Wall Damage from Wall and Window Leaks

On many low rise condo buildings, and most homes, the exterior walls to the second or third floors are constructed using wood framing. I use to be a big fan of wood framing as it offers much better insulation value. The problem with wood framing in exterior walls is the potential for water intrusion into the walls – a HUGE problem for your home or building. One of the big things our company constantly deals with in Florida, is water intrusion into a building, and it can come in buckets (pun intended!) through the roof, exterior wall finishes (such as stucco, siding, etc.) and windows (now you see the connection!).

It is VERY difficult for the average home owner to notice the ‘signs’ of water intrusion until it is too late. Usually, by the time the ‘signs’ appear, there is extensive damage. In a wood frame wall, every component that makes up the inside of the wall – wood wall studs, wood plywood sheathing, sheetrock, insulation – are all absorbent materials, so they HOLD the moisture in place thereby accelerating deterioration. Moisture in building materials can quickly destroy the structural integrity and nurture mold and insect infestation. Repairs for a home start at several thou$ands and can go into tens-of-thousands in very quickly. If you are a condo association, let me put it this way: one of our clients is a very small COA in Boca – 42 units – that we are making these exact repairs (framing, windows, roof, etc.). This association’s cost so far is over $200,000.00 and we are not close to being finished. We have only made absolutely necessary repairs; of the units we have made repairs to, the cost has ranged from $7,000 to $20,000 per condo unit. As I said, it’s hard to find the telltale ‘signs’ for anyone, but for a COA, its especially problematic because the association is having to rely on uninformed condo owners, and worse, renters, to tell you they have a problem.

Window Leak

It is easy to check if the bottom track was installed properly. Remove the sliding window, then take out the ‘frame sill track’ that is located under the sliding window and runs the entire length of the frame. The fasteners/screws will then be exposed. Take out one or two and see if the holes were back-caulked. If not, fix it yourself. Remove all the screws in the bottom track; fill the cavity with a quality caulk or seam sealer, then put the screws back in. When the screw is 1/8” out from being secured to the frame, add a dab of caulk under the head for good measure, and finish tightening. It is also a good idea to add some sealer to the corners and any seams in the frame you can detect. Then wipe off all excess and put the window back together again.

WALLS:
This one can be hard for the layman to understand – how water infiltration can occur thru the outside skin of the building envelope. But it happens much more often than you realize. One first has to understand that water is VERY intrusive. And the possible points of intrusion are many! Any protrusion along the stucco wall that impeds water run-off is a prime candidate to eventually create an opening for water intrusion: windows (if they stick out), window sills, stucco bands, ornamental designs, etc., are all candidates. And barely visible cracks in the stucco that can be created from building settlement are obviously points for water to seep in. Once the water gets behind the stucco, it makes contact with the building substrate (usually plywood) – as I said these are absorbent materials, like a sponge, and when they get wet they wick the moisture throughout (drywall can wick water up to 30”).

Roof Leak - Wall Damage

SIGNS:
For most of these telltale signs to show up, please keep in mind that there has to be enough excess water inside your wall that it is wicking out to the dry side (or in some extreme cases, running out). These signs can be water stains on the ceiling, sheetrock tape joints that have separated, the top of the baseboard has separated from the sheetrock leaving a crack, the sheetrock side ‘return’ to the windows at the bottom is separating from the window sill or there is light mold on the sheetrock in this area, hairline cracks in the outside stucco (often times near an impediment to water runoff such as window sills, stucco bands and other protruding trim).

I recently had one customer who had none of these signs, but by simple good fortune they found they had a serious problem – they inadvertently rubbed their hand against the wall and their wall was so wet inside that that the paint pealed right off the sheetrock. They cut a hole in the sheetrock and found the wall studs to be rotted half way thru. In another project we were working on, I have seen an entire wall, from corner to corner, not have one single wall stud that was not COMPLETELY rotted through. The only thing holding up the roof was the stucco and the side adjoining wall.

If you think you may have water intrusion into your wall, call someone. If you are a condo owner, call your association’s property manager or someone on the board. If you’re a homeowner, call a contractor who specializes in this kind of work. Get someone who is an expert. A lot of contractors will say they can fix water intrusion problems, but unless they have dealt with solving these problems for years, they do not know all the intricacies involved. And as always, with any contractor you hire, call their references.

