Cavity Closer - Your Choice for Damp-Free Doors and Windows
When installing new doors and windows, whether in a new home or replacements in your existing home, you need to be careful about sealing off the cavity wall. Otherwise moisture can seep into your rooms from the cavities with dire results. The smart and easy answer is to use an insulated cavity closer to form a tight seal to prevent moisture entering your home.
With constantly rising energy costs and environmental considerations becoming an major issue, the demand for energy efficiency in buildings is on the rise. The traditional answer has been cavity wall insulation which has proven highly effective at reducing heating bills.
However, a problem occurs around windows and door frames when the cavities are closed with materials of low insulating ratings such as brickwork and blockwork. The result is condensation, mould and staining, and ultimately the deterioration of both plaster and paintwork at the site.
The answer is to use a cavity closer - an insulated frame that seals the cavity around masonry wall openings. This creates a damp proof course and provides a rigid acceptor for window or door frame. The result is a constant insulated seal around window and door openings.
Today's material of choice for cavity closers is resililent uPVC (Unplasticized Polyvinyl Chloride, also known as PVC-U). Using PVC-U items offers a number of major advantages.
PVC-U cavity closers are the simplest, most effective way to seal cavities around wall openings and provide a rigid window or door frame acceptor. By creating a rigid template for bricklaying and window or door installation, they greatly facilitate the whole building process.
They're very easy to install just by using metal straps to fix the window to the inner leaf. This system needs no tools, screws or adhesives, and eliminates the time-consuming process of fitting timber dummy formers. This process also avoids the need for cut bricks, blocks or special reveal blocks.
Windows can be fitted from either inside or outside the building. This can help with compliance with HSE guidelines about working at height.
uPVC also offers built-in thermal efficiency via a pre-installed polystyrene insulation core. This offers the twin advantages of improving thermal efficiency to comply with L Building Regulations compliance, and also removes the need to fit additional insulation. The result is a saving on time on site.
One of the great features of PVC-U cavity closers is their eco-friendliness. They're made from 100% recycled post-consumer waste and thus reduce the volume of rubbish ending up in landfills. In fact, the Code for Sustainable Homes offers credits to builders using sustainable materials and energy-efficient products, and uPVC fits the bill on both counts.
In addition, cavity closers create a thermal break enhancing the insulation performance and reducing the CO² emissions of a building. They also reduce thermal bridging thus improving energy efficiency.
uPVC is also fire resistant: should a fire break out, it will effectively self extinguish. Wall cavities are hidden danger spots for fires so having these closers offers extra protection against the spread of fire.
Using cavity closers can also help with air tightness. The fact is that however high the insulating properties of a wall, even a small leakage of air can result in high thermal losses. This means you need to be sure there are no gaps between your door and window and the wall. Locating any gaps that need to be sealed is very easy with uPVC closers as the construction detail is highly simplified.
Using the right insulated cavity closer can bring huge benefits in terms of savings on energy bills but only if you do it right. This means using PVC-U cavity closers for effective sealing and insulation.
PVC-U cavity closers provide a close fit around all apertures to prevent draughts, cold-bridging, condensation and mould growth. The result is a safe, healthy home that's energy efficient and keeps it value.
When shopping for building materials such as cavity closers, be sure to get items that are British Board of Agreement (BBA) certified. You can then be confident of getting items that adhere to the highest standards.
You can find the UK's best range of cavity closers and other PVCu products, at the web sites of leading vendors. Browse their online catalogues to find the right items for your project and place your order at the site for prompt delivery.
About the Author
Chris Coxon writes articles for Cavalok, a leading cavity closer specialist in the UK and pioneers in the manufacture of frame-forming cavity closers for window and door openings in all types of building. Their insulated cavity closer solutions can significantly aid air tightness and improve thermal performance at window, door and wall junctions, helping to increase overall energy efficiency as well as providing considerable savings on heating bills.
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