Fillings and cavities

hr

sells larger quanities and also mixes for cacity fill. I have used a piece os 1/4" clear vinyl hose to make and extender tube. I'll bet these folks have all the attachments you need.

hot rod

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Mark_46

Sorry, this one isnt about

head-feet and delta T but I dont know of a general construction site with a wall like this one. So I hope I can pick the brains of those here.

In the near future I will install replacement windows in my home..all of them. The house is built in the mid 1920s so the windows use the old, and very common, iron slugs-on-a-rope as a balancing system.

As we all know when the weights and pulleys are removed there is of course large cavities to either side of the windows. I want to avoid removing the interior wood trim to fill the cavities with some sort of insulation if possible. So would it be possible to use an expanding foam insulation to fill the cavities? I figure access to the cavity would be pretty easy through the original weight removal holes (lwo in the cavity) and the hole that will be when the pulleys are removed (high in the cavity). Thoughts? I thought maybe something like the product linked below?

http://www.foampower.com/products/handi_seal.html

Maine Doug_42

Foams

The low expansion type works. I used it on the new windows in my building. You may need to use a small extension hose on the can. If you insert the hose thru the hole for the rope to get to the bottom of the cavity and pull it out whilst foaming. I did one window with the regular foam and it has a slight bow from too much expansion.

ScottMP

most of the

windows I have seen have a little hatch that opnes so you can attach the new rope to the wieght ... can't be that hard to insulate.

That being said I was going to suggest low expanding foam also.

Scott

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Mike T., Swampeast MO

Should be a very good application of expanding foam. A long, flexible spout would come in VERY handy--without it would probably be very difficult to ensure that the entire cavity is filled without drilling additional holes in along the length of the jambs.

Would however be best if you remove the sash weights. Some windows have an access "hatch" near the bottom of the jambs. They're usually secured by a single screw very near the top of the "door". Usually very easy to make out if the trim is natural--sometimes very difficult if under many coats of paint. Barring such access the only way to remove the weights is to remove the interior casings.

Brad White_9

Foam in a Can

is a fine way to go so long as you do not over-fill the cavities. Use the lowest expansion type that you can. If you use the high-volume type you may bow the jambs and not be able to open your windows.

Rather than go through the sash weight "access doors", I would drill a few holes maybe 6-8 inches apart up and down the jambs and fill the pockets from the bottom-up. The drill areas would be covered by the new window frames of course.

Mark_46

Mike

> Should be a very good application of expanding

> foam. A long, flexible spout would come in VERY

> handy--without it would probably be very

> difficult to ensure that the entire cavity is

> filled without drilling additional holes in along

> the length of the jambs.

>

> Would however be best

> if you remove the sash weights. Some windows

> have an access "hatch" near the bottom of the

> jambs. They're usually secured by a single screw

> very near the top of the "door". Usually very

> easy to make out if the trim is

> natural--sometimes very difficult if under many

> coats of paint. Barring such access the only way

> to remove the weights is to remove the interior

> casings.

Mark_46

Mike

Ya, i definitely plan to remove the weights. And yes, these windows have the 'hatch door' with one screw holding it in, etc. as you describe. And I wont have paint problems, all the windows are natural/stained.

Good to read this sounds like a feasible solution!

Mark_46

Brad

How are you?

Good news, this approach seems to pass the laugh test.

Yes, the low expansion material caught my eye when looking at the products available. Its really something how the material could bow a window casing, wow. Only concern for me is with low expansion foam, I would need more foam, no? With 25 windows or so, I will need a few cases of the stuff!

By the way, any brand recomendations? I pasted a link in my original post but it was one of the first brands I found on line. Im sure there are many out there.

Mark_46

Maine Doug

Seems the one consistant recommendation is to use low expansion foam.

I too was thinking of an extension tube for the can in order to get to the bottom of the cavity. But some others suggested drilling holes as another option. Something I'll have to think about.

Brad White_9

Hey Mark-

Doing well thanks- and you?

The foam I use is from Todol (PO Box 398, Natick, MA O1760; 508/879-7741). Professional grade and you use a special gun and cleaner. The cans go much farther than the HD stuff. For one window, the HD stuff is fine ("window and door" grade is the low expansion type). But in your case, call Todol.

Todol has a line that includes animal repellent, fire retardant and others.

The conductive benefits are one thing, the convection/infiltration benefits are where the money really is.

Good luck!

Brad

Mark_46

Hot rod

thanks for the link to another brand. Too bad it looks like this material is only for open walls. I need to insulate the original outside walls of my house too.

Brad White_9

Tigerfoam

has a version for cavities too it seems. Nice line of product. May be "too much" for just your sash weight pockets but I have some growing applications now that I have seen it. Thanks, HR!

Brad

Christian Egli_2

Open wide

Just to throw in another suggestion without any regards to whether it is a good idea for your case.

Plaster, the plaster of Paris type, can be used to seal all sorts of holes and cracks. It's old fashioned, it's very inexpensive, has all sorts of wonderful natural properties, but it requires lots of skill (if you want a neat job).

Dentists used to fill our mouths full to make impressions. Now, they use a sea weed based gum. Perhaps they tried the low expansion polyurethane foam with some disastrous success.

Well, that last one was a bad idea. What would we do without modern chemicals?