[Boogityman]

Hi all,

As per title my windows are leaking. It's like the seal in front of the thermos panel (double pane, Canada) has failed, and water is leaking under the pane and then collected in the plastic structure that holds the pane up. (Sorry my window terminology is not all there) it's where I have packed in the paper towel in the second picture that it collects.

If you look in the first picture, you can see the drop forming around the black spacer that's in between the frame and the pane.

Last year I had a couple other panels that were doing this. There was a bunch of rain forecasted and we were going out of town so I put some exterior clear caulking at the interface between the window frame and the pane. It's ugly, and only worked to some degree.

The original plan was to replace these windows but well, not financially viable project at this time.

Worth mentioning that these thermos panels are shot and was already thinking about replacing them, but this strikes me as more of a window problem than a pane problem....will replacing the sealed panels help? I don't think so...

I was thinking there may be some weather sealing tape that I could apply to the exterior, at least it would give a cleaner line than caulking, but I cannot find anything for this application...

Any advice would be much (much!) Appreciated. It's leaking on enough quantity that if I don't watch it, it will collect and leak onto the hardwood floor which already has some visible damage so it to it from the first "experience" with this last year.

Many thanks
B

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[de-nagorg]

Flex-Seal makes a sealing tape.

I would look them up and see if it comes in clear.

Next is a recommendation to replace those, after a time they all fail and need replaced.


ED

 

[Boogityman]

Ok thanks I will give it a shot.

Replace = entire windows or the panels?

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[Boogityman]

(Just realized I posted the same picture twice)

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[Windows on Wash]

How much time are you asking for? Do you have ladder access?

A drill? Easiest to probably open the window and drill some holes in the bottom for weeping pathways.

 

[Boogityman]

Hm. Yes ladder.

Time...considering a few hours ago I wasn't really considering replacing the windows...as much as possible? :s

Weepholes make sense to me, at least for the bottom pane on the opening windows... But not so much on the top panes or the middle static window. Still possible to do? Don't mind my rube Goldberg device to collect the drip lol

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[Windows on Wash]

There should be weep holes somewhere on the underside of that fixed upper sash.

 

[dd57chevy]

Not sure if this is the entire cause of the leakage , but there is something obviously amiss with the two left windows......where the heck is the glazing bead (the interior vinyl snap-in strips that hold the glass securely in the sash) ??? It appears to be missing...…

If your glass unit is loose & is hit by a driving rain , it would likely let an abnormal amount of water into the house .

Edit: The glazing bead appears to be missing from the center upper glass also .

Did you remove these ?

 

[Windows on Wash]

The are interior glazed and there is a glazing bead that is missing. The seal to the exterior (wet or dry glazed) has failed. The prescriptive fix to to seal the exterior with a clear sealant. That will buy you some time but there should be weep holes under the fixed sash to drain that space out.

 

[Boogityman]

Yes I have all the interior beads--the leaking had started well before and I was trying to find the source of the leak this morning.

(You can see one of them standing vertically to direct the drip into the measuring cup)

But I mean, they don't hold the pane against the "front" seals, the panes themselves are super tightly seated and the back beads popped out with no trouble.



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[Boogityman]

The are interior glazed and there is a glazing bead that is missing. The seal to the exterior (wet or dry glazed) has failed. The prescriptive fix to to seal the exterior with a clear sealant. That will buy you some time but there should be weep holes under the fixed sash to drain that space out.

This is what I had tried to do last year, actually on all three of the bottom panes in that picture...but they are still leaking...albeit much slower than the center upper pane which is now by far the worst. I used some clear Quad window and door sealant.

The weep holes...at least for the upper panes...for the water to drain out I'm assuming they should be visible on the front of the window (i.e. outdoors?) I will lean out the window tomorrow and take a look...maybe it's blocked or something?

Edit: should I be looking at this divider between the two panes? See picture



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[Windows on Wash]

Needs to see the weeper open, seal along the glass to fixed glazing bead.

 

[Boogityman]

Much appreciated will check it out tomorrow when there is more light!

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[Boogityman]

Sorry for the delay... Has been dry for a couple weeks so other things took priority.

Fyi I put back all the plastic trims on the inner side of the window and it really doesn't help. It's like the whole frame is warped so the seals don't do their job anymore, I can see it on the inner pieces, I assume it's the same on the outer side.

See the picture attached. There is no weephole that I can see. Can I drill one? Say 1/8" on the part where it angles back towards the lower pane?

You can also see I tried to put some silicone on the upper portion...doesn't seem to make too much of a difference. I found it hard to really get in the corner without smudging it all over the window, the only clear outdoor caulking I could find was Quad and is extremely untoolable so not the easiest to work with

Maybe a crazy idea...but can I pull out the sealed panels, put some caulking on the inside of the outer frame, and then reinstall the panels? For sure that would seal no?

Thank you!

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[Nealtw]

Can't see it on that window but I can pull the sealed window unit and replace that seal on our windows. No different than if you broke a window.

 

[Boogityman]

Hm...and how do I pull out the pane? I imagine it's a giant suction cup or something? I just don't want to break the panel/end up with a plywood window the wife won't be too happy haha

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[de-nagorg]

I had the local Glazier replace a broken pane in one of those similar windows over 35 years ago.

He could not find the plastic to use to hold the window pane in, so he used plain old Glaziers Putty.

It has been leak free, and held just fine all these years.

Use Glaziers Putty, form a thin roll in your hands, and place it all around the outside frame, then press your pane into that, forming a thin seal and then place more putty around the inside, tooling it into a beveled gasket all around the inside of the pane and the frame.

This should seal and secure the pane in it's bed and stay for a long time.


ED

 

[Nealtw]

On ours, they have on the inside or outside a spline that is removable
I have no sound so I don't know what is being said here.

 

[Boogityman]

On ours, they have on the inside or outside a spline that is removable
I have no sound so I don't know what is being said here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6uBGkT37h8

Well then you picked a good video...I don't think the guy says a single word throughout the whole thing...!

That's awesome...have my weekend project all lined up now.

My windows are different than the video in that he appears to remove the panel through the "front" or outside of the window. Mine will have to be removed from the inside. But principle should be the same. They seem super tight in there though, I will need one of those suction cups...

What's better to use? The glaziers putty (thank you for that...I new there was a product out there I just didn't know what it was!) Or silicone?

Thanks again for your input



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[Nealtw]

Well then you picked a good video...I don't think the guy says a single word throughout the whole thing...!

That's awesome...have my weekend project all lined up now.

My windows are different than the video in that he appears to remove the panel through the "front" or outside of the window. Mine will have to be removed from the inside. But principle should be the same. They seem super tight in there though, I will need one of those suction cups...

What's better to use? The glaziers putty (thank you for that...I new there was a product out there I just didn't know what it was!) Or silicone?

Thanks again for your input


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I have seen videos where they us what looks like a black tape the plastic that you remove. Silicone would make it a btch to take out the next time.

The worst of it is you are on the wrong side when the window wants to fall out.