Airtightness and weathertightness - what to request on window schedule?

[Sparrowhawk]

Is there a standard way to compare airtightness of windows across suppliers? I've seen BS EN 1026:2016 and BS EN 12207:2016 so do we request their certification for each design of window / patio door?  I want to make sure we end up with something substantially more airtight - and watertight in driving rain - and guess it's an area some suppliers will cut corners.

[Thorfun]

you could narrow down your search to only passivhaus certified windows. at least then you know that the airtightness has been tested and is up to spec. @craig is our window expert. he might be able to shed some light on the subject. also worth speaking to him as he supplies very good quality doors that a few on here have purchased. 

[craig]

To compare is to basically refer to each of the products being offered and then cross-reference them. There is not specific formula or website etc, that would do that but in essence, what you're looking for is the following.

 

Air Permeability: EN 1026, EN 12207

Water Tightness: EN 1027, EN 12208

Wind Resistance: EN 1221, EN 12210

Wind Load (resistance to frame deflection): EN 1221, EN 12210

 

To help decipher the documents you'll no doubt receive or have, the tables below should help. What I recommend is in exposed locations, where wind and driving rain can be above average, doors would be outward opening, and windows would always have a static mullion in the centre (no French door style windows). Aluminium inline sliding doors in exposed locations should be reviewed carefully as they are generally brush seals and not gasket seal.

 

Wind Class	Comparison wind load Pa= N/m2	Wind Speed m/s	Wind Speed km/h	Beaufort
0	0	0	0	0
1	300	22	80	9
2	450	27	100	10
3	700	34	120	12
4	1000	41	150	13

 

Wind Speed			Wind Load		Beaufort Scale*
m/s	km/h	mph	Pa	kN/m2	Number	Description
0,5	2	1	0,2	0,000	0	Calm
1	4	2	0,6	0,001	1	Light air
2	7	4	2,5	0,003	2	Light breeze
3	11	7	5,6	0,006	2	Light breeze
4	14	9	10,0	0,010	3	Gentle breeze
5	18	11	15,6	0,016	3	Gentle breeze
6	22	13	22,5	0,023	4	Moderate breeze
7	25	16	30,6	0,031	4	Moderate breeze
8	29	18	40,0	0,040	4	Moderate breeze
9	32	20	50,6	0,051	5	Fresh breeze
10	36	22	62,5	0,063	5	Fresh breeze
11	40	25	75,6	0,076	6	Strong breeze
12	43	27	90,0	0,090	6	Strong breeze
13	47	29	105,6	0,106	6	Strong breeze
14	50	31	122,5	0,123	6	Strong breeze
15	54	34	140,6	0,141	7	Near gale
16	58	36	160,0	0,160	7	Near gale
17	61	38	180,6	0,181	7	Near gale
18	65	40	202,5	0,203	8	Gale
19	68	42	225,6	0,226	8	Gale
20	72	45	250,0	0,250	8	Gale
21	76	47	275,6	0,276	9	Strong gale
22	79	49	302,5	0,303	9	Strong gale
23	83	51	330,6	0,331	9	Strong gale
24	86	54	360,0	0,360	9	Strong gale
25	90	56	390,6	0,391	10	Storm
26	94	58	422,5	0,423	10	Storm
27	97	60	455,6	0,456	10	Storm
28	101	63	490,0	0,490	10	Storm
29	104	65	525,6	0,526	11	Violent storm
30	108	67	562,5	0,563	11	Violent storm
31	112	69	600,6	0,601	11	Violent storm
32	115	72	640,0	0,640	11	Violent storm
33	119	74	680,6	0,681	12	Hurricane
34	122	76	722,5	0,723	12	Hurricane
35	126	78	765,6	0,766	12	Hurricane
36	130	80	810,0	0,810	12	Hurricane
37	133	83	855,6	0,856	12	Hurricane
38	137	85	902,5	0,903	12	Hurricane
39	140	87	950,6	0,951	12	Hurricane
40	144	89	1000,0	1,000	12	Hurricane
41	148	92	1050,6	1,051	12	Hurricane
42	151	94	1102,5	1,103	12	Hurricane
43	155	96	1155,6	1,156	12	Hurricane
44	158	98	1210,0	1,210	12	Hurricane
45	162	101	1265,6	1,266	12	Hurricane
46	166	103	1322,5	1,323	12	Hurricane
47	169	105	1380,6	1,381	12	Hurricane
48	173	107	1440,0	1,440	12	Hurricane
49	176	110	1500,6	1,501	12	Hurricane
50	180	112	1562,5	1,563	12	Hurricane

[ToughButterCup]

Very interesting @craig .

If you'd have known when you sold us your windows  that after a few years, our slider (when shut but not locked) would whistle Colonel Bogey when the wind is from SW by S, I bet you would have charged us more eh? . Any chance of a different tune - anything by that famous Scottish duo the Complainers - I would Walk 500 miles  - or maybe Blow The Wind Southerly by that  Scottish  bird with the big bust. 

 

Please?

[Peter M]

Be very careful and if possible very specific in your needs and requirements with regard to the products that any window supplier/builder advocates on using or suggests using around the windows and doors to maintain an air tight and/or watertight seal, we took the no real notice as to what product was going to be used and relied on the company to specify the correct product and what was used turned out to be totally incorrect and of no use to do what was the intention of providing an airtight seal, what was used was a Correx rubberised self adhesive sealing layer on a roll but it turned out that a rubberised product was a big no no from the plasterer who informed us it should have been a 'non woven' product that would allow plaster to actually adhere to the product where the rubberised one will stick to but will not last.