Are your windows and doors leaking? CH Construction recommends an autumn and pre-spring home maintenance checklist. One of the easiest to check is your windows and doors. Before the weather becomes wet from rain and snow, it’s a perfect time to visually check each window and door for leakage or damage.
How to check for drafts?
First, close all windows and doors. Secondly, you will want to turn off the air conditioner, furnace, and ceiling fans. Finally, will want to take an incense stick or candle and place it in front of each window. If the smoke moves in any direction, you have a window or door leak. Which may be simply solved by caulking your windows or doors.
Inspecting the outside of the window is just as important. You are wanting to check for gaps around the window and cracks in caulk. If you observe any, you most likely are experiencing water or air leaks. However, if noticeable water damage is found, you will need to remove the window and repair the water damage before more damage is done. You may not be comfortable with doing this task, call a licensed and insured company to assist you with it. If the window is just leaking air, this is a simple DIY project most homeowners can complete.
Repairing drafty windows
Before applying new caulk to your outside windows and doors, you will need to remove the old caulk. The best way to remove the old caulk is with a putty knife, being careful not to damage any wood around the window. Next, take your new tube of caulk and cut the tip at an angle with the hole to the end approximately the same size as the gap you will be filling with around the window. Smooth out and remove any excess. This is best done with temperatures over 45 degrees.
Water damage
I mentioned above the possibilities of water damage around a window or door. It’s important if you find water damage to deal with it quickly. If there is moisture between the glass panes, you make have water damage. If the wallpaper, paint shows cracking or peeling that is another sign. You can feel around all sides of the window or door. If there is a softness to the wall, you probably have water damage.
You may be able to tackle this project on your own, but be prepared to replace studs that may have water damage to them. If you choose to have a licensed and insured contractor replace your windows or doors, we recommend you document all damage for insurance purposes. The before, during, and after the repair, photos will be needed. Have your contractor give you an estimate of how long you have had the damage for filing an insurance claim.
CH Construction wants to help you prevent and home damage and repairs that could be avoided with proper maintenance checks. Our blogs listed below can assist you and your home maintenance bi-annual review.
https://chconstructionkc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Homeowner-Autumn-Checklist.pdf
https://chconstructionkc.com/wood-rot-in-your-home/
https://chconstructionkc.com/termite-and-carpenter-ant-damage-prevention/
https://chconstructionkc.com/baby-its-cold-outside/
If we can assist you with any of your home maintenance repairs, please give us a call at 660.2673311
