UPVC- Heat expansion?

[Paper Plane]

Our white UPVC conservatory is in full sun from around lunchtime until sunset. Whilst this is very nice, I wonder if the material expands much in the heat. The door gets very stiff towards the end of the day and I have had to adjust the hang recently as it wouldn't close without a lot effort, lifting and banging mainly.

The house is now about 15 years old and we bought it new, with the conservatory already installed.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

steve

 

[Boycie83]

We have issues with our doors expanding in the heat and my parents experience similar at their house. Typically with the south facing doors. I remedy the issue with some applied mechanical bias.

 

[Vacumatic]

I found that the hinges on UPVC doors need some very careful setting up and if the door has been slammed a couple of times or sprained in the other direction then this can knock the hinges out of whack. My door wasnt perfectly square to the frame, despite having three hinges. The adjusters looked complicated so I ended up bringing in an expert.

I also nipped up any screw I could find including the screws securing the frame to the wall and used a rubber mallet on any part of the frame that was catching.

eta, I have just read a window installers site and they say that UPVC doors and windows can expand by up to 2.4 centimetres in very hot weather. I would have thought that is a ridiculous amont, at 2.4 cm the seals would fail and there would be buckling, does that make sense to you?

 

[Holyzeus]

Thermal expansion will affect them
You could adjust the hinges but don’t go mad, you’ll have similar trouble once they’ve cooled down

 

[p.b]

2.4cm would be 1% on a 2.4m door. That’s perfectly reasonable and much less than aluminium.

 

[sev-8]

2.4cm would be 1% on a 2.4m door. That’s perfectly reasonable and much less than aluminium.

I've been suggested to get aluminium windows and (I think) bi-folds as part of my extension. How much do they expand?

 

[Vacumatic]

If UPVC is used on bifolds heat variation can cause the material to expand and contract, which can make the doors difficult to open, fold and close, similar to wood. It is said that aluminium as a material for frames ensures they remain resistant to flex, twist, expansion and contraction with heat variation and a benefit of aluminium is that it can be used to manufacture bifolding doors for corner posts or for bay windows,

 

[p.b]

If UPVC is used on bifolds heat variation can cause the material to expand and contract, which can make the doors difficult to open, fold and close, similar to wood. It is said that aluminium as a material for frames ensures they remain resistant to flex, twist, expansion and contraction with heat variation and a benefit of aluminium is that it can be used to manufacture bifolding doors for corner posts or for bay windows,

Agreed. Aluminium is more stable and thinking about it, I was thinking more about much higher temperatures. I think stainless steel exhaust pipe expand about 5% at their operating temps. Alu doors would be fine.

 

[Shave to the grave]

Thermal expansion will affect them
You could adjust the hinges but don’t go mad, you’ll have similar trouble once they’ve cooled down

Defo!