Compactor for plastic windows: types, manufacturers, replacement

sealant for plastic windows - a part of any translucent structure, responsible for the leak. It is present on all circuits fit: on the perimeter of the sash, frame and glazing bead on the edge. It is an elastic belt made of rubber, silicone, PVC or other materials. The service life of the seal 5 ÷ 7 years, while the windows themselves are operated for much longer, so you need regular replacement of this element. You can install it yourself, if you pick up the material and the form correctly. And with due leaving Tape is able to carry out their functions effectively and for a long time.

What does the seal for plastic windows?

One of the most important characteristics of windows and doors from PVC - tightness. Since the two solid material (plastic to plastic or plastic with glass) are not able to connect without the formation of cracks, design joints all seals are made of an elastic tape. It has an internal cavity, which allow it to shrink and expand depending on the pressure force. As a result, the joint completely blocks access to the room cold air, dust and noise from the street. Thus, the seal - this is the main function of the seal, but there are other, no less important:

• reduce heat loss rooms;
• It protects against corrosion of metal parts fittings for plastic windows;
• It makes the operation of the valves more comfortable, since they are adjacent closing softly, without sound.

The seal is installed on the production in a groove. Most often it is not glued but simply inserted, so substitution is not difficult.

Important! The profile and size of the new tape must match the wear and tear, or it may simply not be appropriate, or serve as poorly.

When and why you need to change the seal for PVC windows?

Sealing the contours of wear over time. Their rate of deterioration depends on conditions and usage. A negative impact on them have frequent manipulation with the slats, no care, Changes in temperature and soaking. Protect the seals on these factors is impossible, therefore, to solve the problem can only be replaced.

Signs indicating that the parts are worn out:

• ice formation at the joints;
• abundant condensation on double-glazed windows and frames;
• draft, which is felt when a hand to the circuit junction;
• increase the noise level;
• the accumulation of dust on windowsill;
• hum or whistle in the wind.

Damaging seals visible externally. If they are no longer to restore shape, with an open casement, are cracked, crumbling under mechanical stress, it's time to change them.

Note! Seals that are more than 5 years, subject to the preventive replacement.

In cases where the tape does not look worn or changed recently and there were problems, indicating poor sealing, is worth checking out the sash. they often sag under its own weight, and the gap is formed in the upper corners. These flaps must be adjust. If the window for a long time is not maintained, it is possible the simultaneous sagging and damage seals.

Related article:

Adjustment of plastic doors and windows yourself. This task really cope without resorting to a specialist. All you need to know about the features of these regulatory structures, we have gathered in this material.

How to check the perfect seal flaps: best practices

Sometimes it is difficult to determine how tight the flap is adjacent to the frame, but there are signs that the seal is broken. In such cases come to the aid methods that use professional masters to detect the smallest defects, and folk methods:

1. Push leaf paper. If he goes free, then there is a problem. This operation, as far as possible, you need to do around the perimeter.
2. Paint sealer and close the window. After opening, vote, left the trail, he has imprinted on all contour without spaces.
3. Fluff the joint with soapy water. Where there is a bubble - there It permeates the air.
4. Thermal imager. Where the temperature is lower (blue), there is worse contiguity.
5. Using both hands, pull the sash is closed. If it is well adjusted, the angles are fixed.
6. Bring to the joint lighted candle or a lighter. When drafts zakolyshetsya or flame extinguishes.
7. Wet palm and carry along a joint between casement and frame, so drafty feeling better. This method is only suitable for the cold season.

If you encounter a problem you can contact the organization that manufactured and installed the window. If the warranty has not expired, repairs It will be free. If that is not possible, you will have to pay the masters of the service or do the work yourself. In the latter case it is important to correctly determine the cause and find suitable materials for sealing joints.

Advantages and disadvantages of seals of different materials

Seals for windows made from a plurality of elastic material structure. They differ in appearance, features of work, cost and duration of service. The most common - Black rubber - they are inexpensive and well cope with the task. But there are also multi-colored ribbons, they are equipped with both white and colored or laminated structure.

