Features and technical indicators of PVC windows
The concept of a plastic window is not entirely correct, since metal-plastic is used for their manufacture, i.e. the windows are reinforced to create rigidity of the frame structure.
A plastic window means it is made of polyvinyl chloride. This is an artificial material that is obtained from natural raw materials. This material can be found everywhere; it is used to make housings for household appliances, toys, dishes, and packaging.
Russian manufacturers of plastic windows (99% of Russian companies on the window market) have certificates of quality and compliance with technical standards and regulations.
Find out how to adjust a plastic front door here.
Technical characteristics of the glass unit
Technical characteristics and components of the window structure:
- The profile is the skeleton of the window structure. There is a large selection of plastic profiles that differ from each other in design, number of chambers, and hardware features. According to GOST standards, the number of cameras must be at least two. As a rule, the profile is made of three chambers (manufacturers such as Rehau, Proplex) or five chambers (Salamander). The window chamber is a structural compartment, with their help the rigidity of the structure is ensured, which becomes cast, gives mass and provides thermal insulation. In addition, each profile contains one large chamber, which is necessary for installing the reinforcing profile. The profile is also reinforced with steel reinforcement. The profile, consisting of five chambers, is thicker. This frame can reach a width of up to 80 mm. Installing a five-chamber profile reduces the risk of condensation and frame freezing. The price of such windows is much higher than the profile with three chambers, the width of which is slightly smaller. In addition, the rigidity is also higher, so the possibility that the frame is capable of changing its geometric shape (the sash will close poorly) is reduced and is equal to zero.
- A double-glazed window is the glass itself or a structure made of glass, which are hermetically united along the outline and separated by a space that is filled with rarefied air or gas (argon gas is used). No dirt or water should penetrate inside the glass unit. Otherwise, the structure will depressurize. Double-glazed windows can consist of one, two or three chambers. The choice of the number, size of chambers and glazing is carried out depending on the climatic characteristics of the region and the functional purpose of the window. For example, the installation of double-glazed windows from a single chamber, in which there is one air space between two glasses, is acceptable for warm regions, as well as for equipping loggias and balcony spaces. However, double-glazed windows consisting of two chambers (three glasses) have better heat retention properties than those with one chamber (two glasses). In addition, energy-saving glazing can be found on the market. Such glasses perform the task of a thermal mirror. In winter, when heating is turned on in apartments, such glass can return up to 70% of the heat released by the batteries into the room. And in the summer, such glazing reflects IR radiation. As a result, during the cold season the apartment will be warmer, and when it’s hot outside, the room will have a comfortable temperature. The cost of such glazing is quite high. Sometimes, the gap between the glasses is filled not with rarefied air, but with gas (argon). However, both components have the same thermal conductivity, and the cost of glazing with argon is an order of magnitude higher. Also, the double-glazed window must have an additional rubber seal along its entire length.
- Window fastenings are the components and necessary metal parts of the window: handles, locks, mechanisms, hinges. They can be either movable or immobile. They form one mechanical chain, controlled only by a single handle. Thanks to window fittings for plastic windows, the product can be opened in various ways, so there are two types of windows: pivoting (hinged) and tilting (the sash can be tilted vertically into the room).
- In addition, to ventilate the room, the design provides plastic windows with a window, without spoiling the appearance of the window in the open position. Speaking of ventilation, flaps do an excellent job of this task without creating a draft in the room. This is due to the fact that air flows and mixing occur at the top. Window designs can also provide for ventilation through a small gap. Thanks to a special device, the window can be opened a couple of millimeters. Slot ventilation is used in winter, when there is no need to open the sash completely. This mechanism prevents the window from opening from the outside, so residents of the first floors do not have to worry about the safety of their valuables.
You may also be interested in energy-saving window film, which you can read about here.
The choice of plastic windows on the market is now very large. Therefore, when choosing a PVC profile, you should consider in which room it will be installed , on the balcony or in the living room. All manufacturing companies have certificates of quality and compliance with manufacturing standards and regulations.
Possible operational problems
PVC windows, due to their high technical performance and performance qualities, are widely used and in demand in the construction of multi-storey and private houses. They have positive characteristics:
- robust design;
- ease of use;
- high functionality.
To increase the tightness of PVC products, we recommend reading about rubber seals for plastic windows.
In addition, there are a large number of window companies on the market that produce, sell and install windows according to your individual orders. Therefore, purchasing and installing PVC windows is not difficult. However, over time, problems with windows may arise due to:
- misuse;
- poor quality of installation work.
Typical problems with plastic windows.
Deformation of the window profile due to shrinkage
It is almost impossible to eliminate sagging on your own. Contact the service department with a request to reinstall the structure. As a rule, the manufacturing company provides a guarantee for window products and the work performed to install them.
However, if the window is irrevocably deformed, you will have to buy a new one. The problem is typical for new buildings, where the walls have been recently erected and the house has not yet completely gone through the shrinkage stage. Only after the wall movements have been completed can you begin to re-install PVC windows.
Reasons why the window does not close
What to do in a situation when the window no longer closes, and it’s already cold outside. The reasons for this problem may be:
- the sash has sunk down (this situation is typical for wide sashes that rarely open);
- the shutters open in two positions at once, and the handle is also jammed (the problem is typical for tilt-and-turn windows);
- defects in fittings, sashes blocked by foreign objects or a strip that performs a drainage and protective function (problems relate to the design features of individual manufacturers).
