Trouble is now I've found a pic of linear it doesn't have a conventional groove which allows the fitting of different gaskets like the ones I linked to earlier, from the above pic you can see that even with some compression it would still leave an area against the glass for water to pool although the op windows are worse than gazmans. I think glazing tape would be your only option IF you chose to remove the co-extruded bubble gasket but that would have to be with the explicit permission of the installer and in writing as not to void any warranty
Liniar Windows
- Thread starter gasmaneddie
- Start date
Trouble is now I've found a pic of linear it doesn't have a conventional groove which allows the fitting of different gaskets like the ones I linked to earlier, from the above pic you can see that even with some compression it would still leave an area against the glass for water to pool although the op windows are worse than gazmans. I think glazing tape would be your only option IF you chose to remove the co-extruded bubble gasket but that would have to be with the explicit permission of the installer and in writing as not to void any warranty
Sponsored Links
Thanks yet again for sticking with me and the advise will follow suggestions and update in the future, see photo of glazing tape, Liniar says they have one installer that puts glazing tape on all his installs
The picture in #6, to me, does not support the suggestion that it is water collecting above the seal. If that was the case I would expect to see a black line where the seal is compressed and algae growing above that, in the water. The algae is, if anything, below the seal and goes down to the spacer line. The would suggest to me that the damp was below and the algae was growing up. Are drains in the base of the window clogged?
Have you checked the fit of the seal? I'd be inclined to see if the was a gap with a set of feeler gauges. Or if you push on the back or the front can you see the seal line spreading? If the seal isn't tight enough I would have thought the obvious suggestion would be some tape on the rear to make the window that much wider. And tape on rear you could only see from the outside so would be unseen inside the house.
My other thoughts are do have any pressure issues? Prevailing winds that push the glass back against the inside seal allowing water and dirt to get past the front seal? But of course, as has been suggested you first want to check the window is the right thickness. When the window pane was removed was it all cleaned down with an algaecide?
Have you checked the fit of the seal? I'd be inclined to see if the was a gap with a set of feeler gauges. Or if you push on the back or the front can you see the seal line spreading? If the seal isn't tight enough I would have thought the obvious suggestion would be some tape on the rear to make the window that much wider. And tape on rear you could only see from the outside so would be unseen inside the house.
My other thoughts are do have any pressure issues? Prevailing winds that push the glass back against the inside seal allowing water and dirt to get past the front seal? But of course, as has been suggested you first want to check the window is the right thickness. When the window pane was removed was it all cleaned down with an algaecide?
Hi Malc
The glass is apparently the right thickness it has been removed and measured with the proper callipers several times, The drain holes are clear and the glass was cleaned before going back in with what I don't know, a bottle of some cleaning agent that the manufactures brought with them.
My installer wants nothing to do with it and the manufactures of the system Liniar say tough its normal to have this visible dirt line, they have been to look and say everything is to Spec so there not interested, So I'm left with new windows that look like they have been in for 20+ years and nobody seems to care and there doesn't seem to be much I can do about it.
I did as suggested on here and clean out with wet one on blade but dirt retuned within couple of weeks, I live in a normal bungalow not on main road and no adverse weather.
To sum up Liniar says water is meant to pass through gasket and will bring dirt down with it that will be visible, Only nobody thought to tell me this before I got them.
Last photo shows glazing tape applied to outside frame but was recommended on this forum not to go down that route
The glass is apparently the right thickness it has been removed and measured with the proper callipers several times, The drain holes are clear and the glass was cleaned before going back in with what I don't know, a bottle of some cleaning agent that the manufactures brought with them.
My installer wants nothing to do with it and the manufactures of the system Liniar say tough its normal to have this visible dirt line, they have been to look and say everything is to Spec so there not interested, So I'm left with new windows that look like they have been in for 20+ years and nobody seems to care and there doesn't seem to be much I can do about it.
I did as suggested on here and clean out with wet one on blade but dirt retuned within couple of weeks, I live in a normal bungalow not on main road and no adverse weather.
