We have new double pane windows but they don't seem properly insulated.?

Question

The windows are cold and I can feel cold air coming in through tiny gaps around the windows. Great stuff would probably be difficult to squish into such small gaps. What are my other options? These are the white double pane windows that flip in for cleaning.

Answer 1

Well, even triple pane windows will have a cold surface, if the outside temp drops to winter temperatures.... the insulated panes are more energy efficient... but they are not 'cold proof'.

As to cold air coming in thru tiny gaps.... if the cold air is coming in around the frame itself, then the window should be caulked. I always caulked my window and door installations from the outside. I would put a generous bead of caulk around the opening, and then insert the window/door, making sure it was seated in the caulk properly, before securing it.
If you are dead set on using an expanding foam... then use Dap Tex.. NOT Great Stuff. Great Stuff continues to expand for some time after being squirted into a gap.... and it's difficult to clean up. If you get it on yourself or your clothes... you can expect to be wearing it until it wears off, lol. Dap Tex, on the other hand, expands 75% immediately. So it is very easy to see if you have enough in the gap, without putting too much into it. Dap Tex is also water soluble... meaning you can clean it up with simple soap and water.

Now... if the air is coming in around the sash itself... then something is not adjusted correctly. The window could be out of square, a portion of the frame could be bowed... bottom, sides, etc. (its not all that unusual, to see a window installed that has a hump in the bottom of the frame... which prevents the window sash from coming all the way down. Ive had to repair a lot of these, over the years, hehehehe). In either of these cases, the solution is to properly adjust the window.

Occasionally (its rare, but Ive seen it) the 'felt' strip along the edge of the sash is cut too short... this leaves an air gap. You can flip the window out, and replace these, fairly easily.

One 'quick fix' for the bottom of a window that does not quite seal properly, is to attach a strip of foam weatherstripping to the bottom of the window.

If these were my windows... the first thing I would look at, is the adjustment. Houses move, and shift... some more than others, and an occasional adjustment should be expected.
The next thing I would look at would be the caulk. Now, you can do a 'quick fix' of caulking around the window frame from inside the home.... I would do this for cold weather, but come spring, I would plan on resetting the window. But, this is what I used to do for a living, hehehe.

Oh... one more note on the 'adjustments' of the window.... the window sashes themselves have some ability to be adjusted in and of themselves.... you can adjust the latches to hold the sash tighter in the frame... you can adjust the sash 'srping' to make it easier or harder to open or close...you can adjust the sash for 'square', that is, make it align better inside the frame...etc. There are alot of things you can do with these windows, that most folks do not realize.

Good Luck :)

I feel compelled to add one note here about vinyl or vinyl clad windows, even tho this doesnt really apply to poor insulation....Do NOT use an oil or silicone lubricant on a vinyl window (or vinyl clad) -- the oil base actually attacks the vinyl (a plastic), and causes it to break down. Instead, use a wax product. I used to carry a can of spray wax with me on service calls to help lubricate vinyl windows and doors... this is what the manufacturers of the windows recommended.

Good Luck with your windows, and feel free to email me if you need further assistance. :)

Answer 2

you'll have a thickness difference that may cause you more trouble than it is worth. Are you trying to get high insulation value in an old and visually pleasing window that has natural wood on the interior side and painted wood facing out? Another option is to use a router to create a pocket for a second pane of glass on the outside of the window. Caulk the pocket to create an air tight seal and you can approximate some of the insulation value of a double glaze, although certainly not all of it. Be sure the new pane of glass is flush with the wood on the outside facing side so it can slide up under the top sash when you open the window.

Answer 3

The installers should have filled the gaps. If you call them back to your house they'll probably show up with a bad attitude and just use the same stuff you could pickup at a home store. Describe the size of the problem and the clerk will find the right product for you. One more thing: the air is coming in from outside, so there may be bigger gaps out there that should be stopped, too.

Answer 4

if the window flips in for cleaning, its called a single hung window. the window slides up to open as oppposed to left or right. you can use great stuff or similar product BUT BE VERY CAREFUL to spray only a tiny amount in the gap. when the foam expands if there is too much in the crack, the foam will force the window frame inwards far enough that you may not be able to open or close it anymore. vinyl frame windows are especially bad for this as they are more flexible than aluminum frames. i would recommend not using great stuff. use a 35 year siliconized caulk to air proof it. all of this is assuming you are talking about a gap around the outside of the frame of the window as opposed to the gap between the frame and the slider. good luck any questions email me

Answer 5

The only option is to have the company that installed then come out and fix them.

There are a LOT of crappy windows on the market and an equally large number of fly-by-nights that say they can install them.

I would only buy windows from Pella or Anderson.

DO NOT spray foam insulation around the windows. The insulation will expand and exert a force on the frame of the window and you won't be able to get the open. Worse yet, you will void any warranty you got with them.

Answer 6

They make a spray foam insulation that comes in a can. You can get it at home depot and places like that. You spray it into cracks and it expands. You may have to have the casing around the window removed to properly insulate between the framing and the window. Sounds like the people who did the installation should be responsible.