ᐅ Installation of Windows and Entrance Doors

Hello, can anyone tell me what to watch out for when having windows installed or maybe even when ordering them?

In my rental place, for example, there is sometimes a cold draft coming through under the window frame. At my workplace (2013), all the large patio doors don’t open properly and get stuck. A total mess – how does that happen? The window installer came multiple times to adjust them and finally said they couldn’t be adjusted any further. (Interestingly, many of my new neighbors worked with this same installer and are all satisfied.)

I am also wondering how the insulation around the windows and roller shutters is handled in a KfW55/40 level house – that is, how the frame is connected to ensure there are no drafts. What should I keep in mind here? I haven’t found anything online.

Where do problems more commonly occur? Aluminum / PVC / wood?

I would appreciate any tips.

Windows are complicated... just for that, it’s worth hiring an expert.
What type of masonry?
Windows are screwed in, the edges are foamed, sealed inside with a vapor-tight membrane, and I believe outside they are covered with compression seals that are rain-resistant but vapor-permeable (it’s also possible that this is only done with brickwork).
Roller shutter boxes are insulated.

BeHaElJa schrieb:
Windows are complicated... it’s definitely worth having an expert involved just for that.
What type of masonry?
Windows are screwed in, the edges are insulated with foam, sealed on the inside with a vapor-tight membrane, and I believe on the outside they are sealed against driving rain but remain vapor-permeable using compression seals (it might be that this is only done with brick façades).
Roller shutter boxes are insulated.

Arrange for the installation of the windows according to RAL DIN standards. As far as I understand, this is a very good guideline. For example, foam should not be used there; instead, sealing tapes must be applied.

Are you sure that no foam is used at all? I find it hard to imagine how that works between the masonry and the frame. Someone still had to inspect it in the end.

@tomtom79: Try searching for "RAL installation wiki" on Google. You will see that foam is indeed commonly used. The key point, however, is the proper installation of sealing tapes: airtight on the inside and a vapor-permeable one on the outside. You shouldn't just "hide" the foam with silicone sealing.

Of course, instead of PU foam, you can use an expanding foam tape, but this is not strictly required.

Thank you, that was very helpful:

Ideal Installation Method
To meet current standards, various manufacturers offer plaster sealing strips and joint sealing tapes for window installation. These are self-adhesive plaster sealing strips or sealing tapes that are applied all around the window frame before installation. This process is repeated for both the interior and exterior sides, with overlapping tabs formed at the corners to ensure a connection to the masonry there as well. The frame is then placed into the window opening, wedged, and fastened to the masonry using screw anchors without dowels (earlier used insertion anchors, also known as “mounting anchor claws,” create slight thermal bridges). After fitting the sash, the gap is filled with mounting foam, and the sealing tape is adhered over the filled joint up to the masonry. During winter months, bonding the sealing tapes to the masonry should not be done using the self-adhesive layer of the tape (if present on the masonry side), but rather with a special permanently elastic and silicone-free construction joint adhesive.

Alternatively, the sealing tape can be applied to the frame profiles only after the frame has been inserted and foam-filled. However, in this case it cannot be positioned at the side edge, and the reveal plaster must cover part of the window frame to keep the sealing tape invisible after plastering. Furthermore, the mounting foam does not press the sealing tape firmly against the frame; it is only held by the self-adhesive layer. For installation with sealing tapes, in brick masonry the window reveals must be smoothed with a thin rendering layer (known as “fine skimming,” e.g., with frost-resistant construction or tile adhesive or fine thermal plaster) before installation.

from Wikipedia.

As I understand it, mounting foam is applied between the sealing tapes.

I do not want any thermal bridges around the windows in my KfW55 or 40 energy-efficient house!
And if possible, I want to achieve results of 0.1 to 0.6 air changes per hour in differential pressure testing.

Masonry: So far, I have planned to use calcium silicate bricks on the inside and facing bricks on the outside.