To sum up Liniar says water is meant to pass through gasket and will bring dirt down with it that will be visible, Only nobody thought to tell me this before I got them.
Last photo shows glazing tape applied to outside frame but was recommended on this forum not to go down that route
Sponsored Links
Hmm, I find it strange that liniar reckon water and dirt are meant to pass through the seal. According to liniar's specification booklet (page 17) the bubble gasket "achieved zero air leakage during independent tests as BSI". How can you have zero air leakage and let water and dirt through? If the sealed units are 28mm thick then the next question is what is the gap between the seals without unit in place? That should be less than 28mm and when you fit a 28mm block in there the gaskets should be well compressed. Is the rear clip in section faulty maybe? Too flat or the clip stressed?
I suppose that thermal expansion might take dirt in but I would have though the rubber would stop it by wiping it off. My guess would be that the gap is too wide. Maybe the gap is designed to take a 28mm sealed unit with edge tape on it which would make it a bit thicker.
Solution wise I would suggest trying to either improve the front seal or increase the unit thickness to tighten up the seal. How about something like vaseline on the front seal that would create a barrier. But check what the seal will stand in case it doesn't like vaseline. Black silicon is another option but more permanent. The bubble seal is hollow so you could fill the rear seal with silicon or thread a suitable solid rubber unit (like you get for making o rings of any size) down that to make it it less compliant and so push harder on the front seal.
I would agree that you shouldn't have to do this and the proper solution is finding out why the you have this problem so personally I'd look longer for the issue and measure the gap. And maybe go back to liniar to ask them how come they claim zero air leakage but say it lets in water and dirt.
I suppose that thermal expansion might take dirt in but I would have though the rubber would stop it by wiping it off. My guess would be that the gap is too wide. Maybe the gap is designed to take a 28mm sealed unit with edge tape on it which would make it a bit thicker.
Solution wise I would suggest trying to either improve the front seal or increase the unit thickness to tighten up the seal. How about something like vaseline on the front seal that would create a barrier. But check what the seal will stand in case it doesn't like vaseline. Black silicon is another option but more permanent. The bubble seal is hollow so you could fill the rear seal with silicon or thread a suitable solid rubber unit (like you get for making o rings of any size) down that to make it it less compliant and so push harder on the front seal.
I would agree that you shouldn't have to do this and the proper solution is finding out why the you have this problem so personally I'd look longer for the issue and measure the gap. And maybe go back to liniar to ask them how come they claim zero air leakage but say it lets in water and dirt.
I would find a small window as a tester and get a unit made at 30mm using 6mm for one of the panes and give that a go
Another thought is the frame warped (i.e. installed wrong). If the frame was screwed in warped and the then closed the window you warp that frame which could open the seals since the glass unit won't warp. Since your leakage looks to be all the way along the bottom then the warping should be top-middle-bottom not in a straight line of the outer frame (i.e. middle too far inside the house, pulling top/bottom away from outside seal).
BTW rubber cord would be cheaper than a new unit, just search on ebay. I found some 8mm at 3.60/m. You'll have to experiment with type and size and of course try one window first to see if that cures it (and so proves the issue).
BTW rubber cord would be cheaper than a new unit, just search on ebay. I found some 8mm at 3.60/m. You'll have to experiment with type and size and of course try one window first to see if that cures it (and so proves the issue).
Last edited:
Hi everyone
Its not just one window that has the dirt problem its all of them and the patio/ bi fold doors so not sure that they could all be warped, I don't understand what the BWT rubber cord is could you explain please?
Also could my frames take a triple glazed unit which I believe is 32mm or are there separate frames/ clip in beading and that is the problem as they are currently 28mm and should be triple glazed and wrong units supplied by fabricators.
One of the new windows that was replaced because of deep scratch in frame you could easily get a credit card in without any force, glass unit was correct size 28mm according to installer, as he measured with calliper, representative from Liniar also came and saw this said not right just suggested putting tape in or don't worry as its being changed anyway.
the water used to go in this widow about 10mm bead and move up and down as you pressed glass.
