A prospective homebuyer alarmed people online after noticing daylight coming in between a house's windows.
For many commenters, the visible gap looked less like a minor defect and more like a major red flag often associated with DIY flipped homes.
Here's what to know
"Buying a house, noticed I can see daylight through the cracks of the windows, what do I do to fix this?" the original poster wrote in the Reddit thread in r/HomeMaintenance.
A close-up image showed an open seam between two of three connected windows. The second image showed the three windows at a distance, with no visible gaps.
"They should be 'mulled' together. These were not installed properly. You could probably get away with caulking, but I'd look into replacements," one commenter said.
The concern was not about a draft but the damage caused by an improper seal on exterior windows as well as the other "hack work" that might exist around this house.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
"I'd worry about what else is hiding in that flipped house," another Reddit user added. Someone else warned, "This should also be a red flag for the rest of the house."
"Don't buy this house," one person said bluntly.
More background
If water gets into an opening, rot can spread through framing, drywall, and flooring. If air leaks out, the home can be more expensive to heat and cool than it should be.
As several people noted, a mistake this obvious makes the rest of the work in the house suspicious, especially anything concealed behind finished surfaces, such as plumbing and electrical.
One person said a realtor-recommended inspector missed serious problems that led to well over $100,000 in repairs and replacements over four years. Another described buying a flipped house and dealing with a fire caused by poor dryer wiring within a week of moving in.
What can be done?
Before closing, a prudent move is to get an outside opinion from an independent home inspector or a qualified contractor with no connection to the sale. If a window setup is missing the proper mull kit or framing, the buyer could be looking at replacement work instead of a quick seal.
One carpenter recommended contacting the window manufacturer to confirm what hardware should have been used. That could determine whether the issue is a manageable repair or another indication that corners were cut during installation.
As one commenter put it, "If you haven't gotten a home inspection, get one now."
Where can I learn more?
An obvious issue can make buyers wonder what else was done on the cheap.
• A baffling home listing with unexpected exterior design left viewers asking which side was front.
• A homeowner's failing foam-stucco facade fueled fears of deeper construction failures.
• A neighbor's hazardously designed windows reflected enough heat to damage nearby plants.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
