The windows were manufactured by Viwinco as a regional manufacturer for Certainteed. on all of the windows, the outside seal is pulling away from the window at the point at which they seal slides into the seal track of the window.
I am looking for replacement seals. I've already been in touch with Certainteed and Viwinco and neither company is able to provide this replacement seal.
Certainteed casement windows manufactured by Viwinco as a regional manufacturer (legacy)
Home Owner from Exton, PA
Aug 16, 2022 6:51 pm
2 user uploaded images
12 Replies
Tom from SWISCO
Aug 17, 2022 11:49 am
I'm afraid your old weatherseal is a little too damaged to ID. Right now it seems that the base that installs in the window has ripped off. I need to see that in order to find something that installs the same way.
Do you have an undamaged sample that I can see?
Home Owner from Exton, PA
Aug 22, 2022 11:28 am
Hi Tom,
I believe the weatherseal is too damaged and brittle to remove for a complete profile view. It's a foam filled type and as you noted, the outer part of the seal is pulling away from the track which the seal slides into. I can try, on a dry day, to pull on it but I seriously double it will slide out clean to preserve a full profile view.
If I'm unable to remove the part of the seal that slides into the window, will a clean profile view of the actual outer seal be helpful?
The windows are Certainteed brand and they were manufactured by Viwinco Window company in Morgantown PA. They were installed on 10/17/2003 and since they were custom sized, would have been made shortly before that date. Does this help at all??
Thanks,
Rich
Tom from SWISCO
Aug 22, 2022 2:33 pm
The part that's inside the window right now is the most important feature. Seeing that would tell me how this installs, which would allow me to recommend a match.
I think yours might install via a push-in kerf; this is just a thin, ribbed plastic "stem" that pushes straight into a slot. If so, you could possibly consider our 58-170B as a replacement option. Look this over to start out and see if you think this is promising.
Profile view and dimensions for 58-170B
Home Owner from Exton, PA
Aug 22, 2022 6:54 pm
Hi Tom,
I do think what you're saying makes sense. It does appear that there is a "track" cut into the window frame. Unfortunately, there's no way to get what's in there out whole (if at all).
I've taken a couple of pictures of the side of the casement window upon which the weather seal is mounted. There are three seals, two roundish ones toward the inside of the house (left in picture). Those fit tight and seem fine. The third seal is the outer seal which is a "V" shape with what would have appeared to be the part that would have been pushed into the track on the outer portion of the outside side of the window.
The first picture also shows the profile view of the weather seal. It's a foam time of material with a covering. The shorter leg is the part that the kerf was mounted. It measures ~4/16". The longer leg measures ~7/16". The bottom of the V share is facing inside the window and the two legs compress together as the window is closed.
As mentioned, I've attached two additional pictures.
Finally, assuming it does use a Kerf to mount the weather strip, with the track being filled by the remnants of the old weatherstrip, how would I get that out so a new weatherstrip could be inserted? Is this possible?
Thanks for all your help on this. I really appreciate it!
Rich
I do think what you're saying makes sense. It does appear that there is a "track" cut into the window frame. Unfortunately, there's no way to get what's in there out whole (if at all).
I've taken a couple of pictures of the side of the casement window upon which the weather seal is mounted. There are three seals, two roundish ones toward the inside of the house (left in picture). Those fit tight and seem fine. The third seal is the outer seal which is a "V" shape with what would have appeared to be the part that would have been pushed into the track on the outer portion of the outside side of the window.
The first picture also shows the profile view of the weather seal. It's a foam time of material with a covering. The shorter leg is the part that the kerf was mounted. It measures ~4/16". The longer leg measures ~7/16". The bottom of the V share is facing inside the window and the two legs compress together as the window is closed.
As mentioned, I've attached two additional pictures.
Finally, assuming it does use a Kerf to mount the weather strip, with the track being filled by the remnants of the old weatherstrip, how would I get that out so a new weatherstrip could be inserted? Is this possible?
Thanks for all your help on this. I really appreciate it!
Rich
Tom from SWISCO
Aug 23, 2022 8:10 am
Hey, Rich. Looking at these new photos, I think we're on the right track. This is almost certainly a straight kerf pushed into a slot.
As for how to get the old kerf out, that's going to take a little finesse. All you really need to do is dig up just one edge. As long as you can get a grip of one little piece, you should hopefully be able to pull the rest out without issue. Usually when weatherseal becomes brittle and starts to rot, its the foam seal itself that suffers. The kerf is usually made of a more rigid, durable material so odds are yours isn't going to fall apart. To put it another way: it's the foam that failed, not necessarily the kerf.
What I would do is get a pick or awl and try to gently dig up just one edge of the kerf in there, then grab hold of it with a pair of needle nose pliers. Then it should be a simple matter of just pulling it out. You'll definitely want to take it slow, just in case it is more brittle than I'm imagining.
