I live an old house with sash windows. Is there a cheap and easy way of stopping wind coming through the space where the top part slides over the the bottom one? It would also help if the solution was such that it stops the two parts banging into each other when it is windy outside. I was wondering whether insulating strips could be attached - but am worried that they will be very difficult to fit and will stop the windows sliding properly. Many thanks for any help. Chris
This type of sash fastener, if properly positioned, should pull them together.
formatting link
would also help if the solution was such
If you mean when they're open, a piece of folded cardboard. Very hi tech I know, but the only thing that works
Tried all that. I wouldn't bother. Anything spongey will tear and disintegrate. Anything springy, like the v shaped plastic will soon stop springing. Brush strips work well but then you're into major renovation. Setting the staff bead tight to the lower sash can stop a lot of draughts.
I have been renovating ( dismantle , clean , sand down , record , re weight in some cases, paint , reassemble . more paint ) the sash windows in my
1909 house for some time now.
The job goes on , because it is dirty , inconvenient and requires care. However I think it is worth the effort. This means therefore that my advice below is based upon ,you , at least to some extent , taking the window apart at its component level. You may not wish to go this far . If that is the case then I think that you are reduced to prising / jammming rubber or foam draught excluder into any gaps you can find. This will only be a temporary fix (for the winter probably ) and will either come out when you open the window or will serve to jam the window shut. I will be interested to know if anybody elese has a cleverer answer for those who who cannot face a dismantle.
From a dismantle siituation the proper solution (however I have no experience ) is to buy weathstripping products from such as
formatting link
. However these seem to involved router cutting the sashes with a groove to carry the stripping. So far this has been a step too far for me.
The cycle I have found is that you srat with a painted shut window which is also rattle and draught free. You dismantle, clean, sand, etc . On reassembly you have a nice working sash window but with terrible rattles and draughts. (and the family say "what did dad do that for").
I have experimented sucessfully with fixing self adhesive, E Profile Draught Excluder to the inside of the staff bead before refitting. Sorry about the jargon but it is necessary to get into this. The staff bead is the wood strip which goes around the inside of the window , usually mitred at each coener , which holds in the lower (inside) sash. In a sense the staff beads hold every thing in , they are what you remove first in the dismantle process ( starting with the verticle side pieces , because you have the lenth / flexibility to prize them away from the mitre in the top and bottom corners). Going from inner to outer the anatomy is staff bead / inner (lower) sash / parting bead ( vertical only , each side) / outer (upper ) sash.
The size of rubber strip draught excluder that I have used is 1- 3 mm. But what you need may depend on the potential room/ gaps in your windows once assembled. I find that this strip substancialy "stiffens" the movement of the lower sash but it does move and rattle / draughts are eliminated . Its a compromise and you may have to experinent with strip sizes to find the right balance. Obviously too tight a fit will either render the sash immovable or the strip will be ripped off on opening. For the outer sash I have used the same size EPDM fixed to the parting bead on the side of the bead that meets the outer ( upper ) sash. Come to think of it you do this first as the reassembly process is of course outer towards inner. This is leaves the draught excluder on the bottom part of the parting bead exposed to the weather when the sash is closed. remains to be seen how this will weather. Also make sure you choosed white excluder assuming that windows are painted white.
You may get away without the excluder on the parting bead / outer sash. I have not used it on one window by way of experiment. It may be that draught /rattle is mainly a problem with the inner sash. I have also fitted P Profile weatherstrip to the bottom edge of the strip of the inner sash and the top edge of the outer sash to form a pressure seal when the sashes are closed.
I am also experimenting with P profile on one of the bottom rails to provided draughtproofing where the bottoms of sashes meet in the closed position. Experimenting , because unless you get the positioning just right the seal will rip off as the rails run against each other.
Mighton Products, as mentioned elsewhere. The parting bead replacement is very useful, although the "groove" it goes in is usu. a bit wide for the replacement bead, and needs packing. Use "E" rubber strip on the top of the "outside" sash. Don't draught-proof the meeting rails, or the bottom rail. Cut some softwood wedges, or use cardboard, for a temporary fix for "rattling". You can do a bodge if you want a winter-only fix for some windows by using 21-day masking tape to cover the gaps! A1 sash fastners (Brighton Pattern) are OK for the meeting rails, and secure, too. Brass is best, £4.5 approx. per fastner.
I find brighton fasteners to be much better. Especially where windows don't necessarily line up exactly. e.g.
I think mighton do some stuff for sah windows. Although once I'd striped several of mine, repainted & new parting & staff beads etc and they hardly leak at all. In fact probably less than the 4000mm^2 you require per room for building regs.
There was one place I found ages ago that sold kits. But they were pretty expensive for a few metres of staff bead with brushes fitted. (About 100 quid a window when I last looked).
I retired last year. I used to specialise in renovating and draught-proofing sash windows. I have a large number of parting beads and staff beads (possibly 100 or more of each). these have all been machined to take polypropolyne draught-proof strips. If anyone is interested, you can have these at cost price. Reagrds,
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here.
All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.