It is believed that replacing the traditional wooden frame on a modern PVC profile immediately eliminates drafts, ice formation, freezing. However, after the onset of cold weather, many begin to notice that something was wrong: the blowing from the plastic windows is still. Why is this happening? And most importantly, how to eliminate this disadvantage?
Installation quality
The first thing that comes to mind is the carelessness of the installers. Indeed, the unscrupulousness of the installers, who did not bother with a thorough fit of the frame, poorly foamed joints or made other technological errors, very often becomes the cause of subsequent heat loss. But sometimes we ourselves strive to save money by choosing a cheap but low-quality profile. Or we choose a single-chamber double-glazed unit, which does not cope with its task of keeping warm in the conditions of Russian winters. And much depends on the fittings.
Fittings
The reason cold air blows out of plastic windows is because of unreliable fittings. It is she who is responsible for the loose fit of the shutters when locking. Sometimes it is enough to replace low-quality fittings, and the problem will be resolved. Sometimes replacement is not required. You just need to adjust the existing system.
Now they are producing designs that are designed for two modes: winter and summer. The first option is characterized by a tighter clamping of the flaps. If your master did not explain to you all the features of the adjustment, then you will have to deal with this issue yourself.
First of all, inspect the flaps around the perimeter. You will find round or oval elements, which are called "pins". These details are just responsible for the clamp. The pins must be simultaneously moved to the maximum position, moving in a clockwise direction. The operation must be performed. For the procedure, you will need pliers or a screwdriver (it really depends solely on the type of fittings). Be sure to turn all pins. Otherwise, you will break the structure.
Some manufacturers have taken care of automating this process. Their fittings are equipped with a special roller with a ring on it. By rotating it, we can easily change the modes from summer to winter and vice versa. V winter version the handle starts to work tighter, the flaps are tighter, and the problem of blowing from a plastic window disappears in the blink of an eye.
Let's take care of the seal
To avoid drafts, take care of a good profile seal in advance. Otherwise, low-quality rubber will simply crack with the onset of severe cold weather. And a completely solid seal can eventually become completely unusable.
Therefore, if you notice that it is blowing through plastic windows, then immediately check the condition of the rubber cord. And if defects are found, change it immediately. This procedure is simple. It is quite possible to cope with it on its own. Or just call the master at home.
When choosing new gaskets, take a closer look at the commercially available ones. They have excellent thermal insulation characteristics. And one more thing: before gluing a new gasket, do not forget to thoroughly wash the profile from dirt.
The quality of the seal is also influenced by such an unobtrusive structural element as glazing beads. It provides a tight fit of the glass to the profile. The bead must also be replaced. In addition to such a drastic measure, you can try to fill the gaps between the frame and the glass unit with silicone. Or resort to an effective "grandmother's" means - to glue the gaps with thick tape.
Of all the cracks
Why does it blow from plastic windows, even when the seal is in order, and the glazing bead is not bad, and the fittings lock the sashes nowhere more tightly? In such a situation, it is necessary to check whether drafts are entering from the side of the slopes. The fact is that the space between the wall and the window structure, according to the technology, is foamed with polyurethane foam. A special polyurethane compound is introduced into the gap by means of a pistol or a bottle with a tube, where it rapidly increases in volume and solidifies. The surplus is then removed with a knife.
If a little foam is added, then this leads to the formation of voids. And this is the direct reason that blows from plastic windows.
The assembly seam does not last forever. After five or eight years, the foam begins to slowly break down. It becomes necessary to remove the slopes, buy cans with polyurethane foam and re-fill the gaps with the composition. After that, return the slopes to their place.
Blowing from under plastic windows
Similar gaps sometimes appear under the windowsill. Again, this is either a consequence of saving foam at the stage of installation of the structure, or simply wear and tear. In any case, it is necessary to disassemble the window sill and restore the tightness.
As a preventive measure, it does not hurt to take additional measures to insulate the space under the windowsill. Just buy a sealant and apply it gently along the seam between the PVC structure and the wall.
To polyurethane foam does not deteriorate too quickly under the influence of moisture, it is necessary to provide it with protection. Silicone does a good job of this, or vapor barrier film... They protect the wall from dampness and prevent mold and mildew from developing.
Check the hinges
Sometimes you can find out what is blowing from the hinges of plastic windows. Why is this happening? In search of an answer, you will have to explore the outside of the frame. Look for additional holes. These will most likely be technological gaps for fastening on the window. mosquito net... They are not needed in winter, so we close them until summer.
We hope you have now received the necessary clarifications as to why plastic windows are blowing. And like any problem, it is better to warn this trouble in advance. Meticulously choose a company for the installation of PVC structures, no less meticulously select a profile, fittings. Watch the quality of the installation. Do not forget to inquire about window warranty service. This will make it easier and cheaper to eliminate the detected defects. And also follow the rules for operating plastic window systems, monitor the condition of the seal, eliminate the arising problems in time.
