How to lessen moisture intrusion from windows

3/26/2020 (Permalink)

We have all seen it, you walk into a home and it smells kind of musty, there is condensation around the windows and the sills are full of microbial growth. 

But what causes this? There are many causes for moisture intrusion around windows. 

Some of the most common causes

1. Improper/insufficient caulking
2. Improper/damaged/lack of flashing
3. Improper installation

Ways to correct these problems:

1. Re-caulk the exterior and interior of the window. This will not only assist in correcting moisture intrusion, but it will also help with insulation the home, and potential drafts created by lack of caulking. 
2. Regularly check flashing around the windows to ensure wind and flying debris did not damage them. Instead of trying to repair flashing it is best to just replace the flashing. 
3. Remove trim and check installation of window. Sometimes windows can be installed improperly which can allow water to seep in from those open angles. It it rather easy to check the installation of a window. Remove the trim, and see if there is a large gap between the wall and the window itself. If there is a gap, you can easily correct this by spray foaming the gap or filling it with a weather strip.