Spacers

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herbalist
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Joined: Sun Nov 28, 2010 6:53 pm

Spacers

#1 Post by herbalist »

How effective is Butyl rubber sealant between window panes?

Skydawggy.
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Re: Spacers

#2 Post by Skydawggy. »


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Windows on Washington
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Re: Spacers

#3 Post by Windows on Washington »

Butyl rubber as the structural component of a spacer is ill advised.

Most spacers that have a secondary seal do use PIB (Polyisobutylene rubber) as a barrier against gas loss so it is good from that standpoint.

Are you sure that the space that you are referring to is only butyl or is it a combination?

masterext
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Re: Spacers

#4 Post by masterext »

I am thinking he is referring to the secondary seal; PIB (Polyisobutylene rubber). this is a very common seal but it is NOT THE SPACER. ask what the actual core is made of. is it foam? is it stainless steel? is it a poly carbonate? is it a tin plated alloy(most common) and is made by PPG.

FenEx
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Re: Spacers

#5 Post by FenEx »

Ecostar has been Ill advised on this.

As stated by WOW, PIB sealants are superior to silicone in IGUs. Silicone application is a much less expensive process and is fine when it comes to repelling water, but it's inferior at retaining inert gas fills.

As for the SS article, Super Spacer's so-called first seal is not a "seal" at all. It is edged with an adhesive to hold it in place for the application of the "secondary" seal. Don't get me wrong, I like some things about SS, but It makes me crazy when they call it a dual seal spacer system.

Jyd
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Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2010 4:04 am

Re: Spacers

#6 Post by Jyd »

So you are saying that "Butyl rubber sealant" as the spacer and sealer between the panes of a triple pane krypton gas window is not good? :?:

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TheWindowNerd
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Re: Spacers

#7 Post by TheWindowNerd »

are you asking about swiggle type spacers?

Skydawggy.
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Re: Spacers

#8 Post by Skydawggy. »

FenEx wrote:Ecostar has been Ill advised on this.
I think it would be more appropriate if you said Edgetech doesn't know what they are talking about and that you know more about spacer durability than they do. I simply posted their report.
Last edited by Skydawggy. on Fri Dec 03, 2010 4:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.

masterext
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Re: Spacers

#9 Post by masterext »

its important to ask if the Butyl rubber sealant has an inner core;which i think it will. i highly doubt its a 100% Butyl rubber sealant . what window are you referring too? that will enable us to answer your question more directly.

herbalist
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Re: Spacers

#10 Post by herbalist »

It is a Feldco window. The rep says they wrap the aluminum spacers in butyl caulk to prevent the heat exchange problem.

masterext
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Re: Spacers

#11 Post by masterext »

ok, just looked at their website; the Sophia series. does'nt look like a bad window. its actually a tin pated spacer(intercept by PPG). very common. certainly not the best spacer but widely used by major brands for years.

Jyd
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Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2010 4:04 am

Re: Spacers

#12 Post by Jyd »

herbalist wrote:How effective is Butyl rubber sealant between window panes?

Yes, unless I miss understood him, the triple pane windows made by Woodbridge Home Exteriors only had the butyl rubber sealant between the panes. He had miniture samples of an aluminum and steel spacers and was telling us how bad they were.

But to be honest allot of the presentation went by pretty fast until it came to trying to get my name on the dotted line. Then he tried everything including dropping the price 3 different times using the "Well I have special funds from the advertising department" and "I can't guarantee this price after tonight" line.

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TheWindowNerd
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Re: Spacers

#13 Post by TheWindowNerd »

you were being slimed. Look for an honest dependable company.

FenEx
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Re: Spacers

#14 Post by FenEx »

The original post asked about PIB as a "Sealant", not as a spacer. We are talking about totally different components here.

For Ecostar: As for my knowing more about spacer durability than Edgetech... hhhmmm (?) ... No... but what they require in the assembly process by their vendors to make a "Seal" last is a different story. They are VERY aware of this. They manufacture a spacer... not the sealants.

For Herballist: Aluminum should be outlawed as a window spacer... period. It's a super conductor and will absorb a great deal of radiant heat allowed through the glass regardless of a non-conductive sealant such as PIB. If you feel you are cornered into a metal spacer to get the window you want, at the very least opt for stainless steel which is less conductive than aluminum which will readily absorb, store and thus release heat energy. Aluminum is used for cost... it has no other advantage when used as a window spacer.

Skydawggy.
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Re: Spacers

#15 Post by Skydawggy. »

+1

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