How to insulate windows

What is the best way to insulate the windows, otherwise there is not enough money for double-glazed windows? And is there anything else you can do to eliminate drafts in the apartment?

Grandfather’s methods

You can push the strips of wet newspaper twisted into a tourniquet into all the cracks, and glue them with paper on top. But in the spring you will have to rip off the paper, and then gouge out the rolled newspapers – during the winter all this will dry out tightly, and the frames will have to be repainted. A less disastrous way of insulating windows in terms of consequences is to fill all the cracks with foam rubber or cotton wool, glue on top with strips of fabric from an old sheet. The strips need to be cut into a width of 4-5 cm, wet, squeeze and thickly lather with household or other (which you do not mind) soap. The fabric does not turn yellow like paper, retains a decent look all winter and can be easily removed in spring. You can take ordinary paraffin, from which candles are made, melt it in a water bath at a temperature of 65-70 degrees C. Then a disposable syringe is taken, it is also heated and filled with paraffin, then you simply inject it into all the cracks. A linen cord can also be used as insulation. Well, if it blows through the glass part of the window, replace the old glazing beads with new ones.

Battery, gray stronger!

You can make your cast iron batteries heat up more efficiently. To do this, you need to remove the old paint from them, sand and paint in a dark color – a smooth and dark surface gives off 5-10% more heat. And one more thing: take a sheet of plywood, paint it with silver paint and stick it behind the battery. This gorgeous heat reflecting screen will direct heat into your apartment without wasting heating the walls. Instead of painting, a sheet of plywood can be pasted over with aluminum foil.

An advanced way is insulation

It’s time to hurry up with work on the windows, because some heaters can be glued only at positive temperatures.
The most advanced way today is considered to be the insulation of windows using tubular profiles (gaskets). They come in the form of letters P, D (for large slits), E (for small slits). Advantages: invisible, firmly glued to one side of the frame, the window is free, without compromising its tightness, it can be closed and opened. Profiles can last about 5 years. You can reliably glue the profile only at a temperature of at least +10, but this procedure is not simple – you have to tinker.
Seals vary not only in size but also in the material from which they are made. There are foam pads, as well as polyethylene foam, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and rubber, which, in turn, are divided into self-adhesive and those that are glued.
In some cases, PVC is better than rubber, this material is more frost-resistant, less brittle, does not crumble or deform. But rubber is still rubber, it wears out less. When purchasing rubber seals, you should choose the softest, since they are able to withstand repeated deformation. If you want to know exactly what material the seal is made of, read the labels on the packaging..
And which seals are better: self-adhesive or not? Undoubtedly, it is more convenient and faster with the first – peel off the protective film, stick it on the window and you’re done. But there is a very important nuance: you need to carefully read the expiration date of the glue on the packaging. If it has expired, the gasket will not stick at all or will fall off soon. The self-adhesive option is safer, you just need to buy the right glue. One of the best is considered to be a silicone sealant – it is not afraid of moisture and even when dry it stretches and contracts well. Such a sealant will hold the seal on a window or door when slammed repeatedly..

Windows are not everything

If you want the apartment to be really warm, then do not forget to insulate the front door (or put double).
Be aware that cracks and split interpanel seams are not uncommon in panel houses. With this, the apartment will be cool, no matter how hard you try. Fiddle with housing departments and other service organizations. Make a “revision” at the entrance: ask the utilities to glaze all the windows, make sure that the front doors at the “front” porch are tightly closed – do your bit, after all, this is the house in which you live. And, of course, the balcony, if it is glazed, you know, the internal temperature will be higher.