How to check the correct installation of plastic windows? What should you pay attention to?

Regardless of the class of windows ordered, such a purchase cannot be classified as secondary, therefore it is recommended to approach checking the quality of the products themselves and the services provided with double responsibility. How comfortable the microclimate in the interior will be depends on the correct choice of manufacturer, the quality of components and whether the windows were installed in accordance with GOST. In such situations, customers are required not only to entrust their funds to a reliable contractor, but also to control the manufacturer at all stages of order fulfillment. Read this review to learn how to behave correctly and avoid mistakes when purchasing windows.

What documents need to be requested from the window company office?

Immediately upon visiting the company’s office, it is recommended to ask managers to show documents confirming the quality of the components. It is important to understand that a single certificate for windows is a fake, since such a document does not exist. Depending on the number of services provided, the responsible manufacturer is able to present to the client:

voluntary certificate of conformity to the GOST P system in force in the Russian Federation, as well as any other officially registered state conformity assessment system, including the European certificate DIN EN ISO 90001;
mandatory declaration of full compliance for window units, which is drawn up in the GOST R system;
sanitary certificates for accessories and fittings used in door and window units;
fire certificates for double-glazed windows, as well as directly for the window units themselves;
sanitary (hygienic) certificates for window structures, components when providing services for installing windows indoors;
fire certificates for all used components, provided that windows are installed in the room.

If the company does not install windows, it is enough for PVC profiles, fittings and structures to have quality certificates and a declaration of conformity, as well as fire and sanitary certificates for the elements of the window structures themselves.

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What to look for when studying samples in the office

Manufacturers that respect themselves and their customers give their customers the opportunity not only to see cross-sectional fragments of windows and pieces of different types of profiles, but also to examine the products in full assembly. Reputable companies usually have order acceptance offices with showrooms where all the main window modifications are presented to customers. Thanks to this, the client has the opportunity to evaluate the performance of the fittings at the stand, see from the outside what different models will look like and compare them with each other. If the office in a residential area is small, then the manager must give the address of the nearest branch with an exhibition hall, where the customer will be fully acquainted with product samples. It is important to understand that the presence of certificates in itself does not mean anything. After reading the documentation, you need to study the profiles themselves. Check their dimensions, the presence and thickness of steel liners, as well as the thickness of the external and internal walls of the profiles themselves. It is recommended to pay attention to the color of the plastic - it should be snow-white without a grayish or yellowish tint. In addition, on the assembled samples you will need to immediately check the uniformity of the welds and the accuracy of their cleaning.

There are cases when a manufacturing company uses some components to decorate exhibition halls, and others when making custom windows. To eliminate the possibility of fraud, it is recommended to at least selectively check the windows for compliance with the stated standards.

What do you need to know about double-glazed windows?

Modern windows, regardless of the frame material - wooden, aluminum or PVC - have a double-glazed window. This is the translucent part of the window, which occupies 70–80% of the entire opening. In many ways, it determines whether your home will be light, warm and quiet. In addition, glass is part of a modern interior and carries a certain aesthetic load. They can be decorated with accessories: sprats - small metal gratings, bevels - decorative glass elements glued to the inside of the glass unit and self-leveling stained glass windows. Glass can have different transparency and color.

Glass color range

What is a double-glazed window?

A double-glazed window consists of two or more glasses. A spacer frame is installed between the glasses. It serves as a kind of frame for the glass unit and a cold bridge. A special absorbent is filled inside the frame, which prevents the formation of condensation inside the glass. Previously, only aluminum frames were used in double-glazed windows. Today, frames made of other materials are installed between the glasses. You can order windows using foil plastic spacer frames or plastic + stainless steel frames. They have a lower thermal conductivity coefficient. For example, the Chromatech ultra spacer frame: plastic + stainless steel reduces heat loss by almost 3 times compared to conventional aluminum. Due to the arrangement of two materials in the frame, the “cold spot” is reduced, this greatly reduces the possibility of condensation appearing on such a window.

