PVC Solid Vinyl Windows - Warping Complaints & Solutions
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Warping or shrinkage problems in vinyl or PVC windows: causes
Role of installation, weather, color, climate in vinyl or PVC window warping
How to control warping in vinyl windows
Expansion and contraction problems with vinyl PVC windows
Proper location of shims and screws to avoid warped vinyl or PVC windows
Solar Age Magazine Articles on Renewable Energy, Energy Savings, Construction Practices

Solid PVC or Vinyl Windows: this article discusses the cause and cure of warping in vinyl or PVC (polyvinyl chloride) windows.

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Warping PVC Vinyl Windows, Cause & Prevention

Readers should also see VINYL WINDOWS for details about PVC windows and their proper selection and installation , and see WINDOWS & DOORS our home page for window and door information, and also see WINDOW TYPES - Photo Guide for a photographic guide to window and door types and architectural styles.

The question-and-answer article below paraphrases, quotes-from, updates, and comments an original article, (see links at the end of this article) from Solar Age Magazine and written by Steven Bliss.

PVC Vinyl Window Warping Q&A

Question: What are the facts about the occurrence of shrinkage and warping in PVC or Solid Vinyl Windows?

I have heard some horror stories about shrinkage and warpage in extruded PVC (polyvinyl chloride) windows.

Can you get some factual information on solid vinyl window shrinking or warping problems? - Roy Berger, Architect Roy Berger and Sun, Des Moines IA

Answer:

Problems in PVC or vinyl windows can be due to manufacturing or installation procedures, window color, or climate.

According to veteran plastic window maker Dan McCleary (Rehau Plastics, Leesburg VA in 1985), problems in solid vinyl or extruded PVC vinyl windows in the mid 1980's and how vinyl window shrinkage or warping problems were avoided were described:

PVC window units with welded corners can resist the stresses of thermal expansion better than vinyl windows whose components are screwed together with a metal bracket.

Holes punched out of the vinyl window frame for hardware or mounting screws were also a weak point - if the holes were badly punched or were too small, cracks could occur.

PVC (Vinyl) window warpage can be controlled by embedding a steel or aluminum bar inside the window frame, but this approach was considered limited by the size of the window frame. Many of the modern windows in the 1980's had a very narrow sight line - the amount of window frame that extends into the rough opening - which limits the size of metal bar that could be installed.

Window sash and frame color are another factor in PVC Window expansion problems. White or beige vinyl expands less than dark colored PVC because it absorbs less solar radiation.

According to McCleary, vinyl window color is not a problem north of the 50th Parallel in Canada and through most of Europe.

Some solid vinyl window manufacturers use white vinyl for the window core and add a thin overlay of pigmented vinyl that can move around (in response to thermal changes) without damaging the window.

Expansion and contraction problems in windows will be worse if the windows do not have room in their rough opening to expand or contract. Shims and setting screws used to install windows should be placed at least 8 inches back from the window corners to avoid these problems.

This article is reprinted/adapted/excerpted with permission from Solar Age Magazine - editor Steven Bliss.

Original aritcle

Q&A: Warped PVC Windows? - PDF version; use your browser's back button to return to this page. Original article, Solar Age Magazine, October 1985, adapted and updated for InspectAPedia.com December 2010.

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VINYL / PVC WINDOW WARPING - see detailed links at page left