From the windows pulls cold not only in the old "Khrushchev", but - much more often - in modern office or expensive housing with panoramic windows... There are no cracks, the fittings are in good order, the glazing is the most modern: why then do good wooden and plastic windows allow the cold to pass through? We understand the reasons.
What is radiation temperature and what should it be
V regulatory documents the main parameters of comfort and microclimate in habitable premises are given, in which a person feels good and can be without harm to health. Almost everyone knows about such parameters as temperature, relative humidity and air speed (draft) in the area where people are located. Much less frequently mentioned is another factor influencing human sensations - radiation temperature. This has nothing to do with radiation from nuclear power plants. According to GOST 30494-2011 "Parameters of indoor microclimate", the radiation temperature of a room is the area-averaged temperature of the inner surfaces of the room's fences and heating appliances... That is, the resulting room temperature is normalized - a complex indicator of the radiation temperature of the room and the temperature of the air in the room.
Why does it feel cold from plastic windows?
Usually cold air enters through discontinuities (slots) into window construction... Even modern windows with double-glazed windows are not completely sealed, and some kind of cold air flow through them still occurs. In the standards, this intake is limited to 5-6 kg of air / sq. M. Blowing in winter is especially important for PVC windows that change their geometry in very coldy due to high coefficient linear thermal expansion. Even a slight blowing in winter can lead to drafts and low temperatures in the window area. And then the question arises: why is it blowing cold from the plastic window.
How to deal with this?
Correct production and installation of windows, well-adjusted fittings, high-quality frost-resistant seals reduce the risk of blowing to a minimum. And the question "why the windows let the cold through" simply will not arise. Therefore, the first thing to start with is checking the quality of fittings and seals. There is also "false blowing" - a person really feels with his hand at the edge of the window sill that the cold is coming from the window into the room. But this has nothing to do with direct blowing and sealing the window will not help here.
The fact is that the inner surface of the window (including plastic) in winter is always colder than the inner surface outer wall... The temperature of the inner surface of the enclosing surface is determined outside temperature, indoor air temperature and heat transfer resistance.
Usually in modern buildings a plastic window is several times colder than a wall, their resistance to heat transfer is 0.55… .0.75 degrees. sq.m. / W and 3.0… .3.5 deg. sqm / W respectively. This leads to the fact that in frosts of about -20 degrees, the central zone of double-glazed windows cools down to about +10 degrees (edge zones - up to 0 degrees), forcing us to wonder: why is there cold from the windows and what to do.
The windows in the apartment are new, but it's cold next to them - what to do?
Cooling on contact with the glass unit, the room air slides down, rests against the window sill and is directed into the room, creating a feeling of a draft. This can be dealt with by increasing the temperature of the glass unit surface - using low-emission glasses and noble gases (argon and krypton) in the inter-glass space. Perhaps, it is in your region that winters are rather harsh and the installation of not ordinary, but energy-efficient windows is shown.
An example in the photo is a house in Novosibirsk. There is no heat loss through the windows: a warm profile with triple glazing is used. On top of the glass, they are covered with a film that prevents heat from leaving the room in winter and overheats in hot weather. Tinted glass appears to have a deeper blue color.
Does your window have a “quarter”?
A quarter is called a ledge for 1/4 brick with outside opening (it protects the frame from falling out, foam - from sunlight). A quarter is far from all windows and, depending on its presence or absence, the technology of installing windows in the opening differs. In other words, you may have a new window, but the wizards made a mistake during the installation. This sometimes happens when there are thick walls - and you feel cold from the window. Check the positioning of the plane of the window unit in the opening. In a homogeneous wall (brick, foam concrete) in an opening with an outer quarter window block it is recommended to place it at a distance of 1/3 of the wall thickness from the outer plane of the wall. In openings without a quarter, it is better to place the window block in the middle of the wall thickness. Perhaps it is in the wrong installation that the answer to the question lies: why the windows let the cold through.
Advice: An increase in the temperature of the inner glass can be achieved by arranging special air ducts through which warm air from the heating device is supplied through the window sill directly to the bottom of the window block. I heard a funny case about a cat who chilled "dignity" simply because he slept on the windowsill in winter: the window constantly felt cold, although the battery "fried" from below - and the poor animal was very warm. The story ended with a happy ending, however, after a course of antibiotics. Let's go from extremes to familiar examples: instead of a sleeping cat, a child is engaged in a window sill. The fact that the radiator "fries" in his lap does not at all make the window warm - it pulls cold anyway. The glass will be heated only in one case - if the air ducts are brought directly to the frame (example in the photo).
Equally important
Correct relative geometry of the window sill and the heating device: the window sill should not block the flow warm air from the heating device. Correct installation decorative screens under the window. They should not interfere with the heating device from heating the window (free air flow to the device from the floor level and free outlet of warm air upwards). Correct geometry of curtains and curtains - they should not block the flow of warm air (do not touch the floor and the edge of the window sill).
