Metal siding without J trim with retro fit windows

[Brandon Whitmore]

I just finished inspecting a 6 plex condo conversion. The building was built in 1978. The siding is an aluminum siding that originally had the metal J channel around the windows. The contractor has cut out the J channel and installed retro- fit windows with no nailing flange (screws are visible at the interior jamb areas of window frames). The contractor omitted the drip cap/ Z flashing above the windows as well. The windows are the vinyl windows that are designed to allow for vinyl siding without J channel. My concern is that since the window flange is retro fit and there is no way there is any flahing behind the siding that water will seep into the house wall as soon as any of the caulk sealant fails.

The window manufacturer is Milguard if that helps, and I am unsure of the siding manufacturer.

I am writing this up as a poor installation of materials that will likely lead to future leakage, but I am hoping someone has documentation(or can push me in the right location) to back up what I am putting in writing. I know the developer is not going to be happy that I called this out.

Any help would be greatly appreciated as I am supposed to be leaving for vacation and can't leave until I get my report completed (girlfriend breathing down my neck).

[hausdok]

Go here and search their archives:

http://www.framebuildingnews.com/Defaul ... tabid=1733

Be patient; it's a slow site. They don't do a lot of residences but they do more metal siding than anyone else in the business.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[Jim Katen]

This is probably too late to help you, unless your girlfriend is still breathing down your neck (why's that a bad thing, anyway?).

Every time I've seen printed instructions for finless replacement windows, the instructions begin by explaining that you're supposed to install the windows inside of pre-existing window frames. These pre-existing window frames are supposed to be integrated with the siding.

If they're using finless windows without a separate frame around them they're using the wrong product.

- Jim Katen, Oregon