Important! Seals are not universal, they have different cross-sectional shape and size and are suitable for the windows of a certain type.

Before buying a new tape, it is recommended to take some of the old seal and take it to the shop for comparison.

Rubber

Tape vulcanized (foam) rubber, the most popular on the market. They are always black, as is present in the composition of the soot. Such seals are well keep their shape, they are not afraid of UV and temperature changes. Over time, they dry out and crack. In the cold lose elasticity. Depending on the used fillers can have different mechanical strength.

silicone

The second most popular, but not the quality seal - silicone. It is made from synthetic rubber. The tape can be painted in any colors. It is soft enough, so sometimes torn. Flexibility is maintained even in the cold, so this seal provides a high quality clamp. Not shrinking over time. The material is ecologically safe.

The thermoplastic (TPE)

This seal is based on a synthetic polymer - a thermoplastic elastomer. Able to repeatedly restore the original shape. Very elastic and durable. Environmentally safe. It brings great environmental impact. Suitable for use in the mild climate. Available tape of different colors.

PVC

Inexpensive PVC seal is made from the same material as the frame, but the composition is less than hardeners and more additives for improving plasticity. It hardens in the cold. It has low mechanical strength and short life.

EPDM

This ethylene-propylene diene monomers synthetic origin. Seal itself is made with organic substances. The material is very strong and durable. Safe for humans and the environment. Not afraid of outside influences and mechanical damage. It retains its properties at all temperatures. Available in different colors.

polyurethane

Sealant polyurethane foam for windows PVC It is not commonly used as a short-lived and he quickly loses its shape. But made a special tape in a sturdy shell, designed for plastic designs. It is reinforced with fiberglass. Suitable for most brands of windows. The tape does not require lubrication, and does not absorb water. For it is not afraid of cold temperatures. A porous structure provides additional insulation.

Types of seals on the type of installation

Replace the seals on plastic windows It can be made in different ways, depending on the type of the acquired tape. Possible options:

• stuck on a special adhesive;
• buy seal with adhesive layer;
• simply set the groove.

If the shape and size of the tape to find the right, it is excellent hold out in a special slot on the frame and sash window and paste it does not need. Additional fixation inside the groove - it is rather reassurance. And this method is best used where actively exploited the window.

Note! The adhesive layer creates great problems in the subsequent replacement of the seals.

Instructions for replacing the seal in plastic boxes with their own hands

In the repair of plastic windows Replacement of the seal - the most common procedures performed it easily, so You should learn how to do it to yourself to eliminate drafts without waiting for the master and the financial costs.

Before you get started, you need to read the general rules that will help to avoid mistakes:

1. Do not rush to cut the tape. This is best done when the seal will fill the slot on the perimeter completely. For technical standards the joint can be only one, and it is well glued. The more connections, the worse sealing.
2. You can not change the rubber fragments - Only completely around the perimeter. Permissible not to touch some circuits, for example, between the glazing and the glazing beads - they last longer, but due to the complexity of works, their replacement is better left to professionals.
3. Do not experiment and set the seal of larger or smaller size, We need exactly the same as it was, otherwise a quality seal not reach.

Step by step instructions for replacing seals on plastic windows with their hands is presented in the table.

Photo	Description stage
	Open the window and remove the sash. To do this, remove the decorative cap on top to put pressure on the protruding rod and remove it from the bottom of the upper hinge, then lift the flap and remove it from the bottom hinge.
	Pry the old seal and remove it from the contours of the frame and sash.
	Clear the slot from dust and debris, dry well. If self-adhesive sealant is used for windows, you need to degrease the surface.
	Insert seal at sash corner, and moving in a convenient direction, lightly snap tape in the groove. It is important not to stretch the material and place it freely. The hardest thing in the corners, it is inconceivable that rubber frowned. When exactly does not work, it is permissible to glue the tape in these places. Trim the seal need as close as possible to the other end, that there is no gap. Then lubricate the joint thoroughly with special glue.
	Similarly, the insert seal along the contour of the frame.
	Immediately after the installation, the tape was purified from dust and lubricated with silicone or other means for care.
	Clear window hinges of the old oil and grease, and then in reverse order to install the flap back into place. First put on the lower hinge, and then insert the pin in the upper. Close caps.

