Sealing an inaccessible uPVC window

Continuing with work in the red room, some bits of uPVC trim were loose, and so they were removed in order to refit them more securely.

A comparison of twin windows with and without the additional trim in the reveal
The trim is removed from the window on that left

Removing the trim revealed the daylight that was shining through into the cavity to the side of the window frame. This was caused by a deterioration of the seal between the outside of the frame and the wall.


The meeting of uPVC window and stone wall
The remnants of old burnt sand mastic still visible 

Back when these were wooden windows, burnt sand mastic would have been used to seal the gap, but modern silicon sealant was used with these plastic windows.

This particular window is up on the first floor, with a bay window below. Without scaffolding there is no way of getting up on the outside safely. The solution was to work from the inside out.


A glass panel, with a suction gripper attached, resting on a couple of bath mats
This suction pad gripper was strong, but it was hard to trust


The glass panels were surprisingly easy to remove, it's just a case of prying off the four glazing beads, and then lifting the glass out. The longest edges should be removed first, as they have more flex to allow the corners to be pulled towards the middle, and away from the mitred corners. The top edge should be removed last to prevent the glass toppling out unexpectedly. 
A series of progressively thicker knifes were used to pry the glazing beads off, starting with a utility knife with disposable blades: this was narrow enough to carefully slide between the frame and the glazing bead without causing damage. Wiggling that about made room for a slightly thicker knife blade, and so on, until fingers could fit in to pull it out.


The window with one of the glass panels removed
The glass removed from the top right quarter


Once the glass was removed, it was trivial to reach out to remove the old sealant and add new stuff. The most difficult area was near the hinge of the opening: there wasn't enough room to get a smoothing tool in.

Replacing the glass is as simple as reversing the process, the glazing beads simply snap into place with a few firm taps from a soft faced hammer.

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