New build - draughty doors/windows?

[Rony28]

HI there,

So I have just moved into a new-build apartment and I have recently discovered that on windy days, I can feel a strong draught coming through the gaps of the window/door (mainly on the hinge side).

On non-windy days, it seems to be fine (ish, still a bit cold around that area) and on semi-windy days I can feel a strong stream of cold air coming through if I put my hand on the gap.

I would have thought with new build the insulation would have been top-notch.

So after inspecting the gap, it would seem that the rubber "seal" is not sufficient.

I have attached some pictures.

Ie. the rubber part is supposed to press against the inner door bit to form a seal when closed. However I am presuming the rubber bit is not big enough, so it is not pressing hard enough to form a tight seal.

I have called the developers and they have forwarded my case to Eurowindows who are due to come and look at it.

So before they come all I really wanted was some advice as I know really nothing about DIY.

So I can see them coming and saying: "Yes, so this is just the design of the door, there really is nothing we can do".

Is this a design flaw, does it look like it can be fixed? Am I in my rights to try to get them to weather strip it if all else fails?

I have had other advice that says that if I can hear the outdoors quite prominently then it is incorrectly sealed. Outside traffic definitely seeps through these gaps, and when I press my ear near the gap, it is basically like being outside.

And any other advice?

Thanks

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Maybe some hinge and/or lock adjustment required to draw the door in more.

As I mentioned to someone else, open the door. You'll hear traffic noise etc full blast. Close the door but don't engage the lock. The outside noise will lessen but probably not significantly so. Then, engage the lock i.e. slowly pull handle up. As you do so, the outside (airy) noise should reduce and should be more muffled i.e. you should get the 'sealed' effect. Do this a few times (handle down, handle up) to determine if there's any distinguishable difference. If not, yes there are air gaps somewhere that need addressed. And when the door is locked, you shouldn't be feeling drafts coming in.

It shouldn't need additional weather strips. It's a brand new install so unless it has the wrong strips installed (unlikely), that side of things should be fine. Don't accept a bodge from them.

Hope this helps.

 

[Rony28]

Maybe some hinge and/or lock adjustment required to draw the door in more.

As I mentioned to someone else, open the door. You'll hear traffic noise etc full blast. Close the door but don't engage the lock. The outside noise will lessen but probably not significantly so. Then, engage the lock i.e. slowly pull handle up. As you do so, the outside (airy) noise should reduce and should be more muffled i.e. you should get the 'sealed' effect. Do this a few times (handle down, handle up) to determine if there's any distinguishable difference. If not, yes there are air gaps somewhere that need addressed. And when the door is locked, you shouldn't be feeling drafts coming in.

It shouldn't need additional weather strips. It's a brand new install so unless it has the wrong strips installed (unlikely), that side of things should be fine. Don't accept a bodge from them.

Hope this helps.

Hi there,

Thanks for your reply.

Hinge adjustments sound like a big job, dont like the sound of that. But if it needs to be done then so be it.

Regarding the locking of the door, I can't pull my handle up! Not sire if I am doing it wrong but all I seem to need to do is turn the key a few times and it's locked.

The thing is, I was supposed to be shown my new flat by the developers care team, however because of Covid it was cancelles. So stuff like this has not been shown to me. I hope it is something as simple as that.

However I have since tried to pull the handle up to no avail, I don't think it goes that way. Unless im doing it wrong which I doubt.

So if it doesnt go up, isnt that a bad design? As you describe, it sounds as if the lifting up of the handle gives it an extra booated seal. So I dont have the boost. I wonder if the developers were being cheap. If this is the case I feel cheated.

Thanks!

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Hi there,

Thanks for your reply.

Hinge adjustments sound like a big job, dont like the sound of that. But if it needs to be done then so be it.

Regarding the locking of the door, I can't pull my handle up! Not sire if I am doing it wrong but all I seem to need to do is turn the key a few times and it's locked.

The thing is, I was supposed to be shown my new flat by the developers care team, however because of Covid it was cancelles. So stuff like this has not been shown to me. I hope it is something as simple as that.

However I have since tried to pull the handle up to no avail, I don't think it goes that way. Unless im doing it wrong which I doubt.

So if it doesnt go up, isnt that a bad design? As you describe, it sounds as if the lifting up of the handle gives it an extra booated seal. So I dont have the boost. I wonder if the developers were being cheap. If this is the case I feel cheated.

Thanks!

