Just had upvc windows fitted... fitters are finsihed and left...
looking at various frames, there were what I thought was small dots of
dirt in some of the corner welds, but when I couldn't wipe then off I
got suspicious... got out a magnify glass and they seem to be actually
small holes in the weld!... very thin and about 1-2mm long

for some reason, as far as I can see, they are restricted to the welds
of the window opening lights rather than those the fixed frame itself,
though I haven't inspected everything and it hard to see some of the
welds on the outside.

So far I found them in about 4 window lights.... on some its just one
or 2 minute holes ... on others there are several holes along the
centre line of the weld.

How concerned should I be?

I haven't signed anything to say I'm happy with the job... and haven't
paid the full amount yet... I'll obviously get the company back...
(they're a reputable, small local company) but would like to know if
these things are usual / acceptable beforehand...

Also ... anyone got a quick checklist of things I should inspect
beforehand so that I can point out anything else when they come back.

thanks
AJ

On 28 Apr 2006 01:39:11 -0700, wrote:

Just had upvc windows fitted... fitters are finsihed and left...
looking at various frames, there were what I thought was small dots of
dirt in some of the corner welds, but when I couldn't wipe then off I
got suspicious... got out a magnify glass and they seem to be actually
small holes in the weld!... very thin and about 1-2mm long

for some reason, as far as I can see, they are restricted to the welds
of the window opening lights rather than those the fixed frame itself,
though I haven't inspected everything and it hard to see some of the
welds on the outside.

So far I found them in about 4 window lights.... on some its just one
or 2 minute holes ... on others there are several holes along the
centre line of the weld.

How concerned should I be?

I haven't signed anything to say I'm happy with the job... and haven't
paid the full amount yet... I'll obviously get the company back...
(they're a reputable, small local company) but would like to know if
these things are usual / acceptable beforehand...

Also ... anyone got a quick checklist of things I should inspect
beforehand so that I can point out anything else when they come back.

thanks
AJ

Welds..???

Is that part of the fitting process or upvc windows ( I'm getting one fitted
soon)..How do they do this /what do they use .?

Stuart

The message
from Stuart contains these words:

Welds..???

Yeah, the joins in the corners where one bit of plastic extrusion is
mitred to another. How else do you think they join 'em?

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

On Fri, 28 Apr 2006 12:36:48 +0100, Guy King wrote:

The message
from Stuart contains these words:

Welds..???

Yeah, the joins in the corners where one bit of plastic extrusion is
mitred to another. How else do you think they join 'em?

Well I wouldn't be asking if I knew would I FFS.

Could be glue of some sort . I don't know.

Stuart

"Stuart" wrote in message
...
On Fri, 28 Apr 2006 12:36:48 +0100, Guy King
wrote:

The message
from Stuart contains these
words:

Welds..???

Yeah, the joins in the corners where one bit of plastic extrusion
is
mitred to another. How else do you think they join 'em?

Well I wouldn't be asking if I knew would I FFS.

Could be glue of some sort . I don't know.

Stuart

I believe they use ultrasonics to weld the upvc.

AWEM

wrote:
Just had upvc windows fitted... fitters are finsihed and left...
looking at various frames, there were what I thought was small dots of
dirt in some of the corner welds, but when I couldn't wipe then off I
got suspicious... got out a magnify glass and they seem to be actually
small holes in the weld!... very thin and about 1-2mm long

for some reason, as far as I can see, they are restricted to the welds
of the window opening lights rather than those the fixed frame itself,
though I haven't inspected everything and it hard to see some of the
welds on the outside.

So far I found them in about 4 window lights.... on some its just one
or 2 minute holes ... on others there are several holes along the
centre line of the weld.

How concerned should I be?

I haven't signed anything to say I'm happy with the job... and haven't
paid the full amount yet... I'll obviously get the company back...
(they're a reputable, small local company) but would like to know if
these things are usual / acceptable beforehand...

Also ... anyone got a quick checklist of things I should inspect
beforehand so that I can point out anything else when they come back.

thanks
AJ

Impossible to say without seeing these holes. Are the holes blind or do they
penetrate the frame? If they penetrate the frame I would be concerned about
water penetration and subsequent rusting of the steel reinforcing sections
inside the upvc profiles. Things to check: does the 10 year guarantee
include replacement if any of the steel reinforcing sections rust through
the upvc (if this is a possibility); have all gaps between frames and
masonry been filled and sealed; do the openers all open, close and lock
correctly.

The message
from Stuart contains these words:

Yeah, the joins in the corners where one bit of plastic extrusion is
mitred to another. How else do you think they join 'em?

Well I wouldn't be asking if I knew would I FFS.

Could be glue of some sort . I don't know.

It's welded. The material is the same as the parent material surrounding
it - can't remember whether it's hot-air or ultrasonic - perhaps
different places do it different ways. Anyway - while it's hot it's
supposed to be trimmed to give a neat slightly grooved join. Doesn't
always come out perfectly - some are very slightly substandard, some
gape like a landed fish.

--
Skipweasel
Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.

Phil Anthropist wrote:

Impossible to say without seeing these holes. Are the holes blind or do they
penetrate the frame? If they penetrate the frame I would be concerned about
water penetration and subsequent rusting of the steel reinforcing sections
inside the upvc profiles.

Difficult to say if they are blind ... only seem to be on interior side
of some of the opening windows - and too small to probe (think
hair-width and couple of mm long along the exact centre line of the
weld)... though they are black ... and I thought the weld would be
white all the way thru?... unless they are some indentation mark left
by the weld machine in manufacture ... I could try scraping ... but it
didn't shift using a wooden cocktail stick... How thick is the material
at the weld... could I scape more vigoursly without further damage to
see if it is a hole or just an embedded mark...

I'll be calling them back anyway...

thanks AJ