Air Seal Around Window
Sean Heinle| Posted inEnergy Efficiency and Durabilityon
I’m having a contractor replace all the windows in a house that requires a pretty extensive renovation. I went with a double hung window.
I asked the window contractor if he will be air sealing around the windows with foam and caulk. Here’s his response…
“We don’t use foam spray on the type of window you have coming out, but we do use window insulation. We only use foam on windows that have the pulley systems so that we can get insulation in the voided cavity. “
I was under the assumption that only foam or caulk can truly air seal around the window. What is the “window insulation” referred to and will it do the job of air sealing?
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Replies
Sean,
I'll walk half way down the road with your contractor. If the window is air-sealed at both the interior and exterior with caulk or tape, diligent old-style stuffing of the gaps with batt insulation may not satisfy the purists, but is performs just fine.
Hi Sean -
There are always more than one way to skin a cat, but just make sure that regardless of the approach, there IS an air seal between the rough opening and the window unit. That airseal does not have to be minimally-expanding foam; that is just the easiest rough opening-to-window unit airseal.
Peter