# Windows leaking - Need advice how to fix.



## dorlow (Jan 22, 2017)

So, since moving into our house, once in a while when it's raining really hard and the rain is coming from a certain direction, we might as well leave our windows open.  Rain comes right through the windows.  

After about a year staring at it trying to figure out and talking to our neighbor... (He said he worked with the previous owner and never figured out why.  They caulked it and said the window is air tight.  His opinion it's the roof.)  

Well, I called out the insurance company.  They looked but they're not sure why either but they authorized me to get my roof replaced under warranty.

One of the roofer guys came out for a quote.  Told him, the whole reason I'm getting a new roof is because my windows leak but I honestly don't believe replacing my roof is going to fix my windows leaking.  One of the roofers took a little extra time (earning some browny points with me.)  He suspected the window ledge maybe.  Well, he was right.  He got up on a ladder and poured water on the upstairs window ledge (kind of pooling the water so it stayed on the window ledge.)  As soon as he did this, my downstairs window water started pouring in.  So, the downstairs window is leaking because of the upstairs??? Doesn't make sense to me, but I saw it with my own eyes.  

He did give me a quote to replace the roof and also stated if I went with his quote, he would also seal my windows for free.  But his quote is almost double the other guys.  I almost kind of feel loyal to go with his because he found what no one else found.  But, me not being filthy rich, I'm also thinking maybe I should just go with one of the cheaper guys to get a new roof and look at repairing my leak myself.  

I am attaching pictures.  I zoomed in on the window ledge of the downstairs.  (It only makes sense to me if the upstairs is leaking on both sides of the house, so is the downstairs and it's causing other damage I'm not seeing.)  I take it there is something just majorly wrong with the design of the house.  But I am not a house builder.  Can others look at the pics and tell me their suggestions to fix the problem?  The roofer that found the problem said it was some kind of sealant that was super thick he buys off of Amazon that he would paint on the ledge to completely seal the ledge.  He didn't tell me the product name.  But there's probably many different products I could fix this with.  But something tells me that this is just a bandaid.  Why does it leak?  If I were to build my house from scratch, would the leak be inevitable unless I put this sealant on the ledge?  I'd hope not.  If not, how would the house be built to not leak at this spot?  You can see also in the pic that the previous owner caulked the windows like crazy (my neighbor helped the previous owner and that's how he's so confident there's nothing wrong with the windows itself.  So, the ledge needs to be sealed to the window, not the windows itself.

Also, does anyone know how to fix the water stains in my pics also?  The water is pooling up above my electrical box and at the fire alarm in the garage.


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## joecaption (Jan 22, 2017)

I'd have to be there looking at to be 100% sure, but it looks like those soldiered bricks where cut short or not laid far enough in.
The window needed to be sitting out over bricks, not just butted up to them.


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## oldognewtrick (Jan 22, 2017)

You said the insurance company authorized a new roof, are they helping pay for the replacement?


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## dorlow (Jan 22, 2017)

Well, the windows do not sit over the brick.  I'm attaching another pic (I didn't think was relevant earlier but could solidify your opinion...)  So, a few houses back, we got new windows.  They were champion windows.  The windows were thicker than the original windows so they had to sit it on top of the ledge and seal around them.  So, if we had the windows replaced with double or triple pane so they sat on top of the ledge, would that fix it as you suggest where the window should be out over the brick?


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## dorlow (Jan 22, 2017)

Here's a pic where I digitally zoomed in on the last pic..


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## dorlow (Jan 22, 2017)

oldognewtrick said:


> You said the insurance company authorized a new roof, are they helping pay for the replacement?



They already paid out a check to replace the roof.  The money is just sitting in the bank right now while I figure things out.


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## nealtw (Jan 22, 2017)

There is gap between the brick and the wall behind it, so when water goes thru the brick it will run down to the bottom where there are bleed holes to let it out. The should be bleed holes over windows and doors.


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## dorlow (Jan 23, 2017)

So, are you saying I (or someone that knows what they are doing), should take a masonary drill bit and drill through the brick vertically into the brick where I put the red highlights in the pic?


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## nealtw (Jan 23, 2017)

I don't know enough to know what should be behind the brick. Or how to fix a problem.
I just want you to ask the right questions of the experts.
Depending on what has to be done a brick repair could cost lot more than a brick job.
The insurance company likely knows but if they pay you for the roof and you sign off on it it is now your problem.
Above the top windows should not be a problem do to how close they are to the soffet but any water getting in thru the brick or around the upper windows should run down behind the brick and  there should be some kind of flashing to keep the water away from the lower windows and direct the water around the window or out the weep holes.
Every opening in the brick wall, including the garage door have a steel lintel. Water left to sit on them will not make them last longer.
If those are vinyl windows they have covered the weep holes in the bottom of the window.
https://stlbrickrepair.com/2014/03/07/swollen-rusted-bent-or-broken-replacing-lintels-in-brick/


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## dorlow (Jan 23, 2017)

About the insurance company, I didn't sign anything.  I called them out.  The adjuster looked at the roof.  He noticed we had a recalled shingle.  He told the guy back in the office.  They called and left me a voicemail stating it's a defective shingle and they're sending me a check to get a new roof.  They never asked if I wanted to go ahead with the claim.  They just sent me a check.  I haven't spent the check yet because I'm afraid once I replace the roof, I've stated everything is fine and the problem is fixed when I know darn well it won't be fixed.


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## dorlow (Jan 23, 2017)

I like your diagram above.  We have those weep holes in the brick by the garage door.  I've noticed water pouring out of them after it's raining.  I don't think I've seen them above the windows.  So, maybe I need to get a masonry brick guy out and ask him to put the holes above the windows.  Maybe that's all that's wrong?


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## nealtw (Jan 23, 2017)

It's not just the weep holes there is some type of flashing that should start above the window behind the house wrap and come out above the lintel and that should be visible just above the window.
And if it is there you don't want to damage it with a drill.
Then if the windows were installed correctly the water still should not come into the house.
So you could have a window installation problem too.


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## dorlow (Jan 23, 2017)

So, in your professional opinion, water is supposed to be between the brick and the house.  I should have drain holes to let the water out above the windows.  But just because the holes are not there, the windows should still not leak.  So, replacing the windows should fix this.  This would be the downstairs windows that need to be fixed even though we know the upstairs window ledge is where the water is coming in.  The water is supposed to be coming in there.  But when it runs down inside the walls there, it's stopping above the window.  If the window would've been installed correctly, it should just pool up above the window and run down the sides of the windows to holes at the bottom of the house to drain out.  Putting holes above the window probably wouldn't be a bad idea, but the real problem is the windows leak instead of the water just running off the top of the windows and down to holes to drain out.  So, to fix it 100% correct, new windows and add drain holes above the windows.  But the bigger problem is the windows, not the holes missing.


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## nealtw (Jan 23, 2017)

If water was dumped on the sill in the upper windows and the water came in right away the upper windows should be sealed better.
See the flashing under the solder bricks in my last photo in post 9.
I am not sure what all would have to be done to fix all this and you still don't know, the roof could be bad too!
I just want to give you enough info so you can have a gee d conversation about this.
If the windows were not installed like this in the video, you can see getting it right now will be tricky.
I think you need a meeting with the builder, the brick layer and the insurance company all at the same time.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2VOrk1MuWY[/ame]


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