New Windows are Cracking!

[yakman]

:x I moved into a new house in July and most of the windows in the house are developing cracks between the plastic window sash and the wood frame (painted white). There is considerabe heat loss through the cracks. I am trying to determine if these are defects in the window construction or normal settling of the windows. The wood frame came already installed with the window so all shrinking should have already occured rpior to installation.

You can see a picture of the crack at http://home.cogeco.ca/~iota/insidecrack.jpg

Has anyone ever experienced this?

[Cole]

I think the windows were installed to tight with the opening. There should be some room for the windows to settle and it looks like you dont have any room for the window to settle. Im not 100% sure, lets see if some other people chime in here and we can discuss ur problem.

[yakman]

I realize that it may be hard to tell from one picture so I have placed some more at http://home.cogeco.ca/~iota/windows/index.htm

They show the windows just after they were installed and more shots of the cracks.

[grumpydasmurf]

Expansion and contraction. The windows were installed in one climate and now are experiencing a colder temprature and the windows are moving in a different direction as the walls. This is a common natural occurence.

The crack, on the other hand, is not common or natural. It is possible that the window was installed too tight. It is possible that the window was painted to the return. I'd have placed a bead of elastomeric paintable caulk where the return and the window meet.

Had the caulk been installed before the painting, that small crack would never have been visible.

[Dragon]

a little insulation stuffed around that window before trimming would have gone a long way...

[yakman]

Thanks for talking the time to investigate & I appreciate the comments. I am going to caulk & hope that solves the proble. Also, I don't think any insulation was applied around the windows so I am going to check & apply if necessary.