Windows before housewrap

18 years ago

I posted this in the Windows forum, but there's more traffic here and a lot of knowledgeable people.

We're having Jeld-Wen Custom (Pozzi) all wood windows with factory attached exterior trim installed in a new addition to an historic house. I didn't realize that they even could be installed before housewrap, but the Jeld-Wen website mentions doing so. Unfortunately those specific instructions are not at the link designated on the website. I have a call into Jeld-Wen. While I wait for them to get back to me, does anyone have experience with this type of installation.

I'm concerned because I can't see how our installation is going to be water tight. The installers have stapled a sort of crinkle texture Tyvek over the sheathing around the rough opening. It does not wrap into the opening at all. A squiggly bead of caulk was applied to the back of the attached exterior trim and then the windows were placed in the opening and fastened through the trim to the framing around the window. I questioned the installer and he said wrapping the opening was only required for cheap vinyl windows. Hmm...well, Jeld-Wen instructs installers to wrap the opening for a post-housewrap installation of these same windows. I find it hard to believe a pre-wrap installation requires almost no prep of the opening

Thanks for any help.

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Comments (2)

rollie
18 years ago
The wrinkly stuff is Tyvek Flexwrap. Its pretty good stuff, although typically not needed anywhere but the sill area.

Did they install any type of pan flashing at the bottom of the windows, or did they simply just run around the opening on the bottom.

Typically,the sides dont care if its before the windows are installed, or afterwards.

Its the top and the bottom that get critical.

The bottom shouldve probably had the flex wrap installed into the opening, with a little dam of sorts or a sloped sill so any water that gets in, can run back out, instead of sitting there on raw framing.

The top piece, should never be installed under the window, It needs to be brought out on top of either the window flange, or in your case, if there is no flange, a separate Z flashing needs to be made, that covers the front edge of the window, the top, and turns up the wall a minimum of 2". The, the housewrap counterflashes the Z flashing.
lmarletto
Original Author
18 years ago
Rollie, thanks for the info.

The Flexwrap just runs around the opening. There is nothing covering the 2x6 that forms the bottom of the rough opening.

The contractor has mentioned the Z flashing over the window in previous conversations. I'm not sure if he is planning to put it under the wrap that will cover the rest of the sheathing. I believe that wrap will come right up to the window trim.

On closer inspection, I noticed that the bottom of the rough opening for the 6' triple casement has bowed upward after the window was installed. I'm thinking whatever caused that can't be good for the window.
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