How to Tell If Your Home Has Poorly Installed Windows
Buying new windows is a large investment that doesn’t happen every year. With windows having a life expectancy longer than most pets, it’s common for families to maybe replace windows 1 or 2 times in their lifetime. After spending so much time looking at the same windows and frames you become accustomed to looking at them. Like a pair of old glasses, you don’t know what you’re missing until the new pair arrives.
When looking for new windows to be installed, you check with multiple companies looking for the best prices and reviews. Unfortunately due to the cost of windows and replacements, to save a few dollars you’re often looking for the cheaper companies. The phrase “you get what you pay for” is, unfortunately, as true as ever.
So after going through the hassle of scheduling companies to come out and give your estimates and quotes, answering your endless questions and trying to find one with a payment plan that fits within your budget, you finally decide on everything.
The window company comes out, everything is installed and now something doesn’t seem right. Are you simply taking a few days to get used to the new windows? Is this really how new windows behave or were they poorly installed? Or is this simply a case of buyers remorse?
Having gone years with windows looking one way only to change to a new style or a more energy efficient window may take a few days to adjust. It’s a big change and just like with any changes in your life, it will take a little time to get used to it.
What if the Windows Actually Were Poorly Installed?
Even the most energy efficient window can be pretty useless if they weren’t properly installed in the first place. The installation process for your windows is just as important as the type of window that you had installed.
In a perfect world, windows would all be installed correctly and there would never be a need to worry. Unfortunately, when you choose the cheaper option you often get cheaper results. In this case, that means you could end up paying for it again, making it the more expensive option in the long run.
How Do I Know if My Windows Are Bad?
There are several different ways that you can easily see whether or not your windows were poorly installed, even if you’re not an expert.
Here are some simple ways you can check to see if your window installation is bad.
They’re Noisy
One of the added benefits of having energy efficient windows installed is having better soundproofing around your home. If you can have your window open and hear the outside noise, it’s normal. But if you can close your windows and hear that same noise without any reduction in sound, it’s not normal and not something that should be overlooked.
Drafts Arise from Poorly Installed Windows
You may also notice a small draft of air around your windows, feeling like a slight breeze. If you’re feeling this when the window is closed and there is no air sources pointed towards you or fans turned on, you should take it as confirmation that your windows were poorly installed and may notice the physical proof in the form of higher energy bills.
Foggy Windows
Energy efficient windows are two or three panes thick with trapped gas sealed in between. This heavy gas is what keeps noise and air from passing through and keeps your home better insulated. A seal is in place between the window panes keeping the gas trapped in between so it doesn’t escape. A good window installer knows this and makes sure to be careful during the window installation to keep the seal in place.
In the morning, when the outside grass is covered in a cold wet dew, you can tell there is moisture out there as a result of the cold air that happened overnight. This is the same cause and effect that would lead to foggy windows if the gas seal was broken.
If you notice your windows are foggy and not clear, there is something wrong with the gas seal. Even when the weather outside is cold and wet, your windows should not be as this could lead to a whole host of other issues.
Poorly Installed Windows Can Cause Water Damage
Water damage from a poor window installation can happen in as a result of a few different things but they all pose the same risks. Mildew and mold growth and possible structural damage are the two largest concerns that can result from the water damage of a poorly installed window.
Some ways that water and moisture can enter are through gaps between the frame and window opening or through the condensation caused by foggy windows. If the gaps are severe enough, you may even notice water trickle in through a rainstorm. This can cause the paint to bubble, chip or wallpaper to become discolored and peel away from the wall.
Messy Caulking
While on its own it doesn’t sound like such a scary sign of a poorly installed window, especially when compared to water damage and energy loss, it’s still a sign that should be taken seriously.
To be a professional window installer means taking the time to do the job right the first time. The reputation and name of the company mean everything in a virtual world full of Yelp reviews and personal recommendations. So taking the time to not only get the job done but to have it look nice is something that your installer should have done automatically.
Applying caulk to anything requires patience, a steady hand, and skills. It’s incredibly obvious when someone lacks these talents and when a sloppy caulking job has been done, you are left to wonder what else was poorly done.
A bad caulking job could be used to cover gaps in the window frames or trying to hide a crooked window.
Rushing the caulking could be a sign that other areas of the window installation were rushed as well and that could mean any number of issues went wrong without you noticing. Installers that take shortcuts or didn’t care to get the job done right is not only unfair to you but also causes your home to suffer as well.
Choose Your Window Installation Company Wisely
Get good reviews and look for skills and reliability to help you select the best company you can afford. Don’t suffer from poorly installed windows as a result of trying to save a few bucks, it could cost you more money and your families health in the long run.
