cavendum.e...@gmail.com
Oct 20, 2016, 1:30:04 PM10/20/16
to Passive House Northwest
Is there a homeowner out there with Zola windows that's found a way to mount the supplied screens without damaging the window seals (see below)? Thanks in advance for any leads, or parts sources for screen mounts!
C
As supplied the Zola screen mounts have several design flaws:
1. There are no lift tabs installed. That means the screens have to be installed from the outside of the building. While only annoying for my one-story building, I can’t imagine homeowners with multi-story buildings being happy having to climb a ladder to simply add or remove a screen. How the lack of lift tabs does affect me is that from the outside I can’t see what the mounts are doing to the windows themselves as they are placed. The reason that’s important is made clear below.
2. Here’s what the screen mounts looked like as delivered. They're punched out flat metal strips sort-of screwed into the screen extrusion, one to each corner. As manufactured the edges of these metal strips are sharp.
3. The mounts can easily dislodge the window seals.
4. If the installer should manage to get the mounts placed without dislodging the seals, the sharp edges of the mounts cut into the seal material itself. When closed, the window itself then presses the edges of the mounts further against the seals. Moving the seal away from the window so it can't do its job.
5. When the window is closed, the inside of the metal mount is pressed back against the finished surface of the window surround. As the screen moves around in the wind, that can in turn damage the finish of the window exteriors. And in my case being less than a mile from Puget Sound, Zola does not provide a warranty on window exteriors. Catch 22?
6. There are mounts only at the four corners of each screen. Unless the window is small, the long edges of the screens are not held against the window frame, resulting in a gap between the screen seal and the window surround surface. So insects can enter the window along the sides. So the screens don’t really work anyway as delivered by the manufacturer.
I did find one mount design (Euroline) that clips under an exterior seal properly but I don't know how to make it work with Zola screens. :[
IMO, homeowners should add the screen design to their window selection criteria. I made the mistake of assuming that window screens were a non-issue (ah, a no brainer?). In fact they can have a direct impact on the performance and longevity of the windows.
C
As supplied the Zola screen mounts have several design flaws:
1. There are no lift tabs installed. That means the screens have to be installed from the outside of the building. While only annoying for my one-story building, I can’t imagine homeowners with multi-story buildings being happy having to climb a ladder to simply add or remove a screen. How the lack of lift tabs does affect me is that from the outside I can’t see what the mounts are doing to the windows themselves as they are placed. The reason that’s important is made clear below.
2. Here’s what the screen mounts looked like as delivered. They're punched out flat metal strips sort-of screwed into the screen extrusion, one to each corner. As manufactured the edges of these metal strips are sharp.
3. The mounts can easily dislodge the window seals.
4. If the installer should manage to get the mounts placed without dislodging the seals, the sharp edges of the mounts cut into the seal material itself. When closed, the window itself then presses the edges of the mounts further against the seals. Moving the seal away from the window so it can't do its job.
5. When the window is closed, the inside of the metal mount is pressed back against the finished surface of the window surround. As the screen moves around in the wind, that can in turn damage the finish of the window exteriors. And in my case being less than a mile from Puget Sound, Zola does not provide a warranty on window exteriors. Catch 22?
6. There are mounts only at the four corners of each screen. Unless the window is small, the long edges of the screens are not held against the window frame, resulting in a gap between the screen seal and the window surround surface. So insects can enter the window along the sides. So the screens don’t really work anyway as delivered by the manufacturer.
I did find one mount design (Euroline) that clips under an exterior seal properly but I don't know how to make it work with Zola screens. :[
IMO, homeowners should add the screen design to their window selection criteria. I made the mistake of assuming that window screens were a non-issue (ah, a no brainer?). In fact they can have a direct impact on the performance and longevity of the windows.
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