The main mistakes when installing upvc windows, what they threaten and how to prevent them

So, you have bought quality windows with good parameters and excellent thermal insulation. They should harmoniously fit in with the design and last for a long time creating a comfortable environment indoors. But what if it does not come true? And this is possible and happens all the time. Window companies when offering their products and related services emphasise proper installation for good reason. We will look at the importance of a professional approach in this article.

Proper installation – what is it?

To begin with, most people have the notion that installing something means the same thing as simply attaching it. We often take it and do it, i.e. we just fix it with consumables without preparing the place, processing the materials, following step-by-step instructions and following all the rules. Then we complain about the poor quality of the product and demand compensation, because the guarantee is for 10 years. Now, let’s look at this issue from the other side, with windows as an example. You can clearly understand that the window opening has to be neat so that gaps do not form when installing the window element, which are fraught with air bridges in a narrower sense. In a wider sense, it already has consequences, violation of thermal insulation and the appearance of condensation and then mould. Soon such a window is completely out of order and one has to do window replacement. Competent installation is the complete elimination of such consequences. You follow the regulations and after installing the windows, you will enjoy full, not partial, comfort in the room, you will save on utility bills, and you will feel safe in your house.

Nuances and subtleties of proper installation

The first step in the double glazed window replacement process is the preparation of the window opening. Attention, care and accuracy are the key friends of the process. If you do not give proper attention to removing all the dimples and hillocks, all the irregularities that could be in the form of masonry remnants, chips and so on, the window construction is not guaranteed to adjoin tightly to the window opening, and then you are guaranteed with appearing of air bridges, which have the already mentioned consequences. The contact must be not only tight but also firm. Strength is needed to withstand repeated mechanical stresses and natural pressure in the form of strong gusts of wind, for example. 

Next. The opening must be clean to ensure a tight bond with the sealants, which a dusty surface will simply minimise. If the removing upvc window has to or is planned for winter, we recommend not being indoors during this period. You won’t have to leave the house for too long because the installation does not take too long. Of course, if one do it professionally. 

It is essential that the frame is properly secured in the opening and two points are crucial here: 

• anchoring the frame with the anchor plates
• do not drill through the profile, especially its lower part.

If you drill through the profile, moisture may seep into the fixing points when it rains or in humid weather. In some cases, fixing to frame dowels or using penetrating fasteners on concrete screws is permissible. However, some rules must be strictly observed:

• drill the first PVC wall and the reinforcement wall with a large diameter sufficient for passing the head of the fastener;
• bury the fastener in the main chamber (where the reinforcement is located) and securely close the resulting hole with a cap, gluing the latter to, for example, liquid plastic (or its analogues);
• be sure to use support blocks during installation. To ensure that the construction works properly, they must be placed in the right places. Their replacement by concrete screws is absolutely inadmissible.

There are also a few more nuances of installation that you must pay attention to: sealing and joint sealing, the use of certain gaskets, the obligatory use of vapour barrier foam and installation tape, and the correct installation of the drip mouldings.

Professional fitters know all the ins and outs, they perform the work carefully and with high quality, and thanks to their experience, they can eliminate all the related problems. That is why it is so important to trust professionals and not to make such mistakes as self-installation according to video manuals or attracting third parties whose professionalism is not confirmed.

What if the installation is poorly done?

If you face malfunction of the window construction, such as fogging of windows, blowing, mould, excessive freshness in the room, most likely the window was installed incorrectly and it is the time for window replacement. Cost of installation includes the removal of the old construction.