Hello
Sorry for message in English, I can read nd understand Flemish without problems but proper writing is quite difficult for me.
I hope someone can give me a hint what to do in this situation.
We have bought new house last summer from one of the Belgian key-in-door companies.
From the moment I got the key, I noticed that there is bit of draft coming from the sliding window in living room (4 m x 2,40 m alu sliding window from Shüco).
I contacted the building company, and they told me that it is normal, because houses have double walls, that I should always feel the wind between walls, and this is what I am feeling!
Of course, i did not get such lame answer seriously, and started investigation myself.
I tried to isolate the connection point between the window and frame with the self-adhesive windows insulation tape (Tesa) and that helped.
No cold draft anymore.
However, if I put such tape it is impossible to open the window so that can't be permanent solution.
Next, after doing some investigation online I learned that I can check for the air leaks using the flame from the lighter.
Here is what such test shows - flame starts to shake at the corners of the windows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9QpNU_pozE
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qihpFmAKc5Y
Next, I checked the temperature of the frame with IR-thermometer, and it seems that the aluminium frame is much colder at the places that are close to the joint point of frame and the door
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGbTRcHaF0o
The air insulation on this type of windows is done with the brush with a central plastic part (fin) and by visual inspection I think that at several points the brush is not touching the frame.
It is very obvious if looked from outside. If i push the door by hand, you can see how much space there is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgzGrwTHS3o
Of course, i sent all of this to the building company, and at the end of the winter they finally came to check the situation.
Of course, problem is very noticable when the outside temperature is below zero, but if the temperature is +10°C or more it is not that easy to spot the issue.
The building company and their contractor who installed window claim that everything is installed properly and that basically i am imagining the problem.
They promised to contact Shüco to see if there is something that they can do, but after 2 weeks they sent me the message that everyting is installed properly and they are closing the case.
From that point, they started ignoring me and not replying to my messages about the window anymore.
As the house is still under warranty until August 2016, I really want that they fix the problem and make sure sliding window is isolating properly, like other windows in the house do.
I have checked the window of my neighbour and he does not have any problems like this, so I am sure 100% there is an issue with our window and need to fix it before next winter.
Can someone comment on videos that I posted and let me know if this looks normal?
Thanks for the help
Sorry for message in English, I can read nd understand Flemish without problems but proper writing is quite difficult for me.
I hope someone can give me a hint what to do in this situation.
We have bought new house last summer from one of the Belgian key-in-door companies.
From the moment I got the key, I noticed that there is bit of draft coming from the sliding window in living room (4 m x 2,40 m alu sliding window from Shüco).
I contacted the building company, and they told me that it is normal, because houses have double walls, that I should always feel the wind between walls, and this is what I am feeling!
Of course, i did not get such lame answer seriously, and started investigation myself.
I tried to isolate the connection point between the window and frame with the self-adhesive windows insulation tape (Tesa) and that helped.
No cold draft anymore.
However, if I put such tape it is impossible to open the window so that can't be permanent solution.
Next, after doing some investigation online I learned that I can check for the air leaks using the flame from the lighter.
Here is what such test shows - flame starts to shake at the corners of the windows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9QpNU_pozE
and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qihpFmAKc5Y
Next, I checked the temperature of the frame with IR-thermometer, and it seems that the aluminium frame is much colder at the places that are close to the joint point of frame and the door
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGbTRcHaF0o
The air insulation on this type of windows is done with the brush with a central plastic part (fin) and by visual inspection I think that at several points the brush is not touching the frame.
It is very obvious if looked from outside. If i push the door by hand, you can see how much space there is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgzGrwTHS3o
Of course, i sent all of this to the building company, and at the end of the winter they finally came to check the situation.
Of course, problem is very noticable when the outside temperature is below zero, but if the temperature is +10°C or more it is not that easy to spot the issue.
The building company and their contractor who installed window claim that everything is installed properly and that basically i am imagining the problem.
They promised to contact Shüco to see if there is something that they can do, but after 2 weeks they sent me the message that everyting is installed properly and they are closing the case.
From that point, they started ignoring me and not replying to my messages about the window anymore.
As the house is still under warranty until August 2016, I really want that they fix the problem and make sure sliding window is isolating properly, like other windows in the house do.
I have checked the window of my neighbour and he does not have any problems like this, so I am sure 100% there is an issue with our window and need to fix it before next winter.
Can someone comment on videos that I posted and let me know if this looks normal?
Thanks for the help
