I am currently doing some work for a friend in the DC area on a brick townhouse. The windows appear to be improperly installed or improperly waterproofed. The interior window sill has peeling paint, under which appears to be discolored wood. None of the rest of the trim has any peeling paint. Further, beneath some of the windows, there are signs of drywall deterioration. The exterior sill varies. Along the front of the building, the sill is a ~4″ slate lintle that is tipped (about 1/8th of a bubble on a level)properly toward the outside of the building. The exterior of the window has an aluminum moulding that is poorly installed. On the back of the house, the exterior sills (of equal thickness) are wood. My questions are:
1. what is the best way to install windows in a brick home and where do I get that information?
2. What’s the best solution to replacing the rotted solid 4″ exterior sill? I am looking toward products and sourcing in the DC area.
Thanks for your help!
Adam
Replies
Greetings Adam, As a first time poster Welcome to Breaktime.
This post, in response to your question, will bump the thread through the 'recent discussion' listing again.
Perhaps it will catch someones attention that can help you with advice.
'Nemo me impune lacesset'
No one will provoke me with impunity
It's kinda tough to tell you the "best" way without seeing it, but your problem has got to be the way the windows were flashed.
For masonry, there should be a z flashing and weeps in the head joints above the window, and the same under the window.
For a retrofit, I'd consider lead flashing on top of the stone sills all the way under the window turned up at the interior, extending outward to the outer edge of the window unit itself at least about another 1/2" More is better to prevent wind blown rain from getting under it. Up the sides, bitumen, and at the top, either another lead head flashing or aluminum (aluminum won't last long next to masonry though). Get it flashed, then mount the window. Then brickmould at the sides and top to trim it.
For the wood sill, I'd have to see how it was mounted, but in general, remove the window, slice the sill in half and remove it, flash the opening properly, and replace the sill and then the window. If it's made a different way, cut the nails from the window frame into the sill, slide the sill out. Flash and replace with new sill.
Best of luck.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla
Thanks for the information. There seems to be very little information out there despite the fact that a good portion of older cities is brick. I have been looking at other area houses and noticed that structures with the stone subsill arranged at a very shallow angle (as in my case) almost invariably have poor paint and/or rot around the wooden portions of the trim. In contrast, houses with a relieved sub-sill (the sill is deliberately "cut" out at an angle of 10-15 deg.--it looks like a very large and shallow dustpan) have windows in much better condition. It would seem to me that the shallow angle sub-sill is more prone to snow and ice accumulation than it's steeper counterpart, thus less prone to leakage/decay. Here are some more questions that I have:
1. Is there an efficient manner in which to shape a stone sub-sill?
2. Can wooden sub-sills (these are 4" thick) be replaced with concrete cast in place? If so, what would be the best mortar/concrete/cement mix to use that would stand up to the elements?
Thanks,
Adam
>>So after tearing out the old, I suspect that I'll be left with a masonry opening and no wood whatsoever. How do I install a modern double hung into that opening?
As one approach, leave the existing window jamb and install replacement windows. I can't remember the brand off the top of my head, maybe it was Marvin, but anyway, somebody makes a replacement window that is designed to have same proportions as "traditional" double hung even when you go the replacement window route.
Best of luck with it.
"Let's get crack-a-lackin" --- Adam Carolla