After installing new gaskets, make sure that the work done correctly. The flap is easy to open and closes. The handle moves with little effort. The seal bears around the perimeter and hold fast in the groove. A blowing eliminated.

Clear and detailed study of the sequence and the intricacies of how to change the seal on the plastic windows, will help the video below:

Replacing the seals on the wooden windows

Wooden windows old-fashioned warm hard. But for their possible use modern gaskets of rubber or silicone in the form of a tube with one air cavity. They have to stick to the sealant. Self-adhesive in this case is not suitable, as they can quickly move away from the frame. How do loops depends on the gap between the frame and sash - if it is small, the window will be difficult to close.

Sealer for wooden windows need to stick not only to the sash, but also on the joints between the frame and the frame. To do this, it needs to dismantle the frame and lock the tape around the perimeter of the box.

Wooden Euro windows are equipped with grooves for sealing contours, so the problems with their insulation, usually does not arise. For them fit the same tape as the plastic. If desired, the slots can be done in conventional mills, the windows are wooden.

Popular manufacturers of sealants for PVC windows

Photo	Manufacturer	Description
	KBE (Germany)	Seals are made from high-quality rubber. Product life of up to 10 years. Very tightly held in a groove of a window profile.
	Veka (Germany)	Produce seals of vulcanized rubber. Elements resistant to extremes of temperature and atmospheric conditions.
	Rehau (Germany)	The company manufactures products made of EPDM and TPE. With a wide operating temperature range. Strong and durable. Serve for several decades.
	Obninskgazpolimer (Russia)	Produces rubber seals. With different type and size of the section. Products are suitable for most profile window systems made of PVC.
	Standard Profiles (Russia)	Release pads made of PVC, rubber and TPE profiles for a large number of European and domestic production.

How to extend the life of seals: the basic rules of care

To new gum for plastic windows have served the maximum term, for them it is necessary to take care of. Dusty coating and drying of the surface - are the main enemies of the tape. What do we have to do:

• Twice a year wash the windows and a sealing contour soapy water, then wipe dry;
• In the spring and fall to lubricate the tape by special means, that it does not dry out;
• Install mosquito nets - they hold some of the dust, and gaskets stay clean longer.

For lubrication you can use the means of a special set of windows for care, silicone grease or spray WD40. Not recommended for household and cosmetic oils, as the reaction of the material to them is unpredictable.

Where to buy in retail seal for plastic windows and how much does it cost?

Price seals for plastic windows depends on several factors: the type and quality of the feedstock, the manufacturer and its location. Imports more expensive, while the domestic is almost not inferior in quality. Sealers can come to several types of profile, but it is better to choose a tape of the same manufacturer as the window - it guarantees a dense porch, and a secure fit within the groove.

Note! Many German brands have opened production facilities in Russia, so the cost varies slightly.

Buy sealer can be an organization that is engaged in the installation of windows, the official representatives of the major manufacturing companies in your town, in shops or in the near to the house building shopping center.

A special set of the windows and seal maintenance costs about 300 ÷ 400 rubles apiece, it is sufficient for 1-2 applications.

The price of the replacement of the seal in plastic windows professional artists ranges from 130 to 200 rubles. per linear meter, taking into account the cost of ribbon.

Rubber seal - an important part of the windows are PVC. Without it, there would be the main advantages of the design - the tightness. To prevent damage to fittings and purging, you should regularly monitor the condition of the tape and the time to change it. Simple rules for the care can help extend the life of the seal another 1-2 season.