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Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Moisture Mangaement from outside

Do you ever get moisture around your windows?  Does it ice up when it is cold outside?  How old are your windows, What quality are they?  WERE THEY INSTALLED PROPERLY?

One of the biggest unseen problems in keeping your home warm and dry is the building envelope.  The relationship your home has with outside.  This is the battle of keeping outside, outside.  There are tremendous efforts to keep builders educated as to the latest and greatest techniques to ensure proper water management details in construction.  At times there are let downs in this science, and we who live in these homes deal with the negative effects from this.  One of the most common errors in sequencing of construction occurs at the window.  The window is a very important aspect of the walls construction, and an integral part of the building envelope.

Often, due to the different trades on the site, or the sequencing of materials being delivered to
the site, the windows may be installed before or after the installation of the drainage plane
material. In either case, provisions must be made to allow the window to be integrated into the
drainage plane of the assembly. It is important to ensure that the building paper or housewrap
laps over the flange and self adhered membrane at the head of the window. If the building
paper/housewrap is installed prior to the window, then a flap of paper at the head should be
turned up during the installation of the window, then the flap can be dropped back down over the
top of the flange. Using self adhered membrane flashings and other tapes to seal the nailing
flange at the head of the window, while reducing the risk of water intrusion, still create a reverse
lap and must remain completely sealed for the service life of the installation in order to be
effective.

Other issues dealing with problems at the window can be related to damages, bends, or cracks in the flange.  The house wrap will not seal properly and have a adverse effect. 

All in all, in our efforts to keep you warm and dry and mold free, we try to give you some things to think about. 

As always, we stand by to give you the aide you need.  24/7 we respond to your need.  Call today.  (406) 274-4168