Air and water infiltration are the two main reasons why the caulking of doors and windows is redone.
Checking the condition of your joints around the openings of your building should be part of your annual preventative maintenance program. It is not necessary to wait for the complete cracking of the joints all around the openings to remedy it.
As soon as the sealant has dried and hardened and/or small cracks appear on either side of the joints, it becomes essential to consult a caulking expert.
Save money by caulking
In addition to preserving the health and good preservation of the building, caulking doors and windows with suitable sealants and seals also saves money on heating bills. A poorly insulated dwelling allows air and humidity to pass through, which increases the energy consumption of the boiler and thus the amount of bills.
You should know that a window with a defective seal can cause up to 20% heat loss. The calculation is quickly made between the intervention of an expert caulker that will reduce your energy bill after its passage and some quick work to be done.
Seals and sealants are an excellent solution for insulating the interior of a room, without doing a lot of work or investing a lot of money in insulation work. Current materials are very efficient, to choose between polyurethane or silicone depending on the window covering.
The products come in a wide range of colours and shades to adapt to the decoration of the house and to harmonize with the façade of the building.
Sealants: an acoustic function
The joints have multiple advantages (comfort of life, energy optimization, anti-humidity …) and acoustic insulation is added to this list. This silicone or polyurethane bulge is a powerful insulator against outside noises but also against the noise of footsteps or music inside the rooms.
Acoustic insulation is an essential step especially when it is a multi-storey duplex house or condominium. The comfort of life is improved and sleep is also improved, a criterion that is not always taken into account at its true value by the inhabitants.
Caulk to say stop to insects and rodents.
Caulking doors and windows is a good solution to prevent insects from entering the home. To see an infestation of insects (ant, cockroach, spider, termite…) or an invasion of rodents (rat, mouse, mule …) at home is not at all pleasant for everyday comfort.
But worse, these bibites can cause great damage in a house by housing in wooden frames, pantry, food or even gnawing on electrical cables and wires and causing a short circuitor even a fire. Generally, insects proliferate very quickly and can lead to skin diseases or even food poisoning.
SDid you know that a mouse can sneak into a hole as small as a 10-cent coin? Seals and sealants are therefore bulwarks to prevent insects and rodents from passing inside rooms. Warning: Caulking will never replace the services of an extermination expert.
Cracked and aged sealing joints
The effects of water infiltration around doors and windows are very harmful to the quality of the structures of your home. These infiltrations accelerate the process of material rot that will affect the strength of the walls and the value of your building in the medium term.
Did you know that water infiltration is very harmful to the health of the occupants. Mold toxicity can lead to serious diseases that are difficult to treat in the most sensitive people. This situation should not be overlooked and the problem resolved as soon as possible.
An investment recovered in 7 years
According to CMHC(Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation),repairing the caulking of a home’s doors and windows can generate annual energy savings of $0.49 per linear foot of the so-called openings. (Data from 2010)
Considering that the cost of depositing old caulking – rests from a new sealing joint of 5/8 to 3/4 inch is about $3.75 per linear opening foot – Work done by professionals – you depreciate your investment in just 7 years.