Common Door and Window Issues

PROBLEM: My floor is buckling and showing signs of damage.

This is a classic example of damage we see daily. This is a the beautiful home of a local professional who went to a big box store for a new door unit, twice. Both purchases resulted in poor installation that drained the utilities from leaking air, rotted floor, rotted door unit and a waste of money. Ultimately this unit required a full replacement three (3) times as well as the entry hall floor on the last install.

PROBLEM: My window sills show signs of rot.

Rotted window sills must be replaced, not patched. Contrary to popular belief, patching window sills is a temporary fix that could simply cover-up a bigger manifesting problem. Damage as shown in this picture is extreme. Surprisingly there were little signs on the surface. If water continued to infiltrate the sill, eventually water would wick into the internal seal of the glass causing it to fog and etch internally. Beneath the window sill is a space between the brick and internal wall of the home. This is a direct artery for water to leak into the house causing mold, mildew and internal wall rot which are all very costly to resolve

PROBLEM: My doors are rotting and water is coming in the house

This door unit was approximately two (2) years old and is a common example of a total loss. There are many reasons for the condition of this door unit in such a short time span.

• The doors used in replacement were poor quality. The doors were purchased as a "Pre-Fabricated" door unit from a big box store and surprisingly were not cheap. The doors themselves are low quality wood and of poor construction. This combination will not survive in the humid conditions of Memphis and the Mid-South.
• The brass kickplates on the face of the doors may look nice, however they have caused problems as well. When rain hits the door face, water actually seeps behind the kickplates and is trapped. The sun comes out and heats up the kickplate literally boiling the water, generating harmful bacterial and penetrating into the wood resulting in wood rot.
• The threshold is compression style and is typical to lower end, less skilled installations. This type system requires a rubber "flanged" boot on the bottom of the door that does not allow for a tight seal. The result is a simple installation, and a guaranteed leak!

SOLUTION:

A front door is a critical component to any home. The front door is the first impression to your guest, and the last. If it doesn’t fit properly it will leak and damage the floors creating repair cost. Drafty doors result in increased utilities. A poor fit could result in a weak point and make an intruders job easier.

For all of these reasons it is most important to hire a professional. Door units are a big investment and should only be done once. Would ask your CPA to perform a knee replacement? Probably not. We are all tuned at some point to find a deal and feel good about it. Major alterations as critical as a door unit should be left to someone who specializes in the procedure. Getting a deal from someone or saving a few bucks does not always mean you truly got the best deal.

PROBLEM: My door jamb is rotting.

A rotted door jamb can be a real issue. When the jamb rots, water can leak into the home causing damage to floors and the adjacent door and sidelite. If the problem is addressed quick enough, our crews are versed in extracting the jamb leg only and replacing it with a full door unit replacement.

BEWARE: There are guys around town that will charge you to "splice" a new piece into the rotted area and guarantee it will not leak. This is a scam, it is virtually impossible to splice a door jamb. The splice is a weak point for the door unit and natural expansion and contraction of the wood will allow water to infiltrate.

PROBLEM: My Sidelite is rotting.

A rotted sidelite can cause big trouble. When a sidelite rots, water can leak into the home causing damage to floors and the door jamb. If the problem is addressed quick enough, our crews can extract the sidelite "panel" and install a new replacement sidelite relatively easily.

BEWARE: There are guys around town that will charge you to install a metal flashing or patch the rotted area and guarantee it will not leak. This method will only “trap” the water and the issue will manifest into a larger, more costly problem.