Have you ever felt the cold air drafts passing through your window frames? 

Cold air draft can enter through gaps and cracks around your doors and window frames. Door and Window insulation is essential to help to protect your home against water and cold air infiltration.

If you intend to insulate your windows and doors by yourself, you must do it properly. Calfeutrage Apex, a Montreal South Shore caulking expert, is here to guide you through insulating your windows for the coming winter.

Why does cold air get in?

Like water or hot air, cold air easily enters through the joints between the window frames and the building. Narrow caulking joints can be more vulnerable, and even if your house is new, the seal may be weakened in some places. A visual inspection will reveal cracks, wear marks, partially dislodged or cracked caulking. Through these weaknesses, cold air can enter your home and make your winter much less pleasant.

Tips for DIY exterior window insulation. 

If you have identified weaknesses in the exterior insulation of your windows, it is imperative to re-caulk them. You will immediately improve the airtightness factor of your home and may notice a decrease in heating costs. Calfeutrage Apex Caulking is pleased to share with you its best tips for insulating your windows:

  1. Caulk your exterior windows in dry weather. It’s a simple tip to follow that will avoid many disappointments. Moisture is the worst enemy of caulking. If it’s raining or very wet, the sealant won’t stick to the surfaces and won’t be effective in insulating your windows. It is better to be patient and wait for the right day.
  2. Always remove all traces of the old caulking. This step will allow the new caulk to adhere to the surface to be sealed. You may need to use a heat gun to soften the old caulk before using pliers and a utility knife. Be sure to leave no trace of the old window sealant.
  3. Thoroughly clean the entire surface to be caulked. You can use a sweeper, a vacuum cleaner, a cloth, or a hairdryer to remove the dust, and then an alcohol cloth to clean the surface to remove any impurities thoroughly. If it appears that traces of the old caulk remain, feel free to use a compatible solvent to dissolve the old product.
  4. If the space to be caulked is more significant than 4 mm, we recommend inserting a backer rod. This item allows the new caulk to stick to only two surfaces instead of three, thus improving its performance. The risk of cracking is reduced with the use of a backer rod.
  5. Take the time to select an appropriate caulking gun and cut the nozzle at a 45-degree angle to the width of the space being caulked. All you have to do is apply the caulk carefully and consistently to get good, beautiful results with the right caulking tools.
  6. Don’t neglect the cleanup of your caulking job. Some products can melt and damage your property if they are not quickly disposed of in the proper place.

How to insulate a patio door from the cold?

Many homes on the South Shore of Montreal have patio doors. It is the perfect element to add luminosity while giving access to the outside courtyard, or a sunny balcony. However, you must maintain the patio door to protect it from the cold.

Make sure that the tracks of the patio door are always clean. Dust, or even dirt, that accumulates on them can damage the door’s sliding and eventually allow the breeze to get in.

If they are worn or damaged, replace the weather stripping. These are sealing strips, often black, that are glued to where the door closes.

Make sure that your patio door is well insulated and that no air infiltration occurs. If there is, take the time to caulk your patio door thoroughly. As with window insulation, first, remove the old caulking around the patio door, then clean it thoroughly before applying silicone window caulking.

Garage door insulation- Is it worth it?

Garage door insulation makes a huge difference in homes with attached garages with bedrooms over the garage or near it.

Caulking around your garage door can protect your garage against air and water leaks.

Does window insulation spare me from having to replace my windows?

Changing your windows is an expensive investment. Sometimes it’s the only long-term solution, but even new windows need to be caulked. If cold air is getting in through your window seals, simply insulating them well by sealing gaps and cracks, will improve the energy efficiency of your property. 

Even Hydro-Quebec encourages homeowners to improve their window insulation before the winter.

On the South Shore of Montreal, heating costs can represent 50% of the annual electricity bill. It is therefore important to prevent your heat from escaping outside through poorly insulated windows. According to Hydro-Quebec, 25% of your home’s heat loss is through your windows. If you don’t take the time to insulate your windows from the cold properly, it’s like leaving a window open 5 cm all winter… Imagine the unnecessary expenses!

At Calfeutrage Apex, we provide top-quality residential, commercial, and industrial caulking service, while educating our clients about the importance of proper door and window insulation. We always choose the best caulking products and shades for each surface and building material, while paying attention to details and doing our best to deliver esthetic results and a smooth finish.

 If your exterior window insulation project is due, if you’re a homeowner or dealing with a commercial or condominium building, don’t hesitate to call us for a free quote. We can give you an accurate evaluation of the work that needs to be done to your home or building before you consider doing the caulking work yourself. 

To learn more about window insulation and caulking, visit our website and blogs.