The thickness of the glass in a double-glazed window may vary. Glass sizes are: 4 mm, 5 mm, 6 mm, 8 mm.

Imagine, if you install glass of different thicknesses at different distances from each other in one double-glazed unit, you can prevent resonance from occurring. In this cunning way the glass was installed in the “Window for Noise Protection”. It allows you to reduce noise coming through the window by up to 45 dB. The secret of this window is not only in the alternation of wide and narrow air chambers, and glass of different thicknesses. But also in a special coating! The so-called triplex AGC is installed here. These are 2 glasses glued together with a layer of noise-proof film in the middle. The film absorbs sound waves in a wide range of frequencies. Windows with such glass are recommended to be installed in apartments and houses located near busy highways, as well as in hospitals and children's institutions.

Modern technologies make it possible to apply other coatings to glass installed in a double-glazed window. This treatment affects the physical properties of the window. For example, the top coating is a special low-emission coating made of metal oxides that affects the ability of glass to conduct heat. Windows with such coating retain up to 100% more heat in the house. This treatment does not affect the transparency of the glass and does not interfere with the natural lighting of the room.

Again, coated glass can protect a room with sunny windows from summer overheating. ClimaGuard Solar glass—blocks up to 60% of solar radiation that heats indoor surfaces. Therefore, in summer it will not be hot in a room with windows in which such glass is installed.

Glass that retains heat in winter and does not let excess heat into the room in summer is called multifunctional. The coatings are installed on the inside of the glass unit on the outer panes, so it cannot be damaged during operation. They have different transparency and color.

By default, the space between the glasses is filled with air, but if it is necessary to increase the thermal insulation and sound insulation properties of the window, the space between the chambers is filled with gas. Argon is used more often, krypton less often.

So, to the question “which plastic windows to choose?” – the most correct answer is windows that meet your needs.

How to check the quality of windows after delivery to the installation site

When delivering windows, clients are advised not to be lazy and not only visually evaluate the quality of the delivered products. If you have doubts about the level of your own competence, you can invite a person who is well versed in this issue to control. During the process of unloading and storing windows, you must check:

quality of fittings - the handles on the doors should turn all the way easily, smoothly and silently;
the presence of profile reinforcement - for this you need to bring a powerful magnet from the outside of the frame;
the absence of elements made from recycled materials in window structures - most often these are glazing beads that press the double-glazed windows, which are distinguished by a yellowish or grayish tint;
quality of double-glazed windows;
compliance of the profile with the parameters specified in the contract.

The last two points require more detailed consideration.
Checking double-glazed windows for the quality of sealing and the presence of a desiccant in the distance frames is quite problematic. This can be done without any problems when the double-glazed windows are delivered separately and inserted into the frames on site during installation. High-quality products have an outer layer of sealant of at least 5 mm, and the inner layers of the primary sealant must be black. If they are white or transparent, it means the manufacturer decided to save on materials. The profile is checked for compliance with the declared parameters using a caliper. First you need to measure its main dimensions, and then check the wall thickness. It is easier to measure the outer walls - just grab the protruding ribs with a caliper. Getting to the internal partitions is more difficult.

Errors in the angle of inclination of a plastic window

The glass unit is mounted strictly vertically. It is almost impossible to visually understand whether the elements are positioned correctly. The average person notices only significant deviations from the norm. But when installing PVC windows, any tilt violations, even 1-2 degrees, are unacceptable.

To ensure the correct position of the structure, a special tool is used - a building level. In appearance, it resembles a large ruler with flasks with air bubbles.

To assess the evenness of the surface, a level is applied to the frame. The bubble should be exactly in the middle. If it moves to any side, then the frame is skewed.

To assess the level vertical position, apply the ruler to the corresponding surface and look at the central bulb on the ruler. The principle is the same - the bubble should occupy a middle position.

Window installation requires compliance with three levels:

Horizontal position.
Verticality.
No inclination of the glass unit in or out of the room. To do this, apply a ruler to the inside of the structure vertically.

