Mystery Leaks!!! leaks over windows with heavy rain and wind
Please Help!!! My home is 17 years old, rear of home is south facing and we are at the top of a small hill in a residential neighborhood. Our first year we had leaks over the downstairs windows at the back of the home, after heavy rain and wind. Builder came out removed some stucco and over the windows and "fixed it". Several years later same thing. They came out "fixed it". Being in California we went through a bit of a drought with no heavy wind and rain for many years. October 2020 we had very heavy rain and wind and the leaks reappeared with a vengeance! The windows themself are not leaking, water is coming in over the top of the windows. The builder dissolved the business in California and moved to Texas. Home insurance would not cover. We removed some of the stucco on our own and found dry root so we contacted several contractors. All three said stucco needed to be removed, needed to repair dry root, repaper the house and replace windows. We went with the general contractor with the highest ratings and who had experience with this in the past. First photo is prior to all of the stucco being removed and you can see where we removed some. Second photo is after stucco removed by contractor were you can see affected areas. Dry root was seen above the downstairs left window, over the slider and under the downstairs right window(hidden by the tree) Dry root was also half way up the upstairs bedroom window. Work was completed in September 2022. They did not reapply the styrofoam decor pieces. They used Tyvek. We have had some recent heavy rains and wind and the leaks are back in all the same places. The contractor is stumped and every family member and friend I have who is familiar with construction is also stumped. One other person in the neighborhood has similar issues except their upstairs windows are also leaking. Our contractor is committed to finding out the problem but I decided to post here as well. We have a brand new roof so that is not the issue. Crack joint, attic vent, uphill rain? What else could it be based on the location of the damage? Would truly appreciate expert opinion, I am desperate!
Comments (16)
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Comments (23)I don't think the wrap is the problem. It is apparently approved as a water resistive wrap. (Click the third link down.) (Though looking at it, I would not use it, but would have gone for Typar or a clone.) However, as sierraeast notes, the installation is not good, despite using plastic headed nails, which many builders don't use. I tape all joints. And when there's damage, I add another layer of wrap. The damage could have been done by the masons, banging scaffolding into the walls, for instance. As noted before, the wrap should be over any flange, not under. I would remove a window to check if the wrap is installed over the framing properly and how the space between the framing and window is filled. I use spray foam, which is a proven water barrier too. While you're at it, I would check up near the roof too. It's possible that the water could actually be coming in higher up, then going down inside the wall before it emerges inside. While water problems often arise in complicated installations--decks on flat roofs, parapets and complex roofs--yours is a standard straightforward situation. This is another reminder to me to be ultra careful on the way the housewrap and windows are installed. Long after all the trades are paid and gone, the house stands as testament to my abilities and as a potential financial liability....See MoreWater Leaking Around Windows
Comments (2)It sounds like morwil did not hire the installer, the windows were put in by whoever s/he bought the house from. Did the previous owner do it himself, or hire a contractor? Is there any way to find out whether there is a warranty on the windows or the installation? Hurricane winds can drive rain into places it would not normally go, but if there is no visible caulk it may indeed be a faulty installation. Insurance coverage is going to be a question for your agent. The cost of having this fixed is going to depend on what kind of siding is on the outside of the house. Windows are put in from the outside, so the outside wall will probably have to come off around the windows. It's going to be a different job if it's vinyl, wood, brick, etc. And of course how many windows there are....See MoreLeaking soffit after rain
Comments (5)I have this exact same problem with my 1950's ranch, even after replacing the gutters and putting in new drip edge: water drips down the face of the fascia boards at about six-foot intervals. The water runs down between the gutter and the fascia. Could this six-foot interval be at the gutter-spike locations? It's not at the drip-edge seams -- that is a single 12-foot length. And though there is some debris in the gutters, they are not by any means full or blocked; there is still a good stream coming out the downspout. I welcome your ideas -- for the moment I have cut some of that black-plastic drainpipe in half lengthwise and put it along the house to catch and direct the drips, but that is not a good long-term solution; it has cut the amount of water in my basement, but I'm still getting some. I'm also thinking about attaching a length of light chain at the drip points so water will slide down it into the catchment trough -- no splashing that way. What d'you think? LynnT...See MoreRain water leaks into Patio Door Sill
Comments (3)It's the job of the sill to capture and redirect water to the exterior (water that makes it beyond weather stripping). Make sure the path of water is not blocked. You should see weep holes through the tracks and a path to the outside. You should be able to see the exit holes or path from the exterior also in the gap between the deck and window sill. . The raised interior lip is your last resort vs wind driven water entering the home....See More
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Photo with new stucco, leaks only with heavy rain AND wind. Only the three downstairs windows, slider and small window are the worst. Roof is less than a year old. Last night we had a good rain but no wind and there were no leaks.
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