Thermal image doesn't lie on window

3295 Views 37 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Alumifab, Feb 27, 2016

Alumifab

Discussion Starter · Feb 23, 2016

So it's a cold enough day in Texas I broke out my Flir One and looked at my bedroom windows.
Man they stink and are in desperate need of caulk.
The caulk on the outside of the windows is cracked, parts missing, etc and the thermal image shows this.
For reference it's 41 outside and thermostat is set at 68 inside.

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joecaption

· #2 · Feb 23, 2016

Somethings just wrong with that whole thing.
That window should have been sitting on top of those soldiered bricks and overhanging them by at least 1/2", not behind them like that.
Anytime I've seen that it's because the mason cut the bricks to short.
Caulking is always going to fail and let water run down inside that wall and take out the sheathing behind the brick.

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Alumifab

Discussion Starter · #3 · Feb 23, 2016

I don't have a full picture of that window and it's raining outside.
Here's a picture of another window from my inspection.

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gregzoll

· #4 · Feb 23, 2016

Yep, you have problems. Aluminum framed Windows suck period, when it comes to colder temps.

Alumifab

Discussion Starter · #5 · Feb 23, 2016

Not ready to replace the windows just yet (costly), but obviously the windows need backer rod and caulk......
Instead of aluminum what would you recommend?

joecaption

· #6 · Feb 23, 2016

Looks like someone put that caulking on with a stick.
All of it needs to come off, of it was mine I'd be using my ossilating saw. (new caulking does not stick to old caulking.?
This time use Big Stretch caulking.
http://www.sashco.com/products/big-stretch/

Alumifab

Discussion Starter · #7 · Feb 23, 2016

Yeah, that caulk was put on by a jackwagon;all my windows look like this.....
It is hard as a rock to try to get off the window and brick. Just haven't figured out how to get it off without breaking anything.......
I do have some OSI QUAD MAX caulk. I'll look into Big Stretch.

gregzoll

· #8 · Feb 24, 2016

Heat up with a Heat gun. You need something that will flex and not dry out.

joecaption

· #9 · Feb 24, 2016

Quad is good caulk but would be a nightmare to clean up on this one.
I already suggested the tool to use to get the old caulking off.
If you do not already own one it's one of the most usefull tools I own.
I have two Rockwell Multi tools I use all the time for jobs no other tools can do.

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DexterII

· #10 · Feb 24, 2016

I agree with Joe; doesn't look right. But not a lot you can do now, so another shout for Big Stretch; that's what I would use. It doesn't really look like you'll need it as the adhesion appears to be sub par, but yes, a heat gun does help. Just don't linger with it in any one spot. And not downplaying your new tool, but your eyes and back of your hand will point out a lot of things like this.

Alumifab

Discussion Starter · #11 · Feb 24, 2016

Ok, I'll find some Big Stretch....

I don't have a heat gun, but this caulk is hard and brittle. Would a heat gun soften this old stuff? The home was built in 2006 and it looks like this is probably the original caulk.

Joe: I don't have a Rockwell, but I have a dremel.

Just hate to buy all this stuff just for a DIY job......

DexterII

· #12 · Feb 24, 2016

Joe's Rockwells probably cost less for a much more durable tool, but yes, your Dremel will work. You're not going to working it that hard for this project. And you'll find that most tools you buy, depending on the task and quality of the tool itself, are not for "a job", but for the future. Sure, I have had to buy any number of specialty tools over the years, but many of mine are 50 or close to it, and have been used again and again. Yes, a heat gun will soften it, but you still want to pick as much of the old out as you can, so it's only going to take you so far. Can't recall using one for this, but imagine a hair dryer might help. You can fry the paint on the window though, so be careful. It's a slow, tedious job, so don't figure on going around the house in a weekend. And somebody needs to do it, so pay yourself or pay someone else. You might find a painter who is good at it, note that I said might, but most likely nobody better suited than yourself.

