Full Frame Window Replacement from Interior Only?

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LoneStarGuy
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Re: Full Frame Window Replacement from Interior Only?

#31 Post by LoneStarGuy »

Just curious, do all of the condos have the same age/type of windows? Does anyone else have leaks? Have you talked to your neighbors? If every one needs windows or if many have leaks it might be time for the whole complex to be done, perhaps with special assessments to cover the cost. It may be cheaper per unit to do the whole building than one-by-one.

ChrisPowers
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Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2018 10:38 am

Re: Full Frame Window Replacement from Interior Only?

#32 Post by ChrisPowers »

HomeSealed wrote: Thu Nov 01, 2018 3:46 pm Chris, I rarely ever recommend anything like this as it is really a last resort, but you may consider getting your homeowner's insurance involved. Then your insurance and that of the Condo assoc can hash things out in terms of who/what is really to blame, which will likely require some in depth and costly inspections.... For the fact that you have water damage inside your home (your responsibility) but the likely cause is the exterior cladding (COA responsibility), it could/should set up a showdown. Ultimately it would likely go that route anyway if you or someone you pay were to conclude the cause to be anything but the windows... Just a thought.
Thanks, man.

The problem I've run into going down this avenue is that homeowner's insurance generally doesn't cover stuff like water damage and mold that results from water infiltrating in this fashion. They obviously also just don't cover windows at all, except in the rarest of circumstances. The fact is, like Windows on Washington observed, the windows are at their end of life and in need of replacement anyway, so it's virtually impossible to make the argument that anything else is to blame for the water, or that the lifespan of the windows themselves was shortened due to the leaky walls. I also am not in any position to argue that the windows were well maintained, as I did not own the place until a few months ago. The biggest culprit in all this is the inspector we hired, who is obviously criminally inept

Anyway, I still think I might give my insurance rep a call again and see what he has to say about it. Can't hurt to try.

ChrisPowers
Posts: 25
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2018 10:38 am

Re: Full Frame Window Replacement from Interior Only?

#33 Post by ChrisPowers »

LoneStarGuy wrote: Thu Nov 01, 2018 9:07 pm Just curious, do all of the condos have the same age/type of windows? Does anyone else have leaks? Have you talked to your neighbors? If every one needs windows or if many have leaks it might be time for the whole complex to be done, perhaps with special assessments to cover the cost. It may be cheaper per unit to do the whole building than one-by-one.
Hey man,

Thanks, it's a good suggestion. My wife had the same idea. The only people we've really interacted with thus far are HOA board members, unfortunately, and they all insist that "no one else is complaining about these issues." We've batted around the idea of dropping some letters off for our neighbors inquiring about the condition of their windows, but it's not exactly the first impression you want to make with your new neighbors. That said, perhaps it's finally reached that point.

Personally, I worry about leaving it to the board or management company to make hiring and product decision given the level of knowledge demonstrated by all involved to this point. I would almost rather spend the money and get a good product and have the job done correctly; although, as has been mentioned here, finding a competent installer willing to take the job may not be easy. Even getting to the point where I'm speaking to a hands-on installer is not an easy task, since there's always at least one layer of salespeople to watch stare at me with empty looks on their faces while I ask them "technical" questions about their product and how it will be installed. The last guy just said yes to every question I asked, even the ones that contradicted his previous answers. It's as frustrating as you probably imagine. And it doesn't help that I know virtually nothing about this topic to begin with.

TheWindowNerd
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Re: Full Frame Window Replacement from Interior Only?

#34 Post by TheWindowNerd »

At times 50% of our volume is full frame replacement.
I would be willing to do this job for you.
One of my concerns is the wind load on windows above the third floor, you need to make sure that the units select have the design pressure rating needed to meet code.
I too doubt that the leaking is from the windows themselves, unless there is compression settlement that has broken the frames, if so this could be a legal issue with the HOA.
The most probable cause of the leak is caulk failure around the windows, again an area of who is responsible, you or the HOA. When was the last time the stucco was sealed and the caulk redone?
Majestic is a good window, just make sure the DP meets code for the height.

theWindowNerd

TheWindowNerd
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Re: Full Frame Window Replacement from Interior Only?