INSTALLATION
For the window to withstand hurricane conditions, something similar to the 9,000 cycles of positive and negative air pressure they undergo in impact testing, the installation is every bit as important as the quality of the window.  Dave Olmstead, spokesman for PGT Industries in Venice, Florida, agrees that no matter how strong a window is the attachment to the building structure is critical. Olmstead says a window that is 53-inches by 76-inches would have 28 square feet of exposure, and with a wind speed of 146 mph from a category 4 hurricane would result in a load on the window equivalent to 1,958 pounds of pressure. For the window to perform correctly, the load has to be transferred to the building itself, which is done by using suitable anchors to transfer the load from the window or door frame to the rough opening without causing failure. Therefore, the installer needs to be knowledgeable in how to use this system and its different anchoring mechanisms.

Through the construction side of our business, we have had to make major repairs to structures as a result of poor window installations by other contractors – everything from using the wrong sealant to the extreme of installing regular windows instead of the hurricane impact windows the customer paid for. Something as small as the using the wrong sealant can cause significant damage to a home – rotting framing members, structural damage, mold, etc. Since leaks are often inside the walls long before a homeowner notices them inside the house, they are often not detected until there is major damage and then expensive repairs have to be made. This experience is invaluable for our installers. In addition to the installation training we give them, they get to experience firsthand the things that can go wrong with window and door installations and how to prevent them in the work that they do.

SECURITY, HEALTH & FINANCIAL BENEFITS
Benefits from impact-resistant windows extend beyond the storm belt to broader security and environmental concerns. Impact-resistant windows are considered to be security features because they are so difficult to penetrate or separate from their frames that they reduce break-ins, theft, and property damage. On top of physical and financial protection, impact-resistant windows also can preserve mental health. Who hasn’t been disturbed by car alarms, barking dogs or noisy neighbors?

“They do a good job of keeping outside noise outside,” Olmstead says. “With almost every homeowner, that’s the first thing they notice: How quiet the home [became]. Noise abatement is far more important than people realize.”

There are insurance breaks for new homes built with impact resistant windows, and for existing homes remodeled to include the tougher windows and frames. This discount can be as much as 50%. Check with your homeowner’s insurance carrier to see what kind of a discount is available.

THE CODE
The code basically breaks down the method to meet the higher window load requirements in two ways: the window itself, and its installation. It says that the impact resistant window must be able to withstand the “large missile impact” of a 9lb 2×4 hitting the window at a speed of 34 miles per hour without penetrating the window. The glass may break, but the opening must not be penetrated. In addition, the windows and doors  have to withstand 9,000 cycles of positive and negative air pressure, conditions in a real hurricane that could pull a regular windows right out of its frame.

THE WINDOW
To meet the penetration restriction, window manufacturers all use a similar type of impact window glass that’s much like a heavy duty car window. Florida’s best windows and doors manufacturing process is basically the same as it is with most window manufacturers: their design consists of a clear plastic interlayer sandwiched between two panes of glass. Two types of interlayer are used: Polyvinyl butyral (PVB) and SentryGlas Plus (SGP). The SGP is more rigid and less likely to tear than PVB. For that reason, some manufacturers use it in their larger windows, or those windows designed for the highest wind zones.

The glazing system is also an important factor: a silicone sealant that may be strong enough to hold the glass in place in a Zone 3 impact test, but would likely fail in a Zone 4 test, causing the window to fly out of its frame. Windows in the higher test category would instead use something more like a construction adhesive for its glazing system. “The difference, says Kurt Mendez of Florida’s Best, is between Elmer’s glue and super glue.”

Window manufacturers also reinforce the frames in order to meet requirements. Lawson Industries uses a one piece sill plate (this also helps to prevent water leaks into the home) and interlocking meeting rails which ties the sash together when shut. Heavier locks also place a role in meeting impact tests, as they can be critical on certain types of windows, such as casements. For a casement window, the only thing holding the window sash in place under negative pressure is the hinge on one side and the lock on the other.

