How to identify window leaks, and what you can do about it

When the rain falls and hits your roof, are you one to enjoy the melodic taps on the shingles or do you groan because you have a leaky window. If you groaned, you have bigger problems than you know, leaky windows can cause all kinds of problems, most of them are structural, and they can be the source of large repair bills if neglected. If you live in an older home, the risks of leaky windows are infinitely higher, temperature changes, changes in weather, and the building settling create problems for the window frames and they lose the airtight seal you need from your windows. Damage is also a big problem to contend with if the unit loses it square – meaning it no longer covers the area, or the broken glazing seals can be the two biggest problems a homeowner can face. To get to the root of the matter, there are three areas that in general are responsible for window leaks, the design of a home, the installation of the windows and the maintenance performed over time will all add up to problems if there are deficiencies.

What to look for 

• When we look at a home's design, one feature is important to protect widows from leaks. The eavestroughs that take water off the roof during a storm and stop wind-driven rain from penetrating through the windows. A key factor that for the eavestrough is the fascia, the angle is the important part here and the fascia must be angled away from the window to move water away from the window.
• If your windows have been poorly installed or you have breaks in the flashing, water will find its way in your home through your windows. Window flashing that is designed for that purpose it is what you need during theinstallation of your windows – if building paper or a house wrap product has been used it is a ticket to water infiltration through weak areas around the windows.
• If you haven’t maintained solid caulking seal around your windows, water will seep in. Cracking, or shrinking or broken caulking will be responsible for leaks at the seams where water will find its way in. Glazing putty keeps the window seal intact, if it less than 100 per cent moisture and condensation will build up in the area between double-paned glass windows.
• If you don’t have a reliable paint seal it could be another area for water entry at the window. The paint seal you need should have a slight overlap that covers the window molding to the glass to give your window the tight seal it needs to repel water.

If you have found that your windows are experiencing one or more the problems outlined here, call in the experts from AM Window & Door Solutions to get your home watertight. We have been protecting homeowners for over 60-years, and our work comes with the best warranty in the industry for your investment’s protection in your home.

Our team of experienced experts will be happy to meet with you for a free consultation, a free estimate, and a free inspection when you call our office today at 877.281.6900.