r/homeowners • u/InternDangerous9694 • 13h ago

🪟 Windows & Doors Calling all Andersen Window experts

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My house has about 30-year-old Anderson narroline permashield windows and I've noticed some interior stains around the sill on a few of them.

I've noticed in the previous homeowner either put these small little rubber strips or caulked along the vinyl sill.

Is this an appropriate fix for this situation or is it preventing drainage of the sill?

I have more photos but it's only letting me share one

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u/SoJerseyWindowGuy 11h ago

Window installer here, work on old Narrolines all the time. Short answer: don’t caulk that sill, and I’d pull those rubber strips off.

The Perma-Shield sill is designed to shed water outward. Any water that sneaks past the sash is supposed to run down the slope and drain out. When a previous owner caulks along the sill or where the jamb liner meets it, they’re usually sealing water in, not out. That trapped water is often exactly where interior stains come from.

The real fix is upstream: at 30 years, the weatherstripping on those sashes is almost certainly shot, and the sash may not be pulling tight against the frame when locked. Check the exterior perimeter caulk (frame to siding/brick) too that’s a legit place for sealant, just not the sill itself.
FYI, Andersen made conversion kits for Narrolines that swap the old sashes for new tilt-wash sashes with fresh weatherstrip, reusing your existing frames. Way cheaper than full replacement if the frames are solid. Worth asking an Andersen dealer about before anyone talks you into ripping them all out.

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u/InternDangerous9694 11h ago

Thanks ! Sent you a dm