Balcony spaces are increasingly being used today as living or working spaces. Before you start to exploit this territory, you need to provide optimal conditions for this.
They solve this problem with the help of glazing loggias. Today there are several options for such structures, among which the most popular is the arrangement of cold systems.
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Today, designs for solving such problems can be divided into 2 types:
Frameless glazing systems are mechanisms in which adhesives are used to connect individual parts of an insulating glass unit. They lack the concept of a frame, since its role is played by the upper and lower guides. Cold glazing of balconies of this type has several advantages, among which are practicality, a wide view and the ability to access the doors that open inward
Balcony systems with take-out. Such designs involve fixing the frame on a special frame, which protrudes slightly from the plane of the base edge. Thus, the space expands and the product has a higher practical value.
As a frame for the installation of such frames, aluminum metal structures are used, which are fixed to the base with the help of several anchors or brackets.
Advantages and disadvantages
Cold glazing is very popular nowadays, as it allows you to get very high-quality protection of the room from external irritants (rain, wind, etc.).
Among the positive aspects of these products, several characteristics can be distinguished:
- High structural strength. Systems can withstand significant loads with a relatively low weight.
- A beautiful and original design that allows you to adapt the product to any interior design.
- Low cost of materials and installation.
- Resistance to fire (applies in most cases to metal frames).
- Long service life without loss of basic characteristics.
- Minimum base load. Such frames are made of lightweight profiles and thin glass units.
- Possibility of installation on a balcony or loggia of any size.
- Safety for humans. All materials are made from environmentally friendly substances that do not emit toxic substances into the air.
Some disadvantages:
- The construction of such systems often takes place using an aluminum profile, which has some negative properties:
- Low heat retention. This leads to the fact that the indoor temperature can be maintained 11-13 degrees higher than outside. In winter, this leads to uncomfortable conditions and the inability to stay indoors for a long time.
- Low sound insulation, resulting in the penetration of noise into the room.
- The lack of complete tightness leads to freezing of the frame and glass in winter. This excludes the possibility of full-fledged operation of the window sashes and the entire room as a whole.
Compare the two opposites
Many balcony owners believe that installing cold glazing will not work as the system is relatively ineffective. But this is a misconception, as these barriers do their job well.
To understand the difference between warm and cold glazing, several important characteristics need to be compared:
- Heat saving. Here, balconies made of plastic have an advantage, since they prevent a sharp drop in temperature inside the room under external influences. But it should be understood that such an indicator can be achieved only by additional insulation of the walls, ceiling and floor. Please note that if you do not plan to use a balcony or loggia as a living space, then aluminum elements are perfect for you.
- Cost. The price of cold glazing is much lower than its warm counterpart.
- Expandable space. In this case, both options do quite well, but they solve different problems. Warm glazing is used to form part of the room from the balcony, and in another case, the room is suitable for storing food or as a small home warehouse.
Please note that when using metal-plastic frames, windows sweat a lot, which leads to the need to install additional ventilation or manually adjust this value.
Popular materials
Cold glazing is only a structure that does not retain heat well. But this does not tie the manufacturer to the specific product from which it is obtained.
Today, such a system can be performed using the following materials:
- Aluminum. The profile of this substance is one of the most popular in the manufacture of cold systems. The material is distinguished not only by its high strength, but also by its resistance to corrosion. This minimizes the care of its surface, allowing a person not to think about maintaining its condition.
- Wood. This substance was previously used very often when installing this type of balcony surfaces. The product has better sound insulation characteristics. Wooden frames are gradually losing their relevance, as they need constant maintenance (painting, etc.), which in some cases is almost impossible (painting the outside at a height is a very difficult process).
PVC. Metal-plastic is mainly used today to form warm systems, but still, some profile modifications allow you to get cold glazing options. This type includes structures with sliding doors. Some experts refer these products to the so-called semi-warm glazing
A special type of cold structures are frameless systems, which are actually not equipped with a profile. Here, aluminum frames are also used as supports, and the surface itself is formed from special types of glass. To form the opening doors, special hinges are used, in which the glass door is fixed.
Improvement of technical characteristics
Many owners of cold balconies need additional insulation. A similar problem can be solved by replacing and additionally finishing the premises. This process is carried out according to two main schemes:
- complete replacement of front glass from the outside;
- insulation by installing several more layers of glass.
- The algorithm for replacing external structural elements can be divided into several stages:
- Dismantling of pre-installed glazing.
- Installation of special thermal insulating inserts, which can be made of different substances.
- Replacing the shutters with their warm counterparts and installing multi-layer glass units.
To obtain the optimal effect, many experts recommend additionally insulating the base of the balcony and all points of cold penetration.
Installation
The installation algorithm for such systems can be broken down into several sequential steps:
- Initially, the premises are prepared. In this case, you need to remove the old frames (if any) and clean the room of debris, dust and other elements. It is imperative to take care of sealing all cracks and holes that may be causes of a draft.
- At this stage, support bars (5 * 5 cm) are fixed to the fence and walls. In the future, an aluminum profile will be attached to them.
- The next step is to install the frame frame. Before proceeding with this operation, you should dismantle all windows and loose elements. You also need to first screw special strips to the base of the window at a distance of 70 cm from each other.
- When the frame is ready, it is placed on the support rails and leveled with wedges. Please note that the wireframe is equal in all planes and you should not move on to the next step until you are sure that everything is in the right way.
- After that, the frame is fixed to the support. For this, anchors are used, which are hammered into previously made holes in the wall. Upon completion of this operation, all gaps between the frame and the base are sealed. For such purposes, use a special polyurethane foam.
- The final stage is the installation of an ebb and a window sill. In this case, certain fasteners and fixing methods are used. At the end, all previously dismantled elements are hung in place.
We evaluate the features of mechanisms
Window structures of this type are manufactured using special technologies.
Among the whole variety of such systems, several main manufacturers of their individual elements should be distinguished, which make it possible to obtain a reliable product:
- Provedal. The Spanish company launches a high-quality aluminum profile on the market, which is very popular in our country. The materials are distinguished by their long service life and reliability.
- Among the manufacturers of accessories, experts recommend paying attention to such manufacturers as Sobinco (Belgium), GU (Germany) and Roto (Germany).
- Also worth noting is Gese (Italy), which produces reinforced hinges, Dorma (Germany) and Tormax (Switzerland), which produce high-quality door closers and drive systems. Judging by the reviews, the products of these brands are of the highest quality.
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