New porch door and windows FAIL

Kaipa88

Yes they came back and stripped out the ghastly black silicone. I asked for them to replace it with white acrylic sealant so that I could paint it but after everything else that’s happened I’m starting to doubt whether or not it’s even that.. if I press it in it doesn’t return. It’s also been around 2 weeks since this was applied now ..

WIAWSNB

No, the acrylic sealant should not soften, it should only continue setting, albeit determined by ambient temps.
Is this door in a porch, closed off from the rest of the house? If so, then I guess there's a chance that the 'wet' affecting the sealant is down to condensation rather than water ingress. Are the panes wet? Did it actually rain last night?
I think you are at, certainly close to, requiring an impartial surveyor to examine this whole installation.

Kaipa88

It was raining heavily throughout the night. The pains were not wet

The porch outside the kitchen and separated by the back door so there’s no heating in there. Yes it can get cold in there and condensation can certainly build up but there are trickle vents on the windows facing the back door to help with this. I’d be amazed of all of that acrylic sealant was worn off due to condensation.. 

WIAWSNB

Kaipa88 said:

It was raining heavily throughout the night. The pains were not wet

The porch outside the kitchen and separated by the back door so there’s no heating in there. Yes it can get cold in there and condensation can certainly build up but there are trickle vents on the windows facing the back door to help with this. I’d be amazed of all of that acrylic sealant was worn off due to condensation.. 

I'd agree. If there's no condie on the panes, then there shouldn't be any on the edges.
Mind you, it always struck me that if all the perimeter gaps have is a wee sealant bead outside and in, it cannot be well insulated. I've always liked the idea of a foam infill for this reason - make the window frame insulated right up to the wall.

Kaipa88

So after me explicitly saying I don’t want him to just come back and put silicone around the window what has he done…

It appears he’s also put a plastic panel over the vertical joint between the door frame and window frame both internally and externally. And put acrylic sealant internally between the horizontal joint between window frame and windowsill

Thoughts? 

Boohoo

I no expert but if the door was manufactured by someone else and there is an issue shouldn't they be sorting it out and not the builder trying to bodge it?

The door was leaking as in earlier photos so why put a bead of silicone around the sealed unit and the door panel?

It will look horrible and stick out like a sore thumb.

WIAWSNB

Well, it looks nice. Again, shame they didn't do that from the off.
I'm not qualified in this area, but my gut says that summat is wrong, as rain should simply not be getting in past an assembled glazed door panel in the first place. Adding sealant on the inside is just 'stopping' the ingress at that point.
Did he explain the sagging/melting of the inside sealant?

Kaipa88

I’ve not spoke to the fitter myself today - to be honest I want everything in writing now via email. I am going to email them about still not being happy about the door as it’s brand new - putting silicone around the window is a bodge fix in my opinion as it shouldn’t be visible at all! 

In regards to the panels he’s fitted I’m undecided whether they look right or not.. I’m unsure if he’s done anything regarding “drainage” for the window. All I can see is he’s put acrylic sealant on the inside to stop water coming in along with the vertical panels. I can’t see where else it could be getting in to be honest 

WIAWSNB

I guess the only way you'll know for sure is to get another impartial, professional opinion.