Leak in lounge, from above window but not from window itself.

DomRavioli

Hi everyone

I have had a leak for the last 15 months in my lounge - i have a mid terrace, approx 210 years old - which is coming from the plaster bit above the window. It only happens when it rains though!

I've had my roof checked, the UPVC windows, both upstairs and downstairs taken out, checked and replaced, floorboards up to check for slow leaks on pipes but to no avail.

I'm out of ideas as to how this could be getting in.

Oh and it is rendered, and I've had the render and concrete window sills outside checked and no fault found.

Any ideas what it could be?

Thanks

leveller2911

What about the gutters, do they have the correct fall?, is water pouring over the back of the gutter and blowing in between the brick cavity, running down the cavity and if there are no weep holes it could soak in the inside skin of bricks.

When you say you had the roof checked, does the felt/membrane sit just over the gutter? if not it could well be blowing back under the felt into the cavity.

tony6403

If the property is approx 210 years old then I would be surprised if it has cavity walls.
I see that you have had the windows refitted but I can only imagine that the water is passing over the sealant at the top of the lounge window frame.
Not that you want any more water getting in , but I would be experimenting by spraying water at the top of the frame to see if that is the culprit. If not , you have at least eliminated one strong possibility.

DomRavioli

Thankyou for your replies.

It is not the window whatsoever, there is a good 4 inch gap between the leak and the window, it is coming in through the ceiling of the window, not the window itself.. I've had the whole thing tested three times.

I've also had the guttering checked - no problems there, and I'm not sure we have felt on the roof...I didn't ask the roofer.

missile

I have problems with damp in my property. I employed a surveyor to examine and prepare a report.

cyclonebri1

It won't be a cavity wall issue at that age, and if it does it when it rains, then it's rain getting in.

I take it they are actually checking the window above?

Check that the drain holes in the window/cill ie, just above the cill, aren't actually drilled all the way through. PVC widows are not sealed on the outside, however much the supplier would have you believe it. They allow water that passes the outer "seal" to run out of vents and over the cill. My money is still on the window installation.;)


Just reread that the windows were taken out, ??? strange no problem found

So, did the problem start when the windows went in?, or when any other work was done?
Was it the same firm that fitted the windows that took them out and checked?, if so I'd get someone independent around to check.

Sounds like it's one that won't be solved online, you have checked all the obvious sources of leak, but one thing is for sure, someone has missed the problem

leveller2911

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

It won't be a cavity wall issue at that age, and if it does it when it rains, then it's rain getting in.


Cavity walls date back to the 18th Century (1700,s) and some cavity type bonds like "Rat trap" even earlier.

Thought your sig was "expect the unexpected"?......;)

Photo or two may help

melb

is it a bay window in the lounge and the water is coming in from the ceiling in the bay part? This happened to us and we had the guttering running along the top of this window replaced which solved it. sorry haven't explained at all well but when I look out my bedroom window which is above the bay where the leak was there is an overhand of tiles and guttering and this is what we replaced.

cyclonebri1

leveller2911 wrote: »

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

It won't be a cavity wall issue at that age, and if it does it when it rains, then it's rain getting in.


Cavity walls date back to the 18th Century (1700,s) and some cavity type bonds like "Rat trap" even earlier.

Thought your sig was "expect the unexpected"?......;)

Photo or two may help

In this country cavity wall date back to 1890 but only in exposed south coast regions, if you want a £5r bet ask the op which it is.

You know exactly as I know, that cavity wall construction as we know it, didn't become common place until 1925 onwards dependant on location.


My sig also used to say something about being pedantic,:o, but I thought was was too exact in the extreme;)

Like I said, someone's missed the real issue even though it's been "checked"

thebaldwindowfitter

my money is on the upstairs window not having the ends of the ends of the cill sealed with silicon where it meets the brick /render and even if the drainage in the frames was right its running to the ends of upvc cill then to the ends of the stone cill if there is one then down the cavity then down to the reveal at the head of downstairs window . is this a terrace house is there a fascia behind the gutters ive known leaks coming from here due to old woooden box gutters filling this space and new plastic gutters dont so need a fascia behind so water is effectivly penetrating unpointed bricks .

leveller2911

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

leveller2911 wrote: »

In this country cavity wall date back to 1890 but only in exposed south coast regions, if you want a £5r bet ask the op which it is.

No it doesn't as I posted it dates back to the 18th Century, theres plenty of info out there if you bother looking for it.If you look on Amazon there will be plenty of books on Brickwork.





My sig also used to say something about being pedantic,:o, but I thought was was too exact in the extreme;)

Its got naff all to do with being pedantic, you rejected the possibility of the problem being the cavity on the grounds of cavity walls not dating back to the age of the house. This you are clearly wrong about so my comment about your sig "expect the unexpected" was valid.;)


Like I said, someone's missed the real issue even though it's been "checked"

FWIW I would agree the window above is more likely the cause, however always "expect the unexpected" seems reasonable.......;)