Metal-plastic door and window systems, glazing of loggias and balconies are firmly included in our everyday life. So strong that many installed structures already need, at least, minimal repair. Owners of aesthetic, reliable, and most importantly - durable windows do not pay attention to them for years, until they find dust, drafts and dampness on the windowsills. This means it's time to replace the seal.
How to replace the metal-plastic window seal yourself? Sealers are a hollow cord made of rubber of figured or tubular section. The material used in the manufacture of seals is highly resistant to weather conditions: moisture, temperature extremes, atmospheric ozone, exposure to chemical compounds. This is EPDM synthetic rubber with the highest wear resistance.
Sealers manufactured in Germany serve, depending on the conditions of use of the window system, 10-15 years. Exterior doors or balcony glazing may require replacement earlier than windows, as they are more exposed to weather conditions. Asian and Turkish products are not so durable - they are able to fail after 5 years. This should be taken into account when acquiring a new gasket - an attempt to save on quality will make you “pay twice”.
Of course, if the warranty period did not have time to expire, you should contact the company that installed the window systems to replace the seal. However, if the deadline has expired - there is no tragedy, you can handle this work yourself. To perform such minor repairs, you will need scissors for rubber, glue and a sufficient amount of sealing cord.
The work is carried out in the following order:
- The old seal is removed - as a rule, it is easily removed from the grooves precisely because of the loss of its sealing properties.
- The profile grooves are cleaned of dirt with a soft cloth.
- The corners of the frame are lubricated with glue to fix the seal.
- We put in a groove a new sealant - for the entire opening, it must be continuous.
- The sealant in the corners of the frame is laid without compression or tension - evenly.
- The excess is cut off using special scissors.
- The only corner joint of the seal is fixed with glue.
For metal-plastic doors, windows and balcony glazing to last for a long time, they need proper care. Most manufacturers of profiles and accessories have provided for this purpose special kits for lubricating and cleaning their products - polish for the care of metal-plastic profiles themselves, oil for moving parts of accessories and silicone grease for the sealant.
