Flashing Installed Incorrectly Can Cause Wood Rot

As anyone who lives in the Pacific Northwest can attest, there’s a lot of rain! Due to the rain, we need to take special precautions to ensure our homes are waterproofed, keeping as much moisture outside as possible. Windows and doors present unique opportunities for rain and moisture to seep into the house, especially if the flashing is not high-quality or installed incorrectly. Older homes, in particular, are susceptible to penetration by wet weather because wood naturally deteriorates over time and must be repaired and preserved to continue to safeguard your home.

SFW Construction has been in the business of home renovation, window repair, siding repair, roofing, and all-around quality carpentry work for over a decade. Having grown up in the Northwest, we know the challenges the turbulent weather presents to homeowners. To best meet our customer’s needs, we specialize in home renovation with an emphasis on making your home as weather-resistant as possible. There are a few strategies we suggest to preserving your home, as well as a few signs to look for that indicate there may be structural problems that need attention.

Flashing serves as a sealant that protects the places where your window and window frame join the greater structure of your home. When these spaces are appropriately sealed with flashing, water and moisture are kept out. However, when there is no flashing around your windows or the flashing is incorrectly installed, wet weather can much more easily penetrate your home.

SFW Construction uses only the highest caliber DuPont Tyvek flashing to seal your home from rain and moisture. A recognized leader in the highest quality home weatherproofing expertise, Dupont Tyvek flashing tape is an industry-standard in professional construction work. It is the most effective sealant tool employed to protect the heads and jams of windows (places where they join the home structure) from inundation with wet weather. Dupont Tyvek flashing tape also controls air leakage, keeping the warm air in when it’s cold outside and the cool air in when it’s hot outside.

Proper flashing of windows is an essential safeguard strategy to prevent water intrusion around windows and frames. It is effective against hard, wind-driven rain as well as wind and extreme weather conditions. Flashing your windows with the correct products and methods keeps the water out, preventing water damage inside your home as well as improving your sense of safety and comfort and increasing the energy efficiency of your home.

If you have an older home with leaking windows or your windows aren’t functioning correctly, or you want to have your windows inspected to ensure the flashing was not installed incorrectly, call SFW Construction for a free phone consultation. We can help you keep your home dry and protected from the elements. We inspect your home for signs of water intrusion and provide expert window frame repair and installation, if necessary, effectively flashing your windows with highest grade professional materials to keep the wet weather out.

When your windows are flashed improperly or not flashed at all, wood rot is a natural though unfortunate consequence. If the flashing on your windows is  installed incorrectly rain and moisture will penetrate your home, seeping into the wood and making it wet. You might notice water collecting on your window sill or running down your wall, collecting on a floor, or drenching an area of the carpet. These instances of water intrusion are very annoying and are sure signs your windows are leaking. 

However, moisture has only to penetrate the inner walls of your home, just beneath the siding, to cause wood rot in your home’s structure. The signs of this kind of home leakage are less visible. You might notice discoloration above or around your window. Or your windows might stop functioning properly. 

Both kinds of water intrusion into your home can cause rot, which threatens your home’s integrity. And there are two kinds of wood rot caused by water penetration into your home. 

Wet Rot: Wet wood naturally rots over time. Wet rot is the kind of wood rot that occurs when the wood is substantially wet for a duration. Soaked wood will lose its capacity to function correctly, will warp and eventually rot altogether. Such wood is not suitable for your home because it will compromise the structural integrity and can also cause mold, which is a health hazard.

Dry Rot: Dry rot is caused by a fungus that thrives on wet wood. In contrast to wet rot, dry rot can occur in wood that is merely damp or moist. It is estimated that wood, which has a moisture content of just 20%, can develop the dry rot fungus. Dry rot is progressive over time, beginning with tiny reddish spores that cover wood surfaces, then gradually infecting and deteriorating the wood as the fungus develops. Wood that appears to be covered with cobwebs, cotton, or mushroom growths is in an advanced state of dry rot and should be removed and repaired immediately to safeguard your home.

SFW Construction is an expert in dry rot repair and removal, which we provide in tandem with leaking window repair and window installation.

Leaking windows lead to a host of home problems, including wood rot in your home’s structure as well as water damage throughout your home. These problems caused by leaking windows can be prevented with thorough and competent window flashing. The average home has anywhere from 10 – 15 windows, sometimes more. Each window presents a prime opportunity for rain and moisture to invade your home. Ensuring these portals to your home are sufficiently waterproofed is the best solution to keeping the rain out and the dry warmth in.

SFW Construction is your premier home renovation company serving customers throughout the Pacific Northwest. We specialize in home improvement work that safeguards your home from the natural elements. Window repair and window installation are two of our most common services. We provide expert inspection of your windows and the highest quality window repair and installation using effective Dupont Tyvek window flashing.

For a free phone consultation and quality home repair services that will keep the inside of your home dry and protected, call SFW Construction today!