Elite Greater Montreal Caulking Videos
The steps of window caulking in 1:20
Caulking the windows means following a few steps with rigor so that the work is efficient and lasts as long as possible. Good caulking uses professional sealing products and the installation respects the specifics of application. What happens next depends on the tools used, the time that should not be counted on and a good skill.
Follow the Elite Caulking method in video but also in images on this page
Go to the site to make a correct estimate: why:
The inspector assessor must absolutely go to the site to see the conditions under which the site will be implemented.
The work of replacing caulking cannot be reduced to a linear foot of joint installation.
Depending on the neighborhood of the building, the house or the condominium, the conditions for carrying out the renovation of the caulking will be different and will require improvements… sometimes expensive.
Safety, permits, accessibility of the gondolas, look, listen.
What should be considered for a caulking quote?
While safety standards on a caulking site may seem restrictive, they are no less necessary to guarantee the serenity of the sites on the side of the workers, the company manager and the customer.
It is necessary to evaluate the equipment that will allow access to facades and windows and to measure the public space available (or unavailable) to install them.
The presence of electrical and telephone wires sometimes requires intervention by Hydro-Quebec to secure the poles and connected wires. The necessary permits and on-site services of this company will not be included in the final cost of the bid and will be invoiced IN ADDITION.
Without a visual inspection of the premises, these points cannot be assessed.
The weight of safety in caulking submission
The weight of the permits (IN SUS) which concern the immediate conditions of the site, the machinery to be put in place is considered in a quote, a quote and this weighs heavily in the bill.
The aim is to make the workers safer, of course, but also the users of the public road.
For example, as soon as the façade of the building to be caulked is less than three metres from the electrical wires, Hydro-Québec must be called in to secure its infrastructure. Cover the wires; Protecting them will ensure the safety of all; it is the health and safety of work law in Quebec, it is also a matter of common sense.
The use of the pods is also a point to be secured beyond the fact that it is necessary to verify that its location and deployment are compatible with the immediate environment and traffic conditions on the street.
The cost of the municipal permit for a caulking site
Caulking the back façade of a building in Montreal very often means occupying public space, whether directly in the street or only working in an alley, for this, you need a permit from the city (IN ADDITION)
Between the blocking of traffic and the occupation of the ground by equipment, including cherry pickers, not to mention the risks inherent in the construction site, the road occupation permit is required by all municipalities.
This permit shows work dates, occupied space, RBQ and company insurance license numbers and validates the authorization of the work in an official and public manner.
Depending on the type of road, main street, major boulevard, alley, the costs generated will be different. The presence of parking meters (for the occasion non-exploitable) will also weigh in the customer’s bill! N.b. All permit fees are not included in the submission and are charged in SUS.
How do you feel it’s time to redo the caulking joints?
This is a frequent question, here is the answer in video after our answer in the FAQ
It is on site with an example that we better understand the need to renovate his caulking.
On site, it was noted that the sealant joint is dry, cracked, cracked, there are bubbles, holes. The lintel also shows more or less significant cracks.
If the inspector/estimator finds that 30% of the sealant is affected by these weaknesses, he or she will advise renovating the caulking for the entire building.
The Importance of Masonry Control Seals
This technical joint allows a certain movement between each façade, each section of wall. Movements most often due to temperature differences, ground movements as minute as our soils can demonstrate.
Today, these joints are made with sealant, which is more flexible, more flexible and also more durable over time.
Checking this joint will prevent water infiltration which, along with frost, will represent a real threat to the brick façade.
Eventually, the cement joint will have to be removed, redone with a control joint to current standards that allows the joint to expand while maintaining its sealing power.
The collaboration of a mason is required so that the diagnosis can be made professionally.
Why you need to monitor the condition of the top window seal first
We can see that if the one on the first floor is detached, the one on the second floor will also be detached and those on the upper floors will be even more so.
This is particularly true for facades that are most exposed to bad weather and extreme climates. (Intense sun, rain, snow/freeze). The south-westerly facades suffer particularly.
How to treat lightening joints
This causes the underlying cement to burst and the lightening function to be degraded.
The lightener sees its edges and corners weakened, sometimes broken.
The best practice for renovating caulking is to remove the weakened cement, fill the space with a flange (backer rods), apply a primer and then proceed with the application of the sealant.
The lighteners become watertight again and the lighters cover their role and aesthetics.
How to treat rusty lintels on the front?
Caulking Elite does not recommend covering lintels with an aluminum duct, as water flows often get caught between the lintel and the duct.
The risk of reviving rust in this now hidden part is obvious. This is what causes the “stair” cracks that are sometimes seen on brick facades.
The Importance of Caulking Joint Thickness
Once the old sealant has been removed to install the new caulking, traces of sealant on the sides will inevitably be visible on both the door frame and the adjacent brick.
Indeed, brick being porous, it is impossible to remove 100% of the traces of the joints, whether they are silicone, thermoplastics or others…
This explains that the new seal will be wider than the previous one, it will cover and hide these unsightly traces.
The new caulking will be about 1/16th thicker than the previous one.
The seal should be placed 45 degrees between the wall and the door or window. In the example in the video, this joint does not need to be reworked except perhaps for its color.
How to lay uniform caulking joints.
The reason is that these joints have not been shaped. Shaping is the finishing of the caulk, this work is carried out with tabs of different widths, this operation also serves to push the sealant as much as possible into the space and promote its adhesion.
Shaping eliminates this “wave” effect and evens out the joints. In the past, this smoothing was done by running your fingers over the sealant, the results were more or less successful… Today, they are sticks soaked in a soapy solution and which carry out a work of great final aesthetics.
What are the weaknesses of the thermoplastic sealant.
What are the weaknesses of the polyurethane sealant.
In the past, the building has benefited from a renovation of the caulking with a polyurethane sealant, which attracts dust, a lot of dust, requires more maintenance in cleaning and dries out faster in the sun than other sealants such as silicone.
