All buildings, whether large or small, require the design and implementation of openings on most of their outside walls for potential doors and windows. These days, more often than not, during the construction, these holes are marked with PVC-U strips as the walls are built around them. The strips provide an airtight seal that stops hot or cold air from escaping or coming into the building. By avoiding this wasteful exchange of gas, other physical problems can be avoided, like the buildup of damp, causing mold and mildew to spread through internal walls and seriously ruin them.
PVC-U is obtained from old door and window frames that have been removed from buildings. The elements of these frames are extracted and the PVC-U is completely purified and recycled into weather-, damp- and leak-proof cavity seals. They are hardy and last a lifetime, so any worries about draughts and damp getting inside are a thing of the past. The PVC-U closers will fit into almost every door and window type, are flexible and are very easy to install. They require no extra materials or insulation and maintain installation flexibility on window fixtures.
Choosing the right type of seal is dependent upon the requirements of the structure being built. They are all made with recycled PVC-U, but have different properties. Among many purposes are the basic PVC-U cavity sealer; the insulation sealer – made with a tightly packed block of insulating material; the anti fire sealer – made with a flame retardant and also coated in a fire deterrent aluminum barrier. There are also strips designed to be fitted after the completion of a building; temporary fire deterring barriers that fit between inside wall gaps, giving about an hour of flame protection to inner walls; and ventilation strips that allow maximum airflow without disrupting any temperature system in place. So there is an insulating strip for almost every structural requirement.
So what happens when windows and doors do not have the proper insulation for their function? Basically, any indoor heating or air conditioning will escape through inefficient sealing around the hollow spaces that shape the windows. This in turn will not achieve the temperature set for inside a building, causing the cooling or heating system to work overtime in order to attain it.
Mold can be hazardous to the health and to items such as plaster on walls, upholstery, clothing and other fabrics, and a number of other things found indoors. Occupants of places afflicted by damp and mold could suffer from such ailments as asthma, chronic respiratory problems, headaches, constant fatigue and sleeping disorders, and other illnesses. If not taken care of, these conditions can cause permanent damage to any sufferer’s wellbeing.
All these conditions are what is referred to as thermal bridging. It means more damage to the environment caused by carbon dioxide emissions and higher utility bills are the product of this vicious cycle. Homes and other buildings fitted with these PVC-U insulation gap fillers may cost a little more, as these materials are more expensive than regular internal frames on windows and doors, but in the long term, money will be saved on heating and cooling bills. Building materials that are no longer good for use will be recycled and kept out of landfills – reducing the environmental impact on such valuable space. Precious energy will not be overused or wasted. Serious health problems and uncontrollable, invisible damage to the inside of a property can be reduced. These are just some of the benefits of using sustainable building materials in new and old structures. There are so many reasons to invest a little more in the materials used for this type of construction – it should be implemented and encouraged in as many structures as possible.
