what to do about a leaking window?

[Jon]

Hi,

Hasn't noticably happened before, but with the weather tonight (raining lots, and strong wind blowing towards my flat) one of the wooden, single-glazed windows in my flat is leaking. Water seems to be coming in from underneath the window (i.e. where the bottom of the part of the window you open meets the frame). I presume this means that the underneath of the window is no longer making a decent seal where it joins the frame (unless anyone has any other ideas...) - what do people suggest to fix this?

Thanks,

Jon

[Biff]

It's a double hung sash, sliding up and down, is it? Get a roll of the dense rubber foam draught excluder and stick a strip to the underside of the sash so the weight of the sash squeeses it against the window bottom of the frame. Or do nothing because you don't often get rain when the wind is in that direction.

[Jon]

Cheers Biff, but it's actually a hinged window that you pull to swing it open. Would the same advice still apply though - stick a strip of draught excluder there? And would I stick the draught excluder all around the frame, or just along the bottom?

Thanks,

Jon

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If you've got decent sash locks, there's a good chance they won't work after this.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Check the sash for movement in and out at the bottom, as it were, with it closed. If there is movement, look first at the condition of the parting bead - the bead between the two sashes. If this looks poor or is loose, just replace it with new - you'll get the correct moulding from any decent timber merchant. You'll need long panel pins too to nail it in place. Also check the weight access plates are secure.

Once this is good, turn your attention to the stop bead. This is the beading that holds the sash onto the parting bead. Again if worn or loose simply replace it. With the sash closed, it should be a tight fit to the bottom stop bead which will provide a near airtight seal so preventing water being blown up under the sash.

[Jon]

Like I said, it's not a sash window - it's a hinged window that swings open. What seems to have happened, is that there's a slight gap at the bottom which water has got through. Aside from the gap, all looks pretty much OK.

What I'm therefore inclined to do initially is to try putting some kind of draught excluder-type strip under the window - I gather you can get weather-proof ones - to see if this works to seal the gap and therefore solves the problem. I'd ideally like one which you stick on, rather than pin on - to avoid hammering into my windows until I know this works. The weather-proof strips I've seen have all been pin-on ones, though - if anyones knows of a stick-on type I could use, that'd be helpful.

Jon

[Jon]

Like I said, it's not a sash window - it's a hinged window that swings open. What seems to have happened, is that there's a slight gap at the bottom which water has got through. Aside from the gap, all looks pretty much OK.

What I'm therefore inclined to do initially is to try putting some kind of draught excluder-type strip under the window - I gather you can get weather-proof ones - to see if this works to seal the gap and therefore solves the problem. I'd ideally like one which you stick on, rather than pin on - to avoid hammering into my windows until I know this works. The weather-proof strips I've seen have all been pin-on ones, though - if anyones knows of a stick-on type I could use, that'd be helpful. Or if this is likely to cause problems, obviously please do let me know :)

Jon

[Dave Plowman (News)]

There's bound to be a gap. However, the principles I stated with sash windows still apply - it's a poor fit against the stop bead which is allowing air through and pulling in the water.

All the sheds sell self adhesive sealing strip. But the trouble is the bulk of it may cause poor fitting of the window elsewhere. I'd first check it is fitting securely against the stop bead all the way round, and nothing is warped, etc.

[Jon]

Cheers Dave. However, there doesn't seem to be a stop bead as such - probably the equivalent thing is that there's a piece of plastic (looks a bit like what you get on splash-backs behind a sink) that the window frame pushes against when it closes. This does seem to be slightly loose - is this something I could/should replace? And is this hard/easy to do?

Alternatively, I'm probably going to be paying someone to repaint the frames once the weather improves (it took me ages the one time I tried it, and I'm lazy ;) ). If I could get a self-sealing strip to fit in now to stop the get, would that do as a temp fix until I get the windows repainted (and could get the problem with leaking fixed at the same time...)?

Jon

[Jon]

Oh yeah, and in case it clarifies matters at all perhaps I should give a slightly more detailed description of the windows. The frame closes and pushes into a strip of plastic over the wood at the bottom - this is presumably meant to act as a seal, but the leak definitely seems to be coming through the bottom of the window so I don't think it's working. There is also a sill attached to the window frame which juts out a couple of inches in front of the frame (away from my flat) - this is close to but not quite touching the wood underneath, and I'm not sure if there's meant to be any kind of beading under here as well?

TIA,

Jon

[markzoom]

The water must be blowing up it, any old self adhesive draught excluder tape would probably do the trick. Most diy shops sell them. M.K.

[markzoom]

Anywhere you feel a draught, but just on the bottom should stop the water getting in. M.K.

[Biff]

B&Q, and doubtless others, sell draught excluder that has a sticky surface caovered with a protective strip that you peel off. It comes in two shapes - a P shaped section and a E shaped section. Brown or White. Since you are just worried about the water I would be inclined to just put it along the bottom of the frame where the hinged sash meets it. It should stop the wind blowing water in.

[Jon]

Cheers. Any preference over p-shaped or e-shaped draught excluders?

Jon

[Jon]

Please ignore the last question - neither type of draft excluder sodding fits (well, I can't close the windows properly after fitting either, anyway). Dave, looks like you were right about this causing poor fitting on the window :)

Any other suggestions (e.g. could I change the seal on the window myself?) Or does anyone sell thinner draft excluders - ones that'll fill a gap of only 1mm should just about fit, but the rubber ones I've found start at 1.5mm and are too thick (I've found thinner foam ones, but presumably they'll just soak up the water...) Or am I best getting a joiner in to sort this (and, just on the off-chance, does anyone know of a decent one in Newcastle)?

TIA,

Jon

[andrewpreece]

Not that this helps Jon, but my original '30's hinged windows have a groove running right around the external frame, and I think this stops water blowing in when the wind comes from the right direction, as any water that blows between the frame and surround finds itself in the dead air in the groove, and hence it has the ability to run away from the whistling wind. At any rate, I'm not sure what the groove is for if it isn't for that,

Andy.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Difficult - can't say I've ever seen this type of window. Perhaps others who recognise it can help?

[Jon]

Cheers Andy. There is a groove running round my frames, but if it's meant to stop water getting through it obviously ain't working so well :( Anyone got any more suggestions?

Jon

[Jon]

Thanks anyway Dave. Yeah, if anyone is familiar with this type of windows all suggestions are appreciated. Or if anyone knows a type of waterproof draught excluder that's suitable for a v small gap that would also be helpful.

Jon

[Jon]

One thing I have seen on the net is thin-ish foam draught excluder with a plastic coating

or what stormguard seel as 'v seal' - would either of these be likely to cope with water OK/be worth a try?

Jon