Installation of ebbs for metal-plastic structures

Low tide or drainage bar is a window detail that is located outside the room and is mounted in the lower part of the opening. The main function of this bar is protective. Low tide protects the mounting seam, part of the wall and the foundation from getting excess moisture. Thanks to him, rain or melt water that falls on the window does not come into contact with the mounting seam, but flows away from the house. Naturally, this is true only for the correct setting of the low tide.

What are the tides: design features and materials of manufacture

The low tide design is simple. It consists of a wall part (mounting plate), a drainage shelf and a drip tray. The drainage bar is mounted outside the room, on the lower side of the window block.

Consider the functions of each part of the ebb:

• With the help of the wall part, the ebb is attached to the base. In fact, it's just a bent—up part of the drainage bar.
• The drainage shelf is the widest part, thanks to which water is discharged.
• The drip part of the ebb is the lower, curved edge that directs the water.

On the side of the vertical slopes of the window at the drainage, side slats are sometimes formed or special overlays are added. Some installers simply put the edges of the ebb into the groove of the wall.

Water drains are mass produced from galvanized steel. However, if desired, you can order an ebb from plastic or aluminum. A protective layer of polymers (powder coating) is applied to the steel castings. The metal protected in this way will last longer — the polymer will protect it from corrosion. Such tides are the most economical at a price, not to the detriment of the quality of drainage and durability.

Sometimes customers choose tides made of ceramic blocks or tiles. All the features are discussed when placing an order. In order for the drainage to last a long time and perform its function as efficiently as possible, entrust the installation of complex structures to a professional.

Important design features

The usual low tide is a metal bar up to 6 meters long. Before installation, you need to measure the width of the window opening and make the ebb a little longer — about 20-30 mm. Further adjustment takes place already when the low tide is set. The metal bar can easily be adjusted to the width of the opening by cutting off the excess with metal scissors. Fitting in size does not cause difficulties even for inexperienced installation masters.

Also important features include the width of the drainage shelf (it is also the depth of the low tide) and its angle of inclination. You can order almost any configuration, and the width of the shelf depends on the depth of the window opening. But if you take measurements yourself, consult with specialists.

On average, the depth of the ebb is advised to calculate so that the drainage protrudes beyond the wall of the building by 4-5 cm. This distance is enough not only to drain water from the mounting seam, but also for the relative dryness of the foundation of the structure itself.

The angle of the drainage helps to accelerate the outflow of water. A horizontal bar will only accumulate unnecessary water, and a tilt towards the window will spoil the mounting seam and lead to stagnation of moisture, which is detrimental to the structure. The optimal slope is considered to be about 10-20 °.

Rules for the installation of drainage

If you decide to mount the ebb yourself, then the main thing will be a reliable attachment of the ebb to the window structure and careful sealing of this connection.

The main stages of installation:

• Measure the window opening and shorten the bar to the desired size
• If there is a support profile on the window structure, treat it with a sealant for better protection from moisture (if there is no such profile, attach the drainage to the frame)

Pay attention! The low tide is attached to the frame only under the drainage holes, otherwise the bar will block the condensate outlet. Sealing of the joint is mandatory!

• The drainage is wound up under the profile of the frame and inserted into a special groove until it clicks.
• The bar is fixed with screws.

Pay attention! It is very important to equip the space under the low tide according to DSTU standards. According to this regulatory document, the mounting seam, which will be hidden by the low tide, is covered with a vapor-permeable tape (it additionally protects the seam from moisture ingress, but does not prevent condensate from escaping from the seam outside). Even under low tide, it is possible to strengthen the thermal insulation and sound insulation of the structure with foam or other materials.

Now, knowing all the features described in the article, you can install standard drainage systems yourself. But the manufacture and installation of non-standard options, trust the professionals! 

You can order a high-quality professional installation of metal-plastic windows by following the link