Windows
Caulking to Prevent Water Leaks, Preventing Leaks with Weather Stripping, Stopping Air Leaks, Preventing Condensation on Glass, Frames and Sills, Maintaining Storm Windows, Replacing Window Film, Maintaining Screens

Caulking to Prevent Water Leaks
Often water leaks at a window result from a breakdown in the connection between the frame of the window and the frame of the house. To prevent leaks, the window should be caulked where its frame meets the exterior siding. If the window is surrounded by wood trim, all gaps between the trim and the siding (and the trim and the window frame) should be sealed with a high-grade polyurethane caulk. Take special care to seal the top side of the top piece of trim. Puddling water at this location causes many window leaks.

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Preventing Leaks with Weather Stripping
Leaks also occur when weather stripping wears out. You may have to remove the operable portion of the window to find the weather stripping:

Sliding windows: Open them half way and lift the window out of the bottom track. Then pull the window out of the opening bottom first.

Single hung windows: Usually, you just release a lever on the side track(s) of the window frame. Contact the manufacturer for specific instructions.

After you remove the operable portion of the window, it becomes pretty obvious where the weather stripping is and how it will have to be replaced. Most home centers offer replacement weather stripping in peel-and-stick rolls. If you aren't sure about what to do, take the section that you removed to the store with you or photograph the area that needs attention.

You may need an adhesive solvent to "unstick" the weather stripping. Adhesive solvent is available in spray cans for easy application. Adhesive remover can be pretty caustic stuff. Read the can to be sure that it won't damage your window frame.

If you have metal or vinyl frame windows, check the drain holes at the outside edge of the bottom portion of the window frame. These holes exist whether a window slides sideways or up and down. During rains water can fill the track, leak to the inside of the home, and literally flood the area surrounding the window. Drain or "weep holes" allow water to escape from the frame thus preventing flooding. You can use a piece of wire, a pipe cleaner, a small screwdriver blade, or an ice pick to insure that the holes are clear and will drain freely.

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Stopping Air Leaks
A window that leaks air can also mean excessive energy loss -- and cost. Summer or winter, you don't want your house to leak air, especially if you spend your hard earned dollars warming or cooling it.

Test a window for leaks by holding a lighted candle near all its joints and connections. If the candle flickers, you have an air leak. Check

• Where one section of the window meets another
• Where the windows meet the frame
• Where the frame meets the wall

You seal air leaks in the same way that you seal water leaks -- by caulking exterior leaks and replacing weather stripping. Also, foam sealant can be injected between the frame of the window and the frame of the house. This is a major deterrent to air infiltration and also prevents water from leaking into the house.

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Preventing Condensation on Glass, Frames and Sills
Condensation around windows can result when a window leaks air. Cold outside air mixes with warm inside air and creates a wet layer of condensation over the entire window. Condensation can actually form enough moisture to cause wood to rot. And don't forget mildew. Condensation is basically a feed bag for mildew. Condensation can be reduced by:

• Sealing air leaks
• Replacing single-pane glass with double-pane "insulated" glass
• Using wood frame windows
• Using storm windows

If you have insulated windows and you see rainbows or condensation between the two sheets of glass, then your window has failed and should be replaced. The frame can remain, but the glass must be replaced. Here it is important to shop for the best guarantee. Where there are many who are ready to "sell to you" to get their piece of the almighty buck, there are a few who do offer a lifetime warranty. Study this aspect of your purchase carefully. A failed insulated window is expensive to replace at $150 and up.

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Maintaining Storm Windows
A storm window is simply a second window that adds insulative value to the window that it covers. Make sure that storm windows are properly sealed at their edges when they are installed. Air leaking through the edges of a storm window can allow condensation to occur between it and the window it protects. Storm window condensation can become so heavy that the frost produced can prevent you from seeing through.

Don't leave storm windows up in the summer. Leaving them up year-round can cause rot to occur in the area between the storm window and the house. Also, ventilation is a must to reduce fungus growth in a home. Storm windows need to be taken down so that the house windows can be opened.

