Draught from glazing pane, uPVC French Doors

[Wyleecoyote]

I have uPVC French Doors to 2nd floor Juliet balcony, which I’ve had never ending issues with and within my Housing Association property.

After sealing all around the French Doors and the uPVC unit with adhesive vinyl tape, I’ve discovered a noticeable draught emitting from around the glazing, where the glazing meets the uPVC frame, surely, this shouldn’t be happening?

The gazing units are fitted from inside and there’s no compression adjustment to the hinges.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

I'm no double glazing expert but i've never met a non-adjustable hinge on UPVC doors.
To clarify, is this draught/gap between the glass and the beading or is it between the moving and fixed bits of the doors? Pics would be handy

 

[Wyleecoyote]

The gap is against the doors and the frame, which I’ve now taped up.

I posted photos on here of hinges, and was told they can’t be adjusted and before posting, I tried to adjusting hinges myself.

How to adjust Compression on this uPVC french door hinge

As the subject title; can and how is compression adjusted on this type of uPVC French door hinge ?

www.diynot.com

The draught I’ve recently discovered, appears to be coming from around the glazing where there’s no obvious signs of a gap, and appears to be from around the plastic beading of the glazing panels.

 

[Wyleecoyote]

Until I’ve recently re-taped up the doors due to the exception coldness, especially throughout winter and so looking more presentable now;
How they’re were depicted in the photos, I kept them looking like that for the Housing Association to inspect them; to see how poorly they’ve been fitted and I left the dust gathering to show how ineffective the seals are at all four corners on the hinge sides.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Some observations;
Give that door and frame a clean- it looks (from the residue) as if you've used gaffa tape or duct tape to seal the door/frame joint.
Are you sure (as in have you done a smoke or candle test) that your are getting air movement between the glass and the bead- the air next to the glass will often feel colder than air next to the frame.
Also, have you done a smoke/candle test of the seal between door and frame? If yes and there is actual air movement you really should be leaning on your landlord. You are fortunate that tenancies with HAs are fairly secure but unfortunate in that their maintenance standards can be woeful.
Is there any rubber seal left between the door and the frame? If there is (but there's a huge gap) the best bodge way to seal it is to use electricians PVC tape on the frame where the seals land- apply as many layers as you need to get an airtight seal.

 

[Wyleecoyote]

I appreciate your response, however within months of doors being fitted, there was a noticeable draught, far worse than the previous doors and after various inspections, the HA finally accepted the doors were too short for the frame.

The current doors were taped up within days of installation as the draught was unbearable and after many complaints and numerous inspections, the tape gets removed and taped up again and again, so the appearance has been purposely left like that.

Due to hot weather the tape had to be removed to open the doors, so the adhesive residue remained and there was still a sufficient draught to create the dust deposits, so I left it as proof to show the HA .

I’ve recently re-taped the doors and although it’s far from ideal, it doesn’t look as bad.

I’ve only recently noticed, what I’ve believe to be a draught from around the glass panels

As for leaning on the HA landlord, that’s easier said as done, and although I appreciate your response and opinion, I’d much rather focus on the draught from around the glass panels than anything else.

 

[ronniecabers]

Wouldn't be a Sanctuary property would it?
Anyways , you say you've had the door replaced several times... but yet the hinges aren't adjustable? Non adjustable door hinges haven't been fitted for the best part of 20 years. So are they completely non adjustable or just not adjustable on compression?
If the doors have been replaced within the last two years , have they replaced the frame too , or just the door sashes?
I honestly can't think of any reason why you'd get a draught around the glass, though the rubber seals...unless the sealed unit is the wrong thickness and they've tried to 'botch ' it in with thicker gaskets.
Some of the draught could be natural air convection currents, making it feel like a draught , so the candle test mentioned would be prudent , it's fairly comprehensive if there is an actual draft. If you do see one, get someone to video you doing it so you can show the HA. Do the video from a distance so it can be seen you aren't creating a draft for the candle to react to

 

[Wyleecoyote]

How to adjust Compression on this uPVC french door hinge

As the subject title; can and how is compression adjusted on this type of uPVC French door hinge ?

www.diynot.com

Apparently, according to responses on here, no compression adjustment on hinges.

Every uPVC French Door unit fitted, has been a uPVC frame complete with uPVC doors already attached, even the one when the doors were too short.

And despite providing photos, video footage and even showing various HA inspectors in person that the doors were too short, the HA only replaced the French Door unit once I obtain my own surveyors report.

It’s not a Sanctuary property.

 

[ronniecabers]

Just checked the other thread... where the heck are they getting those doors from to get non adjustable hinges? B&Q? Lol. Every upvc door we've purchased in the last twenty years has had adjustable hinges, and that's using various profiles and suppliers. If there is definitely a draft I'd be on the phone to them every day until they are fed up of hearing you...then I'd be suggesting they purchased some doors with adjustable hinges and not something out of the late 1990's

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Again on your previous thread you mention the FENSA £5 test? Have you got that in writing anywhere- building regs do apply to doors and windows and they are a legal requirement.
Back to your draught between glazing and bead- again electricians' PVC tape will give the best seal and not leave a residue when it is removed.
And finally I believe (as a social housing tenant) you have a Housing Ombudsman you can complain to if your landlord is not behaving appropriately. Talk to Citizens Advice (NB Only go this route if your tenancy is secure and you are fully compliant with your tenancy requirements - so no dodgy subletting, no pets if they aren't allowed, no rent arrears, basically no valid grounds for HA to end your tenancy).

 

[Wyleecoyote]

As said, this has been an on going issue for many years, one of many.
The Housing Ombudsman, local MP and letters to No 10 been involved regarding another issues, and still taken 2 years before the issue was addressed, so please don’t be thinking I’m incapable of addressing this.

 

[ronniecabers]

Fensa won't be interested would you believe, they are literally just there so Installers don't have to register every single installation with building control
Worst case scenario complain to the housing ombudsman, and yes, it's a real thing and is basically the ombudsman for Housing Associations

 

[ronniecabers]

Just seen you've written to the housing ombudsman with little joy, that's just not good enough,go higher, the office of the deputy prime minister would be a good place

 

[Wyleecoyote]

I don’t know whether I got the FENSA £5 test in writing, it was mentioned by the surveyor who carried out the survey who got the previous French doors replaced.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

As said, this as been an on going issue for many years, one of many, I’ve even wrote to Housing Ombudsman, local MP and No 10 about another issues and despite the intervention of all, it still took another 2 years before the issue was resolved, so please don’t be thinking I’m incapable of addressing this ….
Watch the most recent ITV drama, Mr Bates v the Post Office, that’s what it’s like, constantly writing letters and emails, and they make it as difficult as possible so Tenants give up.
look at the Tenants with children living in HA properties with black mould on their walls, curtains and bedding.

Yes absolutely 'they' won't instantly leap into action. Persistence is the key. Find their required response time to any complaint registered (not the time to fix it, just the time they are allowed to take to reply to the complaint). Complain. If they fail to respond or are late, complain again and add their tardy response time as another complaint. Keep doing this. Once you hit the 3rd or 4th round of email tennis, start copying local councillor, MP into the game. Keep on complaining, it costs you nothing but time.