Leaking new construction windows - help!

11 years ago

ICF house under construction...currently have Simonton ProFinish Contractor Casement windows installed. No brick on the house yet, windows are properly flashed with mastic tape and I know sealant was used when installed. Where is this water coming from that is sitting on top of the frame? The picture shows the inside of the window at the top. The beads of water are what came out when I pushed on the spray foam insulation at the top. I was there today and this happened after a good rain. BTW, love the windows....just need to figure out what the issue is as I have several like this. Thanks in advance for any insight.

Featured Answer

millworkman

11 years ago

last modified: 11 years ago

"windows are properly flashed with mastic tape"

I would bet not, please take a few steps back and take pictures showing us the exterior of the house and the windows as well as some closer shots of the flashing at the window head. The water your seeing is a classic example of the flashing not being correct but without the pictures we need it is impossible to tell you had bad the job might be.

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Comments (6)

User
11 years ago
Can we get a picture from further back and on either side of the opening (i.e. outside and inside)?
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User
11 years ago
That would be wrong then. You never seal the bottom flange or you just trap the water inside the home and at the window.

They should have had window bucks installed and the pans/bucks should have been flashed accordingly and then flash the jambs and the sides. This should all be covered with metal as well and have a proper drip cap installed at the window head.

This is shoddy work and they need to pull those windows and re do them.
millworkman
11 years ago
Exactly as windows stated above. Unfortunately "many years of experience" may not be a good thing on certain items......
ksc36
11 years ago
If the window is flashed properly there shouldn't be any water getting in. I've been installing pans on the sill plates for years and recently concluded it's a waste of time and money. With the use of closed cell foam for sealing and insulating the ro any water that might leak into the opening isn't making it to the pan. Do the "experts" also "pan" the headers and jacks too?
User
11 years ago
Flashing a window properly does not eliminate the potential for leakage should the window itself (i.e. sill failure) fail or should the wall (i.e. exterior cladding) fail. Sill pans are designed to be a safety catch and allow for the unexpected with mitigating the potential damage to the home. Headers and jacks aren't bridged to the exterior or are they in the primary drainage plane being that they are behind the sheathing.