The Evidence

You may be experiencing visible signs of decay along the bottom front edge and/or lower corners of a window frame. This is most common where the vertical trim components meet the horizontal front edge of the window known as the sill. Severe peeling paint, wide open splits and gaps, and/or cracking wood are also the beginning signs of progressive deterioration. You may also see decay on the sashes of your windows. This decay is caused by water streaming down the glass and soaking into a gap in the wood below and slowly rotting the wood from the inside out. The sash is the operable part of the window or the glass itself and wood frame surrounding the glass that actually opens and closes. It is important to differentiate between the major components of your windows to define the “Frame” of the window and the “Sash”. These are two distinct components and are treated differently in our repair process. 

The Material

Most modern window manufacturers use “finger-jointed” material that consists of small, glued and joined together pieces of wood. As this material weathers those joints loosen and open allowing moisture to penetrate the surface of the material. As professionals, we hate to use clichés, but they just don’t make them like they used to. The wood itself is not what it used to be decades ago. Old lumber farms are being replaced by fast growing species of trees to keep up with modern day supply. This fast growing wood does not weather as well as the older seasoned lumber. Many customers comment on the older home they grew up in and don’t recall their parents having the window issues we have today. Those older windows had solid material and not the finger-jointed lumber. Manufacturers were able to treat the wood differently than they can today. Also keep in mind as technology has improved the environmental qualities of paint, decades of lead based paint protected those old windows. 

The Manufacturing

Modern windows also have inherent design issues that contribute to early failure. Most joints where different components come together are not sealed internally. The life span of that joint relies on the constant maintenance of the external caulk joint. Should that caulk joint fail, without any secondary water barrier, the external failed caulk will actually trap moisture in that joint. Also many manufacturers use weather strip around the edge of the sash. Although this is not the thermal seal that keeps air out, it is designed as a storm shield to keep wind driven rain out from around the sash. We have found, since this is not a weather tight seal, this strip actually traps moisture between the sash and the sill preventing it from escaping. 

The Weather

Despite the flaws in material and design, nothing affects your windows more than the weather. The misconception is that water is the primary cause. Water ultimately contributes to the decay, but the sun, most notably the ultra-violet rays, starts the process. Most customers find their most significant window issues are on the south and west sides of their home, obviously, where the sun is the strongest. The sun’s rays bake the paint, caulk and wood causing it to shrink, crack, and separate allowing water to penetrate open joints and cracks in the surface of the wood. The exception to the rule would be a window on another side of the home where little sun or over grown landscaping prevents the window from drying out after it gets wet.