Green Building Forum - passive spec window installers

passive spec window installers

cc64 — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 18:21:54 +0100

hi folks,
I hope all here are well.
Looking for some suggestions on windows installers who will work in the North London area capable of installing using illbruck's tapes and foams system to an air tight standard? looks like my installer has gone badly down with something nasty - probably covid - and is not going to be out of hospital much less available when the windows are delivered. Leaving me in a fix. All suggestions welcome. ya

passive spec window installers

djh — Thu, 17 Sep 2020 19:45:14 +0100

Posted By: cc64Looking for some suggestions on windows installers who will work in the North London area capable of installing using illbruck's tapes and foams system to an air tight standard?

Ask Illbruck for recommendations?

When we installed our windows, my carpenters and some other warm bodies who happened to be on site carried the windows into position (we installed from inside), the carpenters fastened them into place, and I did all the taping etc.

edit: my point being that taping is not a particularly skilled or difficult job; more important is the mental commitment and the patience to do the job right.

passive spec window installers

gravelld — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:31:23 +0100

It's not particularly skilled or difficult, djh is right. All the same, 95% of the window installers in this country have never even heard of air tight tape and will look at you funny. Whatever you do, you MUST look for either experience in this area or a GENUINE openness to learn and not a "that's the way I normally do it" mentality.

Where are the windows coming from, can you ask the manufacturer? But even then, even with high quality windows, most installers will still not have done this.

passive spec window installers

djh — Fri, 18 Sep 2020 17:57:36 +0100

Posted By: gravelldIt's not particularly skilled or difficult, djh is right. All the same, 95% of the window installers in this country have never even heard of air tight tape and will look at you funny. Whatever you do, you MUST look for either experience in this area or a GENUINE openness to learn and not a "that's the way I normally do it" mentality.

Most important of all you must closely supervise and make sure they do it properly. IMHO the best way to do that is to do it yourself first, at least once. Second best would be to send somebody on a course.

passive spec window installers

wookey — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 21:09:11 +0100

The fitters Ecohaus Internorm sent me (from Birmingham) were very good and understood this stuff properly. They even wanted to know what airtightness score I get when it's tested to find out how good a job they did. Sadly they work exclusively for Ecohaus Internorm so that doesn't help the OP. I just mention it to point out that there are good fitters out there who will take care with foaming and taping (although still not quite as much care as I would have taken).

This chap was recommended to me, but London may be too far for him, or at least rather expensive: Gary from http://www.dynafitwindows.co.uk/ Did a very good job for a friend of mine in Cambridge. Also Katzbeck's UK fitter.

passive spec window installers

Doubting_Thomas — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 09:36:51 +0100

+1 for Ecohaus Internorm, they did our windows near Bath so clearly work in a fairly wide area, but as wookey says maybe no help if you aren't using internorm windows.

I also rate Bowtie Construction as general builders in the London area. They're probably too big now to take on a window-fitting project but they might be kind enough to point you towards who they use for window fitting.
https://www.bowtieconstruction.co.uk/

For what it's worth, there's also a great illustrated explanation of taping etc. here which any diligent fitter could follow: https://foursevenfive.com/blog/how-to-prepare-for-high-performance-windows/

passive spec window installers

revor — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 16:39:30 +0100

another video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duOXpsAncB8

passive spec window installers

Peter_in_Hungary — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 07:15:24 +0100

Posted By: revoranother video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duOXpsAncB8" rel="nofollow" >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duOXpsAncB8

There doesn't seem to be space for much insulation on the side frames of the dormer!

passive spec window installers

revor — Fri, 25 Sep 2020 16:50:57 +0100

@ PIH
Agreed I built a similar dormer construction (4 of them) but my timbers were ca 2 x width of those in the video with 150 mm PIR in them and then insulated plasterboard over to stop cold bridging through the timber. Don't like the use of OSB either I used marine ply and leaded over. Used other type of tape for air sealing . Only issue is that people have commented how fat my dormers look. But who cares got low bills.

passive spec window installers

Peter_in_Hungary — Sat, 26 Sep 2020 07:33:10 +0100

Posted By: revorOnly issue is that people have commented how fat my dormers look.

That is because conventional dormer construction (here and in the UK) is rubbish

passive spec window installers

jms452 — Sun, 27 Sep 2020 05:42:10 +0100

Posted By: wookeyThis chap was recommended to me, but London may be too far for him, or at least rather expensive: Gary fromhttp://www.dynafitwindows.co.uk/" rel="nofollow" >http://www.dynafitwindows.co.uk/Did a very good job for a friend of mine in Cambridge

on http://www.dynafitwindows.co.uk/about-us/ he says 'We installed many Passive House projects all over the UK from as far south as Dover or Southampton, Wales, all over Scotland up north to the Isle of Skye, Thurso and the Orkneys.' So probably just expensive.

passive spec window installers

cc64 — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 10:24:51 +0000

Thanks all for the comments and suggestions; I contracted with someone in Birmingham who specialises in Velfac and Rationel windows. I will update later once the experience is completed.

I agree with comment above re:dormers; mine are (were) absurdly rubbish; a 4mm ply sheet formed the base of the dormer and was nailed direct to the head of the window frame; said base finished 3cm short of the lintel, to which was blob and dobbed the internal plasterboard; this arrangement handily achieved continuity of the blobndob volume (INSIDE) and that within the dormer (OUTSIDE). No prizes for guessing why 'its hard work keeping warm in these houses' (says a neighbour). The arrangement turbocharges the stack effect by providing a handy chimney for heated air loss.

Has anyone experience of osborneenergy.co.uk ? I came across them as 'founder member of the retrofit academy' this last weekend; said academy looks a good idea if now dated with all docs dated 2011; will the current administration give the impetus necessary to improve the nation's housing stock? According to to the retrofit acad if we are to achieve our 2050 emission commitments a house needs to be improved each and every minute.

mat

passive spec window installers

cc64 — Tue, 17 Nov 2020 10:53:48 +0000

Posted By: Peter_in_Hungary
Posted By: revoranother video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duOXpsAncB8" rel="nofollow" >https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duOXpsAncB8

There doesn't seem to be space for much insulation on the side frames of the dormer!

Just watched through this; not impressed - foaming should first focus on the tricky-to-complete hangers; then continue to the remainder according to Illbruck tech I talked to recently. You can see there's a GAP in foaming around the hangers.

mat