Advice on sealing around window boards please

pepperpixie

hi i've just noticed there is a lot of draft coming in around my windows first i thought it was the seals but now it seems to be coming in around the window boards, I was thinking of just putting a bit of filler on the walls around the window board, but then i'm a bit stuck there's a small gap between the window and board (draft coming in here also) is it ok to just run some silicone along here or is there a reason this gap should be left?? Any suggestions welcome bearing in mind i want a quick cheap fix. Incase it's relevant the windows are double glazed pvc windows. thanks in advance.

it's now been suggested to me to use painters mate around the boards & windows, what do you think?

embracingLife

There is a probably a gap outside windows-between wall and window. It would look like a thin crack between window and wall. Or if the windows are more than 10 to 15 years old, there could be a gap of about 2 inches at bottom of window (on outside) between window and window ledge. Just put a load of sealant here to stop the wind.

Either there was no window frame sealant used on outside-sometimes ordinary silicone is used but preferably the proper "frame sealant" should be used. This comes in a tube just like silicone and can be got in Diy shops too. Its usually about 8 to 10e a tube, as silicone is much less.

Also, first you should check window to see if the window is secured properly to wall. Open window and grab the window frame and give it a good shake. If the window moves at all, any "give" on the window, this is a sure sign it has not been bolted properly to wall.

You will need to drill through the frame to fit a window frame fixings to fix the window properly, and then put new sealant around the outside. For a quick fix you can just put the sealant around instead and leave the drilling to someone else!

However it might not be that at all and maybe a crack/hole in the wall somewhere else in the house that causing the breeze.

So, have a good look around the window and walls outside first. Its better to stop the wind and dampness on the outside than putting a plug on the inside as you are not stopping the weathering from coming through the wall.

pepperpixie

embracingLife wrote: »

There is a probably a gap outside windows-between wall and window. It would look like a thin crack between window and wall. Or if the windows are more than 10 to 15 years old, there could be a gap of about 2 inches at bottom of window (on outside) between window and window ledge. Just put a load of sealant here to stop the wind.

Either there was no window frame sealant used on outside-sometimes ordinary silicone is used but preferably the proper "frame sealant" should be used. This comes in a tube just like silicone and can be got in Diy shops too. Its usually about 8 to 10e a tube, as silicone is much less.

Also, first you should check window to see if the window is secured properly to wall. Open window and grab the window frame and give it a good shake. If the window moves at all, any "give" on the window, this is a sure sign it has not been bolted properly to wall.

You will need to drill through the frame to fit a window frame fixings to fix the window properly, and then put new sealant around the outside. For a quick fix you can just put the sealant around instead and leave the drilling to someone else!

However it might not be that at all and maybe a crack/hole in the wall somewhere else in the house that causing the breeze.

So, have a good look around the window and walls outside first. Its better to stop the wind and dampness on the outside than putting a plug on the inside as you are not stopping the weathering from coming through the wall.

brilliant thanks great advice. The windows do seem to be sturdy when i shake them and have only identified the breeze coming in around the window boards and not between the window and wall itself iykwim. There are two holes in the wall where the sattelite cables come in and i put silicone on the outside there the other day and still a draft coming in assumed it was air flowing around the cavity walls? As a stop gap i plugged it with blutac, result no draft coming in them holes now. Still tempted to try the painters mate first and when weather is a bit brighter in the evenings tackle sealing from the outside. Just had the attic insulated and not noticed much different hence the sudden interest in drafts.

embracingLife

You really need to have a good look on outside of window-even if it looks like a hairline gap between window and wall, they wind will come in here.

Also the frame sealant can be put on in all weather-including wet weather. There is a good one called Tec7, but there are several brands too, approx 10 to 12e for these ones.

I don't understand what you mean by "air flowing around the cavity walls". ??

pepperpixie

embracingLife wrote: »

You really need to have a good look on outside of window-even if it looks like a hairline gap between window and wall, they wind will come in here.

Also the frame sealant can be put on in all weather-including wet weather. There is a good one called Tec7, but there are several brands too, approx 10 to 12e for these ones.

I don't understand what you mean by "air flowing around the cavity walls". ??

TBH I don't understand either, but definitely there was air still coming in the hole for the cables after putting silicone outside. (it wasn't as cold) but still there so I assumed there must be some sort of air movement in there? forgive me for sounding a bit silly but this stuff is all new to me. For the inside would painters mate be a good subsitute for silicone? (i hate the stuff to be honest).

embracingLife

hello, its been awhile since I was here last.

I suppose you did something since anyway?!

You say there is still air blowing in around the cables. This usually happens if you didn't lash in enough silicone around the cables! You really need to put in a lot of silicone around the cables/hole so as when the silicone dries, the hole is fully filled even when the cables are moved/pulled or just simply tugged a little at a later stage.

The "painters mate" is a type of hole filler/polyfilla to be used indoors to fill holes before painting. The better material for this is silicone or the frame sealant if you intend putting it outside the window.