#35 Post by TheWindowNerd »

Just looked at some of the photos.
Those windows are not that old as they have HP glass.
Do not use RBA, just my opinion.
The stucco looks like it has been well sealed with elastomeric paint.
The expansion joints show need of attention. How bout where the window frame is caulked to the exterior?
The kitchen window shows mostly interior condensation issues. Which is an interior humidity problem.

ChrisPowers
Posts: 25
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2018 10:38 am

Re: Full Frame Window Replacement from Interior Only?

#36 Post by ChrisPowers »

TheWindowNerd wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 5:35 pm At times 50% of our volume is full frame replacement.
I would be willing to do this job for you.
One of my concerns is the wind load on windows above the third floor, you need to make sure that the units select have the design pressure rating needed to meet code.
I too doubt that the leaking is from the windows themselves, unless there is compression settlement that has broken the frames, if so this could be a legal issue with the HOA.
The most probable cause of the leak is caulk failure around the windows, again an area of who is responsible, you or the HOA. When was the last time the stucco was sealed and the caulk redone?
Majestic is a good window, just make sure the DP meets code for the height.

theWindowNerd
Hey man,

Thanks for responding. To answer your question, the exterior of the building including the caulking was supposedly redone in October 2016. Unfortunately, from what I was able to gather at our most recent board meeting, that sealing job was botched and a refund was obtained and set aside in reserve to be used at a later date. No one on the board or in management ever mentioned this to us prior to that date, but rather expressed shock that there could possibly be cause for leaking.

ChrisPowers
Posts: 25
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2018 10:38 am

Re: Full Frame Window Replacement from Interior Only?

#37 Post by ChrisPowers »

TheWindowNerd wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 5:46 pm Just looked at some of the photos.
Those windows are not that old as they have HP glass.
Do not use RBA, just my opinion.
The stucco looks like it has been well sealed with elastomeric paint.
The expansion joints show need of attention. How bout where the window frame is caulked to the exterior?
The kitchen window shows mostly interior condensation issues. Which is an interior humidity problem.
We do not intend to use Renewal, they were just the first to come out and we tentatively agreed to go forward with the install, only to cancel it a few days later due to the exorbitant price.

The area on the frames where they are caulked to the exterior shows no signs of compromise to my eyes, but I can take some photos. I don't recall anyone ever implicating them, although my wife insists that the individual whom the HOA hired to investigate the leaks declared that they were leaking from there. What else was he going to say? It was obviously not coming in through the glass or weather seals on that particular window.

The kitchen window damage is not from condensation; it is the one place where we've regularly been able to watch the water come in during heavy and windy rainstorms. It comes in through the weather seal between the window and frame on the top left of the leftmost window, and is probably responsible for most of the damage to the bottom sill there.

Humidity is probably a problem, but only because it is an EIFS system and so much water pours into the walls and never escapes, I'm willing to bet. They feign shock that water could be getting in, meanwhile the building is built in a fashion that is so prone to water infiltration issues that it was implicated in some massive scandal called the "Leaky Condo Crisis" in Canada. "Nobody else complains," they claim.

ChrisPowers
Posts: 25
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2018 10:38 am

Re: Full Frame Window Replacement from Interior Only?

#38 Post by ChrisPowers »

TheWindowNerd wrote: Tue Nov 13, 2018 5:35 pm At times 50% of our volume is full frame replacement.
I would be willing to do this job for you.

theWindowNerd
Sorry, I just noticed this part. Are you sure you'd be willing to travel this far? We're up in Bergen County not far from the George Washington Bridge. If so, can you send me a private message, or is such a thing not possible on this forum? I tried sending one to you, but I couldn't figure out how to.

Thanks,
Chris

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HomeSealed
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Re: Full Frame Window Replacement from Interior Only?

#39 Post by HomeSealed »

Chris, we used to have contact buttons on here but they seem to be gone... If you google "the window nerd" you'll find the right guy. Wayne and his team are very good at what they do, you would be in good hands if that works out.

ChrisPowers
Posts: 25
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2018 10:38 am

Re: Full Frame Window Replacement from Interior Only?

#40 Post by ChrisPowers »

HomeSealed wrote: Thu Nov 15, 2018 3:39 pm Chris, we used to have contact buttons on here but they seem to be gone... If you google "the window nerd" you'll find the right guy. Wayne and his team are very good at what they do, you would be in good hands if that works out.
Thanks, man. I was able to get in touch with Wayne via the website link in his profile.

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