Keeping Water Outside Your Home
Flashing is a waterproof material that should be installed around windows to keep water from getting in. If missing or poorly installed, water will leak behind the drywall. Improper shingling of the flashing can send water into the home instead of directing it away. Unscrupulous builders have been known to use caulk instead of taping to save money. Caulk may work well at first, but it degrades quickly, making it unsuitable for long-term use. Window flashing failures won’t be immediately obvious because the water accumulates within the walls. Stains appearing on interior drywall are a sign that the water has been leaking for years, rotting structural wood and growing mold. Building envelope defects are among the most difficult to remediate, but you should not bear the costs of your builder’s penny pinching alone. These are not the only window defects commonly found in residential construction. Improper installation or use of defective windows can result in condensation in between panes, a sign that the necessary hermetic seal to retain heat has failed. The window will no longer insulate as it should, driving up heating and cooling costs. Incompetent installers can fail to properly fit the window frame into the wall, producing a window that jams and is difficult or impossible to close and lock. This is a violation of emergency egress building codes. Additionally, many windows are designed with weep holes. Incompetent subcontractors have been known to seal weep holes with caulk or stucco, or install siding over them, leaving rainwater with no way to drain. Sill pans are required to be installed in window openings to funnel any leaking water outside, but this step is often skipped. These failures cause water from rain and snow to overflow into the home’s interior, causing costly damage.
