Gaps around double glazing - keeping out the rain

[Dave Newt]

Hello,

My first post in this group after a few months' lurking but hopefully someone can advise.

I have a gap around one of the double glazed windows in a recently-purchased house. You can see what I mean on this image picture:

it rains, I'm pretty sure that water is getting down there. In fact, there is a damp problem inside the house on the other side of that wall - though I have at least 3 different possible causes of the damp to fix and this is just one of them!

So anyway, I'm assuming that somehow the double glazing and wall have come separated over the years, so what would be the best way to fill that gap?

Cheers,

Dave (PS No receipts or FENSA certificate for the windows - not a clue who fitted them - though you can see they've been fitted inside the original wooden frames.)

[sm_jamieson]

Put some sealant in the gap ! Or knock out the cement fillet and use expanding foam, then cut back a little and finish with silicone sealant. In other words, how doulble glazing is usually fitted !

Although looking closer, is that uPVC fitted into a wooden frame ?

Simon.

[Andrew Gabriel]

That was my thought - it looks like the DG units have been fitted into the original sash boxes, hence the outer timber frames. Unfortunately, this removes one of the advantages of uPVC DG, that of no timber to maintain and/or go rotten. I bought a house with first generation aluminium DG installed in this way. Eventually I had to replace it because the sash boxes went rotten - I had all the timber removed and the uPVC replacements fitted directly to the brickwork.

[Mike P the 1st]

On Mon, 21 Feb 2011 19:44:52 +0000, Dave Newt gently dipped his quill in the best Quink that money could buy:

Burnt sand mastic ... easy to apply .. remains flexible. Any builders merchants will sell a 2litre tub for about £8

Mike P the 1st

[Dave Newt]

Yes, indeed - that is pretty much what's been done on the whole house (except the two newest DG windows), and I think this was probably done before the previous owner too. I can tell it's not great double glazing, and the frames are still (mostly) in good condition too - it's just this one which seems to have come adrift from the wall.

I imagine one day these'll need taking out too.

Cheers,

dave