Customer calls last night and says “windows leaking.” oh no. I go look today. This is a Marvin Ultimate, wood. Everything is caulked properly. There is drip cap over the brikmold and under the siding. It is insulated with closed cell foam. Water is not coming around the sashes nor around the jamb sides. Water is coming in at the top, in the middle (double unit) within about a foot of either side of center. It’s not much, but that’s irrelevant. The water drips from between the jamb and casing. The water that comes in is dark brown. That’s the evidence I have thus far. Nothing on the outside looks like a culprit. The siding is redwood, and painted. A little of the paint on the siding is loose and peeling. I thought I’d throw this out as a free for all and see what various minds might come up with as a look at. I have my opinions, but I’m not yet settled that they’re right. Your 2 cents?
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Your metal flashing is under the siding but is it under the tarpaper?
Excellence is its own reward!
"The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are." --Marcus Aurelius
Flashing contacts sheathing. Everything else is over that.
Look farther up , the water may be running down the wall interior till it hits the window then leaks in, having nothing to do with the window itself other then its placement.
That's my vote, higher up water entry, exiting at the window. Tell us more of this job, new construction? remodel? two story?......the whole shelonga. What's that peeling paint area in relation to the window? Moisture could be pushing the paint off. Take a line from the window through the peeled paint and search above there......maybe.
best of luck
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Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.
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Edited 11/6/2002 8:39:06 PM ET by calvin
Okay, more intel. The higher up water was one of my thoughts, but, the previous window didn't leak. This one got put in about July, it's dripped since (and why did she only think to remember it now?) b/c they have a cleaning service that comes twice weekly and the Mrs isn't the one mopping up. If water came from higher, earlier window would have had same issues, wouldn't it? This makes my head hurt. The house is 20-30 years old. The window was the only thing that got replaced in this section of the home last summer. Everything else stayed. This window was custom sized to be the exact same size as what left, so all the drip edge, siding cuts, etc line up exactly as before. Heck, the casing even hits dead on the old paint lines. The peeling paint. . . can't tell if that's a sign. It's above the window on the exterior exactly where the water's coming in. It's also five feet that way, and six feet away in this direction, and if you look up theres a patch . . . coincidence? Redwood and paint aren't agreeing with each other in many places. I see 0 room for water entry everywhere I look. Siding, above, this window, whatever. My best guess falls into that "well, anything is possible" category. The drip edge has a split or a crack in it. It got caulked the first time because of it, the caulk split when the old window got yanked, and now the new one leaks too. That's my theory at this point, and I cut and caulked today just to see since its gonna rain all weekend. But don't quit posting! Especially if you disagree. Anything that I'm not looking at or other viewpoints I want to hear. Thanks so far. This makes me want a digital camera.
These are the things that try our spirit .It may sound goofy , but look for a possible plumbing problem . It happened to me , the plumber did some work after I installed the windows and left a leak unseen , the slow leak traveled along the floor joists about 12ft and came down on top of the window and seeped through the headed , head jamb and between the sashes. After scratching my head with one hand and my butt with the other I isolated the window from exterior weather with visq. and duct tape for " show and tell " with the plumber and homeowner. Problem was easily corrected by plumber. A couple years later while sitting in the local donut shop a man was talking about a similar problem and since I knew I was experienced I said let me have a look , went to the house and it was a 1 story , new set of problems , same approach , found a roof valley leaking {2yr old roof} problem solved .The whole point of this rambling is .....something or the other ........good hunting to you.
Interior moisture condensing on something? Problem's been there for years and remodel just gave it a new route? I didn't catch in your original post if this is a rainy-day-only problem. If it's only on rainy days, I suggest you transform into a rain drop and take a ride through the wall, because otherwise I haven't a clue.
Wonder Twin powers, Activate!
Form of, a guy with a clue!
Form of, a droplet of water!
Now wouldn't that just be too convenient.
Some one left a cup of coffee on the window header.
dry wallers hit it w/ a screw.
Taste the brown liquid
My money is on Decaf.
The peeling paint sound like you got moist coming from somewhere.
examine everything above for possible infiltration points.
Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am a trained professional!
Reason for the new window? look above. Paint peeling from inside moisture. roofing facia. start at the top and work down sounds like something behind the sheathing maybe. Carpenter/Detective