What 50°C does to aluminium windows on site has ceased being a theoretical question in India. This is the reality on many sites during peak summer, every day. And at 45–50°C, aluminium windows are no longer passive elements. They react. How they respond is entirely based on how the system was designed, fabricated, and installed.
We’ve watched as this dynamic plays out across projects at GREFET. Summer doesn’t create problems. It exposes them.
What 50 degrees does to Aluminium Profiles
Aluminium expands when heated. That part is basic physics. What most projects fail to grasp is just how much this expansion means at scale.
At 50°C:
- Profiles expand lengthwise and laterally
- Sections such as the latter, when poorly designed begin to bind within frames
- Tight tolerances disappear fast
That leads to shutters feeling tight, scraping or stopping their smooth sliding when it comes to non-system or improvised windows. In a sound system, expansion has already been dealt with via profile geometry, clearances and joint design.
What Does 50°C Do to Hardware and Moving Parts?
Under extreme heat, hardware is often the first to complain.
Issues of common sites during peak summer:
- Hinges and rollers developing resistance
- Locks going out of alignment
- Sliding systems losing glide smoothness
This isn’t even a hardware brand issue. It’s a system problem. If you haven’t accounted for thermal movement as part of load paths and tolerances, hardware absorbs those stresses.
Gaskets and Seals: What 50°C Does to Them
Gaskets do the heavy lifting in terms of performance; they just don’t get as much recognition. Heat is their biggest enemy.
Under sustained high temperatures:
- Low-grade gaskets harden or shrink
- Air-tightness drops
- Sudden summer storms can make water-tightness a hit-or-miss proposition
High insulation is designed around gasket performance at extreme temperature, not just room conditions.
What 50°C Tells Us About Installation Quality
Summer heat amplifies installation errors.
At high temperatures:
- Tensioning frames too tightly can transmit stress into the structure
- Absence of expansion gaps means frame distortion
- Joints that are over-foamed or packed tightly, on the other hand will break or deform
Good systems let the window move independent of the building. Poor installations make the window battle the structure.
The Effect of 50°C on Glass and Glazing Interfaces
Glass itself can handle heat. The interface often can’t.
Problems typically show up as:
- Stress on glazing beads
- Sealant failure around glass edges
- Noise or vibration upon rapid temperature change
This is how a system should be designed to be one assembly. The performance of glass is contingent upon the manner in which the frame supports it when subjected to thermal stress.
Why Summer Is the Ultimate Test of Window Design
Everything looks good in winter, almost. In summer, nothing hides.
At 50°C, aluminium windows either:
- Continue operating quietly, or
- Raise your voice with noise, resistance, leakage and complaints
That difference is not accidental. It’s designed.
The GREFET View
At GREFET, we create system aluminium windows keeping Indian site conditions like extreme summer heat in mind. The system incorporates thermal movement, gasket behaviour, hardware loads and installation realities from day one. Because correct window design, construction, and installation can make 50°C just another day on site.
