Mistakes People Made When Replacing Windows & How To Avoid Them

 The five biggest mistakes when replacing windows and how to avoid mistakes

In an energetic renovation, there are two main areas of interest: the renewal of the heating system and the thermal insulation. Replacing the old window with new window elements somehow resonates, but it is not the main measure. A structural renovation option is hidden here that is often underestimated.

Some owners also make real mistakes when it comes to replacing the windows. Here are five of the most common of them:

1: It is not worth replacing windows

It may seem obvious: a window has a large area of ​​glass, so a lot of energy will be lost through it. However, this is by no means the case. In the course of development, the heat transfer coefficient (U-value) of modern thermal insulation glazing was successively reduced. This value describes how much energy is lost per square meter and year. The smaller the value, the lower the heat loss. The figures are impressive: while old single-pane glazing has a U-value of 5.2 W / (m²K), modern three-pane heat protection glazing only has a U-value of 0.7 W / (m²K).

Or to put it another way: while an old window with only one pane of glass wastes 43 liters of heating oil per square meter per year, the modern version only loses six. If the energy savings are allocated to the investment costs, a saved kilowatt-hour of energy for a plastic window with modern thermal insulation glazing costs just 0.034 euros.

2: The window remains the coldest point on the facade

Of course: glass is a material that has only a low insulation value. Therefore: No matter what you do - the windows will automatically remain the coldest point in the facade of the house. But far from it. If only the windows are replaced and the wall remains uninsulated, the wall can suddenly be colder than the window.

While a window with modern triple-pane heat protection glazing has a very low heat transfer coefficient of 0.7 W / (m²K), it is, for example, 3.3 W / (m²K) for an uninsulated concrete wall. This can lead to problems inside the room if the moisture from the warm room air no longer condenses on the window pane, but on the cold inner wall. Since the new windows are also denser than their predecessors, they have to be ventilated more often after the window has been replaced. A facade insulation can then finally restore the old temperature relationship between wall and window.

3: The new window takes the old place

Old window out, new one simply inserted in the middle of the window reveal ? Especially if facade insulation is also planned after the window has been replaced, this is the wrong place. Rather, the new window should be flush with the masonry. If the facade insulation is then applied, it simultaneously covers the connection joint between the window and the house wall. This avoids the formation of thermal bridges.

4: A window replacement makes a lot of mess

The window replacement is a construction measure - but it does not involve a lot of dirt. The installers are very adept when it comes to avoiding dirt. The frame of the old window is first cut up and then removed with the wall anchors. This only creates a manageable amount of dust and dirt. In many cases it is even the case that the design of the window reveal is retained and - if at all - only minor cosmetic repairs are necessary.

5: You can easily replace the window yourself

Modern windows are highly complex components. They can only perform their full function if they are installed correctly. If you want to install the window yourself, you definitely have to know what you are doing. The first thing to do is to align the window plumb. Anyone who has mastered this challenge must then seal the connection joint from the window to the wall all around and make it airtight.

There are technical systems on the market to achieve exactly this. However, you have to know these and be able to process them. It is therefore often better not to overestimate your own manual skills, but rather to rely on the help of a qualified specialist company.

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