Checking a window installation after the crew leaves

By the time the van pulls out, every decision about the window has been made and the only thing left to do is test it. The intervals replacement windows austin gagewood photo uses for checking are shorter than the warranty paperwork suggests, with a first look the same day and a second after the first hot stretch. A replacement window in Austin, TX has to prove itself against sun, wind and the occasional freeze, and the checks below show whether it will.

Operation first

Open and close each sash several times. A double hung should rise and fall without catching, and stay put halfway. A single hung bottom sash should do the same. A casement should swing without rubbing, and its lock should pull the sash firmly against the seal. Awning and slider units get the same trial. Any scrape or stiffness at this point is an alignment problem that is easy to fix now and harder after the trim is painted.

Reveals and gaps

Look at the visible line between the sash and the frame, called the reveal. It should be the same width all the way round. Uneven reveals point to a frame that was set out of plumb or a sill that is not level. Look at the sealant too: a continuous bead with no gaps, pinholes or smears means the installer worked carefully.

The light test

On a bright day, close the shades on one side and look from the other for daylight at the frame edges. Light showing through a closed sash is air showing through. Hold a thin strip of paper at the edges on a windy day. Movement of the paper shows a leak in the weatherstrip or the foam.

Weeps and glass

Check that the weep holes at the bottom of the frame are clear and uncovered by caulk. Look into the glass for haze or droplets between the panes. Insulated glass in a double pane or triple pane unit with argon fill and a low e coating should look clear from every angle. Early fogging is a sign of seal failure and falls under the manufacturer's warranty. A good u factor and a low shgc cut solar heat gain, but only if the seals hold.

The hose test and the follow-up

A gentle hose test, running from the bottom of the window upward, with someone watching the inside, shows any leak before the next storm does. Walk around again after the first hot summer, since Austin heat tests every bead. If the sill has stained or the paint has bubbled, water is entering somewhere and the frame needs reopening.