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Replacing Window Film
Window film is a layer of plastic that is applied to a window to reduce heat transfer and to prevent furniture and drapes from being bleached. Window film comes in a variety of thicknesses, colors, and shades which influence the amount of visible light they let through.

Old window film can break down after time. Bubbles, cracks, splits, peeling, and chipping can occur, thus requiring a maintenance face-lift. Window film can be patched, but it is just as easy to replace. It's simple, here's how:

• Spray the film with sudsy ammonia.
  Don't try this in direct sunlight. Anything that can cause the ammonia to evaporate and dry out prevents it from doing its job.
• While still wet, cover the entire area with a layer of plastic food wrap.
  Overlap edges of the plastic wrap for complete coverage. The food wrap keeps the ammonia moist and active.
• Wait 15 to 45 minutes and remove the plastic wrap.
• Use a window scraper to easily peel away the softened film.
  With the old sheet removed, application of a new layer of film is easy. Make sure the window is perfectly clean, and then follow these steps:
• Cut a piece of window film about 2 inches longer and 2 inches wider than the size of the window.
• Mix 1 teaspoon of liquid dishwashing detergent with 1 quart of water in a spray bottle. Soak the surface of the window with the soapy solution.
• Peel back the liner-paper from the window film to expose its adhesive layer. A helper makes this step easier.
• Drench the adhesive side of the film by spraying it with the soapy solution. Have a drop cloth and towel handy to keep the mess to a minimum.
• Place the adhesive side of the drenched window film against the wet window, and using your hands, smooth the film against the surface of the glass, eliminating any wrinkles.
• Spray the exposed surface of the film with the soapy solution. Using a rubber squeegee, continue to smooth it against the glass, working first horizontally from the center to the side and then vertically, moving the solution to the bottom of the window. The trick is to use slow, gentle movements.
• Use a straightedge and razor knife to trim the film where it meets the window frame.

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Maintaining Screens
Newer, more energy-efficient homes don't allow for the passive exchange of air through cracks, gaps, and penetrations as older homes did. Unfortunately, this condition creates stale trapped air within the home. In addition, some of the components used in the fabrication of construction materials emit gases that cause health problems, which can range from a minor case of the sniffles to a full-blown allergic reaction. Air in the home must be continually exchanged with a fresh supply from the outside. This fact makes screens really important.

Cleaning screens
You must keep screens clean in order to get a good exchange of air. Grit and grime can also hasten deterioration, thereby diminishing the life of a window screen. Dirty screens also prevent light from making its way into your home. Moreover, a gust of wind can blow dust from a screen straight into your home, aggravating allergies and increasing housekeeping chores.

To clean your screens, lay them flat on a smooth, cloth-covered surface, such as an old sheet on a picnic table. Scrub them gently with a soft nylon brush, rinse with a hose, and shake off excess water.

Patching a screen
Screen patch kits are available at hardware stores and home centers everywhere. They are inexpensive and easy to install (the process takes less than a minute). You can also use any of the following methods to repair window screens, depending upon the type of screen material.

Apply a small amount of clear nail polish to a small hole or tear in a vinyl or fiberglass screen. The polish acts as an adhesive, sealing the damaged area.

Small tears in metal or fiberglass screens can be mended with a dab of clear silicone adhesive. If necessary, dab it on in successive layers until the tear is completely filled.

You can "darn" small holes in metal screening. Simply unravel a strand or two from a piece of scrap screening and sew the hole shut, weaving the strands through the sound fabric with a needle.

Large holes in metal screen material take a little more effort. Start by neatly trimming the damaged area to a ravel-free square or rectangle using tin snips. Next, cut a piece of patch screen material that measures about 1 inch larger (in both directions) than the damaged area. Unravel a couple of strands of material around the entire perimeter of the patch. Then bend the unraveled ends at each side of the patch at 90-degrees. Place the patch over the damaged area and carefully thread the bent wires through the sound fabric. Then bend the wires flat again to hold the patch in place.

For fiberglass screening, simply cut a patch of similar material and affix it to the good material using transparent silicone glue.