We have a new house, about a year old, with Certainteed windows
installed throughout. They are single hung (I think that's the term
-fixed upper sash). We are having major problems with them. About six
months after installation, the bottom sashes buckled so badly that they
warped, visibily bending where the sashes joined together by 1/2" or
more. The individual panes have popped out of some of them. You can
see (and feel) an air gap and it is forming condensation on the
insides.

The distributor attempted to order smaller sashes, which obviously
caused other issues --now there are gaps on some windows since the sash
is too small. Others are continuing to warp like the old ones did.

If you look from the outside, the bottom edge is clearly heaving upward
in the center as if the weight of the window frame is being thrust
downward over a frame member. Also, you can clearly see that some of
the frames are not square.

I have looked at other postings and see nothing like this, however, it
has happened with two of my neighbors in the area. We are going
through the normal back and forth --the window rep is blaming the
installer, the installer is saying there is nothing wrong with the way
they are installed. There is no end in sight.

I am looking for guidance just to educate myself for when I have to do
battle with all of the above to get this resolved.

Any help or guidance would be deeply appreciated.

Bronco wrote:
We have a new house, about a year old, with Certainteed windows
installed throughout. They are single hung (I think that's the term
-fixed upper sash). We are having major problems with them.

snip details

Well, you probably already have a copy of your warranty, but if you
don't, you can follow the links for your location and download your
warranty from http://www.certainteed.com/

While the proper procedure is to go through your contractor or builder,
it might not hurt to contact CertainTeed and see if they can help.

Put EVERYTHING in writing. GET everything in writing. If you haven't
already taken photos, do it now, and take new ones if the product
continues to degrade noticeably. Keep a file with the names of all
parties, along with any warranties. Note dates, times, and results of
all telephone calls and in-person contacts.

If the contractor and the window rep are giving you the run-around, and
CertainTeed can't advise you, then it's probably time to contact a
lawyer. Sorry

CertainTeed's products have a really good reputation...

--
Jennifer

On 12 Sep 2005 11:18:21 -0700, "Bronco" wrote:

We have a new house, about a year old, with Certainteed windows
installed throughout. They are single hung (I think that's the term
-fixed upper sash). We are having major problems with them. About six
months after installation, the bottom sashes buckled so badly that they
warped, visibily bending where the sashes joined together by 1/2" or
more. The individual panes have popped out of some of them. You can
see (and feel) an air gap and it is forming condensation on the
insides.

The distributor attempted to order smaller sashes, which obviously
caused other issues --now there are gaps on some windows since the sash
is too small. Others are continuing to warp like the old ones did.

If you look from the outside, the bottom edge is clearly heaving upward
in the center as if the weight of the window frame is being thrust
downward over a frame member. Also, you can clearly see that some of
the frames are not square.

I have looked at other postings and see nothing like this, however, it
has happened with two of my neighbors in the area. We are going
through the normal back and forth --the window rep is blaming the
installer, the installer is saying there is nothing wrong with the way
they are installed. There is no end in sight.

I am looking for guidance just to educate myself for when I have to do
battle with all of the above to get this resolved.



Unless I'm missing something in your description, sounds like some
idiot built the houses and the headers are settling squashing the
windows. I don't think it is the manufacturer's problem.

In article , Chris Hill wrote:
On 12 Sep 2005 11:18:21 -0700, "Bronco" wrote:

Unless I'm missing something in your description, sounds like some
idiot built the houses and the headers are settling squashing the
windows. I don't think it is the manufacturer's problem.

I totally agree.. A window mfgr can't be responsible for poor building
practices.. If the house collapses on the window, it's not their problem,
it's the dope that built your house on swampland.

Bring the builder back and make them fix your house problems -- IF they can!
I'd be willing to bet that if your house is settling that bad within 6 months,
that the house is beyond repair and the county needs to get involved as
something has gone really wrong in the processes that are used to properly
permit a property for house building.

I think it's clearly an incorrect window installation problem, but I
don't think it's the house settling that much --we would be having much
bigger issues. There are hardly any settling cracks beyond normal (in
fact, this house had about one hairline crack in the entire house and
virtually no nail pops or truss heaving). Other than this window
problem, it is a very well built house --I just think the sub they used
to install the windows on my house and a few neighbors didn't know what
he was doing.

My hypothesis is that they built the frame openings too large and
shimmed too large of a gap, resulting in the eventual warping around
where the shims were placed after tightening over them and now that the
frames are not square, no matter how many new sashes they put in, they
are eventually going to warp.

My original inquiry was more looking for if there were any innocuous
installation practices that have led to this same problem in the past,
or if it was a common flaw with Certainteed windows. My research,
however, has shown that Certainteed windows get very good reviews.

I'll probably have to threaten or actually sue all in order to get
resolution as right now, they're all pointing fingers at each other.

Bronco wrote:

My hypothesis is that they built the frame openings too large and
shimmed too large of a gap, resulting in the eventual warping around
where the shims were placed after tightening over them and now that the
frames are not square, no matter how many new sashes they put in, they
are eventually going to warp.

I have been told that when installing vinyl windows there is a risk in
using expanding foam to insulate the gaps around them. Normal expanding
foam can continue to expand over time, exerting significant force and
bending or warping the vinyl frames. There is a limited-expansion foam
for use in that application.

Just a random comment; hardly a diagnosis, but an example of what can
go wrong with installation.

Chip C
Toronto