If you become the owner of an apartment in a new building, then, in most cases, the first thing you need to do before moving into a new home is repairs. Often it begins with the replacement of glazing. This is because developers, in their desire to save money, install not the best windows. We figure out how to understand whether to change the windows in the apartment or not, and which ones to choose for replacement with experts "Window Factory".
5 reasons to change windows from the developer
Window structures can make up a fairly significant share of the budget in construction estimates, especially if a high-quality profile and a proven brand are used for their manufacture. But in most cases, developers do not pay much attention to the choice of windows, preference is given to economy options. Hence - the cheapest materials, the installation of glazing not in accordance with GOST, low-quality consumables, such as mounting foam or fasteners. Everything that makes glazing cheaper is used. Therefore, there are cases when in a new apartment you can see profiles with yellow spots, mounting foam blackened in the corners or wavy glazing beads.
Of course, this does not mean that this is always the case. Sometimes a construction company chooses high-quality window systems, installs them correctly, but does not follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
For example, often in new buildings in Moscow there are single-chamber double-glazed windows that are designed for warm regions or summer houses, but for an apartment in central Russia, in order to provide sufficient thermal insulation in winter, two-chamber models.
Therefore, in case of improper installation or not following the manufacturer's instructions, even a well-known profile brand will not guarantee that in winter the apartment will heat, glazing may not withstand high wind loads (this applies to the upper floors in high-rise buildings), it may begin to let in cold, condensation may appear and frost.
So, how to understand whether it is worth changing windows in a new building and in what cases is it necessary to do this?
1. Profile
A good plastic profile should be white, without spots or streaks, smooth, without bumps and bumps. This is what a good frame looks like. However, focusing on the visual component is not enough.
Problems often faced by apartment dwellers:
- Lack of reinforcement or insufficient thickness
The reinforcing metal profile must also be thick enough. The task of such an insert is to strengthen the sashes, the frame. If this is not done, the sashes will be deformed under the influence of wind loads, daily use, and temperature changes. Typically, the thickness of the reinforcement is 1.2–1.5 mm. If you make the liner thinner, it simply will not cope with the task. The position of the sashes will change, and with it the indicators of thermal and sound insulation.
In a bad scenario, the reinforcement is replaced by a metal "foil" - 1.1 mm, cardboard or absent altogether.
- Low quality plastic
Such material can be recognized by its gray color or yellow streaks. The downside is that when heated, toxic substances are released that are harmful to humans and the environment. It is quickly damaged, deformed, because it is made from recycled materials.
- shallow depth
For new buildings, glazing with a profile depth of 58–60 mm and three chambers is often selected. This is not enough to get the desired insulation values. In the middle climatic zone, the thickness of the profile should be from 70 mm, and the number of cameras - from 4 pieces.
2. double glazing
Most of the window construction is a double-glazed window. It depends on him how warm, quiet, durable the glazing will be. For new buildings, they usually order single-chamber options 24 mm thick - two glasses of 4 mm each, between which there is a sealed space of 16 mm. If double models are used, this is usually the thinnest option - only 32 mm, of which 4 mm are on the glass, and the space between them is 10 mm.
For reference! The heat retention coefficients will be minimal: 0.36 m2s°/W (for 24 mm) and 0.56 m2s°/W (for 32 mm). Whereas in Moscow and the Moscow Region the requirements are all 0.66 m2s ° / W. The difference is obvious, so there is no doubt that the room will be cool, and heating costs will increase.
Unscrupulous performers can save not only on the thickness of the double-glazed window and the number of glasses. For example:
- Use low quality glass
Low-grade material can be recognized by a reduced degree of transparency, the presence of defects.
- Choose a low grade desiccant
Inside the structure there is a frame with holes, under which is silica gel, which absorbs moisture. If you do not use it or take wet material, the tightness will be broken.
- Take bad sealant
The task of the sealant is to isolate the structure from the effects of environmental factors. There should be no moisture inside, otherwise it is considered a factory defect or a serious breakdown. To do this, the manufacturer uses high-quality sealant.
- Use ordinary glasses instead of the declared low-emissivity ones
To check the quality of the material, you can bring a lit candle or lighter to the glass. If the reflection has reddish reflections, we have energy-saving glass. If the reflections are just yellow, the material is normal.
3. accessories
Fittings are an easy way to reduce the cost of a product. Cheap hinges are visually no different from high-quality ones. However, over time, the sashes will begin to sag, a creak will appear, and in the worst case, the structure will deform.
