ASHP & triple glazing

[Joeboy]

When I bought mine, the main things were, low E glass, argon filled and warm spacers in the glass units. The glass units also need to be fitted the correct way around so you don’t want muppets doing the install.

I checked while in the window showroom today. On 3g glazing units the sticker is on the outside. That is a good to know! Also finally settled on fixed units and openers as well as top hung casements instead of tilt & turn. All with an eye to minimising the stress on the hinges and ensuring trouble free operation for years. Also changed doors opening direction on the glazed units. All window openers and doors will now open outwards so that the wind will seal them when it blows rather than taking door/window off the seal as is now on some.

The further i delve into this the more i realise its going to be magnificent at the end. Lots of odd thoughts too. This patio door set is an average size, a little over 1.5 mtr wide and a little over 2mtrs in height( crocs for scale).



The overall glazing to be replaced including frames is 7.5 times the area on that patio door set. That doesn't include the Velux x 3 or the gains from going to a high quality composite front door.

I am looking forward to the quote comparisons too. Defo apples & oranges for comparison. That's 3 low to average profiles seen to carry the glazing systems. I had no idea there was such variance just in UPVC. Chuck in higher end timber/aluminium styles and even look to the lofty heights of Scandinavia design and the spread of choice is mental. Chuck in some scammers, changing spec. how to state spec and this is one of the most complex things i've done for a while.

Question, How to create a thermal break between the external cill and its internal profile as shown inside the home? I may be stepping into territory I shouldn't bother about due to the build spec of the home but the thought arrived regardless.

[Sim_C]

13 sealed airpockets in the lower section & 11 in the upper section.Apparently, this profile was developed for a U spec that was later rolled back to a lesser efficiency qualification by govt.

Lots of pockets for insulation performance, but what happens with trickle vents and water drainage?

I have had 1 DG unit end up with around 5mm depth of water inside the supposedly sealed glazed unit after a series of bad rain storms. Apparently the rain got in around the outer seal against the glass then built up inside the frame causing accelerated degradation of the glazed unit seals. It was an opening window rather than fixed.

[Joeboy]

13 sealed airpockets in the lower section & 11 in the upper section.Apparently, this profile was developed for a U spec that was later rolled back to a lesser efficiency qualification by govt.

Lots of pockets for insulation performance, but what happens with trickle vents and water drainage?

I have had 1 DG unit end up with around 5mm depth of water inside the supposedly sealed glazed unit after a series of bad rain storms. Apparently the rain got in around the outer seal against the glass then built up inside the frame causing accelerated degradation of the glazed unit seals. It was an opening window rather than fixed.

Thank you Sim C, I will ask the question. Personally i'm not having air trickle vents. I am going to go with Humidistat fans on permanent live and dehumidifiers. A patch up no doubt but i can't face doing MHVR as well unless maybe as single point on each level (2) which again is a compromise.

For water egress vents in the lower frame, I will certainly ask, thanks again for that pointer.

[nowty]

I went without trickle vents as new windows tend to have a facility to lock slightly open in summer so that’s effectively your trickle vent.

There is or at least was some stupid FENSA rule that if your existing windows had trickle vents your new ones also had to have them.

[Joeboy]

I went without trickle vents as new windows tend to have a facility to lock slightly open in summer so that’s effectively your trickle vent.

There is or at least was some stupid FENSA rule that if your existing windows had trickle vents your new ones also had to have them.

The mirror here would be on a new build warrant. They specify air trickles. Same with external door openings and step area. New build have restrictions, retro lads & lassies can let it hang out.

+1 on the generic built in first opening latch for ventilation.

[cojmh]

From looking at all of your cross section photos (thanks by the way) it looks like there is a huge variation on the actual PVC frame - which I didn't realise.

Do you have a specific criteria for the UPVC element of the window?

[Joeboy]

I do hope this largely unedited (my typos mostly).thread helps some of you out? Here's a learning moment which I in particular keeps forcing myself to relearn. It's getting easier as the years go. The lesson is "never assume".

Back at the start of this I had rejected a couple of firms (Everest & Anglian) as I didn't like their perceived lack of personal touch in first contact and sent them away.

The Anglian guy was persistent through three "polite piss offs". So much so that I sent him the drawings to quote on just because I respected that level of dogedness.

The reward has been the most professional quote sent back and at a price that is uncannily where I hoped to be. I am thinking leverage on volume. How much of this guys bonus can i dig into?

We'll get to deeper quality comparison but so far.

Thistle £34.5k (Nice gear, pricey). High overheads.

Advanced £23-£27k (Didn't pass the initial frame test, maybe a second better grade frame), we'll see.

Anglian £25.5k (Not tested them on spec yet), damn good quote though. Professional, tenacious.

Caledonian doors £18k (Oy vey, that frame design)

CR Smith we don't do 3g.

Everest (Sorry, you want US to come and measure)?

Pinefield Elgin, they cancelled site visit, received the drawings, 2 calls in 2 days from them, getting it done. We'll see. Don't have high hopes for them.

Glassworxs (Internorm). One empheral email to which I responded with drawings. Low expectations of real response yet high hopes of what might come back.

KSM glazing, gotta be honest. Tail end Charlie's initially yet showed a dynamic and flexibility to work with me while being very aware of overhead costs in their own structure (do not underestimate that last on your own quotes).

Tomorrow is bon Accord glass at 11am. I'm hoping they'll be the last and best of old skool 80's sales (just for the craick).

[Joeboy]

From looking at all of your cross section photos (thanks by the way) it looks like there is a huge variation on the actual PVC frame - which I didn't realise.

Do you have a specific criteria for the UPVC element of the window?

Yes I do, "how low a provable Uw value can you supply me at X price"?

Followed by profile height as less of than, means more glazing, more light, more solar gain.

I am at 0.7 Uw (let's be honest, ish) as a complete window measurement now. Within the restricted world of upvc looks and design and estimated (guessed) house U value. Windows at 0.7 will massively outstrip the performance of the rest of our house.

It's very much a personal take on things. How low do you want to go, how much money ye got?

Then it gets really personal, functionality vs style/design? That's quite a balance to find.

I could do the cool look architect passivhaus prop with 200k glazing but my vanity and being honest, happy wife doesn't need to served that way. No detriment meant to those who do fancy full on skandi but I'm more a bowl of steamed mussels n vinegar than I'd ever be oysters & caviar. Point being, where do you want to go for you & yours and how much ye got?

Very, very personal tbh.

[cojmh]

Sounds like you have a good handle on that.

I am intending to install the windows myself with my builder, so a lot of companies are just not worth talking to (or interested in talking to me) as they want to do the install too as they make a lot of their money on the labour side of things.

But anyway - learning loads from the thread and watching with interest.

[Joeboy]

Sounds like you have a good handle on that.

I am intending to install the windows myself with my builder, so a lot of companies are just not worth talking to (or interested in talking to me) as they want to do the install too as they make a lot of their money on the labour side of things.

But anyway - learning loads from the thread and watching with interest.

Glad to hear that. Once I've got further through the process I'll post names & no's. Might be of help. Those different profiles tell the full story though! 3g is not just 3g.