Water ingress from above patio windows.

Scottish_Dorset

Our house is 8 years old.  During the last couple of years we have had water coming in from above the patio window on one side.  During the heavy storms, the water is dripping in quickly, filling up a large storage container in 12 hours.  I can't see any obvious gaps or holes outside.  We took off the old silicon sealant around all the windows and will be putting new in.  We did this as we re-decorated each room.  However we have not done the patio window as we want to find out where the water is coming in from the outside.  During the summer I sprayed above the window with a water sealant on the bricks on the outside.  That hasn't stopped the leak.  Any suggestion where the water could be coming in from, or any advice?  I have contacted the insurance warranty company as the property is under 10 years old, they say they don't have anything to do with the windows and the excess would be £1650!

Thanks everyone 

Lorian

Based on the moss in the mortar above it and the marks to the right of the trickle vents I think the guttering or downpipe is blocked causing water to pour down the wall 

grumpy_codger

Is it a cavity wall? If yes, my first thought is water flowing down inside the cavity. A cavity tray is supposed to be above the door, intercept the water and direct it outside through weep vents in the outer skin. Are there any above your door/window?

Grumpy_chap

Scottish_Dorset said:

Our house is 8 years old.  During the last couple of years we have had water coming in from above the patio window on one side.  During the heavy storms, the water is dripping in quickly, filling up a large storage container in 12 hours.  I can't see any obvious gaps or holes outside.  We took off the old silicon sealant around all the windows and will be putting new in.  We did this as we re-decorated each room.  However we have not done the patio window as we want to find out where the water is coming in from the outside.  During the summer I sprayed above the window with a water sealant on the bricks on the outside.  That hasn't stopped the leak.  Any suggestion where the water could be coming in from, or any advice?  I have contacted the insurance warranty company as the property is under 10 years old, they say they don't have anything to do with the windows and the excess would be £1650!

Thanks everyone 

You say you have contacted the NHBC (or equivalent) and they are not being supportive of a resolution.

Have you contacted the actual Developer?

As an aside, if the excess for the insurance policy would be £1,650, have you contacted a local independent window company?  They may be able to advise on a fix, or quote complete new window / patio doors.  I don't agree that you should have to pay that cost, but it can be helpful to have a baseline cost option.  If you ended up with a local company renewing that complete window / patio door arrangement you would, then, at least have a warranty on the replaced windows.  I assume the water ingress is local at the window and not just gaining entry else where and then releasing at the window.

I was going to also mention whether it could be condensation, but you seem to have established the link between the water and the rain.

The drawback of using a local window company would be if they replace the window and then the problem is something else and / or removing the windows uncovers something else, then the original Developer might try to avoid responsibility by blaming the window company.

EDIT:  If this were to progress via the new home insurance, who would be liable to pay the excess £1,650?    Is that paid by the home owner or by the Developer?

WIAWSNB

Hi Scottish Dorset.

If you look at Grumpy's diagram above, you'll see what the lintel/cavity tray construction should be like above that opening. In essence, any water that gets into the wall cavity should be directed out via weep holes above the door frame. 

Could you have a close look along the bottoms of the lintel bricks - ie the ones stacked vertically - and look for such holes?

Could you also examine where the top door frame abuts the lintel, and check the quality of the sealant along there? 

If you could post some crisp close-up pics, that would be great. 

I'm guessing that this isn't a fault with the actual doors, but it's either an inherent installation issue with the cavity tray arrangement, or hopefully just a poor seal between the door frame and the underside of the lintel, and water coming down the outside of that wall is - astonishingly - getting blown in at a fair lick! 

Could you check what Lorian has suggested - when it's raining heavily, what comes down that wall? Is it 'just' the rain that hits it, or does a gutter overflow above?

(Always bear in mind that where water comes in to a home isn't always where it's getting in from the outside...)

daveyjp

Some of the pointing looks shoddy and I notice a small area under the upstairs window has been repointed.  Not what I'd expect on an 8 year old property.

stuart45

The NHBC doesn't have an excess charge. They have a minimum amount that if the cost is over that they pay the lot, and if below they pay nothing.

Scottish_Dorset

Yes, its is a cavity wall built house.  I the black bits are black in the bricks though there is some moss on the pointing.  We are up on a hill and exposed, we do get fair bit of rain thrown at the back of the house.  Sadly the developer has gone bust, so probably not a lot of luck pursing them.  I contact the insurance warranty firm (not NHBC) who advised me of what I have said above.  There may be a cavity tray as there are upright vents as in the diagram above.  I have added a couple more pictures.

WIAWSNB

It'll need someone like Stuart or S62 to consider this. 

These upright vents are positioned higher than shown in Grumpy's diagram? Possibly, therefore, the vertical bricks below these weep vents could be allowing water through and on to the top of the door frame? I don't know.

As others have mentioned, the pointing looks pretty poor. Either it was like that to begin with - poorly finished - or it has since been eroded away to some degree - very worrying in only 8 years. Ie, likely the mortar mix was incorrect. 

Can you get safe access to this area? Could you check to see if the mortar is crumbly if you score it gently with, say, a stick? 

If it's crumbly, and if it's the cause of the water ingress - a surveyor may need to confirm - then surely this is covered by the NHBC warranty?

Do you have Legal Protection included in your house insurance policy? 

 

stuart45

It does look like the tray is sitting on top of the soldier course. The joints in the soldier course could be repointed to see if that helps.

Scottish_Dorset

I've taken some more pictures that might give more of a clue, I'm hoping!  Thank you all for the advice given so far