Air leaks: how can you check whether they are a construction defect?
Sometimes, even though the windows installed in your home are of perfectly good quality, the installation was faulty, causing air to get in around the frame or even creating thermal bridges.
It is usually the homeowner who first notices these deficiencies, finding that air comes in through the window when it is windy, a nuisance whistling noise, and the excessive cost of heating or cooling the home because of these leaks.
But are these nuisances normal, or is the installation genuinely faulty?
If you think this is your case, we recommend having an expert visit your home to carry out a series of checks.
The tests the expert can carry out include thermographic surveys. Thermography is a technique that makes it possible to measure and determine temperatures remotely, accurately and without physical contact with the object being studied. In this case it serves to confirm air leaks through the windows (by showing the temperature differences between the various wall surfaces).
In addition to the checks with the thermal camera, simple tests can be carried out (holding up a lighter, a sheet of paper held vertically, etc.) to confirm that air is getting in. It is also advisable to carry out an exploratory opening, or even to remove the window, to see how it was installed.
The faulty installation of a window, which causes air leaks and thermal bridges, is considered a habitability defect (under article 3.1.c of the LOE), and therefore gives rise to liability on the part of the parties involved in the construction. The defects covered by that article are those which, without compromising the stability of the property, affect the quality or the conditions of use or habitability of the building. This damage must arise within 3 years of completion of the building, and the claim must be brought within two years of the damage becoming apparent.
Any questions?