Leaking windows.

B0bbyEwing

Somewhere around 2015/2016 we had new windows installed at the front of the house. That's frames as well as glass. All was fine really until today when a leak on the inside was spotted. 

Follow where this leak is on the inside to the same area on the outside & it looks like the silicone is starting to crack



Poor angle but to be clear that's the very top of the window just above where the 2 openers are. 

Now I have a tendency to get things wrong which is why I'm coming here. To me it looks like take out old silicone, put in new silicone & leave it at that. My luck tends to be though - have misunderstood the job & now you need a new house. 

I'm hoping I'm right with the first one though.

If it is just a case of putting in new silicone then how would you do it? By that I mean would you just cut out the section where it's splitting? Would you cut out the entire length (it doesn't look split at all over the other side of the window)?

And while I'm asking this - recommendation on which sealant to use so that I'm not buying some last 5 minute stuff. Something I can order via eBay/Amazon or pick up in Screwfix kind of thing would be ideal.

It's not pouring in, just dripping for now.

Woodstok2000

Im not an expert, but from your picture although the sealant doesn't look great, it doesn't seem like water would get in easily unless it was being blown against the window. Does yhe link happen every time it rains, or only in certain conditions?

Is there anything higher up that could be causing the leak?

uknick

When you say 2015/16 it might be worth checking as most installations are covered by a FENSA 10 year warranty.

born_again

Looking at your picture. 
Looks like a massive crack to the right of the red line. Between pebble dash & frame.

B0bbyEwing

As for what conditions - it only got noticed yesterday. 

I don't see the crack myself. I also won't see this in daylight myself until the weekend either. 

As for anything higher up, there's an upstairs but I don't see anything on the face of the house that screams (to me) water is getting in here & tracking down. 

born_again

B0bbyEwing said:

As for what conditions - it only got noticed yesterday. 

I don't see the crack myself. I also won't see this in daylight myself until the weekend either. 

As for anything higher up, there's an upstairs but I don't see anything on the face of the house that screams (to me) water is getting in here & tracking down. 

Maybe it's the angle. But looks like a big gap.

B0bbyEwing

born_again said:

B0bbyEwing said:

As for what conditions - it only got noticed yesterday. 

I don't see the crack myself. I also won't see this in daylight myself until the weekend either. 

As for anything higher up, there's an upstairs but I don't see anything on the face of the house that screams (to me) water is getting in here & tracking down. 

Maybe it's the angle. But looks like a big gap.

I get you now. 

Thats not a crack. That's just the underside. OH took photo at a weird angle for some reason. Basically face of house comes down, juts in at 90 degrees & then down (the window) 90 degrees from that. 

EssexExile

uknick said:

When you say 2015/16 it might be worth checking as most installations are covered by a FENSA 10 year warranty.

No one guarantees sealant for 10 years.

plumb1_2

Rack it all out, give the area a good cleaning and reseal with Dow Corning  796, other makes available.
never try to seal on top of old silicone 

uknick

EssexExile said:

uknick said:

When you say 2015/16 it might be worth checking as most installations are covered by a FENSA 10 year warranty.

No one guarantees sealant for 10 years.

My mistake; I saw the title, half read the problem then assumed it was the window itself leaking.  

B0bbyEwing

plumb1_2 said:

Rack it all out, give the area a good cleaning and reseal with Dow Corning  796, other makes available.
never try to seal on top of old silicone 

Thanks. Used Dow Corning before in bathroom & kitchen & quite happy with the stuff.

The sealant on the INSIDE of the window has cracked as well. For whatever reason everything is smack bang opposite each other - so basically as you look at the house, the right side of the window - that sealant has cracked both inside & out. The left side is good still. So questions being

1) You'd remove ALL the sealant for the entire length BOTH inside & out (I assume the sealant running vertically will be ok to leave alone since this looks ok or are we talking about ripping out the entire perimeter?)

2) Is the DC 796 ok for using on the interior side as well? Dumb question maybe but I'll ask it since I obviously need to at least do a portion of the inside, maybe more depending on your answer.