Home Owner from Exton, PA
Aug 23, 2022 12:24 pm
Hi Tom,
Success!! You were right, once I was able to pry a little of the kerf edge out of the window track I was easily able to pull the entire kerf out of that side of the window. I've attached two pictures of what I pulled out - one for each side of the kerf that anchors the weatherstrip. The white sided one was facing the outside of the window and the yellowish sided one with two gil-like pieces jutting out was facing inside. There are two gill-like profiles on the yellow side and the dept of the actual track is ~1/4 inch. The width of the track is ~1/16" and it appears to be smooth on both sides internally. The window gap that is being filled by the V shaped weatherstrip is ~1/4".
The piece of the actual weatherstrip I sent you yesterday is a V shape. The kerf attaches to edge of the shorter leg of the V shaped weatherstrip. The broad end of the V shape faces out, so that when the casement window closes the V compresses.
Does this help? Do you think you can find a matching weatherstrip to the one that is failing?
Thanks again!
Rich
Success!! You were right, once I was able to pry a little of the kerf edge out of the window track I was easily able to pull the entire kerf out of that side of the window. I've attached two pictures of what I pulled out - one for each side of the kerf that anchors the weatherstrip. The white sided one was facing the outside of the window and the yellowish sided one with two gil-like pieces jutting out was facing inside. There are two gill-like profiles on the yellow side and the dept of the actual track is ~1/4 inch. The width of the track is ~1/16" and it appears to be smooth on both sides internally. The window gap that is being filled by the V shaped weatherstrip is ~1/4".
The piece of the actual weatherstrip I sent you yesterday is a V shape. The kerf attaches to edge of the shorter leg of the V shaped weatherstrip. The broad end of the V shape faces out, so that when the casement window closes the V compresses.
Does this help? Do you think you can find a matching weatherstrip to the one that is failing?
Thanks again!
Rich
2 user uploaded images
Tom from SWISCO
Aug 23, 2022 2:18 pm
Hey, Rich. We unfortunately don't have a V-shaped foam seal. I still think our 58-170B is our best option. The shape of the seal isn't as important as size. I think if the dimensions of our 58-170B will fit in the space available then it is our best option.
If you want, you can order a sample of it here to try out before you commit to a purchase.
Home Owner from Exton, PA
Aug 23, 2022 4:40 pm
Hi Tom,
Thanks for all your help on this issue!! I'm confident, now that I know how the old seal was attached and I"m able to remove it to open up the kerf channel to insert a new seal.
Regarding the seal you recommended (58-170B) that looks like a possibility. I won't know for sure until I install the sample I ordered. Just to be safe, I also ordered 58-055 and 58-053, as they look like they might also work. Between the three options, I'm crossing my fingers that one works.
Once again, I'd like to thank you for walking me through getting the old seal and kerf out of the channel and helping me to select a possible replacement and to understand how to remove and replace the old seal.
Regards,
Rich
Thanks for all your help on this issue!! I'm confident, now that I know how the old seal was attached and I"m able to remove it to open up the kerf channel to insert a new seal.
Regarding the seal you recommended (58-170B) that looks like a possibility. I won't know for sure until I install the sample I ordered. Just to be safe, I also ordered 58-055 and 58-053, as they look like they might also work. Between the three options, I'm crossing my fingers that one works.
Once again, I'd like to thank you for walking me through getting the old seal and kerf out of the channel and helping me to select a possible replacement and to understand how to remove and replace the old seal.
Regards,
Rich
Tom from SWISCO
Aug 24, 2022 9:05 am
We're happy to help and fingers crossed that one of these options will work for your repair. Let us know how you make out!
Home Owner from Exton, PA
Aug 29, 2022 2:45 pm
Hi Tom,
Unfortunately the 58-107B won't work. It works on the side of the casement window that swings open but on the hinge side it doesn't.
It does appear that the 58-055 sample I also purchased "might" work. The only concerns I have are that the 1/8" piece that inserts into the track feels a bit tight to get in, though It does go in (unfortunately, one window's kerf channel was manufactured just a slight bit narrower than the other - on one a quarter would easily fit the slot but on the other a quarter just missed being able to be put into the slot). The stub piece on the 58-107B fit more easily (.105" on the 58-107B vs. .125" on the 58-055). Is there a version of the 58-055 that has a narrower insertion piece? Also, do you have anything like the 58-055 with a slightly smaller bulb (not entirely necessary but would be nice)?
Unfortunately the 58-107B won't work. It works on the side of the casement window that swings open but on the hinge side it doesn't.
It does appear that the 58-055 sample I also purchased "might" work. The only concerns I have are that the 1/8" piece that inserts into the track feels a bit tight to get in, though It does go in (unfortunately, one window's kerf channel was manufactured just a slight bit narrower than the other - on one a quarter would easily fit the slot but on the other a quarter just missed being able to be put into the slot). The stub piece on the 58-107B fit more easily (.105" on the 58-107B vs. .125" on the 58-055). Is there a version of the 58-055 that has a narrower insertion piece? Also, do you have anything like the 58-055 with a slightly smaller bulb (not entirely necessary but would be nice)?
Tom from SWISCO
Aug 30, 2022 10:25 am
I'm afraid that we don't have alternate sizes for the 58-055, either for the bubble or kerf. The kerf width itself is fairly standard at 1/8". The 58-170B is the only seal I can think of that's smaller, but you have confirmed that that will not work.
I am sorry for the inconvenience. I do believe those are our best possible options.
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