What difference is a particular window attachment going to make to the comfort of your home? How effective is a magnetic seal or compression seal when used on a storm window? We’ll answer these questions in this blog and why Indow decided against magnetic window insulation.
Why We Said No to Magnetic Seal
When Indow first designed our window inserts, we considered putting magnets inside our compression tubing, but we found that a magnetic window insulation created a lot of design flaws.
-Sam Pardue, Indow Founder
First, for a magnetic seal to form, magnets have to grab hold of something. That something is permanently attached to your window frame—generally a metal bracket fixed to the entire window frame needing many holes drilled into it. So it’s cumbersome to install.
Second, magnetic window insulation is not attractive either with the window insert installed or removed. If you take the window insert off, you still have a big metal bracket surrounding your window.

Third, the acrylic used in most window inserts expands and contracts with the temperature. While the window insert and attached magnets move, the metal frame does not. So, whatever magnetic seal there was is broken and the whole panel can pop off.
Magnets attract in one direction, but compression tubing creates spring force all the way around the window frame. It absorbs expansion and contraction in every direction and creates friction and resistance against air pressure.
So, we removed the magnet and created a window insert that relies on compression seal alone. The tubing can do everything we need and the simplest solution is often the best solution.

Why Compression Seal is Better Than Magnetic Seal
The tubing around our acrylic panels is the spring force that holds in insert in place. It absorbs all thermal expansion caused by temperature change. This ability to expand and contract creates a near airtight seal no matter the shape, size, or condition of your window. The tubing is a seal against drafts and heat, and it keeps conditioned air inside.

A compression seal is stronger than a magnetic seal because it is better at dealing with out of square windows. If your home is older and has had time to settle, it most likely hasn’t settled perfectly straight – this causes out of square windows.
– Sam Pardue, Indow Founder
Magnetic seals can get gaps because they were made for a perfectly square window frame. Compression seal adjusts for the out of square window so you continue to have a tight seal and even compression.
Our compression seal can accommodate expansion and contraction from heat and window frame inconsistencies without altering the window at all. Our compression seal is stronger than magnetic seal, fits any shape of window, and requires no hardware.
For more information read about our compression system.
Have many double hung double pane vinyl windows.It seems like the bottom sash lifting handles would be a problem?
There’s very often room on the frame to press the insert in place without removing any hardware. Sometimes though, if the window frame isn’t deep enough, you will need to remove things like handles. Once you talk to one of our Fit Specialists, they’ll be able to give you a better idea of whether your situation calls for removal.