Moisture Around The Windows

[chris11]

Hello

I want to buy a second hand house from Land&House.

My Problem is that i see around the windows brown lines look like moisture(Mostly around all windows), But dont now exactly because its under the wallpaper. So my Qustion is, is this a serious problem and other Member have experience with this problem allready. Maybee someone can give me same sugestions.

Thanks in advance

Chris

[gusgorman]

Beingin this line of business and having sold many in land and house this is not a common problem that i have found there i have to say. It could be coming in from the seal around the window frame itself, or indeed it could be coming in from above, perhaps the roof itself or the wind is perhaps blowing the rain under the eaves of the roof. Are the windows wood?

Is this the one you are thinking of buying that has these faults?

[teacup]

water/moisture penetration from the exterior, most likely from the unsealed window

[chris11]

Hello Gusgorman

Thanks for your fast reply.

This goes around the window at the border between Wall and windowframe.The windows are PVC.

I looked 3 Houses in this Village and all have the same Problem. So i scare a little bit this coud be a big problem in the future.

Chris

Edited September 8, 2008 by chris11

[chris11]

Hello

water/moisture penetration from the exterior, most likely from the unsealed window

Thanks for your reply.

Is this serious?, can this repaired? and if can repair its expensiv?

Sorry for this lot of Questions but i like this house but scare about problems in the future

Thanks

Chris

[teacup]

That's ok, I don't mind helping

First quesion: How many did you observe that having this ploblem?

Just one or the whole house?

edit: oh well I will answer anyway

Yes it's a serious problem and most of the time it can be sealed only from the exterior.

If you don't do it soon, sooner or later you will see the wallpaper starting to peal off and you will notice mildew/molds growing behind the wallpaper. If you left untreated some respiratory problems may occur, esp if you have young children.

Not it's not that expensive to fix the problems. I just need to see the pics of both inside and outside window area to be able to tell you the most likely best method, becuase not all windows are made the same specification

Ok any other quesiton, just fire away

No I'm not a capenter or builder, but I'm an architect dealing with this type of problem everyday in my jobs - and no I'm not in thailand at the moment

Edited September 8, 2008 by teacup

[chris11]

Hello Teacup

Thanks for your answer.

I will try to upload same pictures today evenning when iam at home

I would guess the have of the windows have this problem.

Iam Electrical engineer and dont know much about this so i think its better to ask.

Thanks For your help.

What is the normally way to seal it from outsite, It means have to destroy something or have only to attach some isulation.

Chris

[teacup]

Most cases you can seal it with "silicone" caulking, do not use any "latex" caulking coz it's not that durable and flexible like the silicone.

However some additional works may need to be done, depending on the window spec at the exterior side.

Example:

Some windows may have an overhang lip over the exterior wall, while other just flushed even with the exterior wall

Just show me pics, we will go from there

edit:

Give me the pic of the area between the window and up to the ceiling corner also.

Sometime the water may be coming from the above.

Edited September 8, 2008 by teacup

[chris11]

Hello

First thanks a lot

I upload the pictures when i came home so in about 8 Hours.

Thanks Chris

Most cases you can seal it with "silicone" caulking, do not use any "latex" caulking coz it's not that durable and flexible like the silicone.

However some additional works may need to be done, depending on the window spec at the exterior side.

Example:

Some windows may have an overhang lip over the exterior wall, while other just flushed even with the exterior wall

Just show me pics, we will go from there

[teacup]

Ok

But I will be sleeping coz right now it's about 10:00 pm where I live

I will look at them sometime tomorrow afternoon during my lunch break and will problably be online again at the same time as now

Later

[chris11]

Hello

I upload same pictures, i hope then its more clear, the problemzones i marked with a red arrow.

Thanks Chris

[teacup]

Ok here goes - my own opinion from observation of the above pics

Findings - from above pictures

Upper story

-It looks like the normal/general wind direction comes from the right side of the house and forces the rain/water to go in thru the gap between the window and siding/trim

-You have adequate overhang for the upper story- looks like 18” or 24” from the picture

Lower story

-The living room sliding door has adequate overhang protection, but there is some evidence of leakage problem at the top of it.

Recommendations

Upper story

Remove all trims around all windows & balcony door, and replace back with using blind-caulking method of attachment and nail the trims back. Make sure also there will be some oozed out touching the actual window frame then using finger/ or damp cloth to swipe of the access at this area.

Lower story

-most likely -the leakage might be coming from the upper story little balcony floor. So check the above balcony flooring area for any gaps and opening - esp the area at the base of the balcony door - then seal it tight

-I can’t tell you much about the balcony floor - because no picture

Other people might have diff opinion of fixings, but generally the above are typical problems and the typical method of fixing

Fixing around windows and doors should not be difficult or too expensive

Fixing the leakage balcony floor - don’t know

[chris11]

Hello Teacup

Thanks again for your help.

