Help! What do you think caused this?

[Deb Evans]

Fitted 8 years ago… 

Cheap windows?

Bad install? 

[MikeSharp01]

Sorry to see this. Looks like very poor woodwork, poor painting and poor sealing, which is on the inside face, allowing water past onto the middle sill where it has been sucked up by the side frames and soaked into the sill itself - my guess is that its was a very drafty window - more so now. 

[ProDave]

That is strange.  What little I can see of the exterior wood and paint looks okay.  Almost as if water is getting in at the top, perhaps from the cavity that does not have closers?

[dnb]

Guessing that the problem here has come from the cavity side and it's only been noticed when the whole frame depth is affected. I am going for a similar theory to @ProDave - something is allowing water into the cavity and it's getting to the back of the frame.  Another window (or something) above it without a drip cove on the sill that lets water track into the cavity? The pictures suggest there is no cavity closer for that window.

[craig]

I'd like to see more along the bottom, sides, and picture externally. I suspect water has been trapped at the back of the easy clean hinge and pooled and obviously worked it way into the wood causing the damage seen, as the drainage slot that runs underneath the hinge has been blocked (bad design in my honest opinion). However, the frame is compromised and so is operating that window, I wouldn't open it until it has been inspected, the majority of weight of the sash is on that bottom hinge. On the other side (handle side), it looks like water has been pooling at the vertical and horizontal junction. 

 

How old is the window? When was it installed? I'd be looking out the warranty, did they supply and install or a separate installation team? Did you own the property when the windows were installed?

My honest opinion is twofold.

 

1: Poor design
2: "Potential" installation issue. 

 

I don't see a cavity issue at present but that's not to say it cannot be ruled out but I suspect you'll be paying for a replacement. 

Edited July 15, 2024 by craig