My mistake for assuming. If it locks by simply turning the key that's cool. Many mechanisms rely on the handle being pulled up to engage locking hooks/rollers before the actual lock is turned. I'm assuming yours doesn't. Any chance you can post a pic of the lock edge of the door (full length and not too far away)? Don't worry about them maybe adjusting the hinges, it's not uncommon for this to be required and isn't a big job. Many hinges have adjustment designed in to them for that very reason.

 

[Rony28]

My mistake for assuming. If it locks by simply turning the key that's cool. Many mechanisms rely on the handle being pulled up to engage locking hooks/rollers before the actual lock is turned. I'm assuming yours doesn't. Any chance you can post a pic of the lock edge of the door (full length and not too far away)? Don't worry about them maybe adjusting the hinges, it's not uncommon for this to be required and isn't a big job. Many hinges have adjustment designed in to them for that very reason.

Yes I know the type, I had a few at my old place.

I have taken some more pictures attached. However the "breeze" and leaky bit is more the hinges edge of the door rather than the lock edge.

So I have taken a close up of the hinge, you can see it's huge, looks like something out of Transformers, is this adjustable?

Thanks

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Yes I know the type, I had a few at my old place.

I have taken some more pictures attached. However the "breeze" and leaky bit is more the hinges edge of the door rather than the lock edge.

So I have taken a close up of the hinge, you can see it's huge, looks like something out of Transformers, is this adjustable?

Thanks

Yeah when you're turning the key it's engaging the entire locking mechanism, so nothing to worry about that side. If the breeze is at the hinge side it's almost certainly hinge adjustment that's required to draw that side of the door in a bit more to the frame when closed. The hinges look adjustable so it shouldn't be a big job for them.

Let me know how it goes.

 

[Rony28]

Yeah when you're turning the key it's engaging the entire locking mechanism, so nothing to worry about that side. If the breeze is at the hinge side it's almost certainly hinge adjustment that's required to draw that side of the door in a bit more to the frame when closed. The hinges look adjustable so it shouldn't be a big job for them.

Let me know how it goes.

I see. But if you draw the more to the left towards the hinge, wouldn't that mean you would create a bigger gap to the right where the lock is? Or presumably there is enough surplus "door" to cover it.

Thanks

 

[diy_fun_uk]

Assuming the hinge is adjustable in this way, it's not being drawn left or right, it's being adjusted to move that side of the door closer to the frame i.e. draw it in, as if you were putting your hands on that side and pushing away from you, if that makes sense? So no change to the gap you refer to. It all depends what adjustments are actually required but no, solving it shouldn't create issues elsewhere.

 

[Rony28]

Assuming the hinge is adjustable in this way, it's not being drawn left or right, it's being adjusted to move that side of the door closer to the frame i.e. draw it in, as if you were putting your hands on that side and pushing away from you, if that makes sense? So no change to the gap you refer to. It all depends what adjustments are actually required but no, solving it shouldn't create issues elsewhere.

I see, yes that makes sense. But if we do "push it in", it then wouldn't be flush against the door frame right (vertical plane-wise), it will be slightly "sunk in" so to say. But I guess we are talking maybe like 1mm push in, so it wouldn't impact the aesthetics much perhaps. And if I had to choose between aesthetics and a proper seal, I'd go with the seal anyways, unless it's super ugly. Lol.

I will report back when they come. They haven't seemed to respond yet for a booking, it has been a week. I'll give them a bit more time.

 

[diy_fun_uk]

I see, yes that makes sense. But if we do "push it in", it then wouldn't be flush against the door frame right (vertical plane-wise), it will be slightly "sunk in" so to say. But I guess we are talking maybe like 1mm push in, so it wouldn't impact the aesthetics much perhaps. And if I had to choose between aesthetics and a proper seal, I'd go with the seal anyways, unless it's super ugly. Lol.

I will report back when they come. They haven't seemed to respond yet for a booking, it has been a week. I'll give them a bit more time.

I have an ancient upvc door on the rear of my property. I get the 'airy' sound from it, emanating from the hinge side. I only have to gently press on that side of the door and it changes to the 'sealed' sound. I'm probably pushing it a mm at most if that. I'm too lazy to fix it properly But yeah the margins can be very small to fix a door/window to ensure a proper seal, so don't worry too much about the aesthetics as any changes should hardly be noticeable and the priority is to ensure no drafts. As you say, the only cause for alarm bells to start ringing is if they need to start making quite significant changes in whatever direction. However looking at your install that seems unlikely.