ᐅ Are the windows defective?

There are drafts throughout our house. Therefore, we had a blower door test conducted, which surprisingly showed good results. For the professionals: only 0.83 1/h.

However, the thermal imaging camera revealed significant heat loss around the window reveals. Our energy consultant recorded temperatures below 12.6°C (55°F) with an outdoor temperature of 20°C (68°F). Should this be considered a defect? The windows still have one year of warranty remaining.

It is necessary to investigate how the described heat loss occurs; is it due to poorly insulated joints between the window and the exterior wall, or is the reveal insulation too thin (or even missing entirely)? You cannot easily assess this without knowing the situation (planning, execution) on site.

Hello,

I had a blower door test done a few years ago as well. It’s surprising what this can reveal. We found issues around the windows, and based on the test results, we had an expert come in. He documented everything, and this was accepted as a warranty claim.

I wouldn’t give in here either. I see this as a defect and would act quickly. We also had issues with the insulation in the reveal. Only a specialist pointed it out to us, and that way we were still able to use the warranty.

This window issue is definitely a problem—I’m quite familiar with it as well.

I will also conduct a blower door test and am already curious to see what defects will be uncovered.

Whether this test is always useful is something I doubt. Often it ends in a legal dispute, and it is frequently unclear who will win.