New bedroom windows for apartment

Some_randomer

So the windows in both bedrooms in my apartment are showing their age and I'm thinking of getting new ones. They face out into the back overlooking a car park. They are both 145 cm high x 108 cm wide.

For years I've had problem with mould and mildew building up round the windows and I'm wondering if windows these days have ways to prevent this, maybe built in vents or other features.

Some questions:

- Is there anything to take into account when getting windows for an apartment (3rd floor), as opposed to a house?
- Is it important to have vents built into the windows, or do all windows come with built in vents these days?
- Are there any windows that can help to prevent mould?
- How much (roughly) could I expect to pay for good windows and also for someone to fit them?

I know it's not allowed to post company names but if anyone could send me a PM with companies they would recommend I'd be grateful.

TIA

embracingLife

Firstly as you are in an apt block unless you intend changing the position of the saches (parts that open) compared to the present windows-you mostly cannot due to the building management company lease when you bought the place as this prevents owners replacing windows with different shapes and sizes making the place look like wonderly wagon/willy wonka house etc!

(you own the apt through the management company which you and all the other apt owners are a member of-make sense?!). (The joys of owning an apt in Ireland, you don't know exactly what you are getting yourself into until years later!). The agent employed to look after the place is employed by the Management Company that you and all the other owners are members of.

If you do intend changing the layout of the windows saches then its a non runner, sorry. Or you'll in up in hell of legal probs with the other owners.

Get onto the agent who looks after the place and tell them you intend replacing some windows, they should say ok, and let you get on with it no probs.

embracingLife

I'm writing out shorter replies as I wrote out a big long one earlier and I got timer out and vamoose!

Anyway I can see from the photo that there are already vents at top of the present saches. Next time you in apt (unless you live there instead of renting it out) look at these and see how easy/difficult/loose the "flaps" which cover these vents are to open and close?

Apart from mould/mildew, is this on the walls around the window or on the window themselves?

Windows years ago in apts usually didn't have any insulation between the windows and the walls than nowadays as window installers then maybe were just the builders workers and didn't give a toss out/or even know about insulating around the windows compared to now.

I'd say there is no insulation around the window and probably there is a gap of about 1 inch square hidden behind the plaster close to the window frame. This gap is causing a cold spot in the wall and this is causing mould to grow on wall around window!

Nowadays window installers use spray foam to fill the gap around windows and this eliminates the cold spot. Then they plaster up around wall.

embracingLife

Lots of PVC windows nowadays don't come with vents in them, as a vent makes window lose insulation integrity of the frame etc.
But the companies will drill holes in the sache if you want the vents.

There probably is (or not) a round 4 inch vent in wall near to ceiling? Which you and everybody sellotapes over in the cold winters we have here! Really a hole in the wall, who needs it! Yes, all to do with ventilation re building regs but in practice it sucks!

Another thing is the rubber strips which are on the frame around the saches perish/shrink after a few years and cause wind to blow in.

I think the best thing to do is get a window installer out to replace the rubbers and maybe replace the hinges too (or not, hinges could be ok).

Is the mould growing on wall or glass? If its on the wall the following will help:

If you can, chisel a hole in the wall close the the frame and see if there is a gap beside the frame. Just make a hole a few inches in size so you can reach a finger into wall where window frame sits.
When you get your finger in, there will be 99% chance that there is a gap between wall and frame. If the gap is there,then the best thing would be to chisel the plaster off all the way around the window-just a few inches back from the frame.

Don't worry, the window is still attached to wall on the outside but its just during plastering up after window was fitted that the workers didn't fully fill the plaster up to window frame.

Then fill the gap all the way around the window frame with the yellow expanding foam which comes in a can buy it anywhere, and then cut off excess and plaster the hole over. This will definitley reduce the mould growing around wall.

Also, I'd say that on the outside of the window frame facing outside, there is maybe a small gap behind the silicone and the window frame/meets the wall too! The silicone on outside has probably shrunk too and could do with being replaced with new silicone.

embracingLife

I had the same problem in an apt. A window man told me about the gap around the frame. He did the above job I described and now there no mould around the window.
It saved replacing the whole window as it was only the mould I needed to get sorted. I think it'd be a good idea in your case as you're snookered with the layout of the saches and it wouldn't improve much by replacing with the exact same window as you're in an apt block and you cannot really change the shape/layout of the window.

I'll send you his details privately. Btw are you in Dublin?!

embracingLife

Btw does the glass have any condensation between the panes when you look at them? If so the seal on the glazed glass has a hole and is letting air in.

Then again, the job of plastering/yellow foam/rubbers/new glass could maybe better to get a new window!

I'll ask around window prices and see. There a many different window frames out there, so prices are not alike.

Some_randomer

Hi thanks for the detailed answer much appreciated. There's a lot of good info in there so I'm going to take time to read and try to understand it.

embracingLife wrote: »

Apart from mould/mildew, is this on the walls around the window or on the window themselves?

It's on the walls around the window, particularly underneath the window sill.

embracingLife wrote: »

There probably is (or not) a round 4 inch vent in wall near to ceiling?
...
Is the mould growing on wall or glass?

There are no vents in the walls but there are vents in the tops of the window frames and they're covered with a flap / hinge thing. The mould is mainly on the walls underneath the window sill, and there's also some on the black rubber seals. At least when I wipe the seals with a cloth there's usually a lot of black grime that comes off which is probably mould as opposed to dust.

embracingLife wrote: »

I'll send you his details privately. Btw are you in Dublin?!

Great thanks, yes I'm in Christchurch in Dublin 8.

embracingLife wrote: »

Btw does the glass have any condensation between the panes when you look at them?
...
I'll ask around window prices and see. There a many different window frames out there, so prices are not alike.

No the glass doesn't have any condensation between the panes. Would appreciate any prices or suggestions regarding frames, companies, etc.

embracingLife

hello, the mould is under the window sill, I'm not sure exactly why. Unless there are other experts here who can answer. Maybe if you post this re the mould on wall in the building forum etc there maybe be the right people there who can answer you better.

the black grime on rubbers is sometimes dust from the city, exhaust from the traffic, its everywhere! I have it on windows too where there's no mould.