Window and Door Inspections and Installation

You’ve settled into your dream home that you purchased last year when a huge storm blows through your area. Rain pounding against the house and streaks of water wash across your windows and doors. You scamper around your home ensuring yourself that all the windows and doors are securely closed when you notice a small water puddle on the floor next to the sliding patio door. You wipe it up and the next morning the floor is still dry and you conclude that it was just a hard pounding rain the likes of which no barrier could have kept some amount of water from penetrating.

It’s possible that the storm had an unusually high wind velocity, in which case your doors may not have been designed to withstand high winds, a rating called design pressure. More likely, if the patio doors are relatively new and of good quality, they’re leaking because they weren’t installed properly.

Installing doors and windows requires attention to detail by people trained in the issues related to water leakage, called ingress. Framing, nailing, caulking, water membranes, flashings, trims and sill pans must all be applied with precision. When you purchase a home, how do you know if your windows and doors were installed properly? This is where inspectors come in. People trained to look for signs that windows and doors are operating properly as a result of proper installation.

Last week, Woodland Windows and Doors was asked by the International Code Council, ICC to deliver a short course about proper installation techniques to local inspectors. The ICC Association develops model codes and standards used in the design, build and inspection process to construct safe and resilient buildings. The 30 inspectors gathered in the room require continuing education about new codes, knowledge of installations standards and familiarity with manufacturers’ specifications.

According to Ken Mariotti, owner of Woodland Windows and Doors, “Whether you’re inspecting residential or commercial, new construction, retro or replace, the industry is at a time and place that is much different than 20-plus years ago, or even 10 years ago. There is now more agreement than disagreement on the principals of proper Installation of Windows and Doors. It’s the “ how-to ” where there are differences.” The ICC invited Woodland Windows and Doors to speak because the Company is well known in the area for quality residential and commercial installation work . “The most common problems stem from installers attempting to adhere water barriers using the wrong materials, which fail to properly seal. It’s difficult for an inspector to verify a hidden application, but knowing what to look for is a start. For example, is there evidence of the proper flashing methods used to protect the walls from water penetration”, said Mariotti.

As a homeowner, it’s comforting to know that there are high standards set for installing windows and doors. The challenge is finding experts like the ICC trained inspectors or companies like Woodland that are knowledgeable. “It’s all in the details, paying attention to every step in the installation process allows you to get a deeper understanding of how and why sticks and bricks get put together in the way they do. The industry is always learning new ways and developing new materials and it’s up to us as installers to deploy the latest techniques.” said Mariotti.