Water gushing from bump-out corner trim (2nd story)
Hi! I have a 2nd story bump out/cantilever area above my deck. This side of my house faces due west. I have vinyl siding. The conclusion the last two professionals have made is this: when it rains, the water runs down the front of the siding, into the J-channel, the j-channel empties into the corner trim, and then water pours out (not a trickle – see pics) the corner trim. I have to put Rubbermaid storage totes underneath the corner trim to catch all the water. The containers will overflow in heavy storms. I’ve been told there is nothing I can do because the water needs to go somewhere. The storage totes look ridiculous and are not foolproof; water overflows the containers in heavy rains and heads right toward my foundation/basement. Thoughts on a remedy? So far I’ve stumped several housing professionals. We tried weep holes in the j-channel, but that just basically created a sprinkler system that gushed several streams of water across the length of my house. Thank you!
Note: Water is not going behind siding. That was an initial theory. This drip has been a problem for several years. I noticed it shortly after I moved in.
Replies
You could run a gutter along the bottom of that wall.
Or you could put an overhang on the roof over that wall.
If it is really just that end you are worried about, a short length of gutter that drains into your existing might work.
“The water needs to go somewhere”
That kind of volume needs not to be there in the first place. Find a GOOD siding person and see what can be done. My concern would be what’s going on behind the siding.
New or new to you house?
I only did vinyl at my parents a long time ago (they got scared of hardie when I mentioned painting)...but why is there J-channel running across the bottom horizontal? Maybe I'm misunderstanding, but I zoomed in on the picture and it looks like the bottom row is started in j channel. The siding I used (which I think was pretty typical) had a starter strip and the bottom of the first row of siding snapped into that. The j channel seems like it is going to act as a trough and fill up with all the water sheeting down the siding.
Hi! Not sure why it’s j-channel? No one I’ve called to look at it has questioned that yet. Not sure what a starter strip is, but I’ll ask why I don’t have that instead. The siding is old - redone in 2003 (before I bought house).
J-channel by design is going to collect water. The siding usually begins with a starter strip and the siding bottom hooks onto the strip. Looking up, you should only see the bottom of the siding piece. Water then should drip off from that as it comes down the siding.
Hi! Yes! So, I have now heard that I need a starter strip not j-channel from 3 people in the last couple of days! So funny I’ve been asking for help for years, and here it is! I have someone from a reputable siding company coming to give me an estimate this week. Hopefully we can find something to go with my older siding. Thank you for giving me the right terminology to use when talking to people in the field. :)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hy2-Bu5e41Q
There are many videos available that demonstrate installation.
But in your case the issue is that the west wall with no overhang above catches a lot of rain if there is any wind to the rain.
Another way to go is to catch and direct the water after it hits the ground. You did not post any info or photos to describe what the water hits.
My concern is why is the water there in the first place. I've never seen rain run out of a corner like that. I'd be pulling it apart to figure out what's wrong then at a minimum I'd wrap the corner with 12" flashing tape on both sides.