Newly fitted double glazing cracked within 6 months

elrichio86

Title says it all really.

We had new uPVC double glazing fitted last December, and one of the windows has cracked less than 6 months later. Only the inner pane, not the outer.

The firm who supplied and fitted them don't think we'd be able to claim under the manufacturers warranty (as that's meant to cover units misting up and the like), and so he's expecting us to cover the cost. For me, I expect a window to last many years, and for the glass to fail this quickly suggests a manufacturing defect that they should be covering the cost of fixing.

Am I being unreasonable here? Or naive?

Annie1960

Or it may be a measurement issue. If the window was measured too big, and it had to be squeezed into the opening, this can make it crack.

Did the same company measure, supply and fit the window? Did they provide a FENSA cert?

I had exactly this problem with one of the windows I had fitted about 12 years ago, and the cause of the crack was determined to be the window was too tight.

Furts

Provided that you have not damaged it then it should be covered under guarantee. Go back to the installer if you are the innocent party in this.

I am assuming that the company was reputable, that you have the requisite guarantees, and that you got a FENSA Certification or a Building Control inspection on the installation.

Keep_pedalling

The reason this cracked needs to be looked at. If these replaced wooden windows in a supporting wall that had no lintel then one should have been installed because UPVC does not have the stutural integrity that the original wooden frames would have had, so the glass may have cracked through the weight of the wall above it.

elrichio86

We're sure we've not broken it.

The same company measured and fitted the windows. They then get another company to manufacture to their measurements. He's sending me a copy of the manufacturers warranty to check over.

And surely, irrespective of whether its the installer or the manufacturer who's at fault, our contract is with the installer and therefore its their responsibility to fix?

We're in N Ireland so FENSA doesn't apply here, although I'm not sure what the equivalent is.

lstar337

elrichio86 wrote: »

We're sure we've not broken it.

The same company measured and fitted the windows. They then get another company to manufacture to their measurements. He's sending me a copy of the manufacturers warranty to check over.

And surely, irrespective of whether its the installer or the manufacturer who's at fault, our contract is with the installer and therefore its their responsibility to fix?

Yep, your contract is with the installer, so it is up to them to fix it. Sounds like they are trying to wriggle out of it by passing the buck!

al69

I would be taking a serious look at why the glass has cracked, its only a symptom of another problem.
What type of window is it ? If its a bay get it checked over by a structural engineer because it may all come crashing down.

For the glass to crack it must be under pressure because there is normally a big gap around the glass and its packed out with plastic packers and a dollop of silicone to hold them in place.

As an exlocksmith ive levered open upvc doors with failed locks with huge pressure and never cracked the glass.

Look at the outside of the building for cracking in the walls for more clues.Measure any similar windows to compare. Be a detective.

The glass is easy enough to replace and not a big cost but if they havent installed the windows properly especially after removing wooden windows which were structural you could have big problems.

ytfcmad

As usual plenty of over reaction and duff info on here.

Its likely to be something as simple as an inclusion within the glass, the DGU manufacturer wouldn't pick this up and they can go at any time.
Your installer should replace it FOC but if they don't contact the DGU manufacturer direct, in NI that's most likely to be Carey Glass, the name will be on the DGU.

elrichio86

It was a simple like-for-like replacement of an existing PVC window, no bays or anything interesting. The surrounding brickwork and lintel all look fine to my untrained eye.

The manufacturer is Glas Seal NI. Their 10-year warranty paperwork is more interested in whats NOT covered that what is, but it doesn't mention anything as significant as cracked glass (talk of imperfections in the glass, seal failures etc).

The installer is coming round on Friday, so we'll have to wait and see.

wealdroam

elrichio86 wrote: »

The installer is coming round on Friday, so we'll have to wait and see.

And while talking to him, keep this short extract from MSE's Consumer Rights guide in your mind:

Know who's responsible

When returning items, beware shops trying the oldest trick in the book: saying they're not responsible for the shoddy goods and you must call the manufacturer. This is total nonsense!

If a company fobs you off by saying “go to the maker instead”, it's wrong. It's the retailer's job to sort it.

It doesn't matter if it's an iPod from a high street shop or a designer frock from a department store. If something's broken, torn, ripped or faulty, the seller has a legal duty to put it right as your contract is with it.

Not quite your scenario, but the point is that you paid the installer, so it is the installer that needs to provide the remedy.

Paragonvirtue

If the crack runs from the edge of the glass, than I would guess the glass was edge damaged when fitted, it only needs a chip on the edge of the unit and a warm day causing the glass to expand, the crack will then develop.
A decent supplier would just replace the glass, A rated annealed glass double glazed units will cost them around £30.00 per sq mtr, so customer satisfaction is most important.
If the crack comes from the centre of the glass and runs in several directions than it will most likely caused by impact, if this is the case than the cost should be yours.