UPVC windows as rooflights?

[Paul200]

I'm due to start building a workshop this year and have just been offered a set of upvc patio doors, 4 x 1m square plain upvc windows and 8 x 1m square upvc windows with opening toplights. These are currently in a conservatory in a neighbours house - they've decided to turn it into a proper, roofed extension.

Has anyone on here successfully used/altered plain upvc windows as rooflights? I'm sure someone asked the same question last year but I can't find the post. Not sure on roof covering yet but I'm open to suggestions that would work with the windows. Roof is to be double pitch.

Thanks

Paul

 

[RobinBHM]

I cant quite see how it would be possible for the frame to allow water to drain out. Upvc windows generally have some form of drainage, either concealed base drainage -most likely on a conservatory window or face drainage where windows have no cill.

If fitted to a pitched roof the water will fill up the channel as the drsin point wont at the lowest point any more. I guess it may work if the windows are set so the underside of the franpme is higher than the roof covering, thst way you could drill more holes. Same thing applies with the frame rebate. Your best bet would be to make a dummy roof with a few bits of studwork set at your roof pitch and get a hose on the window and investigate the drain / leak path.

 

[Paul200]

Found it! new-member-of-the-group-and-my-planned-workshop-t98586.html

 

[Paul200]

I cant quite see how it would be possible for the frame to allow water to drain out. Upvc windows generally have some form of drainage, either concealed base drainage -most likely on a conservatory window or face drainage where windows have no cill.

If fitted to a pitched roof the water will fill up the channel as the drsin point wont at the lowest point any more. I guess it may work if the windows are set so the underside of the franpme is higher than the roof covering, thst way you could drill more holes. Same thing applies with the frame rebate. Your best bet would be to make a dummy roof with a few bits of studwork set at your roof pitch and get a hose on the window and investigate the drain / leak path.

Good point Robin - presumably if I take the DG unit out of the plastic frame and install it into a simple timber frame I'll have condensation problems inside the DG unit?

I'm not totally wedded to the idea of rooflights but with all this glassware being offered I just wondered if I could make more use of it. Having re-read the post I was looking for (link above) and thinking about the possible disasters that could happen with falling tree branches etc I think I'll ditch the idea. I'll probably be using 5 of the windows in the conventional way anyway so don't think I'll struggle for light.

Back to the drawing board.