The Damage: Rotted Windowsills

A window is a structure in a home or building that functions to allow natural light inside as well as ventilate the space with air. A window consists of several components like a head, two jambs, the frame, pane of glass and a sill, to name a few.

Windows can be divided horizontally with the use of a transom, or vertically with the use of a mullion. The panes of glass that are used in a window are sometimes referred to as the light. The opening, if it is hinged, is called the casement; if it slides, the opening is called the sash.

Most windows also have a horizontal shelf-like ledge that runs along the bottom of the window frame and this is known as the window sill. Window sills are constructed from a number of different materials such as steel, aluminum, PVC, natural stones and wood.

When discussing rotted window sills, it is generally wooden windowsill that will have this type of damage.

Monitoring for Rotted Window Sills

One of the most common damages seen in window sills, as noted by the American Society of Home Inspectors, is wood deterioration resulting from wet or dry rot.

Wet rot deterioration will occur when the window sill is exposed to an excessive amount of water, which keeps the wood damp and causes it to deteriorate over time. Dry rot will occur when the window sill is exposed to the constant heat and drying from sunlight.

Both types of rot will cause the wood to break down, and become brittle and soft. The damage may be further exasperated when there is the presence of black or yellow fungus or wood thriving insects. When the wooden window sill has been painted, you may notice the signs of rot appear as soft indentations, depressions and cracking under the surface of the paint.

You can easily investigate the extent of the damage by probing the wood with a screwdriver or metal pick, which will allow you to determine how soft or spongy the wood is.

If the window sill appears to be more than 15 percent damaged by rot, it will be necessary to do structural repair or total replacement. The wood used in the replacement should be blue-labeled and not pressure treated because pressure treated wood produces toxic fumes when they are set on fire.

Today, the market has come out with easy to use intervention kits that utilize epoxy patches, which are quicker to use and more economical for the homeowner to invest in. The repair kit will contain what is called a consolidator that will harden the wood. It will also contain a two-part epoxy that will have to be mixed up properly with appropriate filler. This will help make the original wood stronger.

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