Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We are renting a home in the DC area from a landlord stationed overseas. When we signed the lease, the landlord pointed out some cracks and the fact that the sunroom and garage slope a bit, from the foundation settling. This didn't bother us.
Fast forward 6 months and overnight the house has abruptly shifted. The slope is much more pronounced. The door to the garage from the house needs to be firmly yanked to open and shut. The sunroom door (an exit from the house) is wedged shut and cannot be opened at all.
We contacted our landlord and let her know, for the most part we were alarmed at the large gap that appeared in the mortar outside, and the large cracks and gaps in the inside walls. She said this usually happens this time of year and the house would eventually right itself. She had the price to jack the foundation estimated last year and deemed it cost-prohibitive (upwards of $30K).
Yesterday, however, I noticed the windows in the sun room have gapped from their frames. I don't know the name for these windows-they open and close on a crank and have hooked tabs that fit into slots to close-but they have all popped open from the house shift and cannot be closed. This is resulting in quarter- to half-inch gaps between the windows and the frame-so basically we've got our windows propped open letting in hot air while the A/C runs all day to keep up. My husband got on a ladder and tried to push the windows closed, but they're sitting higher now than the frame. It's just not possible.
My question now is what is the landlord required to do about this? It's not really a safety issue-aside from the door not being able to open-but it's going to cost us a ton in electricity bills. I don't think there's an effective way to seal these gaps. And, the fact that we can't open and close any windows in a sun room we enjoy year-round is a huge bummer now for us? Since the slope was pre-existing, I don't know if insurance would cover this- or if she has the money to do it at all. She's a good landlord and we like living here. Any advice?? Thanks!
Yesterday, however, I noticed the (casement) windows in the sun room have gapped from their frames.
My question now is what is the landlord required to do about this?
She's a good landlord and we like living here. Any advice??
1) Contact the LL and whoever they have set up locally as their emergency contact.
2) Describe the problem and ask (in writing) for this to be repaired promptly.
3) Make yourself as available as you can to accommodate the workers.
As a stop gap measure (no pun intended) you can get some foam pipe insulation and close the gaps around the windows with it to try to lot loose so much heat. The casement windows may not be all that energy efficient anyway, but its never good to have open gaps.
If these cracks just started showing up, and caused the problems you outlined, I would get a professional out there to look at it right away (or have LL get someone).
The casement windows may not be all that energy efficient anyway...
Well, if it's a piece of crap- yeah!
But a properly operating and good weatherstripped casement is the best energy efficient window on the market by the fact of it's operation.
Heh, well, I think she's probably deluding herself if she thinks it's simply something that happens this time of year and it will right itself. The structure shifting in such a way that the openings (doors and windows) are that far out of square is not just a normal seasonal shift I wouldn't think. I will say my own door to garage does this somewhat, seems to have a seasonality to it. So that is not alone sounding wacko to me, but the severity of this is not something I could just pass off as seasonal changes.
The good thing is you don't own the house so the repairs are not your cost responsibility. The bad thing is you like living there and you know the landlord is probably going to keep putting off doing anything about this because "it will right itself".
Can you block off the sunroom completely for the time being? That will give you the energy efficiency back, at the expense of not being able to use the room. You should make her aware of the window gaps and thus energy loss of course, suggesting that just maybe this is a little more severe than she has experienced in the past. But be prepared for her to still brush it off. In that case you'll have to decide if it's worth it to say there.
You can offer to handle calling in some pros given you are in a better position to do so, as long as she is amenable to paying or letting you deduct the cost from the rent. I wouldn't do it unless it is clear she will pay any costs involved as this is clearly structural to the house and not something of your doing.
I agree, there are some very good casement windows on the market.
But please explain this statement... "...and good weatherstripped casement is the best energy efficient window on the market by the fact of it's operation."
I agree, there are some very good casement windows on the market.
But please explain this statement... "...and good weatherstripped casement is the best energy efficient window on the market by the fact of it's operation."
Agreed.... I too would be interested in why they are 'the best energy-efficient windows, based on their operation'. I have high-end casements throughout a house. First, they need weatherstripping on all four edges, with a seal that is made and broken every time you close and open them. Sash windows only have two to break/make. Second, interior storm windows are sort of hokie on casements. Not to digress too much, but my solution on one of the houses was to used decent double-hungs, and the california-style triple-track storm windows (so barely visible). Gave me a 4-inch dead-air space. Borrowed a thermal fllux meter from work, (measured BTU/hr ft^2), and the results slaughtered the 'very good casement windows' hands-down.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
