"Phil Anthropist" wrote in message
...
"RedOnRed" wrote:
We had new hardwood double glazed windows fitted last November and ever
since i've had to keep going round them filling cracks that have
developed in the plaster work and in the filler they used. Two of the
frames have slight play which is enough to make the crack expand by a mil
or two when they're moved with some degree of force.

The cracks don't run the entire length of the windows frame but are
haphapzard and typically within 5mm of the frame.

They made good the first time and i've been round three times, which
makes it four times by last May and it looks like they're ready for
another flexible 10% filling/painting session.

The installer has just told me that he's never known anything like this
in 22 years of being in the business and would like me to send him some
photos before he commits himself to a visit, as he's not convinced it
could be due to the windows...lol.

The house is constructed of solid plastered walls.

It's a problem we never had prior to the windows being fitted and is a
complete nuisance of a job that I hadn't expected to have to do every
couple of months.

Anyone else had any experience of this type of thing or a view of what
might be causing it would be appreciated?

When you tap the areas of plaster that are subject to cracking, with the
blunt handle end of a screwdriver, does it sound hollow and different to
the sound when tapping others areas of plaster away from the windows? If
so, the plaster near the new frames has come loose from the underlying
masonry and needs to be hacked off and repaired.

Yes, some of the plasterwork that is cracking does seem to be making a
hollow noise when tapped, but i've also noticed that plasterwork that shows
no evidence of cracking is also making the noise too.