You can also read about aluminum sliding windows for the balcony.
What to do if the windows are jammed due to the opening being skewed
This type of breakdown can only be determined by a specialist. In critical situations, such malfunctions are signaled by cracked double-glazed windows or a deformed profile. In most cases, this problem can only be solved by installing new windows. Most often, with minor distortions of the openings, the sashes jam only when the dimensions are incorrectly determined and the windows are made with large dimensions. To avoid such breakdowns, during the manufacture and installation of windows it is necessary to strictly comply with the technologies and requirements of GOSTs.
Methods for adjusting and repairing plastic window vents
When the sash sags and its lower part rests against the frame, you should lift it from below with your hands and try to close it in this position. If this does not work, then you need to inspect the lower part of the sash from the outside. During production, some manufacturers provide for the presence of a strip in that location that performs a drainage and protective function.
If the plastic window does not close tightly, then perhaps this bar has moved towards the handle, and when the window is closed, it rests against the frame from the inside. This situation often arises when washing a window, when various objects are placed between the sash and the frame so that the window does not close during the process. To solve this problem, it is necessary to set the strip symmetrically with respect to the lower profile of the sash, slightly hitting it from the end.
Probably
Elimination of pins jamming on clamps on the frame
We determine which clamp the trunnion rests on.
To do this, remove one clamp at a time and check whether the handle is stuck or is already scrolling. If, after removing the next clamp, the handle began to turn without jamming, then that was the problem. There are two ways to fix the problem:
If the clamp was initially installed poorly on the profile, screw it lower or higher than the original position;
If the reason is not installation, but sagging of the sash (90% of cases), we adjust the position of the sash in the desired plane.
By the way, in some cases you can do without rearranging the clamps on the profile or without adjusting the position of the sash. To do this, just adjust the clamping eccentric on the trunnion.
We look at the eccentric located near the problematic clamp. If it is turned horizontally, then we try to set it in a vertical position, in the so-called “summer mode”. After this we try to close the sash.
The handle does not turn or is jammed
If the window does not close when the sash is closed and the handle does not turn, the lock may not have engaged with the response device on the frame. To fix the problem you need to:
- Move the sash slightly to the side, where the counter part of the blocker is located. To do this, you will need to tighten the adjusting screw located below the hinge;
- significantly loosen the fastening mechanism and insert a thin plate or other hard material between the frame and the counter part of the blocker.
What to do if the handle is jammed and it won’t turn? In this case, you either have not found the blocker, or you need to press harder and weaker on it. The correct pressure and working fittings should “release” the handle.
We also advise you to read the recommendations on how to adjust plastic windows.
However, despite the positive outcome of the event, the window should be completely adjusted.
Tips for use
As it turned out, plastic windows are very easy to use and maintain. Most problems can be fixed by yourself without calling a window technician if you follow the instructions described above.
You can learn more about the types of double-glazed windows for plastic windows in this article.
The windows are easy to maintain and easy to clean. The main thing is to choose the right detergent.
It is strictly forbidden to use gasoline or acetone.
It is possible that information with a solution will be useful to you if the plastic window does not close.
Liquid detergents can easily remove dirt. To avoid small scratches on the frame, it is not recommended to use abrasives or powders.
And in order to avoid problems with window mechanisms in the future, you should carefully select a window manufacturer and provide the profile with proper care.
Some recommendations for the proper use of PVC windows:
- It is necessary to periodically ventilate the room to prevent air from stagnating.
- Clean windows as they become dirty using a soap solution (without acetone).
- Avoid abrasive products to avoid scratching the profile.
- When opening and closing the window, you must turn the handle without putting pressure on it.
- All moving and stationary parts must be lubricated twice a year.
With proper care and use, PVC windows will retain their appearance and technical characteristics for a long time.
The key to long-term operation of plastic windows
If you follow simple precautions when using plastic windows, they will serve you much longer, and you will have to call a professional much less often.
For this it is important:
- Window installation must be carried out by specially trained people, according to the instructions.
- You need to buy double-glazed windows only from trusted companies that you trust.
- When closing the window, do not apply much pressure to the handle so as not to damage its mechanism.
- Do not hang things (clothes, curtains, bedspreads) on the open door.
- Once a year, carry out a preventive inspection for damage to the mechanism and lubricate its components.
- Try not to cause mechanical damage (scratches, dents, impacts, cracks).
- Give the mechanism a rest. When open for a long time, the hinges place a large load on them, so it is not recommended to keep the window “ventilated” for a long time.
- Make sure that dust and dirt do not get into the mechanism (especially during repairs) and carry out cleaning in a timely manner.
- If the window is closed for a long time (most often in winter), sometimes you need to open it for a second so that the mechanism does not stagnate.
If you follow all the above tips, plastic windows will serve you for decades.
And although it’s quite easy to fix minor damage yourself, remember that if the window is under warranty, it’s better to call a specialist. In this case, you can save your effort and money (repairs are free under warranty) and save your purchase from more trouble if you are not an expert in repair matters.
