Window - Installation / Insulation / Sealing / Execution

  • Erstellt am 2019-12-04 13:03:46

alive&kicking

2019-12-04 13:03:46
  • #1
A friendly hello to everyone,
we are currently building a single-family house (100% concrete construction with ETICS), the shell and roof are finished, windows/doors on the ground floor already installed.
Yesterday, I took the time to check the installation of the floor-to-ceiling windows (aluminum frames, partially with frame extensions). Regarding the heights (to the planned floor) and vertical/horizontal alignment, the company has really done a good job overall, I must say. However, the entrance door threshold seems too high to me, I will ask a question about that later.
As for sealing and insulation, I am honestly shocked. Also, in some places, the frames press against the reveal and/or floor.

Some of the "defects" are somewhat clear to me, but a confirmation or assessment from you would still be helpful before I ask the company for remediation or involve an expert.

My questions:
1. Partially, the frame extensions of the floor-to-ceiling windows/doors rest on the raw floor or almost touch the reveal at the top. It is said that window frames can expand due to temperature; in the case of aluminum, I calculated: in a temperature range from -20°C to +40°C over 2.5 m, the expansion would be 3.5 mm.
Can frame extensions absorb thermally induced length changes?
Despite the exterior ETICS, doesn't the "functional layer" also need to be insulated? (How would that then be done?)

2. For a lift-and-slide door element (approx. 18 cm deep), a compriband was used on the outer and inner sides (permissible?), but there is a cavity in between; doesn't that also need to be insulated?
On the side of this element, a gap of about 3.5 cm was bridged with compriband. Is that still correct?

3. The front door threshold will be about 3.5 cm high unless something is still added above the screed. According to the plan, it should be 1.8 cm. A bit much deviation, isn’t it?

4. The sealing tapes inside and outside are applied very sloppily. There was no smoothing layer on the floor; my site manager says no problem... adhesive and tape will take care of that! But it doesn't look like it. Just for my understanding, the inner sealing tape is meant to ensure airtightness. To me, that means 100% airtightness, or am I mistaken?
The outer sealing tape is supposed to provide driving rain tightness, which to me means not 100% watertight. Correct? But it should be executed so that no water can run in from above despite the ETICS, right?
In some places, the foil adhesive (greenteq) did not harden and is still liquid. What could be the reason for this?

5. Insulation of the functional layer. Does it have to be completely foamed? Or is a certain measure sufficient?
I found PE round cords on the construction site. I suspect they were placed into the frame extensions, as these have no own sealing lip. Is this correct execution?

I would be very happy about answers.

(still) alive&kicking
 

Lumpi_LE

2019-12-04 14:12:40
  • #2
Pictures say more than 1000 words.
 

alive&kicking

2019-12-04 14:29:43
  • #3
@ Lumpi I know, but I put a lot of effort into the description since you can hardly see anything in the photos.
 

alive&kicking

2019-12-04 14:36:30
  • #4
here are a few impressions of the masterpiece



 

Lumpi_LE

2019-12-04 14:56:32
  • #5
Well, I can confirm your assumptions: it looks very sloppy. With us, the windows were installed "like polished." Foam does not belong in the windows. Compression tapes are enough, but only if they are airtight; in picture 2, you can see that they are installed incorrectly – bent around the corner. I would like to see picture 3 in a larger context; what kind of dump is that..
 

Dr Hix

2019-12-04 23:20:07
  • #6
Many (all?) windows will probably have to be removed again

I don’t even know where to start. As already said, it doesn’t have to be foam, but the alternatively possible triple compression tapes were obviously not used there either; these tapes are just as wide as the profile is deep and consist of one piece, otherwise, logically, cavities would form (which must not exist!).
Personally, I am also not aware of any version of these "triple" compression tapes that may still be used with a joint width of less than 6mm.

In this regard, if I were you, I would take a look at the material used anyway. For example, you mention a 35mm joint. There may be suitable compression tapes for that (but again, I am not aware of any triple tapes for this), but you wouldn’t be the first where 5/10 mm tapes were installed in a much larger joint. Nobody notices in the end because almost all tapes expand a lot; however, they are no longer approved in that case.
The same naturally applies to the tapes used.

PE round cords are used to reduce the cavity to be insulated in the middle level before filling it with PU foam or, for example, hemp/wool. They are not suitable as insulation alone.

The substrate for the adhesive tapes must of course be clean; ideally, a primer is also applied (picture 1). In picture 3, the substrate itself is already unsuitable.

If you post more photos, you will probably find even more issues (e.g., fastenings). I’m sorry for you, but you should not let this botched job pass!
 

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