Leaking Box Window

Omeleto

Hi,

In 2001 I bought a new house. Its exterior walls are stucco-coated. In 2007, after a heavy rain and windstorm, I found that the bottom of a south-facing box window had water dripping from it for a whole day even after the exterior wall had dried. Some housing inspectors suggested that the leaking may have been caused by the gutter letting water seep into the wall, or because water leaked through the roof tiles. After a thorough inspection, they cancelled out those possibilities.

Ever since then, we've found that after rainstorms, there is water leaking from that box window. In December 09, we found another house inspector to inspect the area, and his opinion was that the rain was blown in by the wind directly through the exterior wall and stucco, and that was why water was leaking out from the window. To test this, I used a hose to spray the exterior of the box window for 20 minutes and found that this resulted in water leaking out from the bottom of the box window like after a rainstorm.

Might this leaking problem be related to the quality of, or application of, the stucco if it is letting rainwater through directly?

Any advice or help as to how I could solve this problem would be appreciated! Thanks!

Tom Struble

there are no sidings that are completely water proof, window detailing under the stucco is probably deficient,could also be the window itself
any pics?

noahweb

my experience with box windows is that it is usually a flashing problem

When I work with the "roof" on one I try to put a pan "completely" covering it.

Do you have any photos of this?

HomeSealed

I agree with Noah, and I think Tom may be saying the same thing as well. No sidings are COMPLETELY waterproof so proper flashing is absolutely critical, and likely your problem.

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Tom Struble

yup thats what i was tryin to say

Omeleto

These are photos of the bottom of the window:





Thanks for all the responses!

Tom Struble

can you take some pics from further back so we can see the whole wall area?is this ''hard stucco'' or is it over foam?

Omeleto

Hi, here are some pictures of the first window from further out and of the second box window. The second box window is right next to the first one. Besides leaking from the bottom it is also leaking at the edge of the window frame.

The small holes at the bottom were drilled as a recommendation from the house inspector.

Thanks again

Attached Thumbnails

     

Dyoung

I have a similar problem with my window also. Older house, circa 50s.

Flashing, caulking are both wise. Better to overdo it than underdo it in my opinion, when it comes to water leaks.

Also, it could be coming if from the TOP of the window....the SIDE of the window... or even the roof.

Can you get up there somehow to poke around? Usually the leak is obviously a broken seal, loose caulking, loose flashing etc.

Tom Struble

hmmmm...i see where you say the gutter/roof was cleared but i don't know i have a feeling water is backing up or getting blown behind the facia