First i actually stay not in Bangkok, so i have only this pictures what we made last time.

I thing with the balcony dont have a problem under the balcony it is dry.

The biggest problem for my opinon is the "Erker"(The right word for this?) on the 3rd picture, the water came out at the wall (marked with blake on the 5th picture and this go around this"Erker").

I have same problems to understand you suggestions(iam a german)

I dont know what is a "trim" and what you mean with this"Make sure also there will be some oozed out touching the actual window frame then using finger/ or damp cloth to swipe of the access at this area".

Maybee explain it for me a little bit in an easier way.

(You have any idea what this coast to make this hole house, i mean all windows, i think the balcony should be okay, because i want to negoite the price).

Thanks a lot for your time and your advice.

Chris

[teacup]

trim = a piece of wood that goes next to or around the window/door

"Erker" = don't know the word, as I'm not a german

don't know the cost, as I'm not in BKK at the moment

I guess we need a translation of the terminology from american - to german

Edited September 9, 2008 by teacup

[chris11]

Hello

Sometimes the technical termes are dificult to understand if its not the own profesion

trim = a piece of wood that goes next to or around the window/door

This means attached outside the wall or inside the wall?

"Erker" = don't know the word, as I'm not a german

Erker means the attached area that you see on the 3rd picture what overlapped to the building(I try allready to translate with google but for "Erker i dont get a translation )

don't know the cost, as I'm not in BKK at the moment

I guess we need a translation of the terminology from american - to german

I will try to translate this points what i not 100% understand today evenning at home .

Thanks Chris

[teacup]

trim = a piece of wood that goes next to or around the window/door

This means attached outside the wall or inside the wall?

outside the wall

all your red arrows are pointing at the "trim"

Thanks Chris

[/i]

[chris11]

trim = a piece of wood that goes next to or around the window/door

This means attached outside the wall or inside the wall?

outside the wall

all your red arrows are pointing at the "trim"

Hello

If i understand right i have to take out the plastering at this trims, take the trims out, seal it , replace the trims , and plastering new. I understand this right or not ?

Thanks again

Chris

Thanks Chris

[/i]

[teacup]

The normal sequence of exterior cladding is like this

the wall (buliding)

the vapor barrier paper - wrap the whole house (exterior) and around the window opening - 1st step of waterproofing

install window and door

install trim - around window and door with blind caulking method - this is extra waterproofing method around this critical area

install the plaster or siding

more caulking over any other gaps you see that u think the rain might be able to penetrate it in - final waterproofing

Anything below this is sub-standard practice

Edited September 9, 2008 by teacup

[chris11]

Hello

I thank you a lot for your suggestions. I think it is possible for me to repair this to an accepteble price.So i think i will buy this house and try to negoiate about the price. Maybee later i will ask you again if i have problems.

Thanks

Chris

[teacup]

Your welcome

chokdee ja

[chiangmaibruce]

Teacup, You would be a good person to ask this question:

Homes in Thailand need to stand up to heavy rain and strong sun ... but

1. many buildings here have evidence of water penetration like the OP's place. There seems to be very little use of what we in australia call "flashing". This is a waterproof membrane usually bought on a roll and used around windows, where skillion roofs are attached to the wall, etc. Also little/no use of damp-proofing membrane to stop rising damp in walls. Why is this so ... this membrane is not expensive. The Thai approach seems to be to use cement or silicon, and sometimes then only after problems have started ... certainly far from ideal and usually causes ongoing problems

2. many buildings here have silly little eaves so that windows below are very much exposed to rain and sun. this leads to hotter homes and (combined with no flashing) damp homes too. some people then pay for aluminium awnings to attach to the eaves the whole length of the house (ugly but practical). Is this because thai people all want their homes to look like they are in north USA? or the architects don't have a clue about energy efficiency, etc

Interested to hear your views

-CB

[Beardog]

Edit double post

Edited September 16, 2008 by Beardog

[Beardog]

Another quick method to check for leaks coming in from where the widow is sealed in (presumably tight) is to spray water through a hose at high pressure going slowly around the entire mounted surface . if you can have someone inside identify if this is the source. We used to use this method on windows skylites & roofs in the U.S. when after installations to minimize delivering the finished product with flaws. If this method fails it will be most likely running along the roofline & down the wall. In the U.S. it would be the Joists. Here the roof lines are different, but the end game to locate the problem is the same. I used to date an architect & Teacup is giving you sound advice.