When selling your home, the inspection process may not always be so kind to the seller. Often times the seller has to give up more money than what they had initially expected, to cover any repairs flagged necessary by the inspector. In this blog, we will cover why windows are often part of the most common problems during a home inspection and what pro-active solutions you can take.

First, let’s cover some common window issues homeowners may encounter.

Condensation or Moisture:

Condensation and moisture in between your window panes are typically the results of a broken seal. A broken seal will allow the gas to seep out and to retain moisture in between the window panes. Although a broken seal is not as detrimental as a cracked or broken window, it can have an effect on your utility bills especially if you live somewhere where extreme weather is common.

The solution for this can either be to repair the seal which is the more affordable option or replace the window completely which can cost you thousands of dollars. If you are like most of us and like to save money, you will likely prefer to have the windows repaired rather than replaced.

However, if you find these issues during the inspection process chances are you may not get away with merely doing the repairs. Lenders can be sticklers for these type of problems, and they may require a full replacement as a condition for closing the sale of your home.

Cracked or Broken Windows:

This can happen when the window was either not installed correctly or if the frame is made out wood and was not well maintained. A result of these two scenarios is a drafty window that allows moisture to penetrate around and cause the frame to rot, warp or even lead to toxic mold to grow around your window and behind your walls.

In this situation, the severity of the damage will ultimately dictate whether you can get away with doing some repairs like replacing the frame and broken window pane or replacing the window in its entirety.

Faulty Windows:

Windows that don’t shut or open properly are not only irritating, but it can also potentially mean more severe problems. Faulty windows can be caused by a number of things, if they are single hung, double hung or sliding windows, dirt and dust build-up can cause friction making it difficult to open or close.

The good news is that with a good cleaning and some lubricant spray in most cases you will be able to fix the problem. However, dust and dirt are not the only reason why your windows may have issues. There are various possible scenarios like damaged or broken springs, or in some more extreme situations the sash of your window could have warped, bowed or expanded causing it to not fit in the opening anymore if this is the case you are looking at a full replacement and more money.

As a real estate company who has seen many if not all case scenarios during home inspections, we often suggest our sellers to attempted to identify any potential issues with their home early on preferably before the home inspection takes place. In doing so, homeowners may have more options to either do simple repairs or replace parts instead of replacing an entire window which could save them a large amount of money.

Or at the very least home sellers can manage their expectations on what they will really be able to receive for their home. Windows, along with roofs, foundation/walls, plumbing, and electrical problems are typically the main focus for most home inspectors, so it’s crucial to be informed about what potential issues you may face during the sale of your home.

Click Here – To learn more about how the state of your roof can affect the sale and value of your home.

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The Carol Royse Team had the pleasure to sit down and chat with Owner and  Licensed Window Installer  Dennis Woodruff from D&L Chandler Glassworks, Inc.

We asked Dennis a few questions in regards to what standard processes does his company use to evaluate the damage of windows when he is called to do an inspection and what are some standard solutions. Click the video below to see the full interview.