Double Glazing/ CERTASS

enigma69

We had double glazing fitted Aug 2019 and found many faults such as front door not flush and letting in a draft, windows drafts causing mould, damage to other windows. We have not been provided with a CERTASS certificate which we contacted CERTASS about and still not got one. The company said they’d come and rectify the problem but due to COVID we haven’t pursued but the owner hasn’t got in touch although he has continued trading. We are aware since then others have had similar problems and have found CERTASS were of no help either. 

What is the best way to proceed?

dreamypuma

Have you written to the business, outlining the faults you've encountered? It's probably a good place to start. 

Make clear what outcome you want, and in absence of any timely remedy, you'll look to engage a third party for rectification quotes, and recovery of costs from their business. 

How did you pay for the work? 

enigma69

dreamypuma said:

Have you written to the business, outlining the faults you've encountered? It's probably a good place to start. 

Make clear what outcome you want, and in absence of any timely remedy, you'll look to engage a third party for rectification quotes, and recovery of costs from their business. 

How did you pay for the work? 

We have emailed with pictures which were ignored and written by recorded delivery to 4 different addresses as he wouldn’t confirm which is the correct one - the one on the website is different. He came round and said he would rectify the work but as time has gone on more issues are arising such as not even being able to close one of the windows properly as the handle is stuck. We appreciate due to Covid it has delayed things but to do work for others and not get back in touch shows his lack of concern with dealing with the issues. Perhaps he thinks we’ll just go away. My husband is retired and I work part time so not easily able to afford getting the work done by someone else. 

The person in question has tried to belittle us by making comments like it’s the keep area of the door so of course there’s a draught and do we open the windows to air the room. 

Out concern now is that the quality of the windows is poor and just replacing will not solve the problem as we’ll encounter the same problem again. I’d rather our money back and have someone else do the work. 
The work was paid via internet banking.

Aylesbury_Duck

Write again, as suggested by dreamypuma.  You need to be firm and (constructively) threaten with consequences of him not responding properly.

On the point of mould, that is almost certainly not a fault with the glazing or installation, unless they didn't install windows with vents when you asked for them.  It will be your day to day lifestyle that causes mould, so the suggestion to air the room is not belittling, it's good advice.  Breathing, cooking, showering, drying clothes...all create moisture that condenses on colder surfaces.  Unless you keep your house overly warm or air it, you will get condensation and mould.

enigma69

Aylesbury_Duck said:

Write again, as suggested by dreamypuma.  You need to be firm and (constructively) threaten with consequences of him not responding properly.

We will write again although when we had first written we had mentioned going down the court route if necessary and only got a response after writing to all the addresses we could find which could be his.

Aylesbury_Duck said:

On the point of mould, that is almost certainly not a fault with the glazing or installation, unless they didn't install windows with vents when you asked for them.  It will be your day to day lifestyle that causes mould, so the suggestion to air the room is not belittling, it's good advice.  Breathing, cooking, showering, drying clothes...all create moisture that condenses on colder surfaces.  Unless you keep your house overly warm or air it, you will get condensation and mould.

On the point of the mould having had double glazing put in before over 20 years ago we have had no mould problems at all until these windows were put in. We had the windows done in summer and by November/December the same year the mould started around the window and the blind. It is particularly were the draught seem to be coming in through the window beads which are on the inside. All the windows have a bit of a draught and the damp seems to be around the seals/ beading. 

I now know someone else had a similar issue with this company where water started leaking through the seals.
Happy to hear any advice as when in the midst of dealing with issues you can’t help but feel emotional which can blinker how best to deal with the problems, especially having been conned before by a glazing company and involving Trading Standards we thought we had got it right by contracting someone with CERTASS.

Aylesbury_Duck

New windows themselves won't cause mould.  Neither will draughts - quite the opposite, in fact.  Any mould caused by condensation is a consequence of less ventilation, not more. I wonder whether the mould you're describing is caused by water ingress instead?

The only other thing would be if the windows are so badly fitted that you can't keep the house warm, and the cool air is unable to hold the moisture. 

Are your windows covered in condensation on cold mornings?

enigma69

Aylesbury_Duck said:

I wonder whether the mould you're describing is caused by water ingress instead?

The only other thing would be if the windows are so badly fitted that you can't keep the house warm, and the cool air is unable to hold the moisture. 

Are your windows covered in condensation on cold mornings?

Sorry not sure what water ingress is?

The bedroom window is on the bottom half the mould is also appearing on the ceiling in a couple areas directly above the window.
Some of the other windows have water/condensation along the bottom of the windows.

Aylesbury_Duck

Water ingress is water making its way from outside to inside, and would only happen if the windows weren't fitted properly.  What you've described and pictured isn't ingress, it's condensation.

The condensation in your picture is normal on a very cold day like today.  Moisture your lifestyle generates will condense on cold surfaces, the windows being cold surfaces. The mould you're describing is a consequence of the same thing, the walls and ceiling around windows being cold spots as well.  I can't see that the windows are to blame, because windows themselves don't produce condensation or mould.  If anything, I'm starting to think that your old windows were more poorly fitted and were inherently draughty- that would explain why you have condensation now that you didn't have for 20 years.

The solution is small changes to your lifestyle.  In short, reduce moisture creation, ventilate your home and keep it heated.  That is how condensation and mould is prevented.  You might consider a dehumidifier if you don't want to or can't make those changes.

Examples of moisture creation and mitigating measures:

Cooking.  Use an extractor fan, one that extracts outside.  And put lids on pans.
Bathing/showering. Extractor again, and if not, open a window during and for a while afterwards.
Drying laundry.  Do it outside or use a tumble dryer, don't drape clothes on radiators or racks.
Breathing - not much you can do here, but if you have trickle vents, open them overnight. If not, leave one window slightly ajar.

enigma69

Thank you Aylesbury_Duck this practical advice helps see things in a different context.
I think the first thing would be to get the front door refitted by the company as it isn’t flush and there is a draft coming through.
Taking on board all your comments, as shown in the picture by the candle what is causing the draughts. We can feel the cold air from at least 1m away from the windows (e.g sat in bed/ sat on a sofa) when we are sat in rooms with the doors shut?
The bathroom window we cannot shut at all as the handle will not go down and feel the same is happening with a couple of other windows.
Previous windows that needed ‘heel and toe’ have a big bow type gap between the frame and window which at the moment we have to put tape around to stop the cold coming in.

Alter_ego

The candle flame does not appear to show a draught coming in, the opposite in fact.

Aylesbury_Duck

It does sound as if the door and some windows are poorly fitted, so they will need sorting out, but I'm still puzzled by the draughts and condensation. The two don't usually go hand in hand.