Products can creak during operation, jam, interfere with pressing the sash tightly against the frame. And in conditions of high humidity, unprotected metal will simply rust.
4. sealant
Another common problem in new homes is poor-quality sealant. It is this element that is responsible for the tightness, as it ensures a snug fit of the sash to the frame, and the double-glazed window to the profile. And if you save on its quality, problems may soon begin.
A sealant made from PVC waste with the addition of a carcinogenic softener helps to reduce the cost of glazing. Within a year, such a part will no longer maintain tightness. And under the influence of high temperatures, it can release toxic substances.
Rubber of poor quality in the cold hardens, loses elasticity. This leads to a decrease in tightness, an increase in air exchange between the street and the living space.
For reference! The best sealants are silicone, ethylene propylene rubber, thermoplastic elastomer. They better tolerate temperature changes, retain elasticity, and ensure a snug fit of the sash to the frame.
5. Installation
Installing a window in a new building is a special story. If the company wants to save money, it hires specialists who agree to low wages. Usually these are simple "shabashniks", without qualifications, having a general idea of \u200b\u200bGOSTs and standards for the performance of work. Another customer requires to glaze a large number of window openings in a short time, which is physically impossible to do perfectly. Therefore, the quality of assembly joints in new buildings is almost always reduced.
It should be added here that the work is carried out in conditions of increased dustiness, a large amount of construction debris. There is simply not enough time to prepare each opening for installation. Therefore, situations are not uncommon when dust, crumbs, dirt get inside the fittings. For example, the handle crunches when turning. If you do not lubricate the part and remove dirt, the fittings may finally break.
Another point to pay attention to concerns warranty service. If you accepted an apartment from the developer with the repairs that were made and did not indicate the shortcomings, it will be unrealistic to make a claim later. If something breaks, the owner makes repairs at his own expense.
What to do - change or not?
The answer suggests itself - to change. However, not all so simple. In some situations, it is enough to adjust or repair the product. If the profile is damaged or does not provide sufficient thermal insulation, replacement is required.
Make a decision when you do the following:
- Assess the degree of comfort in the room. Poor-quality glazing provides poor heat and sound insulation, as well as too humid microclimate. But this will require access to the apartment and the ability to stay in it for some time.
- Seek advice from professionals. Some glazing companies offer a microclimate assessment service. With the help of equipment, specialists measure the degree of humidity, find cold bridges. For example, “Window Factory” has a climate engineering service.
- Ask questions about the quality, equipment, installation of windows to the developer. Remember that the warranty is valid for 3 years after the delivery of housing. If the quality is not high enough, and the treatment does not give anything, then you will have to change the glazing yourself.
We have already said that all claims must be submitted before signing the document on the transfer of the apartment. Otherwise, it will be difficult to achieve justice.
How to check windows - a checklist for newcomers
Some signs of low-quality windows in new homes are immediately visible. Others will have to be found. The main thing is to know what to look at. We've put together a few tips to help you do just that.
1. Protective film
The manufacturer covers the profile with a protective film, which reduces the risk of contamination and damage. Usually builders do not remove it or remove it, but not completely.
The downside is that under the influence of direct sunlight, the film tightly eats into the plastic. After two or three months, it will be impossible to peel it off. You will have to use improvised materials, which is why the frames often remain scratched.
2. drafts
The sashes must fit snugly against the frame. This guarantees the absence of drafts, high insulation rates. Checking the design for blowing is difficult, but possible. For example, with a lighter. To do this, in the lit state, move the lighter around the perimeter of the window structure. Attention should be paid to both the joints of the sashes with the frame, and the frame with the wall. If the flame begins to sway actively, it means that the tightness is broken in this place.
You can also listen to the window. In places where the tightness is broken, the audibility will be higher. Sounds will penetrate the room faster.
3. Hardware adjustment
Another way to check the tightness of the structure, and with it - the adjustment of the fittings. This will require a regular A4 print sheet. The window opens, a sheet is laid between the frame and the sash, and then the sash is closed. If the sheet is tightly clamped, the tightness is good. And if it can be pulled towards you, there is a violation of tightness, and with it - the clamping of the sash.
For reference! Twice a year you need to adjust the pressure of the sash. When switching to winter mode, the pressure becomes stronger, and when switching to summer mode, it is weakened. Specialists twist the trunnions, which are located at the end of the sash around the entire perimeter. This approach will provide a high degree of tightness, and will also save the seal. If the sashes are not adjusted, the sealant is more quickly crushed, cracked, and dried out.
