Seems easy... but need help with this situation

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#1

Originally Posted By: arosenbaum
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In this picture, you can see faded paint and see the rusty nails (well, those are pretty hard to see in this picture, but the nails are rusted with white stains coming down from them). The interior of the house doesn’t seem rotted or damp(not that I can SEE), but as you can maybe see, there is no window flashing. I was curious on what would I tell my client exactly. Should I just direct them to a contractor or is there something more specific I can tell them (the client is a relative, by the way)


http://www.nachi.org/bbsystem/usrimages/FrontSidingpic.jpg

#2

Originally Posted By: Guest
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I’d bet that wall is wet.

#3

Originally Posted By: dvalley
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Aaron,


I must need glasses. I can't see any rusted nails.

Anyways, You're right about the window kick-out flashing at the top of the window. There is none. I would definitely advise your client that a kick-out flashing installed above all the window openings is highly recommended. This is definitely a red flag.

As for the rusting nails and faded paint under the window... It appears that rainwater is wicking and is penetrating the exposed unflashed opening at the top half of this window. Which in turn, is causing dampness to all the wood siding under this point. This will cause fading of the stain/paint you see under the window sash and the rusting nails on the exterior of the house. Also, make sure the nails that were used by the builder, were galvanized because these should not rust easily.
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#4

Originally Posted By: phinsperger
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The color contols on my monitor are shot but I see the white marks both above and below the window on both windows. No flashing would indicate a DIY job. I would suspect that the boards with the white marks were pulled of (either to create, enlarge, replace, or some other work to the window) and the boards were replaced with the wrong type of nail. Possiblely some coating that is reacting with the wood. Why white? I do not know. The faded paint (I’ll take your work for it) may have been a result from the somthing that happened to the boards while removed, like laying on the ground for a year while handyman get up the motivation to complete the job.


Again, I can't see pics that great untill I get a new monitor that that's my guess.

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#5

Originally Posted By: Guest
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Water is getting in behind the window at the giant gaping hole where the flashing should be. It then saturates the insulation behind the siding. The sun beats down on the wall and the water vapor escapes through the siding carrying with it extractives including tannins from the cedar. The extractives are surfactants, like soaps which have to pass through the paint and cause premature oxidation of the paint film, the resulting white hue is a result of this process. The rusted nails are also symptomatic.


The board and batten style lends itself to easy repair. take the siding off around the windows, flash them and then depending on how rotten things are, do the necessary repairs.

#6

Originally Posted By: arosenbaum
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Thanks for all the advice icon_smile.gif


As usual, its very much appreciated

#7

Originally Posted By: Larry L Leesch
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In regards to the white stain and nails, this is typical of the electro-galvanized nails. The nails are plated rather than dipped and the coating is VERY thin. The white is the zinc leaching out and because the coating is oxidizing, the nails are rusting.


For the window, I can't tell from the picture but the siding appears to be applied over another substrate. If so, the window most likely is flashed and sealed at this substrate rather than on the cosmetic siding.

#8

Originally Posted By: Guest
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I agree that most of what Larry said is accurate except for the part about a substrate and the window flashing beneath the exterior cladding.


It doesn’t really matter if there’s a substrate or not the window has to be flashed. The water gets behind the exterior siding and percs out. Period.


The fact that there is only staining below the windows and not in the field of the siding further illustrates that this is a water intrusion problem.


Whether it’s OSB, insulation or plywood behind the siding, it’s wet.

#9

Originally Posted By: arosenbaum
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Thanks again for the additional info