How to seal gaps in old sliding windows?

LinN1

Hi there!

My 60+ year old sliding windows have large gaps between the window panels and tracks. The gaps measure about 15mm W x 10mm H. Cool/warm air seeps out and bugs come and go as they please…

How would I go on about sealing these without interfering with the sliding/rolling mechanism? Brush seals? Foam rubber? As it will be exposed to the elements I’m worried anything with adhesive backing will eventually peel off.

Any help would be much appreciated! 

EricL

Hello @LinN1 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's fantastic to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about sealing the gaps in your sliding windows.

Thank you for posting those measurements of your window. I suggest having a look at the Moroday Brown Self Adhesive Weather Seal, it has an adhesive backing strip and is designed for doors and windows. If you look at your first picture, I estimate that open gap to be around 5mm x 5mm. 

Before applying the weather seal, I suggest wiping the channel with a clean rag dipped in Diggers 125ml Isopropyl Cleaning Alcohol to make sure that the surface is free of grease and oil. Please don't use methylated spirits as this leaves a film on the surface which is not good for the adhesive of the weather seal.

It is very tempting to get something larger and bigger, but the drawback to that is that it gets caught in the leading edge of the sliding window. This in turn tears off the seal or damages the surface of the weather seal. But while you are at the store, I encourage you to look at the other weather seals.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric