window?

The methods described above will allow you to reliably insulate plastic windows and get rid of all the cracks, but it is possible to make the structure even warmer - it will not only not let cold into the apartment, but will also prevent warm air from leaving the apartment. This is not magic, but reality, which is achieved through the use of:

heat-saving film;
electric window heating;
wool blinds and curtains.

Heat-saving film- thin transparent material, which does not change the optical properties of glass, but is reflective thermal energy back to the apartment. The effect is achieved due to the presence of a thin metal layer. Of course, when it comes to plastic windows, it is better to use a special heat-saving double-glazed window - its efficiency is several times higher than any film, but if a regular double-glazed window is installed in the existing windows, then additional insulation will not be superfluous.

You can easily do the installation of the film yourself:

the surface of the glass and frame are thoroughly cleaned;
double-sided tape is glued around the perimeter of the box;
The required fragment is cut from the film roll; it is better to cut with a margin;
the film is glued to the previously attached double-sided tape, its surface is blown warm air from a hair dryer. It is necessary to act slowly so that the result is accurate and there are no distortions or bubbles. Correctly applied film is almost invisible.

Electric glass heating it is already more difficult to equip, it is better to do this at the stage of window installation, but most window companies can install such a system already at installed window. Heating is carried out by an electric heating coil built into the glass.

Well, and finally, the most banal, simple and universal ways to make a window a little warmer. This thick curtains and wool blinds. The latter can be done by wrapping ordinary blinds with woolen fabric.

It is better to carry out work on insulating plastic windows on a warm, dry day, since many materials can no longer be worked at temperatures below +5...+10 0 C, and you can let the cold into the apartment. In order to face the problem of insulating a modern window as soon as possible, it is worth taking the choice of a window manufacturer as seriously as possible and paying attention to selecting the optimal technical characteristics, focusing on the climate of the region. It is also important to choose a responsible installer and remember to properly maintain the window.