Window sill "drip gap" important?

[VX Foxy]

Just had new windows fitted, but I think the sill is too narrow and I'm concerned they've bridged the drip gap with silicone sealant which will cause damp problems in the future.

Am I right to be concerned?

Edited by VX Foxy on Thursday 24th July 23:38

[VX Foxy]

[VX Foxy]

[Little Lofty]

Looks like it has a 150mm sill, a 180mm would have been better.

[037]

Should have specc'd a deeper cill! Probably end up staining the bricks directly below!

[VX Foxy]

Are they the standard sizes? Any others in between?

[VX Foxy]

037 said:

Probably end up staining the bricks directly below!

Yeah, that's my concern.

[jules_s]

I don't think uPVC window cills work like that

The wooden one you posted has a drip routed into it about 10mm from the face and 25mm away from the wall....the reason being two fold.

Firstly if the drip was further forward the toe of the cill may rot off. Secondly if it was nearer the wall you 'might' get staining - more probable with timber windows

With uPVC cills the toe IS the drip...google upvc cill section

Granted they could be further out. I'd raise it with the intaller (presumably FENSA)

PS: you gangsta

[VX Foxy]

Could it be raised in a future survey as an issue?

[magooagain]

Taking into accout Juless reply. The photos still make the cill position look wrong. Get the company back round to discuss.
Where the original frames thicker? This could be down to a lazy installer not wanting to make good the plasterwork inside! So he/they just pushed the new windows into the reveal until they met up with the plasterwork inside. If so you have a good case to make them refit them more forward.

This could be down to the companys surveyer/estimater.

Edited by magooagain on Friday 25th July 09:24

[Dave_ST220]

Don't they make you house look a little flat? Assuming they are fitted correctly do they look OK? Need a pic looking back at the house.

[barryrs]

From memory im pretty sure the NHBC require a 40mm projection away from the main facing.

[tvrtim]

magooagain said:

Taking into accout Juless reply. The photos still make the cill position look wrong. Get the company back round to discuss.
Where the original frames thicker? This could be down to a lazy installer not wanting to make good the plasterwork inside! So he/they just pushed the new windows into the reveal until they met up with the plasterwork inside. If so you have a good case to make them refit them more forward.

This could be down to the companys surveyer/estimater.

Edited by magooagain on Friday 25th July 09:24

This is 100% correct.They have fitted the new windows back to the inside plaster
line. Windows should have been fitted further forward and plaster made good or
if not possible for some reason 180mm cills should have been fitted.

[Renovation]

I wouldn't accept that - although you need to read the agreed spec

[TA14]

barryrs said:

From memory im pretty sure the NHBC require a 40mm projection away from the main facing.

Good memory: page 5 http://www.nhbc.co.uk/NHBCPublications/LiteratureL...

[TA14]

jules_s said:

With uPVC cills the toe IS the drip

but not if it's filled with sealant.

[Murph7355]

I'd get them back purely on aesthetic grounds! They make the house look very strange to my eye which is unlikely to help is value.

Did it have proper sills before?

[SAB888]

Someone's messed up on the measurements, longer sills should have been specified. Why didn't the installers highlight this before they fixed them in position? Not good all round really.

[jules_s]

magooagain said:

Taking into accout Juless reply. The photos still make the cill position look wrong. Get the company back round to discuss.
Where the original frames thicker? This could be down to a lazy installer not wanting to make good the plasterwork inside! So he/they just pushed the new windows into the reveal until they met up with the plasterwork inside. If so you have a good case to make them refit them more forward.

This could be down to the companys surveyer/estimater.

Edited by magooagain on Friday 25th July 09:24

I'd say that was 100% the case here

TBH looking at the pics again I'd be more worried the face of the windows are behind the rear face of the bricks..

[b0rk]

jules_s said:

I'd say that was 100% the case here

TBH looking at the pics again I'd be more worried the face of the windows are behind the rear face of the bricks..

Assuming standard English facing brick the window frame is at best positioned to achieve a minor overlap realistically I'd say only the mastic/backing rod is actually stopping wind driven rain from getting in between back of brick and front of window.

In a few years the gap will have opened enough for rain to directly penetrate the cavity.