Solar Age Magazine was the official publication of the American Solar Energy Society. The contemporary solar energy magazine associated with the Society is Solar Today. "Established in 1954, the nonprofit American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is the nation's leading association of solar professionals & advocates. Our mission is to inspire an era of energy innovation and speed the transition to a sustainable energy economy. We advance education, research and policy. Leading for more than 50 years. ASES leads national efforts to increase the use of solar energy, energy efficiency and other sustainable technologies in the U.S. We publish the award-winning SOLAR TODAY magazine, organize and present the ASES National Solar Conference and lead the ASES National Solar Tour – the largest grassroots solar event in the world."
Steven Bliss served as editorial director and co-publisher of The Journal of Light Construction for 16 years and previously as building technology editor for Progressive Builder and Solar Age magazines. He worked in the building trades as a carpenter and design/build contractor for more than ten years and holds a masters degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Excerpts from his recent book, Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, Wiley (November 18, 2005) ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, appear throughout this website, with permission and courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Best Practices Guide is available from the publisher, J. Wiley & Sons, and also at Amazon.com.
Excerpts with updates and annotations expanding the original Best Practices Guide text can be found in the online review and book summary at BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE and also at DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION, at INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE, and in other articles found at InspectAPedia.com such as HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS, SOUND CONTROL in buildings, and other topics.
Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education including the ASHI-adopted Home Inspection Training Program (home study course), publications such as the Home Reference Book, report writing materials including the Horizon report writer, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
Passive Solar Design Handbook Volume I, the Passive Solar Handbook Introduction to Passive Solar Concepts, in a version used by the U.S. Air Force - online version available at this link and from the USAF also at wbdg.org/ccb/AF/AFH/pshbk_v1.pdf
Passive Solar Design Handbook Volume II, the Passive Solar Handbook Comprehensive Planning Guide, in a version used by the U.S. Air Force - online version available at this link and from the USAF also at wbdg.org/ccb/AF/AFH/pshbk_v2.pdf [This is a large PDF file that can take a while to load]
Passive Solar Handbook Volume III, the Passive Solar Handbook Programming Guide, in a version used by the U.S. Air Force - online version available at this link and from the USAF also at wbdg.org/ccb/AF/AFH/pshbk_v3.pdf
The Passive Solar Design and Construction Handbook, Steven Winter Associates (Author), Michael J. Crosbie (Editor), Wiley & Sons, ISBN 978-047118382 or 0471183083 is available at Amazon.com and via the The Passive Solar Design and Construction Handbook, Steven Winter Associates (Author), Michael J. Crosbie (Editor), Wiley & Sons, ISBN 978-047118382 or 0471183083 is available at Amazon.com and via the InspectAPedia Bookstore
"Passive Solar Home Design", U.S. Department of Energy, describes using a home's windows, walls, and floors to collect and store solar energy for winter heating and also rejecting solar heat in warm weather.
"Solar Water Heaters", U.S. Department of Energy article on solar domestic water heaters to generate domestic hot water in buildings, explains how solar water heaters work. Solar heat for swimming pools is also discussed.
"Heat Exchangers for Solar Water Heating Systems", U.S. DOE describes the types of solar water heater heat exchange methods between the sun and the building's hot water supply
"Heat-Transfer Fluids for Solar Water Heating Systems", U.S. DOE, describes the types of fluids selected to transfer heat between the solar collector and the hot water in storage tanks in a building. These include air, water, water with glycol antifreeze mixtures (needed when using solar hot water systems in freezing climates), hydrocarbon oils, and refrigerants or silicones for heat transfer.
"Solar Water Heating System Maintenance and Repair", U.S. DOE
"Solar Water Heating System Freeze Protection", U.S. DOE,using antifreeze mixture in solar water heaters (or other freeze-resistant heat transfer fluids), as well as piping to permit draining the solar collector and piping system.
"Scaling and Corrosion in Solar Water Heating Systems", U.S. DOE
www.energysavers.gov/your_home/water_heating/index.cfm/mytopic=12850 is the base U.S. DOE website for these articles
"Active Solar Heating Systems", U.S. Department of Energy, including
"Radiant Heating Systems" U.S. DOE
"Absorption Heat Pumps & Coolers", U.S. DOE
"Solar Air Heating" U.S. DOE also referred to as "Ventilation Preheating" in which solar systems use air for absorbing and transferring solar energy or heat to a building
"Solar Liquid Heating" U.S. DOE, systems using liquid (typically water) in flat plate solar collectors to collect solar energy in the form of heat for transfer into a building for space heating or hot water heating. The term "solar liquid" is used for accuracy, rather than "solar water" because the water may contain an antifreeze or other chemicals.

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Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, Wiley (November 18, 2005) ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, appear throughout this website, with permission and courtesy of Wiley & Sons. Best Practices Guide is available from the publisher, J. Wiley & Sons, and also at Amazon.com.
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Warping PVC Vinyl Windows, Cause & Prevention

PVC Vinyl Window Warping Q&A

Question: What are the facts about the occurrence of shrinkage and warping in PVC or Solid Vinyl Windows?

Original aritcle

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