"There’s no such thing as 'winter mode,' and wooden windows are from the last century: the whole truth about the window market from a master from Poltava"

Seals will last longer if you clean them regularly Unexpectedly, in response to the question of when one should switch windows to winter mode and how to do it correctly, Yevhen replied: — This is an invented problem promoted by certain people as a universal way to stop cold from getting through windows. In general, there is no technical term "winter mode" in the official documentation of leading manufacturers. It’s a colloquial name for adjusting the sash-to-frame compression, which has accumulated many myths. We’re talking about the rubber window seal that compresses in winter, expands in summer, and over time wears out, sags, and needs to be pulled closer to the sash. All of this can be adjusted, but independently of the seasons. Usually it’s enough to wash the rubber of dirt and it will become more elastic, thus sealing better. A technician can silicone it and adjust the eccentric cams on the hardware that pull the sash in the correct direction. Unfortunately, dishonest technicians make good money off this. Today the cheapest adjustment of one sash costs 300 hryvnias. And if there are five, you have to pay one and a half thousand. — Isn't the company that installed the windows supposed to service them? — Preferably, their technicians. Or a specialist you trust. But in no case allow into your windows people who go door-to-door offering supposedly German polyurethane rubber at a discount for pensioners. That’s plain fraud. — How should seals be maintained so they last as long as possible? — Wash them several times during the warm period, invite a trusted technician every couple of years for professional maintenance. Insulating glass units should be wide to save heat and block noise — What problems can those expect who try to install windows themselves or hire cheap technicians? — First, there are many companies that sell cheap profile systems made from recycling waste to attract buyers with price. They have a right to exist. Say, for workshops, summer cottages, barns, etc., where it’s usually not necessary to retain heat. But someone who heats a living space themselves must understand that a quality, correctly installed window will save their budget. Energy resources are too expensive now to throw money away. Second, incorrect installation can have very serious consequences. One is glazing condensation. Comfort in the home depends on the quality of window installation — Tell me more, please… — This situation is very common, right? And there are many reasons. It can be poor-quality insulating glass units, a cold wind-through profile system, incorrectly mounted windows, or poorly foamed holes and gaps with mounting foam… So in warm apartments when cold comes, windows begin to "cry" — condensate forms on them due to temperature differences. That promotes mold growth, which people breathe in. — Does a double-chamber insulating glass unit really retain heat better than a single-chamber one? — Yes. Previously everyone installed two-chamber 2,4-centimeter insulating glass units with very small distances between panes. But it would have been better without the third pane; that would be more effective. The farther glass is from glass, the warmer the window. Today the most popular are 32-mm insulating glass units, because they’re the most budget-friendly. And now the 60-series (with profile system thickness 6 centimeters) are gradually leaving the market. Even in new buildings they install windows that meet energy-saving standards. Not long ago, remember, owners moving into apartments had to simply remove the new "decorative" windows and put in more expensive ones that don’t let in the cold? And in one of the most powerful domestic companies I cooperate with, they are gradually abandoning even the 70 profile and switching to 72 and 76. Thus, in the 72 series by VEKA the insulating glass width reaches 44 millimeters, and in the 76 series — 48. I recommend installing windows with insulating glass no less than 44 millimeters wide. Installers at work — Which profile and insulating glass unit is better for a noisy city center and which for a private house? — The widest insulating glass units and the highest quality. If they close well, all street noise disappears. In private housing windows also need to be as warm as possible. They will save gas or wood consumption. In wartime conditions it’s best to choose tempered glass — Glass itself also has different characteristics. What should you pay attention to when ordering? — Yes. For example, outside it’s better to install Solar sun-protective glass, which reflects about 60% of solar heat energy and ultraviolet rays. Thus the room heats up less and you’ll run the air conditioner less often, saving electricity. Energy-efficient insulating glass is additional heating savings. Therefore the interior pane should have low thermal conductivity so it preserves interior heat and prevents cold from penetrating. Filling the inter-glass space with the technical gas argon helps maintain the desired temperature. Windows in a thermally modernized building — Is it true people now reject glass and use transparent polycarbonate? — Polycarbonate is not used in