Replacing Failed Glazing Gaskets and Seals
One of the key properties that should be expected from any window or door is the ability to keep the heat in a building and the cold and wet weather outside. Flexible glazing seals are used in window and door frames to ensure that the outside weather is keep exactly that, outside. However, over time, glazing seals can become weathered and will eventually fail, needing to be replaced altogether, or at least repaired.
There is more than one factor that could lead to gasket failure, for example, in cold weather sealing materials can shrink so that they no longer provide a complete seal and let cold air and moisture inside. In contrast, when subjected to heat, pressure can build up between glazing panels, causing the seal to break; glazing seals can also contract over time when exposed to sunlight.
Broken glazing seals will be quite noticeable in most cases with cracks becoming apparent, or should the seal shrink, it may disappear into the frame. However, in some cases, failed seals are difficult to spot until condensation or even mould starts to appear between the panes of glass.
Replacing glazing seals and gaskets
When a glazing seal fails, this does not necessarily mean that the window or door in question must be replaced completely, as in many cases, the seal can simply be replaced. Further good news is that most glazing seals can be replaced by the average person, providing they are happy to pull up their sleeves and take on the task.
By establishing the type of seal that needs replacing, you can contact a flexible extrusions manufacturer — it’s always recommended to have your seal matched so that an exact replacement can be found, or at the very least, a suitable alternative. Once you have acquired the appropriate replacement glazing seal, it is then a case of removing the failed seal and installing the new seal to re-weather seal the window or door in question.
Most glazing seals can be removed fairly easily; for bubble, flipper and wedge gasket seals, pliers can be used to start the process, but the remaining seals should then be able to be removed gently by hand. E gaskets are generally more difficult to remove and replace as they are clipped into the window or door frame, so to free the failed seal, beading will usually need to be removed from the frame.
Once the old glazing gasket seal has been removed, new extrusions can then be gently pushed into place. It’s essential to make sure that replacement seals are cut to the right length to provide a full weather seal and wedge gaskets should actually be overcut by 5% to account for the shrinkage of the gasket.
If you have glazing seals that are in need of replacing, call ExtrudaSeal today on +44 (0)121 356 8733 or email info@extrudaseal.co.uk to learn more about our gasket matching service.
