Looking for advise on how to resolve this issue. This weekend I had a
strange casement window leak occur, apparently during wind driven rain.
Somehow water appears to have gotten behind the drywall and onto the floor,
causing some damage to start to occur to the wood floor. This is closest to
the lower corner of the window near the crank/hinge side. The sill on the
inside did not seem wet, so it seems the water somehow made it's way from
the window to behind the drywall without dripping over the (inside sill I
was not in the room when it happened, but not seeing evidence that the sill
on the inside got wet). I probed the drywall below window with moisture
meter and drywall was excessively moist. The wallpaper on the drywall is
not wet (only probing it with detector reveals that it is excessively moist)
Again, the inner sill did not seem wet. Drywall on the side and above the
window was dry according to moisture meter. This makes me suspect it to be
more likely to be a window leak issue rather than water getting behind the
siding. Can I be SURE of this though?

Was wondering how to determine EXACTLY where the water penetration into the
wall is happening. The wet floor and drywall are on the side where the
crank is located. I'm not understanding how water that hits the window
from the outside is ultimately making it's way behind the inner drywall wall
without seeing any evidence of drippage onto the inside sill in this
particular incident. Also the wallpaper is not wet either.

Questions about seals:

1) Was wondering if V-shaped seals on the sides of the sash (the flap style
seals) are intended to prevent water leakage?

2) I recently ALREADY replaced the V-shaped seal at the TOP of the sash, but
I see it has flattened somewhat. I'm planning on putting a d-profile rubber
strip underneath the flap to give it more pressure upward. Would this
likely help? I'm also planning on replacing the v-shaped flap on the side
of the sash where the crank and hinge are. Do I need to be replacing all
four of the v-shaped seals?

2) Do I also need to be replacing the bulb-style seal on the INSIDE frame
that faces outward toward the window frame? I have this replacement seal
but it looks like it will be hard to replace it near the hinge. Is this type
of seal of for the purpose of preventing water leakage?

Since I don't trust these windows even if I do replace all the existing
seals, one idea I have as an extra safeguard to prevent leakage would be to
attach a self adhesive V-seal to the top of the outer frame but in such a
way so that it folds downward and functions as a flap that hangs over the
top of the window. Would this help as an extra safeguard, or be useless?

I see that the crank has a metal plate mounted to the outer sill. Should I
putting some small amounts of caulk on the edges of the metal plate, and
maybe on top of some screws just in case water is getting inderneath this
metal plate that is mounted?

I'm told these are self-sealing windows that don't require caulking at the
top of the outer frame. Was actually told that caulking the gap at the
outer frame might be problematic if water ever did get behind the siding
above the window (since caulk woud trap the water). Is this true?

There is no drip-cap or any type of hood above the window. Just the metal
frame itself. Would a drip-cap help make it less prone to leakage?

As a last resort I'm actually considering having the window caulked totally
shut. This would at least rule-out that it isn't a siding issue, is this
correct?

If I did eventually opt for complete window replacement, I live in a condo,
and so I was wondering if window replacement could be properly done from the
inside without having to remove any siding on the outside of the building.
By the way, I'm paranoid that replacing the entire window might still result
in leakage if whomever installs it doesn't do a proper job, or if I have to
replace it with yet another casement window that rely on rubber or vinyl
seals that wear out. By the way, this is actually a double casement
window (two casement windows side by side), and I need to address this issue
for both windows.

Frankly, I'm starting to wish I had NOT bought an end unit.

J

jaynews wrote:

Looking for advise on how to resolve this issue. This weekend I had a
strange casement window leak occur, apparently during wind driven rain.
Somehow water appears to have gotten behind the drywall and onto the floor,
causing some damage to start to occur to the wood floor. This is closest to
the lower corner of the window near the crank/hinge side. The sill on the
inside did not seem wet, so it seems the water somehow made it's way from
the window to behind the drywall without dripping over the (inside sill I
was not in the room when it happened, but not seeing evidence that the sill
on the inside got wet). I probed the drywall below window with moisture
meter and drywall was excessively moist. The wallpaper on the drywall is
not wet (only probing it with detector reveals that it is excessively moist)
Again, the inner sill did not seem wet. Drywall on the side and above the
window was dry according to moisture meter. This makes me suspect it to be
more likely to be a window leak issue rather than water getting behind the
siding. Can I be SURE of this though?

Was wondering how to determine EXACTLY where the water penetration into the
wall is happening. The wet floor and drywall are on the side where the
crank is located. I'm not understanding how water that hits the window
from the outside is ultimately making it's way behind the inner drywall wall
without seeing any evidence of drippage onto the inside sill in this
particular incident. Also the wallpaper is not wet either.

Questions about seals:

1) Was wondering if V-shaped seals on the sides of the sash (the flap style
seals) are intended to prevent water leakage?

2) I recently ALREADY replaced the V-shaped seal at the TOP of the sash, but
I see it has flattened somewhat. I'm planning on putting a d-profile rubber
strip underneath the flap to give it more pressure upward. Would this
likely help? I'm also planning on replacing the v-shaped flap on the side
of the sash where the crank and hinge are. Do I need to be replacing all
four of the v-shaped seals?

2) Do I also need to be replacing the bulb-style seal on the INSIDE frame
that faces outward toward the window frame? I have this replacement seal
but it looks like it will be hard to replace it near the hinge. Is this type
of seal of for the purpose of preventing water leakage?

Since I don't trust these windows even if I do replace all the existing
seals, one idea I have as an extra safeguard to prevent leakage would be to
attach a self adhesive V-seal to the top of the outer frame but in such a
way so that it folds downward and functions as a flap that hangs over the
top of the window. Would this help as an extra safeguard, or be useless?

