Defects in Aluminum Windows and Impact on Dust and Air Infiltration
Publication: Journal of Performance of Constructed Facilities
Volume 6, Issue 1
Abstract
The air infiltration rate for 154 windows installed in 25 buildings was obtained by a field test. Visual inspection identified the causes and sources of air leakage and operation difficulty in the sample. The frequency and impact of visible defects that cause air infiltration in the windows were determined. Windows with no visible defects produced air leakage 46% lower than the mean value. Double‐sliding windows leaked mostly from corners and gaps above the sash, whereas vertical‐hinge windows leaked from the joint between the sash and the frame. Operation difficulty seemed to increase air infiltration rates for double‐sliding and vertical‐hinge windows. The visual assessment of weather strips was useful for predicting window performance. Although sliding windows in Kuwait suffer from design defects, fabrication defects were the principal contributors to performance degradation. In vertical‐hinge windows, design and fabrication defects were the most common, with the former being more detrimental. In general, installation and maintenance defects in windows were less influential than fabrication defects, with design defects being the least detrimental. To assess the impact of minor repairs on windows performance, the air infiltration test was repeated on 11 windows after installing missing weather strips and hardware. The air infiltration rate was improved by 10‐30%.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
References
1.
Annual statistical abstract. (1985). Central Statistical Office, Ministry of Planning, Kuwait City, Kuwait.
2.
Ayyash, S. (1983). “Power needs of cooling systems in Kuwait and their effect on the utility.” Appl. Energy, 13, 109–120.
3.
Carruthers, J. F. S. (1987). “The performance assessment of windows.” Proc., Windows in Building Design and Maintenance, Swedish Council of Building Research, Gothenburg, Sweden, 34–40.
4.
Daoud, O., Maheshwari, G., and Al‐Shami, H. (1991). “Measured field performance of aluminum windows in Kuwait.” Energy Bldgs., 17, 75–85.
5.
“Performance of windows. Part 1: Classification for weathertightness.” (1983). BS 6375: Part I, British Standards Institute (BSI), London, England.
6.
Seifert, E. (1987). “Ensuring the serviceability of windows over the years.” Proc., Windows in Building Design and Maintenance, Swedish Council of Building Research, Gothenburg, Sweden, 117–124.
7.
“Selection of windows by performance.” (1982). Building Digest 262, Building Research Establishment, Hertfordshire, England.
8.
“Standard method of field measurement of air leakage through installed exterior windows and doors.” (1984). ASTM E783, ASTM, Philadelphia, Pa.
9.
“Voluntary specifications for aluminum prime windows and sliding doors.” (1985). ANSI/AAMA 101‐85, American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA), Ill.
10.
Weidt, J. and Weidt, J. (1980). “Air leakage of newly installed residential windows.” Report No. LBL 11111, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories, National Technical Information Service, Springfield, Va.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Copyright
Copyright © 1992 ASCE.
History
Published online: Feb 1, 1992
Published in print: Feb 1992
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Citations
Download citation
If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download.