Today, virtually all of the major window manufacturers make a high-grade, impact-resistant window that has been certified to meet protective standards. The current gold standard in testing is the Miami-Dade County hurricane impact test. Remember, it is your life and your property. Essentially all of Florida, and all the coastal regions of the United States should prepare for possible wind speeds of 110 mph or greater.

Get more information about purchasing impact windows.

Choose a Window

Before you decide on a manufacturer, it’s important to find the right window that fits your needs and wants. Not all manufacturers make all types of windows, so choosing a window first prevents you from being limited to the windows in any given manufacturers’ line.

When deciding on the perfect windows, take a little time to decide which features you need for your situation and which benefits you want to include in your new window purchase. A must for many homes here in Florida is hurricane impact windows. As opposed to single-pane windows with hurricane shutters (or boarded up with plywood), hurricane windows are always ready to protect against high winds whether you’re home to put up the shutters or not. Impact windows not only provide much needed protection during a storm; they can also be very energy efficient — some of our brands can save you as much as one month of electricity. Another benefit is security against home burglary, a rapidly increasing crime in these economic times. The same shatter-resistant construction that protects against hurricanes also prevents thieves from breaking into your home through your doors and windows, giving you total piece of mind.

Another important consideration in choosing windows is that building codes in many areas of Florida now require impact resistant openings for your doors and windows. Furthermore, it is the shared opinion by many in my industry that with the way the insurance industry is headed in Florida, homeowner insurance will become very difficult or prohibitively expensive to obtain without having the window and door openings of your property “hardened” (i.e., installing impact resistant products). Hurricane windows are definitely worth the investment, and once you decide they are the right way to go, it’s time to make more decisions.

Choosing Frames

In Florida, some other considerations are whether to choose an aluminum frame window or vinyl. The majority of hurricane impact resistant windows are aluminum. It is stronger and therefore easier to build the window to the standards needed to obtain Miami-Dade product approval for the impact window rating. There are very nice vinyl impact windows on the market that do meet code requirements, however expect to pay a premium for them. The difference between aluminum frame and vinyl windows (besides the price) is that vinyl conducts far less heat than aluminum, making vinyl much more energy efficient.

When considering frame construction, keep in mind that welded frame windows are usually stronger than comparable units which are screwed together; this is especially important for vinyl windows. The welded frames help to hold the unit flat and square during the installation process and makes installing them much easier. Welded vinyl frames can also offer a virtually air tight frame construction which again can benefit the insulating properties of each replacement unit. A comparable welded frame will usually cost more than mechanically fastened units but the extra expense will pay off when your sashes work freely and properly without unnecessary friction. There’s nothing worse than sticky and poorly operating sashes.

Determine ahead of time which colors will match your home’s interior and exterior the best. Decide if you want just simple white windows, or brown or tan cladding. Do you need a tint or heat-reflecting Low-E glass? Do you live close to the ocean and need special turtle glass? These are all important considerations. You must also decide how you want the window to operate and function. Do you want single-hung, double-hung, horizontal sliding windows or maybe casement? Some of your decision will be based on architectural appeal, some of it price, and some of it operational. For example, when choosing impact windows I prefer horizontal sliders over single hung simply because the impact glass is heavy and sliding them open and closed is just easier, and I think they have a very nice look.

Installation

While windows can be installed by the homeowner, unless the homeowner is a qualified contractor with window experience, it’s never a wise idea. Hiring the budget handyman to install your new windows can be an even bigger mistake. Even the very best quality window will not work properly if it is not shimmed, level, plumbed, attached and installed properly. Improper installation is often not readily apparent but if there is a slight flaw in the installation, the windows in which you invested so much time and money will eventually fail to operate properly. It may be a year or two or three, well after the installer is gone — and so is your warranty. Finding a qualified company to install your windows is well worth taking some time and doing a little research, before you buy your windows. It is much easier to avoid future problems before you start rather than trying to fix them after they have already occurred. As a licensed contractor, I have seen the result of many botched installations and do-it-yourself situations gone awry. In the end, you’ll be happy that you made an educated decision on your window purchase and will feel confident that they were installed properly by an experienced and qualified company.

It may sound like a lot of information and choices, but if you can get a reputable window company to help you, all these decisions get much easier. A reputable window company can guide you through all of your options fairly quickly while answering your questions and concerns.