Doors and Windows

Doors



Most of the problems I come across when inspecting a home can easily be fixed with a good quality tube of caulking. Sticking doors can usually be fixed with replacing the typical ½ inch screw in the center hole of the hinge with a 3” screw to bring the door back in line or at times adding spacer behind the hinge to bring a door out, seldom does one need to plane the door down. There are also plenty of types of weather stripping that can replace the deteriorated ones if drafting is a problem.



For those that are rehabbing or remodeling, if you are thinking about replacing a door, then you need to be aware that door sizes differ greatly. It is best to measure the door opening and then contact your local hardware store about what they have available.

Typically doors end up being replaced with the same type, metal with metal, wood with wood, although I have come across a few instances where I was able to use a fiberglass door to replace a wood door. I would advise that if you are replacing the door then have them pre-drill the door knob and dead bolt holes for you, it’s worth the extra money and time. Let me also make a comment on dead bolts and safety. There are two types of dead bolts; Double cylinder- keyed both sides and Single cylinder – key one side, turn latch on the other side.



I do not recommend the double cylinder dead bolts for no other reason then the case of a fire, imagine someone drying to open a door in a smoke filled room.



Locks serve the purpose in keeping your neighbors honest and at best to slow a criminal down in time for you to call the police or retrieve your firearm. As a former police officer I can tell you for fact that there is not a lock on the market that is full proof. If Joe Scumbag wants to break into your home, he is coming in. There are simple things that can be done to make your house less desirable for him. Leave porch and night lights on around the perimeter. Put various rooms on timers at odd hours of the morning and night. Get rid of those gaudy shrubs where a person could hide.



You can install a security system however the best alarm system as noted by current and former criminals,…….is a dog. It doesn’t have to be big dog, just one with good hearing and can bark. Enough advertising for my four legged friends, lets get back to doors and windows.



As for door choices, I personally love fiberglass doors. You can paint and stain them easily. They hold up far better than the metal and wood doors and are available in a wide range of sizes and styles. Metal doors are the cheapest, followed by fiberglass and then wood.



Door styles that do not afford a good view outside should have peep holes installed. Doors that separate the house from a garage should be fire rated.



Know lets talk about those cracks on the wall around the door. Do those cracks mean there is a foundation problem? Usually it’s just the house breathing, settling, or moving. My rule of thumb is if the crack is less than 1/16” wide then I am not concerned with it, however if it is wider and the crack lines runs more than 6 inches I start investigating.



I start by determining if any roof loads are coming down on the area where the cracks are occurring and then follow it down to the foundation. I hate to say it but most building inspectors do not look at where all the point loads are on a house. They often look for the most reoccurring violations and then go onto the next jobsite. Most of the time I find that the problem has to do with a pier not being added for a load point. In the latter case it is not a difficult repair. When in doubt then consult with a licensed professional.



For cracks that are just cosmetic, they can be repaired by applying a fiberglass mesh tape on the crack and feathering out drywall compound over same, typically 3 coats will do. Simply filling the crack with caulk or paint is a quick fix for the cheap rehabbers that are looking at flipping it in a few weeks (smile), however the crack will often come back before the ink is dry on the contract.





Windows



Doors and windows are one the main areas where you experience heat / air loss.

Older homes typically have single pane windows. Some people will add the storm windows on the outside but they offer no added insulated value.



Since the 1970’s, window manufactures have attempted to stop heat and air loss by making double and even triple pain windows, Windows are rated by their U value. The U-value is a measure of the amount of heat that flows through the window. The lower the U-value, the less heat that will be lost through the window, U-values of 0.4 or lower are best. Many window manufacturers are also offering “Low E” windows as well as windows filled with various gases such as Argon and Krypton.



A low-E coating is a microscopically thin metal or metallic oxide coating that is applied to the glass by the manufacturer. It helps keep heat and ultraviolet rays from passing through the window. Virtually invisible, low-E coatings will keep the house warmer in winter by reducing heat loss and cooler in summer by blocking heat from the sun. There have been new studies on the effectiveness of Low E, some cases state that it is an unnecessary option in colder climates, other studies have shown that depending on which brand of Low E you buy, could actually be no better than your basic insulated window.





Recently I bought an older all brick home (1940’s) where there was no insulation in the walls. Due to the way the walls were built, diagonal bracing and fire blocking, it would not be cost effective for me to attempt to insulate the exterior walls. Since I needed to replace the windows anyway, I decided to buy the gas (Argon) filled windows. The gas helps maintain room temperature against the inside pane of the window.



Windows should be caulked, both inside as well as outside. Condensation between the panes of a window is an indication that the seal is broken, the insulated value of the window is no longer effective and the sash should be replaced.



I would advise when shopping for windows to contact siding suppliers directly to see what they offer. There is a tremendous mark up for replacement windows, do not get caught up in the national advertising hype of some of the larger window companies. I have had prices in the range of $400.00 - $700.00 per unit. My siding contractor was able to install a lifetime warranted, double hung, gas filled window for $250.00 per unit, this included wrapping the outside of the existing casing…………………….again, shop around.