Window Leak Damage

Best Guaranteed ways to prevent or repair window leak to damaged caulking around your windows needs to be replaced.

• Visible cracks in the sealant /window caulking
• Gaps where water can seep in.
• Detachment of the caulking of the surfaces to be sealed.
• Interior moisture, puddles or water dripping inside the window

Types of Window Leak Damage We Repair.

The window caulking connecting the stucco to the window frame is a very important sealant line. The sealant’s main purpose is to connect (2) different surfaces together to keep water out. The window frame material is quite different compared to a stucco or brick surface area.  Both materials expand and contract at different rates. The sealant material has to bond to both of these dis-similar surfaces and allow for both of them to expand or contract without losing it’s surface bond.

“We only use professional grade sealants that have proven results and also have a long history of success. We have been called to repair window leaks after several window companies and window leak repair companies have failed. We believe that the best formula to successfully repair window leaks, is knowledge of the problem, using professional grade materials, experience consisting of many years encountering and successfully repairing all types of water intrusion. From detection of the leak to resolving the issue, we are the South Florida Window Leak Repair Professionals.

Sealing Window Frame or Perimeter Caulking to Stucco – This seems to be the most vulnerable sealant line to keep an eye on. On a brand new window that is being installed, rarely is it the window itself, the cause of the window leak. If the window installer is using “consumer grade” sealant materials, then the window will not be sealed as good as if the best quality materials were not used. Common mistake when hiring a handyman or a company that does not focus their efforts on water leak repairs alone.

Sealing Glass Leaks – These are leaks where the water is actually getting in, between the frame and the glass it is bonded to. These are called “Glass Leaks”.  This is common when the window and door manufacturers used cheaper glazing silicone caulking or a two side glazing tape. National manufacturers used G.E , Pecora, Novoflex and other silicone formulations in the 1990’s. The new professional grade glazing formulations are far more superior to the earlier technologies. Dow Corning silicones are the industry’s gold standard. Glass leaks can be repair without having to remove the glass. The glass perimeter can be cap beaded to keep water form entering into the window system.  Two sided glazing tape was used by manufacturers in place of a bed of silicone for glass installation into the window products. This was a cheaper alternative to using window caulking silicone sealant since the sticky foam tape was much less expensive. The problem with the tape was it’s short lifespan. After 8-15 years the foam tape would dry up and turn into a dusty powder. The two sided tape that had degraded so bad, allows the rain water to effortlessly leak into the sash or frame, and ultimately into your home. Glass leak repair is done by sealing the perimeter of the glass to the frame to seal small gaps.

Other Types of Window leak repair sevices

Sealing Storefront Frame Leaks – Storefront windows are not only used in commercial applications, but also in residential estate homes that wanted large sizes of glass without frame obstructions. There are mainly 2 types of glazing methods on storefront window systems. “Wet Glazed” using silicone sealant, or “Dry Glazed” using rubber compression gasketing. Both have advantages and dis-advantages for each type. Wet glazed systems seem to last longer and have fewer leaks, but cost more to produce. Dry glazed systems are less expensive, but the rubber glazing gasketing will shrink and leak. This can be caused by direct sunlight on the storefront glazing gasket, or improperly installed from day one. If the installer stretched the gasketing while pushing it in, it will retract and shrink in a few years. Gasketing should be replaced if there are gaps where water can enter the window system.

Sealing window leaks in Frame Joints – All windows that are fabricated out of aluminum will have mechanical frame joints. these joints are where a side jamb frame part is joined to a top or bottom frame parts. when the window is being made, the factory uses a small gap sealer at this joint. This sealant melts away after several years and leaves a visible gap in it’s absence. Corner gaps in the window frame bottom can be the culprit of a hard to find window frame leak. The area to be bonded should be cleaned thoroughly before applying new small gap sealer to fill this gap and resolve the leaking window.

