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window frame has major termite damage need advice on rebuilding.

window frame has major termite damage need advice on rebuilding.


  #1  
Old 12-06-19, 05:51 PM
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window frame has major termite damage need advice on rebuilding.

Dear Readers,

I see a massive termite/rot problem. I thought it was going to be a replace or fill part of the sill but once I removed the rotted part of the sill, I can see additional termite damage to all the wood surrounding the window. The header has some if not extensive damage as well.

The sill is not like what I've seen on videos or in other sites it is a 2x8" that is angled 10 degrees. Also, the house wrap looks like 1950 tar paper but as expected it's not sufficiently covering any of the wood. I also see a little water damage to the interior plaster wall.

My sister is asking her handy man for an estimate, I'm not sure I can handle this myself I am handy but a little scared to be honest.

4 questions:
1. To repair this issue, would you open the exterior stucco or the inside of wall 6-12" or both to be able to see and have access.
2. The old windows were wood with a counter weight and the wood frame had/has special gooves for some of the window to slide up, the Vinyl window is a horizontal slider and obviously self contained. Can the window frame rebuild be a simpler as long as the sill has the 10 degree slope and fits the cutout size correctly plus 1/2 for the window to go in.
3. Would anyone have a recommendation on the termite issue itself spot or full tenting.
4. I'm very concerned with flashing the window opening, I've been looking at liquid membrane vs tape flashing but I'm not sure about filling gaps and tying into the old paper at least what's left of it so the area really is waterproof. I've done some other repairs last year on the other side and to be honest I did not flash because I was not thinking about it. Really dumb and had a tough year.

That's it, sorry this is so long here are some pictures.
Thanks very much for your help should you contribute. David
 
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  #2  
Old 12-06-19, 06:53 PM
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Termites enter a house at ground level. Yours followed the back of the stucco up to the window, because I bet the stucco goes down close to or below grade. (Giving them a nice way to enter the house undetected.) So you can bet that there is more damage than you can see or know about. Having been in carpentry for the better part of the last 30 yrs, I can tell you that your house probably isn't going to implode. Also if you imagine that you need to rip into the house in order to replace everything that termites have been into, you're not being realistic. And you wont be able to afford it.

So number one, get a termite inspector there. They should do an initial inspection for free. See if they find active termites or perhaps this is old damage.

On the window and rough opening size, it's hard to answer. Do you have a pocket replacement frame, with no fin? Or a window with a nail fin?

At all costs, don't damage the stucco or felt paper behind the stucco.

On the termite issue, your inspector will give the best advice. There is no way for us to know the full extent of your problem based on 3 pictures.

On the flashing, you need to think about 2 things.

The felt paper behind the stucco is your WRB and it is meant to protect the sheathing and framing from getting wet. If you damage it, you basically create a path for water to enter. So you need to be very careful not to damage it. That means you probably need to leave the existing sheathing intact if possible. Use a sawzall and thin metal only blade to cut along the inside surface of the sheathing... it will cut the nails that hold the jamb to the sheathing. Remove any damaged wood this way. I'd suggest you not replace any framing.

If you do expose the felt paper around the perimeter, you need to lap it correctly or it's pretty useless. New felt or membrane would need to shed water OVER the bottom felt and under the top felt. A metal flashing around the perimeter of the stucco is usually a good idea. You want to leave a small gap, 1/4" or so between the stucco and the metal flashing, allowing room for caulk. You want to prevent water from getting to the WRB. Then tape the metal flashing to the rough opening.

Unsure how to give any more advice that that.
 
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Old 12-06-19, 09:55 PM
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Thank you

I appreciate the help... I was thinking about metal flashing as well, I spent the summer in Ct with my girlfriend who has a custom modern home and had a major window problem with mulitple large 8x20' arcadia slider windows and spent a long time understanding how to flash that install which was a redo.

May I ask one clarification, you're thought is to have flash tape or other flashing cover the opening of the window, then under the sill area over-lapping the old WRC paper. The metal flashing you talk about would that go sit on the stucco or just above it? So far I have not removed any stucco minus a 1x2" piece that fell off in the corner. The old sill was sitting on top of the stucco in the overall picture with approximately 1.5" wide trim on the left/right/top as you can see the top trim is still attached.

On the replacing wood part; I was referring to replacing the wood that is rotted in the window area not the entire house which I'm sure (especially this side of the house) has termite damage. You are 100% correct btw the stucco goes down to the grade with a crawl space about 2-3' below. Termite guy is coming on Monday....
 
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Old 12-06-19, 10:23 PM
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It's really hard to say. It largely depends on the size of the new window relative to the size of your existing stucco opening. Let's say you remove the old window, and the felt paper around the perimeter is in good shape and/or you have added additional paper or flashing tape to cover the front edge of the framing you will add. Let's also assume you can add framing or layers of plywood to the existing rough opening, and pad everything out so that your rough opening is 1/2" smaller than your stucco opening is. (1/4" per side.) At this point, nothing protrudes OUT past your original framing.

Now this isn't how (see photo) casing bead is usually used, because it is usually embedded in the stucco. but since it would behoove you to leave the stucco, I'd suggest you lay the casing bead on the rough opening, and allow it to protrude until it's flush with the face of the stucco. This would create your 1/4" expansion gap that would give you a perimeter to caulk, between the casing bead and the existing stucco. (using a concrete sealant or good polyurethane sealant)

Then you could add flashing tape to the rough opening to seal the casing bead to the framing. Then the window goes inside that. Still unclear to me what kind of window you have, and I don't know whether or not you need a sloped sill under it or not. Much of this depends on the size of the window and type of install. It's possible the window could be caulked to the casing bead, with the casing bead acting like the exterior stop, but again... hard for me to say when I'm 1000 miles away.
 
 

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