I see that the crank has a metal plate mounted to the outer sill. Should I
putting some small amounts of caulk on the edges of the metal plate, and
maybe on top of some screws just in case water is getting inderneath this
metal plate that is mounted?

I'm told these are self-sealing windows that don't require caulking at the
top of the outer frame. Was actually told that caulking the gap at the
outer frame might be problematic if water ever did get behind the siding
above the window (since caulk woud trap the water). Is this true?

There is no drip-cap or any type of hood above the window. Just the metal
frame itself. Would a drip-cap help make it less prone to leakage?

As a last resort I'm actually considering having the window caulked totally
shut. This would at least rule-out that it isn't a siding issue, is this
correct?

If I did eventually opt for complete window replacement, I live in a condo,
and so I was wondering if window replacement could be properly done from the
inside without having to remove any siding on the outside of the building.
By the way, I'm paranoid that replacing the entire window might still result
in leakage if whomever installs it doesn't do a proper job, or if I have to
replace it with yet another casement window that rely on rubber or vinyl
seals that wear out. By the way, this is actually a double casement
window (two casement windows side by side), and I need to address this issue
for both windows.

Frankly, I'm starting to wish I had NOT bought an end unit.

J


Hi,
In a storm water may seep thru gaps in the window iteself but water
behind drywall indicates water proofing on the window frame is
compromised. And/or bottom track is not draining water properly. Outside
the track there ought to be small holes for that.

Hi,
In a storm water may seep thru gaps in the window iteself but water
behind drywall indicates water proofing on the window frame is
compromised. And/or bottom track is not draining water properly. Outside
the track there ought to be small holes for that.

When you you say "water proofing on window frame" do you mean the rubber
replaceable seals, or do you mean that water is getting behind the siding
and running behind the drywall, or do you mean something else?

If it's a window issue, then what I'm suspecting is that water is getting
past the seals and hitting the inner wood frame and then somehow making its'
way to the drywall without

Not sure what you mean by bottom track. There is a metal outer sill, but I
don't see any drain holes. Also at the bottom, there is a piece of wood
(inner frame) where the crank handle is located. I'm suspecting that if
water did get to this inner piece of wood it could possibly make it's way
into the drywall or am I mistaken in thinking that. A section of this wood
(further toward the corner than the crank handle) did appear to be wet. So
what could be happening is that water is getting past the seals and hitting
inner frame but somehow making it into the drywall without visible signs of
the inner frame being wet from the inside...is that possible? Or I suppose
it is possible water is getting past the seals at the top or side.

In other words, if water does get past the replaceable seals, and happens to
hit the INNER wood frame (NOT the sash), is it possible that the water could
be making it's way to the drywall without any visible water seen at the
window itself inside the house?

J.

What might be happening here is that water is being driven behind the
siding above the window and running behind the window fins and into
your house that way.


jaynews wrote:
Hi,
In a storm water may seep thru gaps in the window iteself but water
behind drywall indicates water proofing on the window frame is
compromised. And/or bottom track is not draining water properly. Outside
the track there ought to be small holes for that.

When you you say "water proofing on window frame" do you mean the rubber
replaceable seals, or do you mean that water is getting behind the siding
and running behind the drywall, or do you mean something else?

If it's a window issue, then what I'm suspecting is that water is getting
past the seals and hitting the inner wood frame and then somehow making its'
way to the drywall without

Not sure what you mean by bottom track. There is a metal outer sill, but I
don't see any drain holes. Also at the bottom, there is a piece of wood
(inner frame) where the crank handle is located. I'm suspecting that if
water did get to this inner piece of wood it could possibly make it's way
into the drywall or am I mistaken in thinking that. A section of this wood
(further toward the corner than the crank handle) did appear to be wet. So
what could be happening is that water is getting past the seals and hitting
inner frame but somehow making it into the drywall without visible signs of
the inner frame being wet from the inside...is that possible? Or I suppose
it is possible water is getting past the seals at the top or side.

In other words, if water does get past the replaceable seals, and happens to
hit the INNER wood frame (NOT the sash), is it possible that the water could
be making it's way to the drywall without any visible water seen at the
window itself inside the house?

J.

aulking and sealing window shut is a terrible idea, in a fire you
couldnt get out.......

What might be happening here is that water is being driven behind the
siding above the window and running behind the window fins and into
your house that way.

Ok, but the drywall BELOW the corner of the window frame was registering as
wet or excessively moist according to the moisture detector, yet the drywall
above the top of the frame, as well as to the side of the window frame,
seemed to be dry according to the moisture detector. Was wondering if my
only finding moist drywall below the bottom corner of the window frame (as
opposed to above the top or the frame or next to the side of the frame)
indicate that it's not likely to be a siding issue?

The wallpaper itself was dry and no indication of water on the inner sill
though. Is it possible that water got beyond the sash seals and then
migrated directly behind the drywall from there rather than dripping onto
the inner sill?

Thanks,

J.

jaynews wrote:
Looking for advise on how to resolve this issue. This weekend I had a
strange casement window leak occur, apparently during wind driven rain.
Somehow water appears to have gotten behind the drywall and onto the floor,
causing some damage to start to occur to the wood floor.

snip

Just guessing, but based on what I've seen in construction over the
years, it seems likely that the window was installed with poorly
applied or no flashing. The flanges themselves can withstand a lot of
ordinary rain, but with the wind behind it the rain will be driven past
the flanges and into the wall cavity.
The only way to determine whether this is the problem is to remove the
siding and inspect for proper flashing. If your siding is vinyl, this
is easy to do. Vinyl siding is no great repellant for wind driven rain
due to the way it is designed. The popular pressure washers can easily
duplicate this situation as well. HTH

Joe