I am totally ****ed off as I keep looking at other peoples and no dirt at all even with white spacer bars.
Read the Liniar spec about air tightness so that seems a joke, also says customers assurance that problems will be swiftly dealt with.
Its not just one window that has the dirt problem its all of them and the patio/ bi fold doors so not sure that they could all be warped, I don't understand what the BWT rubber cord is could you explain please?
Also could my frames take a triple glazed unit which I believe is 32mm or are there separate frames/ clip in beading and that is the problem as they are currently 28mm and should be triple glazed and wrong units supplied by fabricators.
One of the new windows that was replaced because of deep scratch in frame you could easily get a credit card in without any force, glass unit was correct size 28mm according to installer, as he measured with calliper, representative from Liniar also came and saw this said not right just suggested putting tape in or don't worry as its being changed anyway.
the water used to go in this widow about 10mm bead and move up and down as you pressed glass.
I am totally ****ed off as I keep looking at other peoples and no dirt at all even with white spacer bars.
Read the Liniar spec about air tightness so that seems a joke, also says customers assurance that problems will be swiftly dealt with.
The liniar seal should look like this. It's hollow and lower edge is a thick rubber flipper. The rear clip in bead is different for double glazing (28mm) and triple glazing (36mm). Look here at page 42/43 (or 41/88 as it says at the bottom).
The bubble seal is soft at the top but the rubber flipper at the bottom is stronger. I was suggesting as a fix threading rubber cord down the centre of the bubble so as to make it less soft and the window a tighter fit. What diameter cord you'll need you'll have to experiment with. If you fit a window with just top and bottom clips then you could get some idea of the space the bubble has now. You'd need something slightly larger. But I still wonder why you have the problem to start with. Does the rear clip look correct? Maybe liniar could send you some offcuts so you can compare.
The bubble seal is soft at the top but the rubber flipper at the bottom is stronger. I was suggesting as a fix threading rubber cord down the centre of the bubble so as to make it less soft and the window a tighter fit. What diameter cord you'll need you'll have to experiment with. If you fit a window with just top and bottom clips then you could get some idea of the space the bubble has now. You'd need something slightly larger. But I still wonder why you have the problem to start with. Does the rear clip look correct? Maybe liniar could send you some offcuts so you can compare.
I it's a long shot but if they were meant to be triple and the fabricator used the appropriate slimmer beads but the glass manufacturer mistakenly made 28mm units instead of 32mm I wonder if this your problem?
Well update just had email from Liniar out of the blue saying there going to discuss my dissatisfaction internally and update me by the end of the week
Cool.
It should be fairly easy for some one who has a bunch of spare parts and knows what they are doing to diagnose the problem.
I'm still thinking its most likely a bad batch of beads, Gaskets or double glazed units any of which should be fairly simple to sort out.
It should be fairly easy for some one who has a bunch of spare parts and knows what they are doing to diagnose the problem.
I'm still thinking its most likely a bad batch of beads, Gaskets or double glazed units any of which should be fairly simple to sort out.
Job I went to earlier today to change about 8 blown sealed units, same sort off problem with the algae as we've seen with liniar profile but this was Spectus
Mine more like fine sand rather than algae the photo doesn't do it justice, In fact in the photo of this window it seems like water doesn't go down the seal as that dirt always looks dry even after window washed which adds more to the mystery as the installer insists they were clean when he put them in.
But others I have seen a bead of water in one of the windows ( that has now been replaced) you could see the bead move up and down as you pressed the window.
Yours look unsightly do you know how old they are?
I could understand moss growing if the drain holes were blocked and the water couldn't escape
But others I have seen a bead of water in one of the windows ( that has now been replaced) you could see the bead move up and down as you pressed the window.
Yours look unsightly do you know how old they are?
I could understand moss growing if the drain holes were blocked and the water couldn't escape
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
Sponsored Links
