Source: BUILDING PRODUCTS Magazine
Publication date: June 25, 2007
By Jeffrey Lee
Water infiltration around windows or doors in particular causes costly callbacks--and, in the worst case, lawsuits--and is usually caused by faulty installation. In fact, poor installation causes 80 percent of callbacks, according to George Digman, director of research and development for Kolbe, and roughly 90 percent of those callbacks are due to incorrect flashing techniques.
Window leaks can show up in a variety of ways: stained drywall, disintegrating frames and foundations, and the dreaded 'M' word: mold. Homeowners may only notice a musty smell, but mold-related claims can cost contractors tens of thousands of dollars.
With a lack of properly trained installers, some builders are turning to specialists to carry out the window flashing process. Reid Vandeventer, owner of Wallgard Systems of Central Florida in Orlando, Fla., has made a career out of flashing and draining windows in his wet climate.
"That need is being generated by calls for higher levels of expertise on the installation because of water intrusion," he says. "There's so much litigation around it."
Manufacturers also are addressing installation concerns. The newest flashings and sill systems, for example, are designed for a wider variety of applications to make window installation easier. Peel-and-stick flashing tapes, originally all asphalt-adhesive-based, have evolved over the past few years.
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