Double Glazing Sealent Failure

EdwardMorris

After having a new roof installed on a conservatory, the guttering installed did not drain and unknowingly filled up with water until it began leaking through the window frame of the conservatory. This caused damage to the laminate flooring of the room and water still continued to leak through the frame for a number of days after the water was drained from the guttering,

One of the seals of the double glazing panels where the water was leaking from was also noticed to have failed after this happening. The builder who had only recently carried out the work claims that it is complete coincidence that the double glazing seal failed and that it has nothing to do with the leak.

Is it possible that the leak would have damaged the double glazings seal or is the builder correct?

Furts

I am uncertain what you mean. Are you saying the spacer has failed and you have condensation in the sealed unit ? Or are you saying water has got past the Q lon/neoprene/whatever seal each side of the glass?

A related point is this. The hollow plastic profiles should have drainage slots/groove depending exactly what you specified. But the principle here is simple - any water build up cannot occur because it drains to the outside from the slots/groove.

Hence you may have more than one problem to address. Over to you for clarification here.

EdwardMorris

Thank you for your response Furts. Condensation has appeared between the panes of glass. Water was not getting in through the seals at the edging of the glass, but from the water sitting in the gutter between the main part of the house and the conservatory extension.

A new drain pipe has been fitted to the gutter at the opposite end of the conservatory which has stopped the water collecting. The guttering was levelled in such a way that it was not draining to the corner which had the drain pipe attached. I surely thought this would be something considered when setting up the guttering, but the builder said it wasn't and that it is just attached level with the roof.

So we now have one drainage pipe that the water can leave the gutter by, and another angled in such a way that no water could drain towards it anyway because all the guttering slopes away from it. The builder was defensive that this wasn't a problem and that all conservatory guttering has standing water in it. This seemed ridiculous and like excuses to me. That is why i am untrusting of his claims about the sealent on the pane of glass not being related to having gallons of water emptying and leaking around that particular pane.

Furts

You would need to post photos for greater help, but a principal is relevant. Many concealed box gutters have water in them because they are fixed level. Also, the outlet is generally above the base because of simple manufacturing practicalities.

Another principal applies with conservatories. It is normal for them to be cowboy built and normal for them to be bodged. Conservatory construction is unregulated construction, which immediately means the low life and the chancers pounce to take advantage of this and seek a quick buck. This situation then gets worse when replacement roofs get fitted. More unregulated work going on top of previously unregulated work. So one ends up with the risk of double bodging.

Only you know what you allowed to occur on your conservatory. But if you did not seek a replacement roof with your eyes wide open to the risks you were running then it is likely you have bodged work.

EdwardMorris

The company who originally built the extension is one of the 'UKs biggest double glazing companies' with lots of good reviews and no problems with them at all in the past. The replacement roof has also been fitted by a large national company which is well reviewed online. This however wouldn't mean all the builders that they could employ would be of the same standard.

This is a big spend and a lot of effort went into making sure the right company was chosen. Putting the onus on me for a builder not considering that the angle they installed the gutters would allow well over an inch of water to build and somehow leak through into the house, seems somewhat unreasonable. As this seems to be what you are implying.

After further pursuing the issue with the builder and him having another look at the roof he has agreed that they will replace the pane. This makes me think that he must have realised he was at fault even if he didn't want to voice that.

Furts

Your post did say conservatory, but you are now saying an extension which is a completely different concept. Chalk and cheese here. Puzzling that the extension was built by a double glazing company but this is fine - it does happen though nobody in the construction industry would recommend this approach. Here it is horses for courses.

Your replacement roof is by a national company. Here bear in mind the guidance from Which Magazine and the folks at the Consumers Association. They have looked at double glazing companies and advise that national companies, and they name Anglian, Everest and Safestyle, should be avoided. Roof companies will include the likes of these and be be no different. Nationsal companies are bad news, and web site reviews mean little here.

Ultimately if you are happy that is all that matters. But you do have to accept an unfortunate truth. Because conservatories and replacement roofs are unregulated it means they are not built to any standards. By default this means the standard of build is that dictated by the customer, for there is no other standard that the installers can strive to, or need to, achieve. It follows that the consumer specifies, stipulates, inspects, and then signs off the work.

If there is a failure in these procedures then problems such as leaks arise. It is OK saying gutters should fall but that is not a conservatory requirement. For example if you look at a typical conservatory gutter detail, and bracket, you will see that a fall is not possible - it is a standard bracket clipped on level.

As you say, you have made a big spend. With this spend comes considerable risks, and I wonder if you were advised on the magnitude of these risks?