Doors and Windows

Doors or windows don’t open, close, or latch properly
Conditions that cause doors and windows to not open, close, or latch properly include, but are not limited to, improper or poor framing, damaged or loose hardware, excessive moisture, or structure settling in the affected area. If the structure is over ten years of age, additional short-term settling damage PROBABLY will not occur in Atlanta"s NORMAL CLIMATE, and doors and windows can be trimmed, adjusted, or re-framed to allow for easy and proper opening and closing. However, areas should be noted and monitored for additional settling problems, especially during periods of high rainfall and any additional damage should be evaluated by a licensed structural engineer. If you are unfamiliar with settling damage at doors and windows, you should seek the specialized services of a licensed structural engineer for further evaluation and information BEFORE CLOSE OF ESCROW.

Tempered safety glass
Glass walls, doors, and windows were verified as tempered safety glass where typically required or desired. While all glass breaks, tempered safety glass typically will shatter into hundreds or thousands of smaller, less dangerous pieces (see Figure 1), whereas standard glass can shatter into large shards which can cause large cuts and
wounds, and even pierce internal organs. In many cases, tempered safety glass will even hold together, allowing cleanup to be accomplished more easily.

Figure 1. Shattered safety glass from someone falling against it.

I cannot verify tempered safety glass in doors and windows unless the safety seal is visible on the glass. Various regulations and standard building practices require that the safety seal be etched into the glass and visible. Areas where tempered safety glass or glass that could not be verified as tempered safety glass were present are noted in your email report.

Absence of tempered safety glass in sliding glass doors, certain other glass doors, and low windows creates a safety and personal injury hazard. Sliding glass doors typically are manufactured with tempered safety glass. However, tempered safety glass is expensive, and homeowners occasionally replace broken safety glass with regular glass without understanding the safety hazards inherent in doing so. I occasionally have found instances where the sellers removed high-quality safety-glass doors and replaced them with doors of lesser quality that did not include safety glass.

You should verify as tempered safety glass, or have tempered safety glass installed, any areas that were noted as not having safety glass at the time of the inspection. Additionally, you should take the time to verify that tempered safety glass is present where needed regardless of what was or was not noted in your property inspection report. It’s that important.

Sliding glass door thresholds
Sliding glass doors have another problem besides people trying to walk through them. It is common for water to leak in through the thresholds. Many people think that slightly wet flooring at the sliding glass door is simply from people going in and out, either during rain or when going to and from the pool, backyard barbecue, etc. Any water leaking is a problem because it can stain carpets and promote rot in the subfloor, sometimes even rotting out the baseboards and lower sections of the wall. If the problem is not severe, additional caulking or flashing might abate the problem. If the problem continues, even after additional caulking or flashing, a drain pan can be fitted for the threshold. Unfortunately, this type of repair must be customized to fit specific doors, doorways, and thresholds. And any time you say the word “customized,” you’re typically talking a greater expense. Consult with a qualified door and window installation professional for additional information if you are having problems around your sliding glass doors.

I take a good, close look at the threshold, flooring, baseboards, and walls around the doors. However, real estate can change overnight due to failed components, pool parties, moving parties, etc. So make sure you check those doors at your final walk-through.

Window coverings
Inspection, testing, analysis, or opinion of condition or function of interior window coverings (shutters, blinds, drapes, etc.) is not within the scope of the property inspection. Window coverings on windows can interfere with my visual observation and testing of the windows. While I do my best to see all areas around the windows, I do not remove window coverings to inspect the framing and the windows themselves, and I will not climb on furniture to get access to the windows. So if your property inspection report notes “excessive furnishings and storage,” make sure you note those areas and check them out at your final walk-through.

Vinyl windows
Vinyl windows typically create a very tight seal that can be difficult to break to open windows, possibly causing damage. Such a seal can also prevent the structure from breathing properly, possibly causing a build-up of indoor air pollution and health problems for some individuals. You should open vinyl windows regularly to prevent them from self-sealing. I usually have a backyard barbecue on the first Saturday of each month and have friends over to open and close their own specific window.

Multi-pane windows
Multi-pane windows reduce street noise and improve heating and cooling efficiency. Since the space between the panes is sealed at the factory, multi-pane windows typically cannot be repaired and have to be replaced. Depending on the type of construction and the type of exterior siding, window replacement can be expensive. If a seal fails, air from the environment may enter the formerly sealed space, which may cause condensation or fogging in the window. Most multi-pane window failures in Atlanta occur on the south and west sides of the house due to the amount of sunshine we get. The first generation of multi-pane windows, ca. 1985-1994, appeared to be particularly prone to seal failure.

It is not always possible to detect failed seals in multi-pane windows because evidence of the failure may not be visible, particularly during dry weather, so I cannot ensure that each and every seal on each and every window is intact at the time of the inspection. Dirty windows also make it difficult to properly examine multi-pane windows. If windows are dirty, they should be cleaned, both inside and outside. Any apparent residue left on the window will usually be within the sealed space and typically indicates that the window seal has failed. If you can’t determine whether or not the seal is broken, hold an ice cube against the glass for about a minute. If the seal is broken, moisture between the two glass panes will condense on the inside of the glass. You can also look at the windows during cold or wet weather, and any condensation that cannot be wiped away on the interior or exterior of the window is in the space between the panes, indicating that the seal has failed.

Due to the expense involved in replacing multi-pane windows, I recommend that you have all multi-pane doors and windows cleaned, inside and outside, before close of escrow and then checked to see if there are any failed seals that were not evident at the time of the inspection.

If you have any questions about anything, simply contact me.

                      

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