Draughtproofing

I have an aluminium back door, on which I have already renewed the draught proofing brush strips. However, due either to poor original fit, or subsequent distortion of door or frame (or building), neither of which are susceptible to adjustment, there is still a draught in some parts when strong winds blow.

Being aluminium, for any additional seals, I am limited to adhesive attachment, since I don't really want to start drilling into it.

Has anybody had a success in this sort of situation?

Chris

Reply to
Chris J Dixon
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If it's an old style Aluminium frame with no thermal break in it then I suspect any excluders held on with adhesive will probably be affected by condensation.

Richard

Reply to
Tricky Dicky

I did have great success draught proofing with Gaffer tape, but it was on a door that didn't need to open :-)

Reply to
Nightjar

And if it is one of those, simply the cold conduction tr through the frame is often enough to generate a draught in itself of course, a falling one usually. Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

I have an aluminium back door, on which I have already renewed

I draught proofed one years ago using silicon sealer. I put ordinary clear tape (selotape) on one face, a bead of silicone on the other, then closed the door. Once the silicone had set the tape came away with the silicone when the door was opened and could be peeled off leaving a perfectly formed silicone seal. It lasted two winters then we moved so could still be there!

Mike

Reply to
Muddymike

Curtain ??

Reply to
fred

In article , Chris J Dixon writes

I am assuming these will have been brush seals. Did your supplier[1] of the replacements have the option of ones with longer brushes to make up the greater clearance? Use one with a thin plastic centre blade/fin if possible.

Closing the door on a piece of soft plasticene will give you an idea of the gaps.

It's what the energy conservation agencies are using, they are effective but do look a bit shit.

[1] sorry, my supplier link list has failed me for longer pile brush seals but I have seen 9mm as opposed to the more regular 6 on sale online.
Reply to
fred

That is certainly an idea, for the worst section. The difficulty is in tracking down the brush material, especially since I would only need a couple of metres of 4.8 mm strip with 11 mm (or so) brush depth.

When I bought the last lot, I ended up having to order a number of lengths of what were sold as sash window seals, and discard the plastic carrier, which was fortunately not bonded to the brush strip backing.

Chris

Reply to
Chris J Dixon

This looks just what I need, but, with delivery, would come to over £50, and I would have 98 m left over.

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Chris

Reply to
Chris J Dixon

Keep looking :-)

8.5mm here by the metre (not found 12mm yet loose):

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I took the manufacturer name from the original and searched for Exitex Slide Pile

12mm really is a hell of a gap, is it really needed or is there any way you can reduce the problem by jacking the frame?

I ask as I could see the deepest pile seals crushing or flopping over and not working so well.

Reply to
fred

They don't stop the draught, just slows 'em down a bit and redirects. Thick curtains close to windows or over doors can reduced the heatloss through them though but not draughty ones.

Reply to
Dave Liquorice

Thanks. That is about the size I currently have fitted.

Well the door frame has seals on the faces of the rebate and on the sides of the opening. Those on the face are well compressed, but in strong winds, don't manage to seal well enough in one corner.

The lateral gap between door and frame on the handle side is 6-7 mm. Pile height is measured from the back of the mounting strip, so by the time it has been inserted into the slot, 8.5 mm only projects by about 4.5 mm, so doesn't quite touch the door.

The gap on the hinge side is about 4.5 mm, so the existing seal does the trick, but if I packed here, I'd just be moving the problem.

There really isn't any part of the geometry which is open to adjustment.

Chris

Reply to
Chris J Dixon

Yep, understood and now that you mention it, it matches what I have seen in the past.

12mm here:

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ebay so not my fave and from the description it could be either plain or finned. Detailed description says finned but it may be worth enquiring of the seller as the main description says "palin and finned".

At 16 quid it seems worth a punt.

While I'm sure you've been through the mill on this, an even gap on the opening side implies that something could be done with the strike to improve things, by way of adjustment, re-fixing, re-manufacturing or otherwise furtling :-)

Ok.

Reply to
fred

Indeed so, now ordered. Thanks. I think in this instance "plain" means not self-adhesive.

The gap is between door and frame as you look at it, in the plane of the front face. The only way it could be altered is if the frame were smaller, which is not going to happen. I did look to see of one of the multipoint lock strikes could be adjusted, but after over 20 years, the screws seem to be corroded in place.

If it was timber, I'd be gluing a strip on somewhere. ;-)

Chris

Reply to
Chris J Dixon

Good luck :-)

Reply to
fred

Arrived today, is exactly as I expected, and now fitted. Looks like it should do the job.

I will probably get a chance to test it if the weekend's weather turns out anything like the forecast.

Chris

Reply to
Chris J Dixon

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