You can check the correct installation experimentally. To do this, open the window in any way - completely or in the form of a window. If the sash does not change its position and remains static, then the window is installed strictly vertically. If the window closes or swings open without outside help, then we can talk about tilting.

Measurements are usually carried out by installers. The customer can simply come up and personally look at the position of the building level bubble.

Errors in the slopes of frames and double-glazed windows at first glance seem to be an insignificant factor. But it is important to know that in the future such a structure will warp, and problems will arise with opening and closing the window.

How to check the quality of installation

High-quality installation of windows is guaranteed to improve the performance characteristics of structures, increasing their sound and heat insulation.
Installation must be carried out in strict accordance with GOST standards. The correct sequence of actions of workers during installation can be found in the article on OknaTrade. It is also useful to read the material on how to evaluate the professionalism of installers. Before installing windows, it is recommended to check the mounting foam for compliance with the temperature conditions - in the cold season you can only use winter or universal sealant, and winter foam is not suitable for work in summer.

Sometimes when installing windows, slopes are immediately installed. This stage can only be carried out after the quality of the main work has been checked. After installing the slopes, it is also recommended to check them visually and using a level for the absence of distortions.

After the installation is completed, you need to perform a few more steps:

check all doors for opening/closing;
inspect the openings around the perimeter from the outside and make sure that the gap does not exceed 20-30 mm and is completely filled with polyurethane foam;
evaluate the tightness of the valves using a sheet of paper;
check the reliability of fixation of double-glazed windows - there should be no gaps between the glazing beads that fit tightly to the glass and each other;
make sure the frames are stable - they should not wobble in the openings;
check window sills and ebbs for absence of distortions and reliability of fixation.

Errors in the accuracy of geometric parameters

A very common mistake when ordering and installing products is errors in measurements. Ideally, this procedure is carried out on empty window openings during the construction stage of the building.

In practice, plastic windows are installed as a replacement for old wooden ones. The presence of an installed frame prevents accurate measurements. In turn, this leads to an erroneous geometry of the finished double-glazed window. How can you understand at the installation stage that the measurements are incorrect?

At a minimum, it is worth remembering that the distance between the frame and the wall of the building should be 3-4 cm. In the lower part, such a gap may be larger, taking into account the installation of an external ebb. A distance less than that specified is unacceptable, because in this case the expansion and contraction of the plastic becomes difficult. This occurs due to changes in air temperature: at positive temperatures the frame will increase, and at negative temperatures it will shrink.

The frame has no choice but to rest against the wall. Because of this, curvature occurs and it can deteriorate ahead of time. Sometimes cracks even appear in the glass unit. For the installer, narrow gaps also have disadvantages, because they are quite difficult to fully fill with foam. The empty spaces thus obtained violate the tightness of the seams.

It is important to choose the optimal distance to the wall, because large openings also negatively affect the quality of installation. There is no normal fastening, and the structure turns out to be shaky.

Such defects can be corrected in rare cases. If the error is a few centimeters upward, then it is corrected with polyurethane foam. In other situations, it is necessary to order new products.

Types of sealants

When sealing a window system, the type of insulation material plays an important role. Manufacturers use silicone, acrylic, and polyurethane sealants.

Silicone sealants are made from rubber. They are used to fill the seams of the frame, slopes, and window sills. This is a moisture-resistant material with high elasticity. The downside is that it cannot be painted.

Acrylic sealant has many advantages. It is inexpensive, universal, easy to apply, safe, frost-resistant, does not cause corrosion or rotting, and does not require additional primer. It can be used to fill the seams of plastic, wooden and aluminum structures. The disadvantage of acrylic is poor elasticity after hardening. If used incorrectly, the window will begin to move, let in moisture, cold, and noise.

Polyurethane sealant has high heat resistance and can be used when connecting to concrete or brick. Polyurethane is resistant to frost, heat, and does not deteriorate under the influence of moisture, acid or oil. The disadvantage of polyurethane is that it is subject to deformation.