Caulking should never be solely relied on to keep moisture/water from getting behind any opening; window, door, or otherwise.

With out seeing your window to brick install, i dont believe the flashing is accesible w/o removal of brick as well and sounds like a defective flashing install ,imo.

Water travels and often times can be tracked down to the source, but if the water is intruding in the house at the base of the window and onto the subfloor, it just sounds like that is the entry point getting behind the flashing/wrap. It could be entering behind the brick from a point off of the roof, but simply sounds as if it is getting by the brick in the window area and passing through a bad flashing/wrap install.If it was coming from a roof leak, it still should not penetrate the window area if properly fashed/wrapped. Sorry this has happened and maybe someone else has anothrer opinion that might help out as well.

sierra east~

Thanks for weighing in. It is not wet above the window, only the area below the window where wall and floor meet. (or at least that is what it looks like). I looked thru my photos, and this is the best I have for now.

It's the upper left window, as you are looking at the house. The center balcony upstairs is the area that had a bit of water too, sortof like it leaked thru the 2 doors?

There is a 3rd story above this room, and no wetness up there can be seen.

So do you all think it could be the flashing on that 2nd story window (the 3rd floor doesn't have functioning windows). The "trim" brick above the window does jut out from the body of the house brick. Would that cause a problem? The other windows appear to be fine. They are unfortunately wooden windows, not in the best shape. We'd like to eventually replace with vinyl (humid climate here), but for now we need to just get in the house and hopefully these wooden ones would work until we replace them.

We had the roof section to the left of the window replaced (that shorter area that protrudes to the front, which is the garage), Where that roof ran along side the wall of the room with the leaking window, it was leaking. Nails had been driven in that area, etc. The roofing company replaced the flashing where the roof and wall met, and re roofed the entire area. With the subsequent rains, it remained dry after they were finished, and it was obviously leaking before repairing.

The rain we had a few days ago was driving rain, high winds. Does that info help at all in any way?

Thanks for any further advice/opinions you all are willing to share. I'd like to get this problem repaired ASAP. Just not sure whether to rip off more roofs and replace, tear off brick, windows, or what. Would love some help with this. Need to know who to call for repairs! :o)

Sorry you're having problems, TB. It does sound like a flashing problem...but I'm not an expert. Hope you're able to repair easily.

Hi Totally, Thanks for the pic as that helps. Beautiful home! There looks to be quite a few entry points that are possible. Earlier you stated that the caulking is gone around some of the windows noticed by the roofer. Even though you dont want to solely rely on caulking, it could be that the lack of is letting water in at a point probably around the sill area of the window,(the outside stool), and running in where it is penetrating likely due to improper flashing. Caulking can keep rain water away and from running in, but the importance of flashing is to keep moisture, such as condensation, from collecting around areas and seeping, which is in a way worse because it goes unnoticed for quite some time leading to wood rot, mold, ruined insulation, etc. If there is a positive to your dilemma is that you are able to actually see that you have a problem and address it.

With the window type you have, brick will have to be pulled to get to the perimeter and flashing.The possibilities other than the lack of caulking could be at the upper gable above the window where water is running down behind where the siding meets the gabled roof line, which would most likely be a flashing problem as well. You might want to have that area checked , but my speculation is that the rain was getting in that uncaulked area and was able to get inside the wall cavatie through bad flashing. Even though some of the other windows are un caulked, it could just be the way the rain water traveled and was able to penetrate that particular window, especially with wind driven rains.

Some possible links to people who could inspect could be a siding/window outfit, a home inspector, or a contractor. Your roofers could be considered as well as they are experienced w/ flashing concerns. If it is determined that brick should be pulled, i would get a mason for the removal and replacement. Hoping it all works out soon for you and once again, beautiful home!

Does the balcony have adequate slant to permit water to run off it AWAY from the facade? Is the opening at least a few inches above the balcony floor? Is there weather stripping around the door?

Can you recreate the seepage by directing a hose first DOWN the wall (or over the roof) and then AGAINST the french doors to see where the water comes in? (Simulate rain and wind-driven rain.)

