| If you are in the market to purchase a home, | | | | sills at the base of the window. Often you |
| it can be easy to fall in love at first | | | | can identify a soft sill by a "rotted" look, |
| sight. Do so at your own risk. While the | | | | but make sure to run your hand across the |
| overall appearance of a home is important, | | | | sills with light pressure to see if there are |
| the quality is in the details. In this | | | | any soft spots. If you find a problem, |
| article, I provide a checklist of window | | | | warning lights should be going off in your |
| issues you should consider when viewing a | | | | mind. A mushy sill means there is a water |
| home. | | | | penetration problem. More importantly, it |
| | | | also means the problem has existed for some |
| Windows | | | | time. Long-term water problems can mean the |
| | | | existence of mold and mold can be an |
| If you are considering buying a home, you | | | | expensive problem to fix. If you are really |
| should have a checklist of things to review | | | | interested in the home, demand an inspection |
| for the property. There is an old cliché | | | | paid for by the seller. If the seller |
| that eyes are the window to a person' soul. | | | | refuses, walk away from the home. |
| In the case of a home, they can be a clue to | | | | |
| the quality of the home building if you check | | | | 3. Water stains are the final window item to |
| the following: | | | | check for during your viewing. Just because |
| | | | the sills are not soft, doesn't mean there |
| 1. The first item to check is whether the | | | | isn't a leakage problem. Stains around a |
| windows open and close properly. Quality | | | | window frame are sure signs of water |
| windows should slide easily and with little | | | | problems. If a room has been painted, try to |
| noise. Cheap windows tend to stick and make | | | | find one that hasn't. If the entire interior |
| grinding noises. If any window will not open | | | | has been painted, ask the seller to state in |
| or close at all, careful attention needs to | | | | the sales agreement there were no water |
| be paid to why. Is it the quality of the | | | | stains before the house was repainted. |
| window or has the house started moving | | | | |
| because of foundation problems? Make sure you | | | | Windows are almost always an indicator of the |
| know the cause. | | | | quality of workmanship for a home. Giving |
| | | | them a good "once over" should tell you a lot |
| 2. The second item to check is soft or mushy | | | | about the house you are considering. |