Weeping windows or wicked water

[Bob Elliott]

Observed water coming through and sitting at the top of these window pulls.

Notice in the picture that all windows in the house had water seeping in on the inside sills (see stains)
These are double hung vinyl and there are weeps so are the weeps all clogged and the water is somehow wicking up or something else?
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[Doug Edwards]

May be an optical illusion but in the first photo, it looks like the window pan actually is canted towards the interior of the window frame rather than out towards the weep holes. The dirt pattern collecting in the direction of the seat also makes me think it is sloped opposite of what you want. The third photo just looks like condensation that has puddled on the window lift handle. I have double paned vinyl windows and in the winter if everyone is cooking, taking showers, etc. anything that produces moisture inside the house and you have cold outside air at the glass it condensed very easily. May be two separate issues that just happen to coincide.

[Bob Elliott]

Condensation was my first thought Doug however it was raining and the glass did not feel wet however here are two more with one showing (blurry) that it is an optical illusion(inward slant) and the other showing where it appeared(yeah everyone hates that word) that water was coming from at the seam above the pull.
Every window in the house had those corner stains so plugged side weeps is out as a theory unless they are all plugged.14 year old windows and the kind that seem hard like metal but vinyl if you know what I mean.
My thought is that the corner lines(seams) may need to be caulked)

What would you recommend?
The client asked if they need new windows.
I told him at may be the corner inside trim needs caulking but to have a window guy take a look.(terrible answer )
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[Dale Duffy]

Should have someone scan them with a Thermal Imager to see whats going on Bob....may save a LOT of guess-work.

[Bob Elliott]

OK great suggestion Dale as there are also water intrusion issues that required new drywall from last summer that Agent blamed on a malfunctioning ejector pump.
They had to replace the drywall up to 4 feet from bottom and I think there are several causes they never addressed.
In this picture it shows the point where the bottom inside trim matches up and there is movement so should this area be caulked?

[Doug Edwards]

I think the thermal imaging idea is a good one. I see now in the last photos the corners have what "appears" (yeah, everyone hates that word) to have open seams. These must be like you say from a couple generations ago vinyl windows as any today worth a flip are gonna have 'welded" seams at all the corners and miter joints. That is exactly why I replaced (still in the process) all my old aluminum windows with the new vinyl types.

We get rain here that is sideways coming at the side of the house and you need all the protection you can get to keep out water. I saw water shooting in around the garage door windows with tight rubber gaskets during Hurricane Dennis and it was spraying all the way to the far end of the garage. Made a believer out of me.

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by dedwards

I think the thermal imaging idea is a good one. I see now in the last photos the corners have what "appears" (yeah, everyone hates that word) to have open seams. These must be like you say from a couple generations ago vinyl windows as any today worth a flip are gonna have 'welded" seams at all the corners and miter joints. That is exactly why I replaced (still in the process) all my old aluminum windows with the new vinyl types.

We get rain here that is sideways coming at the side of the house and you need all the protection you can get to keep out water. I saw water shooting in around the garage door windows with tight rubber gaskets during Hurricane Dennis and it was spraying all the way to the far end of the garage. Made a believer out of me.

Yeah but the darn things should be good if installed in 1997.
However they do seem to be at the tough to open stage.
Think I will recommend caulk as temp solution as they may be on a budget and still want to paint there.
Easy for me to say call the IR guy but that is most likely not an IR issue if all show the same problem.
Agree?

I may refer a scan in conjunction with the foundation issues anyway.Gosh what did you guys do several years ago before you got your IR cameras?

[Doug Edwards]

I don't have one Bob. Have no intentions of getting one either in the near future. We were doing water intrusion inspections long before the days of "cheap" IR equipment. Wet is wet, no amount is acceptable.

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by dedwards

I don't have one Bob. Have no intentions of getting one either in the near future. We were doing water intrusion inspections long before the days of "cheap" IR equipment. Wet is wet, no amount is acceptable.

I always tell my clients that water intrusion is my main concern.
Slim chance the issue is flashing related here which is where I would think about using it and there is absolutely no staining above any of the many windows in this 2 story home.

[ldapkus]

I had some similar issues where the drains were clogged. Also the windows are attached at the sills too tightly and leak inside the sill and down to the windows below. House had 1 entire side of siding replaced and that was not the answer. Call me Sunday Bob and we can look at it next week with the IR. I'm in Florida for a few days and will be back late Sat. PM.

[Bob Elliott]

I will see what they want but no Sunday work during Football season

[William J. Decker]

Cheap replacement windows, poorly installed and probably no sill flashing. Recommend repair / replacement by a qualified and factory trained window installation contractor.

But, they will probably not do this because many people believe that a cheap install is as good as a quality one.

They are wrong.

Hope this helps;

[Terry Clayton]

Don't know if this is the case with yours but I have seen with heavy rains and the screens installed the water pools between window and screen and over flows into the window.

[Peter Summaria]

I remember having issues with these windows in new homes. The problem was that those weep holes have a large air infiltration to the inside of the home causing lots of condensation and creating a leak to below the window on the inside of the home. Our window company actually had little louvers that you can insert into those weep holes that allowed water to go out and keep somewhat some air from coming in. It did make a difference.

[Bob Elliott]

Thanks Pete.
Do you have anything at all on this product as it seems to me that it would increase the problem by further plugging the opening and retaining water.