Difficult to shut back door due to vacuum created with porch

[PurpleHamster]

or that's what the window fitting firm told me when they came round to investigate!

I have a upvc, half glass, door fitted in our kitchen which leads into a small lean to porch which is single glazed and has a wooden single half glazed door.

To shut our kitchen door, when you first push it to, it catches on the frame so you have to lean on it and give it a little shove with your hip to get it to shut well enough to engage the lock. It got steadily worse over about 6 months, and the window firm came out and adjusted the hinges which improved it but they told me that it was because it was creating a vacuum with the porch. They also said because we'd had building work done that there was probably dust in the mechanism and to try some WD40 ...

Since then, it's got worse again, and some of the trim around our other windows is lifting away and there are drafts coming in. These windows and doors are now a year old.

Is the guy right and what should I do please?

 

[rjm2k]

If there's a draft it can hardly be sealed, besides I assume it sticks when the outer door is open?

 

[foxhole]

You can't achieve a vacuum by closing a door.
Sounds like you had John Wayne fitting your door.
Any pics?

 

[Gazman16]

A well sealed up porch can create a bit of a air pressure wave that makes opening and closing doors a bit more difficult. Easy way to test if this is the case, Open the porch door or window and try opening and closing the inner door to see if it makes any difference.

Its sounds to me like the door needs some more adjusting though as it should not be catching on the frame.
You should definatley try to clean out any building dust from the door mech though (you can get cans of compressed air on ebay for about a fiver). and WD40 is not recommended as it will just attract and gum up with dust. Silicone spray would be much better.

The company should happily come out and adjust the door and refix and seal the trims under their 10 year guarantee though.

Was this a big national company or local company?

If some trims are loose pull one back a bit and get some pictures, Try to see if there is any expanding foam around the window, The fact that you have drafts I expect not.

 

[ronniecabers]

I think your window firm is fobbing you off somewhat...I have a porch that has a composite door on the outside and the a Upvc door through to the house, I have never suffered a ' vacuum ' problem, I have suffered many times with the upvc door dropping on its hinges, but have adjusted them now to the ' sweet ' spot and no longer have any issues.

I would suggest you contact your window fitter and ask , firstly what they are doing about the trims falling off , secondly what they are doing about the draughts, and thirdly to readjust that door ...I would think the hinges need readjusting again , that is all...Vacuum indeed...LOL!

As goes dust in the locking mechanism , he could well be right about that, and a little WD40 will do it no harm...In fact you should have been advised to oil all moving parts on the door and windows with WD40 ( or similiar ) at least once a year..whatever you do , do not use grease though....

 

[ronniecabers]

Just read Gazmans, and agree with everything he has said..Silicone spray good for locks too, I've always been told WD40 is fine, and it is grease/vaseline you should avoid as this will collect and keep the dust and act as grinding paste...I've personally never had issues with WD40........

 

[Gazman16]

I too used to use and recommend WD40.
But I got my balls chewed when I once recommend someone use it on this forum:
http://forum.expertexpert.com

I was told in no uncertain terms wd40 is rubbish for lubricating (I was given a long list of things it was good at too) and that silicone spray or graphite spray were the way to go.

Its a shame there is not much activity on that site as there are several people who really know their stuff. I believe the guy who runs it is a court expert in fenestration matters.

Unfortunately he moved the website a few years ago and all the old posts are now gone but if you think the current condensation topic on here is getting a bit technical you have seen nothing. Those guys used to really go at it lol

 

[crank39]

WD40 thins down the grease already in the lock and then it just runs to the bottom, silicone spray is better but if you want to be super posh then graphite spray is the dogs bits seeing as its a dry lubricant it won't collect dirt

 

[ronniecabers]

Thanks for the advice, will advise silicone spray from now on

THAT condensation thread, is indeed technical, and its a shame some of the posters aren't more forthcoming with explanations or answers to specific questions...but that is another thread!

 

[crank39]

Thanks for the advice, will advise silicone spray from now on

THAT condensation thread, is indeed technical, and its a shame some of the posters aren't more forthcoming with explanations or answers to specific questions...but that is another thread!

You think that's bad, you should find the thread about repairing blown units by lying them on the back lawn to dry out, went on for months!

 

[ronniecabers]

You think that's bad, you should find the thread about repairing blown units by lying them on the back lawn to dry out, went on for months!

How an earth can anyone make that last months..that ones simple...

Blown sealed unit = replace sealed unit

I'm off to read that for a giggle............

 

[crank39]

If you find it post up a link to it, IIRC the poster who had repaired many this way and who said he could make a business out of doing it this way said he would come back after some time with the results of his repairs, strangely enough he ain't been back

And IIRC aron may well of been agreeing with him

 

[ronniecabers]

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=273970&start=0

I wish I'd been on a member on here when he posted this .... I used to make Sealed Units , not an Automated line, I actaully filled the bar with dessicant and put the hotmelt round them, I was even the person responsible for the companies EN1279 parts 2 and 3 Sealed Unit licences...thats one subject I know very very well

 

[crank39]

Well you've stumbled across a right good forum here, I mainly hang out here because its my area of expertise but I do frequent other sections and have posted questions myself and got the answers I needed, one thing you can find annoying is if a poster (normally a first time poster) asks a question, has it answered by many but then disappears without saying thanks

You've gotta read all of that thread, it became hilarious

 

[ronniecabers]

Well thank you for the welcome, think you'll many see me in this part too, as is also my main area of ' expertise '