windows. Maybe in some displays, in cold gazebos, at stops. They’re just different systems. — Do people replace windows they installed a quarter-century ago with modern ones? — About five years ago that trend began. — Do they switch to wooden frames or prefer plastic? — Plastic, definitely. In Ukraine, unfortunately, there isn’t well-dried wood reliable for window products. In our climate it warps, the varnish cracks, and cracks let in water and the wood begins to blacken. Moreover, it is very expensive to maintain: you have to treat it constantly with special solutions like a ship to prevent cracking and rot, sand it, and varnish it… New windows are installed more frequently instead of old ones Warm installation means no drafts from the windowsill — What is warm installation? Why is it becoming standard and is it always necessary? — Warm installation is an improved technology for installing window assemblies with a three-layer insulation of the mounting joint that protects it from moisture, freezing, and deterioration. On the outside a vapor-impermeable waterproofing tape is glued that directs moisture outward and protects from rain and wind. From the interior a vapor-barrier tape is glued that protects the layer of mounting polyurethane foam (which provides the main thermal and sound insulation) from moisture coming from inside. Those who understand how to avoid drafts in the windowsill area choose a warm windowsill (support) profile for the window (this is the element to which the windowsill and drip cap — the so-called external windowsill — are attached). Previously these profiles were hollow and therefore cold. Of course, thanks to these improvements windows became more expensive, but modern technologies are worth it. I believe you shouldn’t skimp on quality. Unfortunately, some don’t understand this, and many lack the financial means. — How have technologies changed over the last 5−10 years? — A lot has changed. As I said, new profile systems appeared, warmer insulating glass units, lots of tempered glass. Given the situation in the country, many clients choose tempered glass. It’s not more expensive than regular glass, but much safer. It doesn’t shatter; it crumbles into pieces that don’t injure. You can even scoop up the shards by hand. — How to prepare an apartment for installers so the process goes as quickly and cleanly as possible? — I warn clients to roll up rugs, take down pictures and mirrors, cover furniture with construction film and tape it with painter’s tape. Though much depends on the installers themselves. Some work extremely neatly, trying not to damage the interior. Paper will endure and reveal installers’ mistakes — How can an ordinary client check the quality of an installer’s work immediately after window installation while the crew is still on site? What should you pay attention to? — Dishonest technicians who do a sloppy job rely on clients’ inability to assess their work immediately. So I’ll give a few life hacks. Open the sash to 45 or 90 degrees and let go. If it closes or swings open by itself, the window is not level. Ideally the sash should remain motionless. Another method: open the window, place a regular A4 sheet of paper on the frame and close the sash tightly. Try to pull the paper out. If it comes out easily or falls out — the seal is weak, the window will draft. If the paper tears or comes out with great force — everything is fine. Repeat this in 3−4 places around the sash perimeter. During installation watch that installers do not drill through the profile system to insert anchors. This is categorically prohibited. — Can you order hardware with a sash lock to prevent children falling out of windows, which, unfortunately, happens very often? — There are systems integrated into the hardware at the factory. Such a lock costs over a thousand hryvnias. It’s aesthetic and unobtrusive. A child standing on the windowsill, for example, can’t open it alone. There are much cheaper options — a handle with a lock or blocker, and an "Antichild" lock mounted under the sash. — Do you install windows only before cold sets in? Does the weather affect it? — It does, of course. If the frost is below 15 degrees, the foam freezes during injection and later crumbles. But 10 degrees of frost aren’t scary for it. And minus 7−8 degrees — no problem at all. Considering the climate has changed and winters have become milder, we work practically year-round. — What were the most difficult or most amazing orders you’ve encountered in practice? — One of the most difficult projects was installing showcases at the Spartak sports complex in Poltava. These were 16 very massive structures, each weighing more than half a ton, which had to be bolted with reinforced bolts onto special profiles. We lifted them with winches. There are complex systems that are assembled like Lego on the installation site. The more difficult the installation, the more interesting it is, and the more experience you gain. One of Yevhen’s most challenging jobs in the Spartak sports complex in Poltava Previously in FAKTY, experienced builder Yurii talked about how not to go crazy during renovation, giving advice about wall-hung toilets, hidden hatches, and "floating" ceilings. In the headline photo: Yevhen Peshterev at work Photos provided by Yevhen Peshterev