Noisy windows

We have large windows on the front of our house. (4X5 and 4x6) The problem is, when the wind blows hard, the window glass flexes, causing the windows to "squeek." There seems to be styrofoam type material that the glass is sealed against on the inside of the window. I can push on the window and make it squeek, even when the wind is not blowing. What can be done about this? It can be very irritating on windy days.

Thanks in advance
Andy

 

They are Summit brand vinyl windows. It seems like the noise comes from the glass moving against the styrofoam. The noise sounds like sand blowing against the glass. The noise also occurs when the sun comes out from behind the clouds, but then it is usually just a few "pops."

Thanks Andy

Andy

 

Well, that a new one on me....the glass in most vinyls is set right in against the vinyl on a welded sash, sometimes with clear silicone as a sealent, or with a mechanical sash, they generally use a "U" shaped rubber strip called marine glazing to set the glass in. The exception to this is on some picture units I've seen, they use a foam rubber ( but not styrofoam ) with an adhesive strip as a seal for the glass

Do you have a local distributor for those windows ( I don't know the brand) that you could ask about this ?

And is it possible a keeper strip for the glass is loose or missing ?

I just can't imagine a manufacturer making something loose enough to allow the glass to move that much.....

 

Andy -- Tn... Andy, that is -- Summit windows are made just 150 miles or so south of Bend OR Andy, and about 175 miles north of me. (Thank god I'm Mike, or this could REALLY get confusing!!) In my opinion, they are a pretty low end window. The fact that Bend OR Andy's windows "squeek" when the wind blows really doesn't surprise me. If he lived 100 miles or so farther north, in the Gorge, he would be driven absolutely nuts by these windows (the wind ALWAYS blows there!!). At least in Bend, it only blows about half as often!

Andy -- Bend OR Andy, that is -- Contact Summit at summitwindows.com -- pretty sure your local dealer will be a local lumber yard. One "fix" would be to remove the retainers, pull the IG (glass) units, and run a bead of clear silicon aound the "styrofoam" (not really sure exactly what they use) bedding, then reinstall the IG units. Might work -- might not. The other "fix" would be to replace the Summits with EPI windows. (I know -- very few things that come out of Portland are worth looking at, but, ...)

 

Thanks Andy and Lefty, I will contact Summit and see if they will take care of the problem before I go and do something to void the warranty. The clear silicone is the same "fix" that I had come up with. You are right about the Gorge and the wind there. Luckily, it is mainly a Spring-time event here.
Thanks again,
Andy