4. Profile surface
High quality PVC profile should be white, evenly colored, smooth. No bumps, chips, roughness, scratches, noticeable buildup, dents or defects. As well as, yellowish streaks (with the exception of colored profiles with lamination, if the required color and texture are imitated). Otherwise, you have bad plastic in front of you.
5. Reinforcement
You won’t be able to see the reinforcement with your own eyes - it is hidden inside the plastic profile.
However, you can find out if there is a metal liner inside the PVC structure or not. This will require a powerful magnet that will be attracted to the frame, despite the layer of plastic and air chambers inside.
6. Hardware performance
Usually, structures with swinging doors are installed in a new building. It is cheaper than analogues with a turn-and-tilt system. Accordingly, you will not be able to put the window on airing. However, even in this case, the mechanism should work perfectly. This means that the handle turns without effort, sounds. The sash moves smoothly, quietly, without jamming, creaking. It makes sense to inspect the end side to assess the quality of the metal and exclude rust.
7. Connecting angles
If we are talking about bay windows, pay attention to the connecting corners. Metal parts will not be able to provide high tightness. Drafts will appear soon.
8. Number of glasses
Sometimes it is not easy to understand how many glasses are in a double-glazed window. If you encounter this situation, hold your lighter close to the glass. If two lights are reflected in the window, this is a single-chamber double-glazed window, if three - a two-chamber one.
9. Treaty
Be sure to specify that all materials and details correspond to what is specified in the developer's contract.
A single-chamber double-glazed window, a profile up to 64 mm with 3 chambers, as well as a rubber seal - all this is not suitable for regions where the air is cooled down to -25 ° C in winter. In such conditions, be sure to order double-glazed windows, profiles from 64 mm thick, and even better - from 70 mm. At the same time, the profile must have at least 4 cameras.
How to check the installation of windows in a new building?
You can understand that the installation of a window in a new building was not carried out in accordance with GOST, according to the following characteristic symptoms:
1. The window is crooked
Such an error is easy to recognize visually. If the degree of curvature is small, you need to have a level on hand or try to open the sash. If it closes on its own, the structure is set obliquely. In the case when no other problems are found, you need to reinstall the design. To do this, the double-glazed windows are removed from the sashes, the sashes are removed, the assembly seams are broken and the frame is dismantled. Then the opening is cleaned of the remnants of building materials, dust, dirt. Potholes are sealed, dust is removed. And the frame is already installed on the level.
Do not try to do the work yourself - involve professionals in the installation who will do everything according to the standards of GOST and SNIP.
2. strong wind
If you put your hand on the window sill and / or slope, you can feel a draft. The reason is the poor sealing of the assembly joints. The good news is that you don't need to take the window apart. It is enough to remove the slopes, window sill, old foam. And then re-foam the space, lay waterproofing, vapor barrier materials. We also recommend insulating the slopes, the window sill, and then returning the parts to their rightful place.
3. Too cold
There are no drafts. However, for some unknown reason, the window sill, the slopes are too cold. This usually indicates that there are microcracks in the mounting seam. The solution is the same as in the previous case.
The conclusion is simple. If the installation was not carried out according to GOST, but the profile, double-glazed window, accessories are not damaged, the shortcomings can be eliminated.
Recommendations for choosing PVC windows
Developers often save on glazing. There are many ways - from choosing low-quality plastic to installation that is not according to GOST. Therefore, the first task of the homeowner is to evaluate the quality of the installed window and decide what to do next. Depending on what is faulty and to what extent, you may end up with full/partial window replacement in new homes or reinstallation.
If you decide to install new windows in a new building, you need to choose a solution thoroughly. The easiest way is to turn to reliable manufacturers who have a good reputation. Specialists will select a glazing option, provide installation in accordance with GOST and provide warranty service.
Of great importance is the quality of materials, choose a pvc profile from trusted brands. For example, the Belgian manufacturer Deceuninck offers profiles with a thickness of 60 to 84 mm, with 4-6 chambers, three sealing circuits. And the thickness of the reinforcing profile is as much as 1.5 mm. Such developments provide increased indicators of heat and sound insulation, have an environmentally friendly composition, and are characterized by increased strength. And they will last 40 years or more. If you want to learn more about the products of the Belgian brand, which is one of the three world leaders in the field of PVC structures, visit Window Factory website find out more useful information.