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Alumifab

Discussion Starter · #13 · Feb 24, 2016

Oh I want to do it and I realize it will take a while.
I have 2 big master bedroom windows that I need to tackle first.
I'm sure I would use the tool more than once and when my friends find out what I have, I'm sure I'll be helping them as well, which I don't mind doing.....

jomama45

· #14 · Feb 24, 2016

Alumifab said:
So it's a cold enough day in Texas I broke out my Flir One and looked at my bedroom windows.
Man they stink and are in desperate need of caulk.
The caulk on the outside of the windows is cracked, parts missing, etc and the thermal image shows this.
For reference it's 41 outside and thermostat is set at 68 inside.

The last picture in this post is problematic. The brick, without any doubt, should extend beneath the window, not stop short. That will (probably already is) casue a myraid of moisture problem to the sheating and rest of the wall behind. Technically, that sill should shed water w/o needing caulk, but I doubt there's near enough pitch on the rowlock (brick) sill.........

Alumifab

Discussion Starter · #15 · Feb 24, 2016

jomama45 said:
The last picture in this post is problematic. The brick, without any doubt, should extend beneath the window, not stop short. That will (probably already is) casue a myraid of moisture problem to the sheating and rest of the wall behind. Technically, that sill should shed water w/o needing caulk, but I doubt there's near enough pitch on the rowlock (brick) sill.........

I agree with you.
I'll inspect that sill further.
If most of the bricks are short, I guess I'll get a mason in to fix it. I hope that's the only 'short' brick I have.
Hope my other window sills aren't like this.

ron45

· #16 · Feb 24, 2016

If outside temp is 41*, and inside is set to 68*..........
Exactly what temperature would you expect a window to be...

It also appears that your heating system is not up to par neither.
Why would your thermostat be set at 68* and you get a wall reading of 69.9*

I personally think the tool your trying to base your findings on is worthless.
It is definitely over exaggerated.

Alumifab

Discussion Starter · #17 · Feb 24, 2016

Ron:

That wall is an exterior wall and has the Texas sun beating on it all day and also I had the heat seat at 71 most of the day and set it back to 68 before I used my Flir One. Now the temp readings are not perfect on this gadget but it gives a general idea which is good enough.
Sorry for not clarifying this.

beenthere

· #18 · Feb 24, 2016

ron45 said:
If outside temp is 41*, and inside is set to 68*..........
Exactly what temperature would you expect a window to be...

It also appears that your heating system is not up to par neither.
Why would your thermostat be set at 68* and you get a wall reading of 69.9*

I personally think the tool your trying to base your findings on is worthless.
It is definitely over exaggerated.

The temp reading of his IR imager doesn't have to be accurate, per say. The PICs it takes are more important then the temp reading. And are done by a different sensor then the temp is. So the pics are accurate.

I use a FLIR, I can point it at a cold water pipe that is 50°F and get a temp reading of 158°F. If I haven't set the emissivity correctly. But teh IR image will still show that the pipe is colder then the wall its atached to.

Without using the temp readings, I can see if a cast iron rad is full of warm/hot water, or has air in half, or 1/10 of it. Just by the image.

I've seen the one he is using, used by others, and it is a good imager.

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beenthere

· #19 · Feb 24, 2016

Alumifab said:
Oh I want to do it and I realize it will take a while.
I have 2 big master bedroom windows that I need to tackle first.
I'm sure I would use the tool more than once and when my friends find out what I have, I'm sure I'll be helping them as well, which I don't mind doing.....

Do you have a range exhaust hood that exhaust outside?

If so, turn it on along with the bathroom exhaust. After about 10 minutes, it should have removed enough air from the house that the infiltration will show up even more on your imager.

ron45

· #20 · Feb 24, 2016

In my opinion this is worthless.
It gives false flags with no explanations.
The readings are not accurate neither.

You would be better off just to go to Harbor Freight and get non-contact infrared thermometer with laser targeting.

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