rubber glazmg sealing strip falling out

[jw 1111]

the black rubber sealing strips on the top of our double glazing on the inside of the frames are falling down. I can poke them back up again, but they need something to hold them back in place.

i thought of putting in a thin strip of glazing putty, but i guess its a bit messy and difficult to get a clean straight finish, and could be an overkill. any other suggestions or tips for a novice please? which of the silicone sealants might be the easiest to use and easiest to clean off if i made the expected pig's ear of it?

[Phil Anthropist]

One option is superglue (cyanoacrylate adhesive) in the gel form so that it shouldn't run down the window. Either squeeze a narrow bead along the sealing strip or along the recess between the frame and glass, depending on what looks the best approach. Clean the rubber strip and recess first if necessary. Have a damp cloth handy in case any of the adhesive should squeeze out onto the rubber strip, glass or frame. Another option is sealant if used sparingly and any excess is easy to wipe off with a damp cloth if done early on before it starts to cure. Sealant can be black, white or clear (clear appears milky) but if all excess is to be wiped off then the colour might not matter.

[Christiano]

Different dimensional thicknesses of locking strip are available. it sound as if yours may have been fitted with slightly thinner strips than were really required, or they may have shrunk over time.

If you obtain and fit new strips ensure that you compress them during fitting rather than stretch them/ fit them "neutrally", as they contract with age and you will find gaps appearing in the locking strips at the corners of the windows. Cut them 1/4" or so long at the completion end of each run (after compressing them during fitting) and compress the seal a little more to "lose" this final 1/4", this will also help to ensure you don't end up with gaps.

Christiano