For most people, double glazing is a great option to insulate their windows. Double glazed units give homeowners a number a benefits including cuts in their energy bills and reduced carbon emissions.
This is because the unit is designed to retain heat with two panes of glass separated by an energy efficient gas, such as Argon, Xenon or Krypton. And if the double glazing is framed in uPVC, the unit as a whole will be even more efficient.
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Sealants are great at preventing the penetration of noise, dust, air and gas and are usually used to fill in small openings. Typically, sealants are used for concrete and drywall, but are just as effective with other materials such as uPVC.
Fundamentally, no single silicone type should be used for everything. The problem is, their descriptions are all very similar and give little away. So which one is best for the job you need doing? Read on to find out.
The most common failures in joints occur when:
- The wrong sealant has been used for the job
- During the manufacturing stage, the joint width/depth has been made too big or small.
- The double glazing window joint seals have excessive movement
- A sealant of poor quality has been used.
If you are planning to seal in a crack anywhere, ensure you consider all of the above. Before carrying out the job, make sure all the protective tape is removed, the surfaces are clean and that there is no residue. Foam packer rod should be used if the joints are wider than normal.
In the double glazing industry there are two common silicone types:
- Neutral cure /Acetoxy cure
- Modulus ? High/low
Modulus explained:
The modulus sealants are split into two sections ? high and low. A low modulus will stretch comfortably when put under a small force, providing elasticity and better movement. On the other hand, a high modulus sealant is very rigid.
If you?re trying to decide which modulus if right for you, take the desired movement into account. In the double glazing industry it is accepted that linear expansion and contraction of joints and plastics is high.
So, a low modulus would suit this task, as it provides the movement needed. There are sealants that can accommodate up to 50% of the normal joint width.
Cure explained
The two forms of cure available are acetoxy and neutral, but again their names give little away.
Essentially, the difference is how well that adapt to the material the sealant is used on.
- As they cure, acetoxy sealants release acetic acid. This smells similar to vinegar
- Whereas neutral sealants release alcohol as they cure. They have virtually no smell.
Acetoxy cure
Acetoxy cure is the sealant most widely used as it is quick to harden and the more rigid of the two. However, it is said to have poor adhesion qualities and doesn?t ?stick? well to, glass, aluminium and polycarbonate.
Another downside is that acetoxy cure attacks and degrades polycarbonate. This is because of the chemical released.
Neutral cure
This type of sealant is the polar opposite of acetoxy and sticks well to many materials. It makes neutral cure great for aluminium and uPVC double glazing, as well as glass, stone and polycarbonate.
Acetoxy takes around 30 minutes to skin over, leavening a shinier finish. Depending on the temperature, thickness and humidity conditions, it can take one to five days to fully cure.
Neutral sealant is more expensive than acetoxy.
So which sealant should I buy?
Low modulus neutral cure silicone seems to be the most adaptable on the market. Its flexibility gives it great movement and has excellent adhesion with most materials.
This makes it the best silicone out there for windows, whether it be used for uPVC, wooden double glazing or aluminium double glazing.
For the job, the worst sealant has to be the high modulus acetic cure. Short term it may do the business, but it won?t take long to become ?unstuck?.
Unfortunately, just to put the spanner in the works, there is a low modulus acetoxy cure, so be sure not to buy the wrong type.
Tip: Make sure to check the movement capabilities when comparing sealants and prices. It should be marked as a %. Be aware that cheaper silicone sealants are bulked up by other materials, such as chalk power, making it an inferior product.
Bulked up sealants have a higher shrinkage rate and can be prone to discolouration and poor adhesion.
Not every tube will have the movement capability displayed, but you can always seek out the manufacturer?s data sheet.
A study conducted by Which? in 2010 revealed that over the previous 12 months the typical spend on home improvements had increased by ?1,000. It appears home owners are answering the Improve or Move debate with their wallets and deciding to make the most of where they are.
There are many UPVC products that can make a big difference to your home without putting too great a strain on your wallet. Whether you are looking to sell in a slow moving property market or simply just want to make the best of what you?ve got, many double glazing suppliers are chomping at the bit to offer great deals on a whole range of products.
Ideas include sprucing up your front door to make the right first impression, or replacing a rear facing window with a practical patio door – increasing your access to your outdoor spaces has been proved to have a huge impact on a properties liveability.
Make sure when you?re discussing your ideas with a UPVC installer that they will be able to colour match with your existing UPVC, that they use an experienced installation team and that bits and pieces such as trims, sealants and fittings are all included in the price.
Cat flaps are most commonly located in the bottom panel of a kitchen door that leads outside. In practicality it is the most convenient place, and there are no problems with heat loss or leaks when it?s cold or raining.
Ideal doors have a bottom panel of roughly 2ft x 2ft in which to fit the cat flap. It?s normally positioned in the middle of the panel, as near to the floor as possible.
Sometimes it?s not possible to fit the flap as low as you wish, but cats seem to cope adequately even if it is a little higher than ideal.
Fitting a cat flap in a wooden door
Wooden doors are the easiest to fit cat flaps into, and can be a straightforward DIY job. Essentially all that needs to be done is to take out the original glass and replace it with plywood.
Then it?s just the task of cutting out a hole in the new panel to the size you need, and attaching a cat flap.
Fitting a cat flap in a double glazed aluminium door
This is a different ball game altogether. You can use plywood to replace the double glazed window and stain it up, or use an uPVC sandwich panel if the door is white.
Because of the varying level in methods of design and construction of aluminium doors, it could be a straightforward job, or require specialist attention.
For the easier doors, there will be a removable interior wedge and four external aluminium beads.
You will need to contact a specialist if your door does not have all four beads.
Fitting a cat flap in an uPVC double glazed door
The double glazing can almost always be removed from a white or wood grain door fairly comfortably. A uPVC sandwich panel will comfortably match the framework of most double glazed doors.
However, one of the pitfalls here is the different shades of white available. Remarkably, there are seven common shades on the market, so ensure you find the perfect match. The supplier you are dealing with should have a colour swatch available on request.
To find a local double glazing door supplier with both you and your cat in mind, click the following link – Double Glazing Supplier Directory
Surely double glazing installation isn?t something that just anyone would have a stab at??unbelievably, yes it is!
It seems that desperate times call for desperate measures and the? recession has led to a noticeable increase in DIY home improvements, including the fitting of double glazed windows and doors. Research shows that DIY enthusiast?s are attempting larger scale projects in an attempt to save money and increase the value of their home, as opposed to getting a skilled professional in to do the job properly.
Well each to their own; it?s a free country (sort of…) and if needs must, then installing your own double glazing is not rocket science, however if you are thinking of fitting your own windows or doors, keep in mind that many DIY double glazing projects tend to fail miserably and can end up costing a lot more in the long run.
It?s important to be realistic; do you really have the ability, skills and time to do the work yourself?? Although not complicated, there is considerable skill involved in double glazing installation and the cost of rectifying mistakes could be huge ? not to mention the stresses on marital life whilst in progress!
