Windows are one of the most essential elements for your home. They make space for sunshine and air to travel through, thus making your home happy, cozy, and well-ventilated. The same windows protect you from the unwanted harsh elements from outside by keeping your home warm and sealed in the thick of winter.
Investing in good quality energy-efficient windows is a must. They add to the aesthetic appeal of your space, and also help preserve energy and lower your energy bills drastically!
Regular upkeep and maintenance of windows is as crucial as installing new windows. Yet, It’s strange that many homeowners neglect window caulking. The enormous amount of heat loss that takes place due to the cracks and gaps around windows can be prevented by caulking.
Hello everyone! If you are confused about window caulking and wondering if it’s worth it, we are here to help. In this post, we will tell you all about window caulking and why it is crucial.
Window caulking is really a lifesaver for your windows. It can save you a lot of maintenance costs and you don’t have to get it done again and again. You only need caulking when your old caulking is dried or worn.
Caulking is the process of optimizing the insulation of your windows by sealing any cracks or gaps using a flexible material that prevents air from leaking in and out of the indoor spaces.
The material used to seal the cracks and gaps is known as a caulk. It is available in many compositions including latex, silicone water-based spray foam, butyl rubber, polyurethane spray foam, etc,
Caulking can be applied using a pistol or an applicator gun with a pointed end around that narrow area between the wall and the window frame.
The biggest advantage of window caulking is optimized energy efficiency.
The gaps around windows lead to enormous amounts of indoor heat loss during winter and cool air loss during the summer, thus putting an extra burden on your heating and air conditioning systems.
It is estimated that the heat loss through the windows can make up to 30 percent of the heating requirement of a home or office. Window caulking can bring down that percentage significantly.
By sealing the gaps and spaces around your windows along with other areas like ceilings, doors, walls, etc, you ensure the maintenance of a comfortable temperature indoors without putting undue burden on your heating or cooling systems, thus conserving energy.
Window caulking can help you save money by lowering your energy expenditure.
Since sealing the gaps minimizes the transmission of hot air from the inside to outside during winter and from the outside to the inside during summer, your energy expenditure goes down drastically. This brings a significant reduction in your energy bills. It’s a win-win situation for you. You can use the saved-up money for your home renovation and other home maintenance projects that need urgent attention.
Getting window caulking done by a seasoned professional also improves the shelf-life of your windows and saves you any unwanted expenditures incurred due to some serious damage, etc.
You must invest in good quality equipment though if you are doing the caulking yourself. If you ask for our advice, it’s best to get it done through a professional caulking service.
A good window caulking job will save you lots of money in the long term.
Window caulking creates a waterproof seal, thus ensuring moisture cannot make its way into your indoor spaces through the cracks and gaps.
The leaks from melting snow and rain can easily enter your room through the gaps around your windows, and damage your furnishings. This kind of damage can be easily prevented by caulking your windows.
Excessive moisture buildup also encourages the formation of mould and mildew. The mould formation can get accelerated in humid indoor spaces; the added humidity from your kitchen or bathroom can speed up the process and make the whole thing even worse.
Window caulking is an excellent solution to keep the mould at bay. However, with technology making so many advances day by day, different kinds of caulks are available in the market that are designed to specifically discourage mould growth in your home.
Insects are another nuisance when it comes to gaps and cracks around windows.
Many of the bugs can easily enter through even the tiniest of gaps. You can keep them at bay by sealing the cracks and gaps around your home windows.
Caulking can help you nip the problem in the bud and save you from having to go for expensive solutions once the insects getting into your home become a major problem.
No one wants to breathe in toxic and polluted air.
But unfortunately, dust, pollen, dirt, and various other kinds of toxic pollutants can easily enter your home through the gaps around doors and windows. These pollutants can deteriorate the quality of air indoors and lead to various health complications.
Window caulking helps prevent the entry of these toxic particles by sealing the gaps and cracks. It ensures the toxic gases don’t get to enter your home, keeping your indoor air clean and pollution-free. It also saves you the added expense of having to buy an air purifier.
Caulking the windows enhances the value of your home or commercial property.
Windows with cracks or gaps around them aren’t exactly visually appealing. This can attract unwanted attention from the passersby and impact the value of your property negatively. Doors and windows with cracks give your home the appearance of being old and worn out. You’ll face a similar situation if your caulking has gotten old and it’s coming off.
Window caulking and re-caulking at the right time can enhance the value of your home, thus making it more lucrative in the eyes of the buyer if you plan to sell your property.
This is not to scare you or something! But you must know about the cons of neglecting your windows by not getting them caulked at the right time, just as you know about the advantages.
Here is how your windows will suffer if you skip caulking.
Once the caulking around the exterior frame of your window begins to pull away, it can lead to seepage of water into the plaster. This can destroy the aesthetic appeal of the windows by making the paint peel and bubble in both the indoor and outdoor spaces of your home.
This can get even worse if you live in a storm-prone area. In such a scenario, rainwater gets intensely driven into the gaps due to the sheer force of the wind and the paintwork gets severely damaged.
Caulk acts as a cushion between a window and the frame. Even slightly damaged caulk can make the glass in your window loose.
The loosening can make window panes prone to breakage in rough weather conditions such as storms or strong winds. Regular caulking can fix this problem.
To have a quick recap of everything, window caulking helps you
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