Repairing Rotted Window Sills
Repairing Rotted Window Sills With Dutchman Patches
Look at any wood exterior building and you’ll notice that the windowsills take a beating form mother nature. Windowsills by design are sloped but still basically a horizontal shelf where water and snow can accumulate. Add to that a house without gutters and you’re a candidate for windowsill and related trim rot.
Once water finds its way behind trim or under paint and caulk to rot process begins. Ongoing exposure to this moisture will cause the windowsill to rot, and worsen over time. When caught in time often a small epoxy repair is all that is needed.
But when discovered late or left unchecked, the rot will penetrate deeper into the windowsill, and even wall framing requiring much more and more extensive repair.
Window Repair or Window Replace
The age-old debate of window replacement or window repair is a tough one to answer but I’ll do my best to address my thought process and how I try to guide my clients decision process.
I look at the repair verses the replacement question as a business approach. What makes the most sense; based on time, budget longevity and of course hidden costs.
When dealing with old historic windows, often times repairing is the only option. Many times these windows are protected by a city or town’s historic district commission specifying that the window details remain unchanged. Often times, replacement requires having a custom and costly window fabricated to match the style, look and dimensions of the existing old windows.
Other circumstances where repairing may be an option is on higher end homes with large expensive units, [PHOTO ABOVE] bay windows or multiple mulled windows. Many times these windows will have high-end trim, wainscoting or faux wall finishes that would add a multitude of extra costs if the window is replaced.
I often opt for window replacement when the cost of the window, any interior work relating to the replacement and my replacement labor are equal or less than the time I’d spend performing a quality repair. I often see this as a realistic option on more modern homes when dealing with stand alone window units and simple interior finishes and trim.
