Water getting in around window. Fix?

[Mikefromlondon]

You can be surprised what can happen during a prolonged rain, even if it is just drizzling all night, hosing can escalate a bit, but nor always, as slowly seeping water can take hours, hence why hosing doesn't always reveal slow leaks. I would just seal the window as best as you can , no need to take it out, since in a few years time you might be going for new windows by the looks of those windows, (no disrespect) just bash loads of silicone.

I have just been to my rented house in Harlow doing similar patching up and siliconed a deflector strip to stop rain water overflowing the gutter which tends to water fall from just where my window is, looked at the gutter itself, it is in a perfect line, sloping towards left, where the down pipe is, so my gutters are not sagging, nor any brackets missing, and seems like brackets every 1 to 1.5 meters apart, so either clear it every bloomin 6 months or face water fall.

With this I hope my living room lintol wpuld stay dry from now on.

 

[Gazman16]

You can try siliconeing the gap at the back of the cill, Make sure it is really clean first!. but its unlikely to last I'm afraid.
To seal the ends of the cill you can chop off a bit of plaster or render to get to the corners.

 

[Mr. Clueless]

Don't worry. No disrespect taken
There's plenty we'd like to change given the time & money. For example I'll just give you 2 words.....

1) brown
2) sink

But anyway I think pretty much most Windows will need tending to as many seem to have water in the middle of them at times.

I was just curious from a gaining knowledge point of view as to what the job entailed. That's why I was asking what I did in my last post.

 

[Mr. Clueless]

Do you think it'd be worth getting one of those upvc specialists out to have a look?

I remember back when we had a leaky roof & I came online about that armed with photos.
The feedback was you can only see so much from a photo & such, you really need to inspect the job in person.

So I was thinking perhaps likewise with this one.

 

[Harc]

Hi

thought I'd share photos of my windows as they were after I had the hall plastered, I wasn't aware for eight years that water getting in until having it plastered highlighted that there was a problem

 

[Mr. Clueless]

Thanks Harc.

So you're saying it was leaking anyway, but you weren't aware of it (for 8 years) and then when you had the walls plastered, it only then became evident?

Out of interest, what was your cause/solution?

 

[Mikefromlondon]

Do you think it'd be worth getting one of those upvc specialists out to have a look?

I remember back when we had a leaky roof & I came online about that armed with photos.
The feedback was you can only see so much from a photo & such, you really need to inspect the job in person.

So I was thinking perhaps likewise with this one.

yes, if you have money to spend or throw, because they are most likely to say you need new windows, or charge you quite a bit for removing your old windows and refitting the same again, in which case you might as well go for new windows. I don't think any company would tell you they can remedy the problem cheaply. Your only option is silicone or new windows

Unless you get hold of a local someone who feels confident that he could remove your old windows without damaging them and refit again properly, and negotiate his daily rate.

 

[Mr. Clueless]

Back to what I asked earlier then -
About the removal of the Windows.
Are we talking about damaging plaster on the inside then?
I would assume by new Windows you mean the entire unit totally - full frame, everything.
As such I can't see how it could be done without damaging not only plaster on the inside (so would then need to get a plasterer out) but also the dashing on the outside.

But i'd rather not assume which is why I ask here

 

[Mikefromlondon]

Looking at your First Picture and second picture, yes you will suffer quite a bit of damage to plaster, as the window frame seems well embedded into the plaster on both sides, so removing it is not going to be a clean and easy job not an option really unless you really wanted to fix damage to plaster as well.

However, I can now see clearly that the only way that rain water gets inside is through the gap at the bottom from outside

The gap between the window and the sill, at the bottom, if you look on the 2nd picture, so just have that gap cleaned thoroughly and fill it up with silicone sealant, that should stop all your rain water seeping in from bottom, in heavy rain water splashes about and bounces off hard surfaces and can enter upwards as fine droplets, run sideways and into the wall.

 

[Harc]

Hi

when we had our windows replaced the old original plaster from when the house was probably built did not sit fully flush to the new window frames so it wasn't visible there was a problem, it was only when the hall was newly plastered right up to the frames (8 years later) we knew something wasn't right, both the windows have been fine since they were reinstalled correctly and that is because the sills are now sealed with silicone at either end of the frame which stops the water travelling off the end of the sills and into the bricks.

The window frame and window sill are separate pieces so if they are not sealed the rain water will just carry on travelling along the sill until something stops it which was our house wall (our house is solid brick).

When our windows were reinstalled he was very careful and there was hardly any damage to the new plaster

Hope I've explained that ok

 

[Mr. Clueless]

Yeah that's fine thanks for getting back to me.

I imagine the windows were installed at the same time by the same people.
On that note, i don't get how the others are perfectly fine yet this one ... there's a problem then. If they weren't going to install (seal) correctly, then i would've expected them to do this on them all & for problems to then appear on them all.

 

[Harc]

We had several fitters doing the install so I think it's down to each individual fitter as to how good/bothered/attention to detail they are when installing.

They put those plastic finishing strips on the windows that make them look all pretty and nice and hide any damage from the installation and I just decorated with lining paper and painted.

I've recently removed them from one window as I was getting blinds fitted and wanted the window without the plastic strips in place so got a plasterer in to plaster the window edges, told him the problem I'd had with the hall/landing windows and when he knocked the plaster away so he could get a flush finish, guess what, it was wet, completely hidden by the plastic strips, so out came the sealant gun and I shoved as much as could into the gaps on both sill edges and hopefully I got enough in.

Incidentally I've never had any leakage to the two windows in the kitchen. The kitchen was replastered and one of those windows is on the same wall as the landing window.

 

[Mr. Clueless]

I thought we'd cracked it. More on that tonight though when I get to my PC.

Just a question:

You say new Windows are required.

Surely then the leak is from poorly/incorrectly fitted Windows & not just because the windows are old?

So couldn't the exact same window just be taken out & re-fitted, but 'properly'? Which would surely be much cheaper.

 

[Mr. Clueless]

I also have no idea why I didn't put this in the windows & doors forum.

Would I be better taking this there?

No offence to people here. I'm sure you know what you're talking about but I was just thinking there may be more people who specialise in Windows/doors who may not come to the building forum?

Or is it fine here?

 

[Gazman16]

Don't worry there are several of us from the window and door forum that read here too. Personally I'm always looking to learn new things and keep upto date on building practices.

New windows may be a way to go, At very least its worth getting some quotes.
Yes you could remove and refit the old ones but now that they are plastered in tight either the plaster or pebble dash will need to be cut back to get the window out in one piece. This would then mean more making good than usual.

New windows are generally a little over half the cost of a window plus fitting. A fitter may also charge more than his usual fitting rate as they would have to be alot more careful getting the old one out rather than just cutting it out.
With the extra time taking it out and making good etc the price may be similar either way.

I did have one other idea but it depends on a few factors.
It may be possible to undo all the fixing screws (assuming they haven't rusted out)
Cut away the old silicone and score the edges of the plaster.
Slip a flat crow bar between the window and the cill and lift the window enough to be able to clean and seal the cill before putting it all back together.
This will depend on how much room is above the window and if it was foamed in.