The Knock Inside the Window
Everything looks solid during calm weather.
Then a Bournemouth gale hits the glass and a dull tapping starts inside the window. Push against the pane by hand and the noise disappears.
The hinges are not necessarily loose. The frame might be perfectly secure.
The sealed glass unit itself can be moving inside the sash.
Glass Needs Support Inside the Frame
A double-glazed unit does not simply sit loose inside a uPVC glazing rebate.
Small plastic glazing packers support and position the sealed unit inside the sash. They maintain clearance between the edge of the glass and the surrounding profile while transferring the weight of the unit into the correct areas of the frame.
The glazing beads and gaskets then retain the unit and provide the correct pressure around its faces.
A displaced, missing or incorrectly positioned packer can leave unwanted movement inside that system.
Wind Exposes the Movement
Large panes take considerable wind pressure.
Exposed Bournemouth properties make the problem easier to hear. Wind loads the glass in one direction, the pressure drops, then another gust hits it again.
A poorly supported sealed unit can shift fractionally inside the glazing rebate.
That tiny movement is enough to create a knock as the edge of the IGU contacts a hard packer or surrounding profile. Continued movement can also load the sealed-unit edge rather than supporting the glass correctly.
Ignoring the noise risks turning a packing problem into damaged glazing.
Take the Beads Out and Check the Pack
Remove the glazing beads carefully using the correct glazing shovel or suitable non-damaging tools.
Support the glass before disturbing any existing packers. Inspect the rebate for missing, displaced or crushed blocks and check the clearance around the complete sealed unit.
Use proper glazing packers of the correct thickness to support and locate the IGU without creating glass-to-frame contact.
Packers need positioning correctly rather than simply wedging plastic into whichever corner feels loose. Incorrect packing can distort the sash or place concentrated loads against the glass edge.
Refit the beads and gaskets securely, then check the unit for movement.
The glass should sit supported and stable inside the frame.
Trade Counter Supplies
A rattling pane does not automatically mean the entire window needs replacing.
Bring your glass sizes, existing packers or window details into DWC Trade Windows at 78 Alma Road, Bournemouth. Our trade counter team can help with glazing packers, replacement sealed units and the tools needed to glaze the window correctly.
Call us on 01202 533126 for help with window glazing and repair supplies in Bournemouth.
