Spot Window & Door Frame Water Damage
May 20th, 2011
If you’re in the spring cleaning spirit and are outside washing the windows and doors, now is the perfect time to inspect their frames for water damage.
Water invading the interior of your home can many times adversely affect your health (in the form of allergies and respiratory problems) as well as damage the surfaces and structures it comes in contact with. Your window and door frames can provide clues if water is penetrating.
Wood frames can absorb water from the bottom, and that moisture can wick its way up the frame. At the bottom of door frames or on window sills, look for the following signs of water penetration:
• Wood splintering or looking “chewed up”
• Paint finish blistering or peeling
• Black or green patches of mold appearing on the finish
• Wall areas around the frame swelling and/or cracking
Aluminum, steel or vinyl door and window frames can make it more difficult to spot water damage. While steel will show rust, aluminum and vinyl are impervious to water. But in a wood frame home, these types of door and window frames are originally set inside wood. So while the water can’t damage the frames, it may find a more “friendly” material to penetrate.
Inspect your steel, aluminum or vinyl door and window frames and look for the following signs on surrounding exterior and interior walls:
• Doors or windows becoming difficult to operate
• Swelling, cracking or soft spots appearing in drywall or plaster
• Surrounding areas not holding a finish for long (blistering, flaking)
• Ants congregating or living in these areas (they are attracted to moisture)
What if you have a brick over masonry home with aluminum door and window frames? You can still detect water damage by inspecting the floors just inside the door way. Wood floors may show stains, streaks or warping, while continually loose tiles can be a sign of a wet subfloor. You can also go into the basement and look at the ceiling in the spot just below the entries and windows. If that wood is discolored or warping, it can be a sign that water has penetrated.
Water is Enemy Number One of your home. It is always seeking a way inside, and efficient water damage repair and management is the key to keeping it outside where it belongs. The Mosby Home Consultants are experienced water management experts, well-trained in spotting tricky water problems, tracing it to the cause and repairing it properly.
For water management help with your doors and window frames, call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.
Related posts:
- How to Spot Exterior Wood Rot
- How To Avoid Water Damage
- How to Handle Window Deterioration
- KMOX – Water Damage
- Reverse Flashing Causes Water Damage
Learn the Art of Living at CallMosby.com.
November 2nd, 2011 at 8:42 am
[...] The crew that came to your home are specialists trained for very specific tasks. Our homes are made of thousands of interconnecting pieces, each one affecting the other. When specialists encounter an issue outside their knowledge, you’re lucky when they err on the side of caution rather than attempt something above their badge level. As you’ve learned, this leaves you needing to call in another company to, essentially, finish the job. What originally appears a cost-effective solution can become expensive if 2 or 3 companies are needed to do the job right. Looking at the bigger picture, our experience has been that the majority of doors (and windows) are installed incorrectly, which can lead to water damage that eventually reveals itself. Learn how to spot door frame damage. [...]