I can see daylight between my upvc window and frame

[Julio Silveira]

Hello,

Any idea how can this can be fixed ? I get a draft under the window if I look at an angle, I can see thought it.

it is a bay window.

any advice is appreciated.

thank you in advance

 

[footprints]

Have you checked the hinge is not busted?
It is the small plastic slider where the metal bars pivot that usually splits and so the hinge does not fold correctly.

 

[crank39]

The bay window is sagging, or has been fitted in that position, my guess its a bit of both, you have much bigger issues than what you think

Lets start with the basics - the side opener, that should technically have 90° corners, the glass WILL HAVE been cut to have 90° corners also, the rectangular glass should fit nicely into a rectangular frame, it has not, the reason you have that gap is because the whole side window is sagging or has been fitted in that position, the opener although fixed to the frame via hinges is free to do what it likes in terms of its position, the outer frame has sagged but the opener doesn't sag with it, it floats

Check for cracks in the plaster below each side window assuming its the same on the other side, check for cracks outside the 'barrel' meets the house. This is jumping out to me that jacking poles haven't been fitted to the downstairs bay so it supports the upstairs, can you take a picture from outside of both bays stood back from the front and the side.

How long has this been fitted, is the company still trading, is the bay still under the 10 year guarantee?

 

[Julio Silveira]

Have you checked the hinge is not busted?
It is the small plastic slider where the metal bars pivot that usually splits and so the hinge does not fold correctly.

the hinges seems OK to be honest. they move freely and free of rust

 

[Julio Silveira]

The bay window is sagging, or has been fitted in that position, my guess its a bit of both, you have much bigger issues than what you think

Lets start with the basics - the side opener, that should technically have 90° corners, the glass WILL HAVE been cut to have 90° corners also, the rectangular glass should fit nicely into a rectangular frame, it has not, the reason you have that gap is because the whole side window is sagging or has been fitted in that position, the opener although fixed to the frame via hinges is free to do what it likes in terms of its position, the outer frame has sagged but the opener doesn't sag with it, it floats

Check for cracks in the plaster below each side window assuming its the same on the other side, check for cracks outside the 'barrel' meets the house. This is jumping out to me that jacking poles haven't been fitted to the downstairs bay so it supports the upstairs, can you take a picture from outside of both bays stood back from the front and the side.

How long has this been fitted, is the company still trading, is the bay still under the 10 year guarantee?

thank you for your details response.
please see attached for details where I can see past it. Also the windows from outside.

there are small plaster cracks see picture

windows open and shut ok, but not providing full seal.

thank you again

 

[crank39]

The hinges will be fine, the opener is effectively a seperate entity only held in on hinges so if the frame moves and bends out of shape the opener stays in its original position hence you have daylight, the opener frame hasn't moved with the main frame

 

[Julio Silveira]

The hinges will be fine, the opener is effectively a seperate entity only held in on hinges so if the frame moves and bends out of shape the opener stays in its original position hence you have daylight, the opener frame hasn't moved with the main frame

Is there a way to adjust the opener frame to the frame ?

 

[crank39]

Yes, its not right but it might help close the gap, you've basically got to toe and heel the opener downwards, toe and heel is a method of jacking openers like this AND doors up to stop them rubbing along the bottom which they will with their own weight, your in a strange position that you NEED to force the frame down instead of up, trying to describe how to toe and heel though is like trying to explain the offside rule to a woman, near on impossible

 

[Gazman16]

As Crank said how old are the windows?
Your outside pic is small and far away, We need several from the outside. Front on side on etc

Like Crank I'm thinking your bay is dropping/pulling away from the house!

 

[Julio Silveira]

Yes, its not right but it might help close the gap, you've basically got to toe and heel the opener downwards, toe and heel is a method of jacking openers like this AND doors up to stop them rubbing along the bottom which they will with their own weight, your in a strange position that you NEED to force the frame down instead of up, trying to describe how to toe and heel though is like trying to explain the offside rule to a woman, near on impossible

I took the beads out yesterday to try to toe and heal but I could not take the glass out since some spacers were forcing it in.

From what I understood from toe and heal is that it is used to use the glass door panel to force the opener shape to change ? From the picture I sent earlier you can see that the glass panel is not squared fitted with the opener. Should that be the case ?

Thank you

 

[Julio Silveira]

Yes, its not right but it might help close the gap, you've basically got to toe and heel the opener downwards, toe and heel is a method of jacking openers like this AND doors up to stop them rubbing along the bottom which they will with their own weight, your in a strange position that you NEED to force the frame down instead of up, trying to describe how to toe and heel though is like trying to explain the offside rule to a woman, near on impossible

As Crank said how old are the windows?
Your outside pic is small and far away, We need several from the outside. Front on side on etc

Like Crank I'm thinking your bay is dropping/pulling away from the house!

I will take better pictures tomorrow. I had to take the one I shared from good maps as it was dark already. Not sure how old the windows are. Probably 10-15 years. They were here already when I bought the house

 

[Julio Silveira]

As Crank said how old are the windows?
Your outside pic is small and far away, We need several from the outside. Front on side on etc

Like Crank I'm thinking your bay is dropping/pulling away from the house!

I will take better pictures tomorrow. I had to take the one I shared from good maps as it was dark already. Not sure how old the windows are. Probably 10-15 years. They were here already when I bought the house

 

[TicTac]

If the window isn't square, then it was made badly, and they've tried to toe and heel it to correct it. Put a piece of A4 paper in the corner of the window, and the opening. If the opening is square, and the window frame isn't, then you'll need to get a new one made.

 

[DHFrames]

Look at the finishing

 

[Gazman16]

10-15 years old and I assume you haven't always had these gaps?

For the sash's to be this far out now your bay must have dropped at least an inch, Quite possibly more.
I would say you have a serious structural issue.

There is a good chance that the foundations are subsiding.
Bay windows quite often didn't have very good footings but it could be down to cracked drains or nearby trees too.

It could still be a problem with the structural posts on the windows. Inadequate baring at the top, No baypole jacks, It could just be that the timber frame between the 2 bays is rotting.

You could contact your house insurance people but once they are involved your premiums will likely go way up and it will come up in any search's done on the house if you ever try to sell so its worth trying to at least work out the cause before getting them in.

Have you got these gaps on both the upstairs and downstairs windows?
So post lots of pics from the outside.
Some pics of the large sash's on the inside of the downstairs bay (to see if they are out of square too).