replacement vinyl windows Jump Frame install questions

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miatawnt2b
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2020 1:16 pm

replacement vinyl windows Jump Frame install questions

#1 Post by miatawnt2b »

This is going to get pretty long winded, so I apologize in advance, but I want to give very accurate information.

Last week I had a local window company install several vinyl replacement windows in my home in Tucson AZ. The day after they completed the install, we were lucky enough to get rain which is very odd this time of year. One of our very large windows (approx 100x71 inches) began leaking through the wall and onto the floor. I contacted the company that sold and installed the windows and they arrived Monday to do their own water test. They found a failed caulking bead between the new window and the stucco of the home.
I was watching the whole install procedure so I know exactly how the company installed these. My home is stucco frame construction and the existing windows were aluminum. The install performed was jump frame or what I believe was also called flush fin. My windows are actually set back in the stucco approx 1.5 to 4 inches depending on the window. The stucco basically wraps around the opening and initially the aluminum frame was exposed on the outside about an inch. When they installed the windows, they pulled the old glass from the aluminum frame, cut the top of the aluminum frame back about 1/4" below the stucco and trimmed the outside flange of the new vinyl window to fit exactly inside my stucco opening. The exterior fin of the new vinyl window is resting against the old aluminum frame without any seal between the old and new frame. They then set the new window in place resting on the bottom frame before squaring and screwing the replacement window through the old aluminum frame and into the wall studs. The old frame was NOT blocked on the bottom. the only thing the replacement window rests on is a couple shims perpendicular to and setting on the old frame. Foam was injected from the inside all around the window. Then to finish the actual install a bead of caulking (XtraBond 9500) was used to seal between the outside of the vinyl replacement window and the stucco. I am shocked that this small bead of caulking on the outside of the home is the only water barrier between the outside of the home and the window. When that caulking bead fails (and it will fail quickly in Tucson 110* weather) I will have water leaks destroying interior walls, flooring, etc.
Again there is nothing sealing the outside of the old window frame to the back side of the window. The only water seal is this small bead of Xtrabond around the stucco. I have read the AAMA 2410-13 and that specifically says that a bead of sealant should be put on the aluminum frame and the new Vinyl window outside fin (I think this is the right term) is pressed against this bead, then the window is screwed in place and another finish secondary bead of sealant/caulk is run between the fin and the stucco to finish the install. So there should actually be two water barriers, not one.

After water testing the window myself, I found a gap in this finish seal/caulk where the fin meets the stucco. After sealing this area and verifying there are no more gaps, the water leak is gone. However, it will come back as soon as the 110* heat and direct sun break down this finish bead of caulk.

Yesterday I contacted the window manufacturer directly who has been very responsive both pre and post sale. They said that they recommend the AAMA 2410-13 install method for their windows which they provided me in an email. They also wanted to know specifically who the sales/installer was.

I am lucky enough to have caught the leak before they got the final payment which is a pretty substantial $$ amount. I am having a meeting next week with the owner of the sales/install company as well as the regional rep of the window manufacturer. I am trying to figure out how to proceed with this meeting. I am concerned that they are going to dig in and say we don't install it that way, we install them the way we installed them, end of discussion. Granted I don't know that's going to happen, but I just have a bad feeling about it.

Can anyone give advice on this? Am I off base in my thinking there should be an actual seal between the aluminum frame and the new window fin? Shouldn't a 350+ lb window (Yes it is that big and heavy) have the bottom of the aluminum frame blocked so all the weight isn't on a pinch piece of aluminum by itself?

What say you?
Thanks and again sorry for the long winded post.
-J

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Windows on Washington
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Location: DC Metropolitan Area-Maryland/Virginia/DC

Re: replacement vinyl windows Jump Frame install questions

#2 Post by Windows on Washington »

Get some pictures together of this and you will get a bunch more feedback.

Pics are worth a thousand words.

miatawnt2b
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Feb 26, 2020 1:16 pm

Re: replacement vinyl windows Jump Frame install questions

#3 Post by miatawnt2b »

I wish I would have taken pics during the install. All I can provide is finish work pictures now. I will post a couple as soon as I get home.

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