Windows are the eyes to a house's soul – if your windows are big and beautiful so too is your home, but they can also include a range of challenges as well. With sub par windows, you can look forward to a drafty home with high heating bills. Similarly, there are also moisture issues – for example, if you don't seal the space between your double panes securely enough, you will get a build up of condensation. Having lived in old houses and having helped choose the windows for new houses, I'm familiar with a range of challenges associated with windows. If you want tips and ideas, you've come to the right spot. Please, explore and enjoy.
With all the information that is readily available online and elsewhere, as well as the fact as you can buy windows at just about any home improvement store, you may assume that window installation will be an easy task. However, one of the biggest problems DIY homeowners face after installing windows on their own is drafts.
Even the slightest cracks during installation can allow drafts to blow through around a new window, and this can be a huge efficiency problem. There are a few necessary steps all professional window installers take to combat this problem. Here is a look at some of the ways to make sure you do not have drafty issues with your new windows after installation.
Make sure the window frame is perfectly square before installing the window.
Before you get ready to slide the new window in place, grab a square and a measuring tape and make sure the frame is perfectly square. While your window may still go into the opening okay even if it is not perfectly square, the small gaps that are left around the window unit can allow room for drafts to slip through. Therefore, even though this extra step can seem like something that is unnecessary, it really is worth the added time.
Make sure to install metal flashing around the frame of the window.
Once you have the new window in place and secured in its frame, you are still not completely done with installation if you want to avoid issues with drafts. If the window came with a snap-on metal finish piece, you will install this around the exterior frame at this point. However, if your new windows did not come with these convenient pieces, it is best to install a piece of folded metal flashing around the outside frame. This flashing wards off moisture, but it will also be a barrier to prevent drafts.
Make sure you run a bead of caulking around the perimeter of the frame inside.
If the new window has a frame that protrudes slightly from the wall inside of the house, you may have to run a bead of sealant around that frame to perfectly seal off the window. Some homeowners skip this step initially and may be okay without doing it. However, if you have your windows professionally installed, the installer will use caulking to completely close the connection between the window frame and the wall so there are no drafts.
Share21 May 2018
