Rotten Pine Window Solution

Are your windows rotting?
Any wood window is subject to wood rot or insect infestation if not properly maintained. However the design, materials, and engineering that go into a window can substantially effect a window’s potential for these problems. Some wood windows allow for moisture to be trapped. This combined with poor quality seals and/ or bedding compounds that break down, can spell trouble. Another real issue here in the Northwest is the use of pine as a construction material in windows.

Pine, as a material for wood window frames, has been a failure. Unless meticulously maintained (painted and caulked regularly), pine may last less than 10 years with weather exposure. And, sadly, most of the wood windows installed around the Puget Sound area since the 1960s have been pine. These pine windows have come, commonly, from the "big name" national manufacturers and are, very typically, found in beautiful "high end" homes.

Your pine windows:
In King and Snohomish Counties, the most commonly rotting wood windows were made by Weathervane. If your home is on the "East Side" or in Mukilteo, and was built between 1978 and 1993, and has wood framed windows, chances are you have pine Weathervane brand windows in your home.
How can it be that your well built, expensive home has these problem windows?
Well they are/ were very attractive and your builder likely did not know they were a potential problem.

What to look for: If your frames are wood and your home was built in the 80s or 90s look at the spacer bar, (the metal strip that separates the 2 panes of glass in your double pane window). There should be a stamped name "Weathervane" on the spacer. If so, go outside and inspect for rot spots at all the joints. Use a screwdriver or even a ball point pen. Poke around for soft wood. Also look for "depressions" in the surfaces. If you don’t find any problems, congratulate yourself and get some good paint on them. Caulk too!