Hi.

House was built in 1971 and noticed ever since moving in 4 years ago that the 2 large side windows in the 3 season room that's off the kitchen via a sliding door both look the same and have a large gap on the right side closest to the house at the upper sash due to the windows being out of true. They're both basically look the same gap wise, etc.

Neither window consequently closes all the way nor can reach the lock of the lower sash. The windows are wooden double hung.

I believe the room must've settled in the front and the two side windows are now out of true. If I go outside I notice that the closed window has about a 1/2 inch gap I believe on the side furthest from the house, which to me means the side furthest has settled.

There is a patio built around this 3 season room and for all I know it may have at one time been part of the patio.

Underneath is a shed and there are 3 metal supports on concrete columns that are in the ground. The sides of the shed are just plywood.

Is there a way that the room can be jacked back into place?

Let me guess expensive?

 

Expensive? What isn't these days.
Some pictures will help the forum provide advice, but I have to ask, when you purchased did you check to see what building permits had been pulled since the original construction. My suspicions are, that three season room evolved from a patio and was never a permitted structure, thus never properly built to be a foundation for what is there now. My best advice is to check with your building department so you don't end up continuing a non-permitted structure. They may be kind, but proceed without talking and they may not.

Yes, a can of worms.

Bud

 

Under the 3 season room is a shed ?

Definitely need to see pictures of that setup...... How-to-insert-pictures

 

Thanks for some reason the forum says I "have reached my quota with attachements" I can't post anymore for some reason.

What I mean is that underneath the room is HOLLOW and they added sides to make it into a shed of sorts. There are metal posts that go into cement pylons underneath the room on the "walls" of the "shed".

 

*IF* the foundation is out of level, it's probably as simple as jacking the room up to take the weight off the posts, then either shim above the post and reattach it, or maybe the post can be cut and rewelded so that it is the right height.

The reason it's sinking, if its sinking, would need to be determined. Probably was not permitted and is not on a proper footing or it would not have moved in the first place.

 

Thanks Xspleeper.

Both of the windows are in the same condition (with regard to gap on right side, etc, so I assume that it either is or has settled. Hopefully it's not going to settle any further, I guess only time will tell.

I was thinking another way to "fix" the windows would be to take the whole jamb and everything apart and then shim them level? One at a time of course, as I've never done anything like that.

Is there a way with a level to check if the room itself is level?

I assume with some type of square I can see if the windows or the frames are square?

 

yeah, with a level.

 

lol sorry I meant a certain way to do it or something I guess. Put the level on the floor rather than the stool of the window?

Would a carpenter be able to check this stuff out? As far as jacking the house, etc? I think this would be way above my ability,

 

Always good to start at the floor or below to check how level things are. Just leveling at the windows risk making changes that might go away if the floor were level.

Sounds like that storage area gives you access to the floor above. Some pictures of that space and the supports could help. Then, checking for level is actually very easy. In most cases something has sunk thus adding shims above is doable.

Try the pictures again and if it doesn't work Pj or X will walk you through it.

Also, give us an approximate location. Soil types can contribute to this problem.

Bud

 

Thanks Bud I'll try that and get back to u

 

How hard is it to shim a window jamb that's out of square?

Do I just take off the trim inside first and go from there?

Of course first Ill check if the floors level and the window frames themselves are square. These are double hung wooden windows single pane from around 1971 by the way.

 

New construction windows are often fastened with a nail flange around the perimeter as well as nails through the frame.

Bud

 

Thanks, but these are wooden windws from 1971, not sure if they're the same.

I was just thinking that I'd most likely also have to shim the outside sill. That would be awkward as it slopes at an angle out of the window.

Maybe best to hire a carpenter to check things out?

 

You need to figure out how the windows were installed along with if the entire window is out of level or if part of it's separated. Obviously how much the window can be moved depends on how it sets in the framed opening. Removing the interior trim should both reveal how it's fastened to the framing and how much wiggle room you have.

 

Yeah it'll be a good learning experience taking off the inside trim etc. Right now though I've gotta finish painting the house before winter. I may just patch the sides with the gap for winter and then hire a carpenter next year.

I suspect that the sunroom has just settled over the years somehow. The house is almost 50 years old.

The windows have been like that ever since we moved in 4 years ago. Those are the only 2 windows in the entire house like that though.