Reduced radiation temperature near the window - what to do?
Typically, the ratio of the area of the window to the area of the floor of the room is 1 to 6 ... 8. In the center of the room, a person, roughly speaking, is surrounded by warm walls, the window is small and far enough. But in modern houses the ratio of glazing to floor area may be 1 to 2. That is, in winter, indoors, especially near a window, a person is surrounded by sufficiently cool surfaces, which can cause discomfort.
By setting metal-plastic windows, most home and apartment owners hope that they receive reliable protection from cold, drafts and street noise. But not all of these hopes are justified.
If you feel constant coldness from plastic windows, first you need to establish the cause. Only then can you decide how to eliminate it.
Among builders, the concept of "chill" from a glass unit is widespread. Very often, homeowners confuse this phenomenon with blowing. "Chill" occurs in winter, when the insulating glass units themselves are cooled by the outside temperature. Warm air circulating in the room cools down as it slides over the glass.
If you bring your hand to the glass unit and hold it from top to bottom, you can feel a light breeze. This does not mean that some mistake was made during the installation of the windows. Although it's still worth checking out.
To do this, bring a lighter or candle flame to the window. If the flame flutters, or goes out, then this is actually blowing.
Double-glazed windows can be cold not only due to air circulation. If they are single-chamber, then in winter they will cool down even to subzero temperatures... This cold can be felt up to 10 cm away. Sometimes it is also confused with blowing.
If your case does not apply to the above, and it really blows out of the window, there are two reasons for this development of events: the window was initially installed incorrectly, or the seal that was used for its installation sagged and lost its properties.
In the first case, you need to contact the company that installed the windows and demand that they solve this problem. But if guarantee period has already expired, you can act on your own.
Unfortunately, the only way The only way to completely fix this problem is to completely reinstall windows. All other means will not be able to completely solve the problem, and sooner or later you will need a full repair.
The gap that has formed between the window sill and the window must be closed with a sealant. However, it does not apply to thermal insulation materials therefore, the room may be a little cool even after renovation.
If the gap is very large, it will be possible to completely close it only with special foam. This should be done by a specialist.
If drafts appear due to drying out of the seals, they must be replaced using glue.
In any case, when you have just installed plastic windows, you need to immediately check the work of the installers. Work of this magnitude should be carried out only by those firms whose reputation you trust.
Water appears on the windowsill sooner or later, but not in all houses. If the apartment has central heating, you most likely will not know about such a problem. The point is that sufficient heating and competent ventilation the premises do not contribute to the appearance of moisture on the windows.
Water on the windowsills appears due to the fact that moisture condenses on the windows and flows down under the influence of its own gravity. In most cases, this happens at night, when the air temperature drops sharply.
To avoid the appearance of water, it makes sense to take care of ventilation. Better if it is forced. But also from natural ventilation it will be very useful if you leave the window ajar overnight. This will be enough to keep the windows from fogging up.
Moisture will not appear even if heating radiators are installed under each window. If the house is warm enough, moisture will not have time to condense and will evaporate.
Also watch an informative video about drafts from plastic windows
The question that we will raise today in our publication begins to worry the owners of plastic windows with the arrival of winter. It is about why the windows are cold? This problem is typical for wooden windows With ordinary glasses... But double-glazed windows should not be cold.
Another reason that the glass surface in the room is cold is the lack of correct arranged system heating. Heating radiator must be under the window, it is desirable that the temperature of the battery was above 60 degrees. And there is another very important point- the window sill should not block the flow of warm air.
The cold window problem doesn't come alone. If the surface of the glass unit has enough low temperature, then the dew point will move inside the room. As a result, condensation will begin to fall out on the windows, which, in turn, will lead to excess moisture, mold and mildew. Read more about the causes of condensation on windows in.
Some clients call us and ask: "Why a cold window sill near a plastic window?" Most likely, the reason is installation errors. When installing the window sill, the support profile was not properly insulated. The space under the windowsill was filled with foam by an inexperienced craftsman. Cold bridges have formed, along which cold from the street penetrates into the room. As a result, not only the window sill is cooled, but also serious heat loss occurs.
How to fix the cold window problem
If you want to get rid of cold windows once and for all, you need to contact the specialists of the Teplo Doma company. The wizard will identify the root cause and offer you solutions to the problem. Of course, you can do everything yourself, but this will require knowledge and skill.
For example, if a double-glazed window is selected incorrectly, it needs to be replaced. If it is blowing from the window, then adjustment may be required. Also, do not forget that you can see through from the window due to improper installation.
Order window repair in Moscow
The Teplo Dom company offers you to solve the problem of cold windows quickly and inexpensively. We are able to find optimal solution in each case. Our company has been serving windows for over 15 years. Our experts know about metal-plastic structures everything and a little more.