window test

House Inspection 3

Pictured below is the edge and corner of a window removed from the house at the time of inspection.

window defect

Take note of the open crack at the corner of the window panel glass window frame (removed from the window house wall frame) that clearly shows a gap in the glass window frame from outside to inside. The tubular seal pulled back from the corner is "natural" to these windows further aiding water, air and insect infiltration. These are features to prevent penetration, otherwise why put the seal there? The point is that this picture shows well how water can bypass the glass window to make contact with the interior window frame or that portion inside of the house. Combine that crack with the other defects of this window that we will demonstrate evidence for to include wind bellowing the flexible glass and the panel slippage in the frame opening the top gap wider than originally designed.

Take further note of insect penetration (web nests) of the part of the panel window frame that presses up against the exterior edge of the window frame in the house wall. That should be sealed from the outside. If insects can make it past the exterior window glass frame then water and air can also pass.

It is within reasonable logic to assume that a window should not have a weather permeable crack in its frame or seal.

The inspector dismissed this window defect and passage for insects, air and water from the window exterior to interior as not contributing to any water infiltration.

Recall the picture above showing how water, air and insects can pass from outside through to the inside wood window frame. That fault was identified in house inspection #2 as shown in the pictures below.

The inside decorative wood trim was removed to expose the gap between the window house wall frame and the window panel frame.

Note the water stains in the bare wood at the top of the window frame.

This point of water entry is exasperated by the wind bellow effect flexing the window glass panel and frame within the window house frame.The structural water protection of this entire window unit is dependent upon this one small seal that fails, as determined by the series of events that lead up to discovery of the key window defect that allows water to penetrate through to the house interior.

This defect will be discussed in detail elsewhere in this web site about this leak type that is one of three different documented types of leaks on the same panel window design.

leaking windows one leak type

The homeowner told the window company contracted house inspector about this (the window inspection 2 demonstration shown above) during inspection #3 and the company contracted inspector refused to explore this possibility.