Weather Stripping

The two most important areas in windows is warm glass and how well the window seals to keep the cold out and the heat in.

With Extreme cold that we experience in Saskatchewan, the two most important areas in your window is warm glass and how well your windows seal to keep the cold out and the heat in.

Santoprene Weatherstripping is weatherstripping at its finest. Santoprene was developed specifically for use in extreme temperatures to maintain flexibility.

We choose to use Santoprene compression bulb seal in our windows for the following reasons...

• The design offers the right amount of compression necessary to provide a tight seal, it can be inserted in one continuous piece, providing a continuous seal that is able to round corners, remain soft and pliable in the corners allowing it to compress and seal the window eliminating leaks.
• Unaffected by the harshest of weather conditions. When tested from temperatures of -45 C to 135C, it experienced no cracking or tackiness.
• Excellent fatigue resistance, meaning it will bounce back after being compressed for a long period of time.
• Resistant to molds and mildew.
• Extremely strong with good abrasion resistance and excellent UV resistance.  Will not crack, and harden.  Posseses the same levels of manufacturing flexibility and consistent durability that are commonly found in natural rubber compounds.
• Works well with a window system that can experience movement due to building shifting and settling.
• Requires no caulking
• Hand inserted into accessory groove of our vinyl frame, making it easy to service or  replace in the event of damage.
• It can also be recycled.
• By eliminating drafts and moisture, and retaining comfortable heating and cooling conditions, this weatherstripping is an ideal solution for long-term energy efficiency and savings.

When shopping for windows remember not all weatherstripping is suitable for our cold temperatures.

You may have heard of Coextruded weatherstripping or flexible plastic weather stripping, or even plastic bulb seal which most window manufacturers use.  These products are not to be confused with the Santoprene weather stripping that we use. They are not one in the same. Coextruded or flexible plastic weatherstripping does not have the same properties and capabilities that Santoprene has.  They are unable to stay soft and pliable in extreme cold weather conditions.  You've likely seen this before on your existing windows, but over time, after use, and being exposed to harmful UV rays, coextruded weatherstripping will eventually breakdown and lose its softness and pliability and eventually stiffen, tear, or crack.  Even brand new windows with coextruded weatherstripping perform poorly in our cold climate, as it becomes stiff at a much warmer temperature than we usually experience in a Saskatchewan winter.  This stiffness doesn't allow a strong compression when you close and lock your windows, allowing cold air to get past and into your home creating drafts and condensation.  Serviceability for these products is difficult as these seals are usually welded into the corners of the vinyl frame, making them permanently attached to the window and very difficult or impossible to replace.  As much as it is more work and added cost to manufacture a window with Santoprene, the bottom line is that - IT WORKS - in Saskatchewans extreme climate.

Northome customers often comment that they love how they can open and close  their windows all year round.  That is the beauty of Santoprene weatherstripping and how it can retain flexibility even in extreme temperatures.

When shopping for windows remember all windows are not created equal.  Make sure your windows are made with the brilliant seal technology and serviceability that Santoprene weatherstripping will provide to keep your home comfortable from the elements for many many years to come.