Sealing windows - the best tips

If you want to save on heating costs in winter, you can seal your windows and prevent expensive drafts. Old houses in particular are affected by leaky windows or old seals. We show you the best tips for keeping the heating air in your home.

The best tips: How to seal your window

If you live in a rented apartment, you should clarify with your landlord which measures are permitted before extensive renovations, provided that they cannot be removed without leaving any residue.

• You can usually carry out minor repairs yourself, such as a new seal. It is best to find out beforehand whether you can remove the seal without leaving any residue.
• To check where exactly there are leaks, you can run a candle along the joints with the window closed. If the candle flickers, there is drafts. Important: keep the candle away from flammable objects.
• The seal is often worn out so that you can immediately see the leak.
• Before you remove old seals, you should get new ones, otherwise you will have to live with drafts until the next hardware store visit. You can find out what types of seals are available in the next section.
• Tip: Before you install the new seal, you should clean the adhesive surface on the window with water and detergent.

Seals for the window: There are these types

There are universal seals, but they are more expensive and often do not sit perfectly on the window edges. You can determine a perfectly fitting seal by removing an old piece and comparing it with the new seal at the hardware store.

• The species are divided into so-called profiles. Tesa has the P-profile, the E-profile and a D-profile.
• Very special sealing profiles are often glued, leaving only the trip to the specialist dealer.

Sealing windows with acrylic: tips and tricks

If you have problems with drafts, not at the window edges, but between the window and the wall, you can use acrylic to eliminate leaks. The following also applies here: Before you apply the acrylic, you should clean the surfaces.

• Depending on the area of ​​application, be sure to buy indoor or outdoor acrylic. Special types such as sanitary acrylic are particularly suitable for the bathroom because they prevent mold. Exterior acrylic, however, is temperature resistant.
• In addition to the temperature, there are different acrylic colors. Depending on the frame color, you can choose between transparent and colored acrylic.
• As soon as you open an acrylic cartridge, you should use it up soon, otherwise it will dry out.
• By the way: You can easily apply the sealant with a cartridge gun.

Apply acrylic: How to seal drafty windows

Acrylic is water-soluble in the uncured state and is therefore particularly easy for beginners.

• So if you want to fill gaps or seal cracks, you can apply acrylic and draw with your wet finger.
• Then let the surface dry for 24 hours and ensure sufficient ventilation.
• If you still have silicone left over, this material is also suitable for sealing windows.

If your windows are now sealed, we will show you what you can do about them if the windows fog up.