# Windows



## fishineveryminuteofit (Mar 31, 2011)

I bought a new home and none of the windows have caulk around them. In my old home when we had new windows installed, the company caulked inside and out. Is this a case of the builder being cheap and trying to save money? Or is there a legit reason why this wasnt done? Should i caulk all of them to ensure less heat lost? Cus there seems to be a fair amount of cold air getting in near all the windows. Supposed to be 5star energy efficient home. But what do i know:/
Thanks
Derek


Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


----------



## fishineveryminuteofit (Mar 31, 2011)

Heres a pic of the gap in the trim and one if the windows. 


Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


----------



## Big Reds (Oct 14, 2007)

Somebody was extremely lazy obviously.

It certainly wouldn't hurt to apply a bead of caulk inside and out.
Use the best caulk you can afford and use a caulk that is designed to stretch and shrink with the seasonal weather changes.
Cheap caulk will cause you to remove and reapply more often than you would like.
Use a paintable caulk for the interior and a 100% silicone for the exterior, unless there is exterior wood trim that buts the window frame. Then use the paintable there as well.


----------



## -Axiom- (Jul 24, 2010)

Quad & Solar Seal are high quality caulks that are widely available.


----------



## fishineveryminuteofit (Mar 31, 2011)

Thank you, I thought i should, but wanted to check first. Thanks again big reds and axiom.


----------



## Rudi's Dad (May 4, 2004)

Caulking is sort of a learned art. If you are good, the job looks good, if not it looks like a duck had diarrhea..
Practice on scrap, and decide if its good enough or you need to hire someone.

Also if that window is caulked outside, maybe it dont need caulking inside. 
Hard to tell by the pictures.

AND if its wet from any condensation or cold I suggest waiting till spring when its warm and dry.


----------



## g6463 (Mar 2, 2009)

that looks like a big gap if its more than 1/4 inch it should have some trim put on it first then caulk the trim to window and the drywall


----------



## shoelessjoe (Dec 13, 2012)

Big Reds said:


> Somebody was extremely lazy obviously.
> 
> It certainly wouldn't hurt to apply a bead of caulk inside and out.
> Use the best caulk you can afford and use a caulk that is designed to stretch and shrink with the seasonal weather changes.
> ...


 Just by looking at the "crap" (for lack of a better word), your also have a moisture problem. I would be more concerned with "did they bother to insulate around the mainframe" if they didn't bother to caulk the interior.:16suspect


----------



## Greenbush future (Sep 8, 2005)

That looks very chilly, hold a lighter up during a windy day, my guess is with gaps like that it is brezy inside. Go outside and look for seam , let us know if it was ever done there too. What's your gas bill like? When I switched from alum frame single pane to Aderson doubles, with correct sealing, my heat bill was cut in half! And Rudi's dad is right, about it being an art, if you have no skills just pay to have it done well, you will be staring at it for a while right?
My renatal has an abundance of "poor caulk", the previous owner even caulked the siding seams, but he thought he was doing good, and he only did as high up as he could reach. That house would be the "poster child" for bad caulk job!!


----------



## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

Have to ask........ what it is the *black* that shows in the picture? It actually looks as though its mold. If its mold, its certainly caused by moisture. Do you have moisture forming on the windows of the home, beads of water that form? Someone already suggested moisture. You DO NOT want mold growing in the home......

If it is or you do have moisture forming, you're probably sealed up to tight and if that's the case, you need to bring in more fresh air and exhaust the moisture in the home. Builders are building new homes so tight, that there's no way for the moisture from baths, cooking, laundry and even your own breath to be removed from the home. You either have to run a dehumidifier or, install an air exchanger. Bathroom exhaust fans WILL NOT exchange enough air to remove enough moisture.

If its moisture, which I'm very well versed on, the installation of an quality air exchanger will solve the problem or certainly help. Our home is built so tight, that even bringing air into the home from the outside to the furnace (5"), wasn't enough. There was no way to exhaust and therefore was little to no fresh air being brought into the home. We installed an air exchanger this summer and its made a 100% difference in the home. We have fresh air when needed, can set it to recirculate or, recirculate and bring in fresh air. This cold weather has been the real test and so far, its been perfect, with no moisture forming on the windows.


----------



## fishineveryminuteofit (Mar 31, 2011)

Yes moisture has been building up on most the windows. Maybe i should be looking into an air exchanger as well. Thanks again. 


Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


----------



## ENCORE (Sep 19, 2005)

fishineveryminuteofit said:


> Yes moisture has been building up on most the windows. Maybe i should be looking into an air exchanger as well. Thanks again.
> 
> 
> Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


Until you install an air exchanger, you should be running a dehumidifier and get rid of the humidity in the house.

I talked with my builder this afternoon on the ice. He'd been waiting for a report on how ours was working. He built this place really tight and after he found out what the air exchanger has done, he's going to recommend them to all new home owners for the build.


----------

