Wood is a beautiful, timeless window material—but it's prone to costly issues, including rot.
If you suspect your windows are deteriorating from rot, you may be looking for a quick, reliable solution to refurbish them to their original condition. Fortunately, depending on the extensivity of the rotting, you have a few options to restore your window's durability and curb appeal.
What Causes Wood Rot?
Wood is exceptionally vulnerable to the elements, and of course, wood windows are no exception!
If your wood windows aren't properly maintained, they may absorb moisture—causing your frames to become rotted. It's common for windows in Georgia to rot quickly due to the high moisture levels from frequent thunderstorms, downpours, and high humidity levels.
Rotted windows may lead to costly deterioration of your walls, shingles, and other exterior features, and mold growth that can negatively impact your family's health. It's crucial to repair rotted windows as quickly as possible to prevent further damage to your home.
What Are Common Signs of Wood Rot?
If you suspect your wood windows may be rotting, here are some signs to look for:
- When you touch your window frame, it feels soft, spongey, or crumbly.
- You notice mold and mildew or detect a musty scent when you're near your windows.
- You detect peeling, wavy, or bubbling paint on your wooden frame.
- The corners of your window frame have gaps, making your windows not fit properly.
- The shingles or trim near your windows are slightly discolored.
If left untreated, this wood rot can cause other additional problems like foggy windows.
What Are Some Options to Fix Rotted Windows?
If your windows are rotted—don't worry. You have a few options to remove the wood rot and restore your windows to a safe, attractive state.
1. Epoxy
If the rot on your windows is minor (affecting less than 20% of your frame), you may be able to use epoxy to make the necessary repairs. Epoxy is a polymer used to create durable, scratch-resistant coatings and fillers that adhere to various surfaces, like wood windows.
In most cases of wood rot in windows, the most reliable way to stop the spread of rot is to replace the window. Repairing a window may not reveal other wood rot around the area, especially if the rot has encroached into the structure of the wall. Contact a certified window contractor (like us!) for a complete inspection of your windows.
2. Replacement Pieces
If certain parts of your windows have suffered from more considerable rot, replacing the rotted pieces of wood is possible if the decay is to a minimum. However, this may cause a loss of structural integrity of the window.
It is recommended to have the window inspected to determine the extent of the rot. Replacement pieces to a window are usually a temporary solution. You should evaluate the cost and time investment since the window will need to be replaced eventually.
3. Replacement Windows
Though epoxy and replacement pieces are both decent options for repairing rotted windows, there's one problem with these solutions: they're temporary. While the rot will be gone after your repair, it will only take a few years of thunderstorms, humidity, and moisture penetration before your wooden windows suffer from rotting once again.
That's why the best way to fix rotted windows permanently is to replace them with durable, weatherproof fiberglass windows. Fiberglass resists warping and cracking from wind, weather, and time. While this material can mimic the attractive appearance of wood windows, it is low-maintenance and resistant to water penetration.
When you work with a professional contractor like North Georgia Replacement Windows to replace your wood windows with fiberglass windows, you'll never have to worry about rotting again—saving you time, money, and hassles on unreliable fixes and costly repairs.
Click here to learn how to prevent and fix wood rot problems with your windows.
Install Durable, Waterproof Fiberglass Windows with North Georgia Replacement Windows
If you'd like to eliminate all the troublesome issues with wood windows, like rot, and still enjoy all the benefits of their timeless beauty, we recommend replacing your damaged windows with Infinity from Marvin fiberglass windows.
North Georgia Replacement Windows is proud to be the exclusive contractor for Infinity from Marvin windows for the entire state of Georgia, and we'd be happy to help you find the perfect match for your home!
Learn more about our replacement window services to determine if investing in durable, low-maintenance replacement windows is the right choice for your exterior.