With your mention of wood windows, now that i think about it , i was assuming nailing fins which would mean brick removal. Your windows, looking closer at the pics, look as though they have brick moulding and the window is generally
fastened by way of the brick moulding, so i could be off on you having to remove brick. I would have the window removed for an inspection and go from there. This will determine what is going on around the opening and hopefully can be addressed w/o brick removal. There generally is a space between the back side of the brick and the wall ,albeit a small air space, but it could be that they will have access to flash or seal in some way the opening before reinstalling the window.

Thanks, Allison. I hope so too! :O)

sierraeast~ Thanks for the compliment. And I do so appreciate your info. that you shared.

Do the windows need to be pulled out to caulk, or can a bead of caulking be run around the (exterior) perimeter of the already installed windows? I'm am sorry to show such ignorance about this. I just want to be sure dh doesn't go up there and do something he shouldn't do! :o) LOL!

Our electrician is here today. He has built a house before, so knows a little bit. He looked at the window and said that if it were the roof, we'd probably see discoloration up above the window/ceiling and there is nothing like that. Hope that is a good sign!

It rained a bit yesterday, last night, but no driving rain. Floors around those 2 leaking areas are totally dry. So hopefully it is just needing to be caulked? Wouldn't that be a miracle if it was an "easy" fix? That would be a first on this project. :o) LOL!!

Thanks again for your help. :o)

Chisue and Sierraeast~ I guess we were cross posting. :o)

Well, I'd love to think we won't have to tear off our brick. It has lots of interesting patterns and whatnot on it. Of course, we don't even know what brick was used, since we did not do that portion of the house. I'd hate to hunt for needles in a haystack to "match" the existing (although the new shingles were a perfect match, so I guess it can be done!!).

Okay, I'll share all of your great info with dh and see what we can do about this.

Oh, Chisue~ I believe the balcony is NOT angled away from the house, because water was pooling on the back right area before, and we discovered it "washing" down the interior wall with the first big rainfall after we purchased. Hired carpenter, here working on other things, did something (can't remember if they drilled a hole and caulked there??). No more leaking onto 1st floor after that. Needless to say, when we're replacing the windows to vinyl, we'll have the front balcony torn off and rebuilt properly. This house is really well built, but I think in a few areas the boss must have been gone and the crews were drinking a wee bit?!! :o) LOL!

Thanks again for your advice. Hopefully we'll get it all fixed up!! :o)

Totally, The caulking is an exterior application, no need to pull brick, window , or anything. You will be caulking the perimeter where the brick moulding meets the brick. In your case this would be okay since you plan on replacing the windows. If you had not planned on replacement, then i would pull the window and see whats going on, because as mentioned before, unless you want to constantly inspect the caulking over the years to make sure its in good shape, it should never be relied on to keep out water long term. Also as mentioned, moisture gets in in the form of condensation especially in humid areas regardless of rain/no rain, that is what makes flashings so important.

I think caulking will be fine for now and hope that is a simple fix for you as long as you have the widow repalcement project in the somewhat near future. That way they can address the window flashings/openings at that time. You will want to make sure you get a caulk that is exterior and adheres to masonry as well as the painted wood and a caulk that stays flexible with temperature changes. A latex w/ silicone is one that comes to mind, but get a high end grade that wont get brittle ansd crack, but remains pliable.

I just though that while your husband is up there caulking to check the window itself, in particular the area of where the stool meets the side jambs as well as where the top header peice meets the side jambs and all around where the brick mould ties into the frame. Give a good inspection and caulk any suspicious areas as well.

Sierraeast~

Thanks so much for all of the helpful advice. I'm really hoping it takes care of the problem, at least for now.

I'll share this info. with dh, and I'm sure he'll be up there tomorrow or Sunday to see what he can do with that caulking. :o) Thanks again!!

Just wanted to say that we had rain yesterday, and torrential downpours today, with the accompanying thunder and lightening. And I'm happy to report that those 2 leaking areas (and everything else) is totally dry. So... hopefully the caulking is really going to "fix" things until we replace the windows. :o) (crossing fingers wildly!!).

Great news totally, best of luck finishing up your house!