Fix Drafty Windows
The Cheap Easy Way
Installing the Shrink Film
This overlap allows you to position the film around the frame so that the film covers the complete opening with out any gaps around the edges. You should have about 2 inches of overlap around the edges. This overlap will give you something to grasp while doing the initial positioning and will be trimmed off later.
Cut about 8 or 10 starter strips from your roll of spline material. These should be about 3-5 inches long. You will need enough for a minimum of 2 per side for an average window…more if it is a large window These strips will help you position the film properly around the window frame and also hold the film in place as you roll in the main retainer spline. When you get the film and attached to the extrusion frame, begin to adjust the film by removing the starter strips and repositioning the film until you have a minimum of large wrinkles. Then temporarily reinstall the starter strip. These starter strips will be removed in the next step as you roll in the main spline.
This picture shows the film loosely positioned around the window and temporarily retained by the starter splines. I like to start rolling in the spline at the center of the top, but you can start anywhere that is convenient for you. You can use four separate splines for each side and start in a corner or use one continuous piece all the way around the window, but four separate splines is easier to install. Install a starter spline in the extrusion groove…I usually use about 2 or 3 starter splines per window side to hold the film in position. I just press these into the groove with my fingers. Leave a tag end ( upper picture) of the starter spline sticking out so you remove it easily. You can remove the small starter splines on one side or the other and reposition the film until you get it aligned and remove some of the wrinkles as you go. Stretching the spline slightly as you roll it in the extrusion groove makes it roll in easier.
The
roller tool is too large to get into the corners, so I use a wooden
paint stirring stick or a similar item to push the spline firmly
into the corners. The red arrow indicates the extrusion spline
|
Cut
the shrink film about 2 inches larger than the frame created by
the installed extrusion or about 2 inches larger than the window
opening.
It
is not necessary to install the film wrinkle free or tight. The
shrinking process will remove all wrinkles and tighten the film.copyright 2006 mcdent publishing drafty windows