Caulking window Frame Mullions – Mullions are where 2 or more windows are joined together in one window opening. Window mullions caulking is just as important as the perimeter window caulking. Caulking or sealant that is missing in this location, will allow rain water to leak in between the mulled windows. An example of a mulled unit is a transom window over a French door or a large window stack that is 2 or more windows high or wide. You will usually see the water damage from the leak on the frame casing, baseboard or flooring. These must be repaired immediately so the wood window frame or florroring does not start to rot. 

Sealing French Door and Sidelight Sill Bottoms – When French doors are installed, they should be embedded into a bed of sealant to bond the sill bottom to the masonry opening. Perimeter caulking is applied to the exterior to keep water from creeping under the frame sill. If an installer does not install the door in a bed of sealant, there is nothing preventing rain water from sliding in under the entire door. Second floor installations should only be installed if a “Pan” is present and installed in the opening prior to the door being installed. We have developed a non-invasive door and window caulking procedure to resolve this in the event that the door installer has installed the door without a pan or sealant embedment. We push a waterproofing foam material under the frame sill to fill any voids, block water infiltration and to bond the frame sill to the door opening.

Sealing Sliding Glass Door Frames – Sliding glass doors are installed with much of the same considerations as the French doors listed above. We have had great window caulking success using the same repair methods as we use on leaking French doors. The sill anchors are sealed with small gap sealer, the water leg rise wall and the frame joints are sealed with small gap sealer as well. Once we have this completed, we drill a few access holes in the side frame, and push the foam sealant material under and aside of the sliding glass door frame. This works well as a second line of defense than just topical frame / jamb sealant alone.

Replacing Window Caulking on Frames – Window frame caulking will allow water to enter your home and case major damage inside the walls, the flooring, wood trim, drywall and carpeting. When water gets into these areas, you may not notice any damage until it has been leaking for a while. Wood rot and mold can grow rapidly if left unchecked or repaired immediately. Interior latex caulking will show cracks or gaps if there is unwanted moisture. Drywall will dis-color where the water leak point of interior entry.

Replacing Door Frame Weather Stripping – Weather stripping is a very important component when it comes to operable windows and doors. It’s sole purpose is to seal the gap between two surfaces to block out air and water. The weather stripping usually is compressed between the surfaces and fills the gap in between them. When the seal is bad, the performance of this component fails to seal the two areas to block air and water. Signs of failing weather stripping are if the hollow bulb has collapsed and no longer has a spring back action. PGT casement weather stripping will be black and gooey like caulking. Foam filled seals dry out and turn to powder or the casing surface is cracked and brittle. In the event that the weather stripping is in one or more of these conditions, it should be replaced.

Casement and Fixed Window Caulking

Caulking Fixed Picture Windows – There are two types of fixed windows. The first one is called a “Direct Set”. This window frame type is just that, the glass is glazed directly on the window frame itself. The 2nd kind is called “Sash in Frame”. This looks like an operable casement window, only the difference is that is is fixed. Sash in frame units should be sealed between the frame and the sash to keep water out. This should be done with a premium grade silicone, bonding the surfaces together. In the event water gets behind the sash, it will damage the frame and other interior components. If this sealant line is cracked or missing altogether, It should be applied. Just relying on the frame weather stripping is not enough to keep water out.

If you need window caulking and need assistance, do the following if it applies to you.

1. Cover the area from the outside with plastic.
2. Look for any holes or crack where water can come in.
3. Apply ANY exterior caulking to the hole to plug the leak for now.  Small amounts only on holes.
4. Keep an eye on it during rain.
5. Call an experienced window leak repair company.
6. Have an observation to determine if the leak is in fact a window leak only.
7. Make sure the leak is not coming in from the roof or above the window itself.
8. Hire only competent licensed contractors to do the work.
9. Make sure the work and materials are warranted for at least (1) year.
10. Inspect the quality of the work afterwards. It should look like a professional performed the work.

If you would like us to look at your project, Please fill out this Information sheet for us to know more about your needed service.