Window casings leaking water

[Hapless Handyman]

Good evening,

I have a three year old home and water is dripiing from the top of the window casing. The flashing outside is dry.

Any helpful comments appreciated.

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[Brandon Whitmore]

Pictures of the interior and exterior may help. Your description doesn't tell us much.

[kurt]

Yep. Need more info.

Is it masonry, siding type, window type, house type....(?)....

Pictures. We've got a great photo posting feature; post away.

[David Meiland]

I have a customer with a similar problem. During windy storms a little bit of water drips on the interior sill from behind the interior head casing. The room has a cathedral ceiling. There's a skylight in the roof that's in line with that window, and when it gets real windy, water gets driven up under the apron flashing of the skylight. The leak drips down onto the back of the drywall, runs down to the top plate of the wall, runs down between the top plate and the drywall, lands on top of the window jamb, and drips out from behind the casing.

The roof in that area needs to be stripped and the skylight replaced.

[Tom Raymond]

Your window isn't leaking, it just happens to be a convenient hole through the wall that allows the water a place to escape. I have seen everything from overflowing gutters to damaged siding to a 3" hole punched through the roof by falling ice cause the leak you describe. Start at the top of the window and look up. Go over the wall, the gutter, the roof, the attic if you have one, and eventually you will find what leaks.

Tom

[Hapless Handyman]

The sofits are perforated and I actually get snow in my garage in the winter time. There are no trees anywhere in sight so the eaves are not plugged.

[John Kogel]

The sofits are perforated and I actually get snow in my garage in the winter time. There are no trees anywhere in sight so the eaves are not plugged.

That's it! Not enough trees. []

[David Meiland]

People want to help you diagnose this, but your descriptions are not adequate. Need photos, clear descriptions of conditions inside and out, etc.

[Hapless Handyman]

The sofits are perforated and I actually get snow in my garage in the winter time. There are no trees anywhere in sight so the eaves are not plugged.

That's it! Not enough trees. []

Fair enough. I am trying to figure this out. I am not really a rip out the window casings and see what we got here kind of guy, so I am looking for some direction.

Thank you

[Jim Katen]

/ / / Fair enough. I am trying to figure this out. I am not really a rip out the window casings and see what we got here kind of guy, so I am looking for some direction. . .

Here's your direction: something above the window is leaking. Without pictures or a clear descripton I can't tell you anything more.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Brandon Whitmore]

Please tell me you have access to a digital camera. If not, find someone who does, and have them post them up for you; it's a necessity.

Is it a front window? If so, and you don't have ready access to a camera, PM me your address and I'll see if I can Google Earth your house.....

[John Kogel]

The sofits are perforated and I actually get snow in my garage in the winter time. There are no trees anywhere in sight so the eaves are not plugged.

That's it! Not enough trees. []

Fair enough. I am trying to figure this out. I am not really a rip out the window casings and see what we got here kind of guy, so I am looking for some direction.

Thank you

I was only half-joking there. Maybe wind is blowing water in under the flashing, so trees would help. Not enough info yet.

[Hapless Handyman]

I was just in the attic and all is dry up there.

[Brandon Whitmore]

One more establishing shot from further back would be very helpful.

[Rocon]

Is the window in question the smaller window under the eave? If so I see that the plaster is ground to the bottom side of the soffit. I would check to see if the soffit sheet metal is slightly canted toward the head of the smaller window. I believe your issue could be the confined rake diverter flashing (or lack of) above the larger window it could allow water in to the eave where it travels in the soffit and is deposited behind the Plaster WRB. the water travels behind the WRB, behind the nailing fin and flashings and then manifests at the head of the window.

Similar condition in the photo below.

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[Tom Raymond]

You have a larger problem than just a little water leaking out of your window casing. The details on that EIFS installation are all wrong. You need to hire an EIFS Inspector to figure out just how screwed up the siding is and what needs to be corrected. He should be able to find the source of the water intrusion as well.

Tom

[Rocon]

You have a larger problem than just a little water leaking out of your window casing. The details on that EIFS installation are all wrong. You need to hire an EIFS Inspector to figure out just how screwed up the siding is and what needs to be corrected. He should be able to find the source of the water intrusion as well.

Tom

That is why I was there. And it is not EIFS, but similar system.