A complete home is a home that looks good from the outside in, and your windows are one of the first things people see when they visit your home! Before we plug any drafts, it’s very important that you ensure your radiators are not causing the draught. A specialist plumber will be able to carry out these checks for you. Sash windows are one of the preferred window types in a home because of their ability to provide a home with a real touch of character.
These can be installed by a contractor, or an experienced DIYer could attempt this, but the simple task of draught proofing your windows can be done by anyone! That’s why today we’ll be covering the core aspect of the maintenance for sophisticated sash windows: draught-proofing.
So here is our foolproof DIY guide to draught proofing your sash windows – let’s get to it!
You can also check out this guide from the Islington Council, showing you how to do just as our step-by-step guide below instructs:
What tools do you need for draught proofing sash windows?
When draught proofing sash windows, it’s likely you will use Rubber Fin type draught proofing, but you will also need a number of other materials and tools. These include:
- White spirit to clean up all surfaces & to avoid the seals not firmly attaching to the frames
- A hacksaw
- A hammer
- A tape measure
- Masking tape
- Nails
- A cloth
- Detergent
- A pair of scissors
When draught-proofing sash windows using self-adhesive draught-proof strips, you will need sealers which must be carefully chosen to fit the gaps in your windows.
How to fit the draught proofing
- First, when buying the draught seal, make sure you choose the right colour and profiles to fit your needs, for example, E’ shaped profiles work well with narrow gaps and thicker P’ shaped profiles work well with wider gaps.
- Then you need to get the correct measurements of the window frame where you want to draught proof.
- After getting the measurements, it is time to bring in the hacksaw – use this to cut the correct lengths of your Rubber Fin material for draught proofing.
- Once this is done, you can start to apply the draught proofing to the frame, starting from one edge before sliding all the way to the end of the frame.
- Make sure the draught proofing is held tight in place on the other side. You can do this using masking tape.
- When sliding the draught proofing along the frame, make sure it stays against the frame all the way by securing the nails in through the holes. Use the hammer to hit in the nails. Make sure to push the strip against the frame so that there is a tight seal when the window is closed. This is done when using rubber fin type of draught proofing.
- When using cheaper self-adhesive draught proofing strips, make sure to first clean up the surface for best results.
- Once you have these in place and you have cleaned the frames, measure the strips whilst putting them against the frames and cut them with the scissors once you reach the correct length for each side.
- When this is done, you need to peel out the backing attached to the proofing in order to reveal the adhesive and then press it firmly into its place, working your way up the entire frame.
We hope you found this guide to draft proofing your windows useful – and do let us know if you have any more questions. We’d be very happy to help and offer some more advice. We fit many sash windows each week, so if you’d like some assistance with your existing sash windows, or think that your old one could do with a revamp, call the experts!