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Any advice windows leaking from top?

4 years ago

Hello friends. I have a home built in the mid 80s. We have a problem where with straight line winds and heavy rain, water is busting through the caulk from the top of our windows on a single wall, causing the window to leak from the top. This was happening before and after we did replacement windows. We replaced the windows in the entire house because they needed replacement and the property disclosure when we bought said "windows" (lol) - but the problem persists.


We have brick veneer. It appears there is no house wrap, but a thick hard shell plastic barrier between wood and brick. We believe the water is penetrating the brick somehow and getting into the wall, and there is a flashing issue. I am told you do not flash replacement windows. I have been in the attic, we have a new roof and there are no roof leaks. There is a gable vent. The vent may be a source of water entry. The brick itself is also obviously porous and saturates in the rain. There is no house wrap - just a thick plastic thing between the house and the veneer


Last year I had a brick person tuckpoint and seal the sill on the window above the window that leaks. And it seemed to work for a while. (the leaky windows are 2 on the first floor, 2 on the 2nd floor above each other). But then last month we had a very aggressive rain, and the original window on the 1st floor leaked, AND one of the top floor windows leaked!

What's the play here? Sell it?


Here are the 4 windows leaking:

https://imgur.com/a/q9OEwf9

Comments (14)

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Step 1: Ensure that the window opening itself is fully sealed. No cracks in caulking, etc. Your initially comment about "water busting through the caulking" would indicate that this could need some attention, but your subsequent description says otherwise.


    Step 2: Check the lintels above the windows. Many replacement window companies will incorrectly clad over them and caulk to the brick as its aesthetically pleasing, however that is the exit path for moisture from behind the brick. The steel lintel should be exposed, and not caulked between it and the brick.


    Step 3: If those items are all good, water is coming in from above in greater qty than can drain without leaking. That is not likely to happen through the masonry despite being porous, the gable vent area above would be a likely culprit. Is that area exposed in the attic? Any sign of water entry/staining under it if so?


    If nothing is obvious, water test. Start at the windows themselves, and work up until you are able to induce a leak.

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    Here are the 4 windows leaking:


    https://imgur.com/a/q9OEwf9


    Help those helping you by attaching images here.

  • 4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    HomeSealed is correct on this regarding Lintels.

    When you wrap lintels in aluminum, they remain saturated because water cant drain from behind the brick. Lintels are supposed to drain and should not be sealed up with aluminum or caulk. It dramatically accelerates the deterioration of the steel causing major damage to the adjacent brick and masonry. Some installers even caulk the aluminum to the brick, making it a certainty that the lintels will rust out in a few years. Water needs to drain from the lintel pocket.


    A painter can sand and paint an old looking Lintel.

  • 4 years ago

    Check the vent. We had a similar problem in our previous all brick house. They did not caulk the vent and water got in and found it's way down to our dining room window. Had it caulked and problem was solved.

  • 4 years ago

    There WERE no lintels, according to the replacement window folks. The windows were directly up against the brick. They told me this probably an issue, but not an issue?

  • PRO
    4 years ago
    last modified: 4 years ago

    There are lentils. Or there wouldn't be any brick above those windows at this point.


    Lentils aren't always steel, but there most be something to carry and divert the weight of the brick around the opening.

  • 4 years ago

    I only use lentils in my soup... ;-)

  • 4 years ago

    "There WERE no lintels, according to the replacement window folks."


    "There are lentils. Or there wouldn't be any brick above those windows at this point."


    Yikes. They did not know that, somewhat scary. And unfortunately possibly why their window install leaks.............................

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    If you can get a better quality picture closer on the upper part of the windows we can clear up the lintel issue

    Admiral Tacoman thanked HomeSealed Exteriors, LLC
  • 4 years ago



    Is that thing on the top a lintel?

  • 4 years ago

    Here is another angle.


  • 4 years ago

    Just a couple more remarks...when the window guy did the windows, he did mention that certain windows (I think 1-2 smaller decorative ones) were lintel-less. And they were supporting the bricks. But I don't think these were the windows in question. I actually think the photos above show the lintel.


    Another note: The rain has to be a HARD, driving rain with straight line wind, and only occurs along that one wall. We are having a big rain this evening, but its straight down...no leaks.


    I am beginning to agree, gable vent. I have blasted the wall above with a hose. It did not leak when blasting the the top part of the windows. Last year when I did this, I aimed it at the second floor sill and produced a leak, after tuck point and seal of sill, leak remediated, but temporarily?

  • PRO
    4 years ago

    That lintel is not capped. That is proper. I would look hard at that vent as well.

    Admiral Tacoman thanked Windows on Washington Ltd