Window/Door Water Damage and Mold

Unfortunately, water damage around windows and exterior doors is more common than you would think. The damage can be hard to discover and until you can figure out why a window or door is allowing water to enter your home, you can’t come up with a solution to stop the water and repair the damage.

What is causing my Window/Door Water Damage?

These issues are the top reasons that windows may leak and allow water to damage your home.

Installation Issues – if a window or door is not installed properly it may leak from the start or eventually begin to leak. Windows and doors should always be installed with flashing around them to prevent water from coming in around them. If there is a gap or break in the flashing, a space is created for water to enter. If the windows or doors are not installed level, they could allow water to accumulate and eventually enter your home. Also, expanding foam should be used to close the gap between the window or doorframe and the opening in the wall it is mounted in.

Damaged or Incomplete Caulking – after a window or door is installed, a bead of caulking is placed around both sides and the top and bottom edges. As the caulking ages it has a tendency to crack or separate and allow water to enter.

High Humidity – if your home often has a high humidity problem, the moisture will collect on exterior surfaces, especially windows and doors. The temperature differential between outside and inside air can cause condensation. If this problem occurs the condensation will flow down the window or door and do damage to the wooden plate at their base.

What does Window/Door Water Damage look like?

The most obvious sign of a window or door leak is a puddle of standing water or wet carpet below the window or around the door. Another sign is visible staining or discoloration on the wall around door or under a window.

Sometimes as you pass near a leaking window or door you will smell a musty odor. This odor is usually the result of mold growth. Organic materials such as drywall and wood will support mold growth when they are affected by water if they are not dried in a reasonable period of time.

When wallpaper or paint in the vicinity of a leaking window or door begins to discolor, bubble, fade, or peal, you can bet there is also a moisture problem.

Water absorption by baseboards and trim will cause this wooden trim to expand and warp. Gaps may develop between the trim and the window or door as this expansion and warping worsens.

Okay, I see Mold around the Window/Door. What should I do now?

Mold grows when there is moisture present and the moisture is not dried up in a timely manner. The mold can be any color from black, to brown, to green, or any color in between. You should never attempt, or be satisfied, to simply kill the mold or cover it up. Mold can lie dormant for long periods of time, waiting for the next time water is reintroduced to the area. It needs to be removed and the affected areas treated and dried. Otherwise, chances are that the mold will return in the very near future.

The best way to accomplish mold removal is to hire a professional remediation company like Water Mold Fire Restoration. Our mold experts will find the source of the mold, assist you in correcting the moisture problem, and remove the mold safely and efficiently. After removal, they will use drying equipment to return any affected structural materials to their safe, pre-loss condition.

What health dangers can Window/Door Mold cause my family?

According to the Mayo Clinic, mold can pose the following health dangers:

• Sneezing

• Runny or stuffy nose

• Cough and postnasal drip

• Itchy eyes, nose and throat

• Watery eyes

• Dry, scaly skin

• Asthma

• Shortness of breath

How can I prevent Window/Door Water Damage & the Mold that it can cause?

Most of the time, especially if you have owned your home for several years, window/door water damage is a result of not taking proactive maintenance action.

Redoing caulking around windows and doors will go a long way towards preventing water from entering your home in these areas.

The other maintenance tip that is easy for you to control is humidity inside your home. High humidity will almost always gravitate towards windows and doors where there may be a large temperature differential and condensation may occur. Once this condensation becomes heavy enough, the moisture will flow down the window or door and affect surrounding structural materials.

Call Water Mold Fire Restoration, 800-905-0277, at the first sign of possible damage. Our water damage experts will arrange to come to your home, diagnose the damage, and recommend a plan of action to solve your problem. If you would rather contact us via email, do so at help@watermoldfire.net.