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high winds cause annoying sound through window

high winds cause annoying sound through window


  #1  
Old 01-03-10, 08:47 AM
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high winds cause annoying sound through window

I apologize for my lack of terminology. New house, vinyl windows, top window pulls down. Bottom window push up. A tilt out bottom pane. Killer winds cause whistling/swooshing sound through one window. Stops when push against bottom window. Looks like bottom window is missing "furry" line of insulation along the vertical left side of window. Doesn't seem to leak during rain. Just makes noise during these 45 mph winds we're having.
 
  #2  
Old 01-03-10, 09:19 AM
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If you can't get a "furry" replacement at home depot or a hardware store, contact the window manufacturer.
 
  #3  
Old 01-03-10, 01:02 PM
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Double hung windows don't seal as tight as a casement window. I built my house using mostly used single pane double hung windows and new storm windows. I never heard the wind whistle thru my windows until this past Christmas day - we had 40 mph winds with 80 mph gusts

If there is a piece of weatherstripping missing, try and find a replacement for it but it might just be a product of excessively high winds.
 
  #4  
Old 01-03-10, 01:22 PM
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It would be unusual for a window to be missing a piece of weatherstrip, but certainly possible. It could have something to do with the window being installed out of square, or it could be spread in the center, which would cause loose areas around the sash. But even if everything is installed properly and no missing weatherstrip you can still get some wind noise on windows. It sounds a bit like a kazoo... or when you wrap a comb in paper and make noise through it. It's usually the center plastic fin of the weatherstrip that vibrates as air pressure passes rapidly past it.

Windows are made to pass air pressure tests, but this is simply to give them a rating of how well they did on the test at that particular wind speed- no residential window is 100% air tight.
 
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Old 01-03-10, 02:48 PM
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thankyou

Thank you so much for all the responses. I think it may be more a product of extreme high winds, as I have never heard this sound before, and our winds are rolling at around 45 mph and higher right now. And it was described perfectly by Xsleeper: like a kazoo!

I am going to investigate all the suggestions: the squaring, the weatherstripping issue on the left side and the "spread in the center," which I must admit I am still not very clear on, but will try to figure it out..
 
  #6  
Old 01-03-10, 03:33 PM
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Easiest way to check the frame and sashes for square is to compare the diagonal measurements of the window. But a less technical way is to just open the windows a crack... until you can see light beneath the window. If the gap is straight, the window is likely square. You can check this on top and bottom. If the sash isn't square with the bottom of the frame, it can allow more air than usual up the sides of the frame, an effect known as "channelling". Nothing to do with the spirit world, however.

If the window is spread in the center, you can easily tell with a tape measure. Open the window a little and measure the distance between the frame on both sides, near the bottom of the frame. (It should be roughly 1/8" bigger than the window sash is.) Whatever that measurement is, it should be exactly the same when compared to the measurement in the middle, and at the top. If the center is wider, then the weatherstrip is not being compressed as tight as it should be against the sashes. You should check this measurement on the inside edge of the frame, and also on the outside, since one side could be fine while the other side could be spread. If you determine it is spread, you can usually fix the interior side with shims, but if the outside is spread, it might require removing/reinstalling the window if you determine it is bad enough to require a repair.
 
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Old 01-04-10, 05:19 AM
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Yes, see the section "air leakage" at Energy Savers: Energy Performance Ratings for Windows, Doors, and Skylights It's a common misconception that houses / windows can be made air tight, or that you should not expect some air leakage when it's windy. Wind exerts great pressure on a house, creating high and low pressure areas. And air flows from High pressure to Low. Pretty hard to stop physics. Certain construction techniques can make houses MORE efficient in this area, but not 100% efficient. At some point the wind wins.
 
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Old 01-04-10, 06:09 AM
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I do have a friend who had 4 new windows missing weatherstripping. He was checking his two year old windows as he sensed a draft. Blew out the match he was using. Checked the 4 year old ones that were replace first and no problem. Further inspection and discovered a weather seal was missing on the newer units. Ok on the first batch. Lumber yard sent out a tech and replaced the missing seal.

FYI
Bud
 
 

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