Continuous rainy days have caused some people to unexpectedly find water leaking through their windows, without being able to identify the cause. Especially during heavy rain, the situation becomes unbearable, and the floors and walls of their homes become waterlogged. Therefore, this article summarizes common causes of window leakage and solutions so that everyone can carefully inspect and solve the problem and repair the window leak to live in a comfortable home.
1. Poor window design
If there are no drainage holes in the window design, especially in sliding windows, once it rains, all the rainwater will accumulate in the sliding frame groove and cannot be drained out. When the water is full, it will seep into the house. Or when ceramic tiles are pasted on the exterior window sill, if the drainage hole is blocked, the rainwater in the sliding frame groove will seep into the wall and cause leakage.
Solution: Redesign the weep hole.
Keeping the drainage groove unobstructed for leakage caused by clogging of the window frame drainage groove can solve the problem. If the position of the weep hole is problematic, the original hole needs to be sealed and a new one needs to be opened.
2. Improper window installation
The window lintels and sills are installed without gutters and slopes; the outdoor sill is higher than the indoor sill plate, the plaster layer of the sill plate is not sloped or sloped inwards and the sill plate is cracked. Other defects result in water leakage and unwanted outside noise from window.
Solution： Redesign the window sill.
The outdoor window sill should be 20mm lower than the indoor window sill and sloped to ensure smooth rainwater drainage. The gap between the outer window frame and the indoor window sill should be sealed with weather-resistant high-elastic sealant to ensure water tightness and prevent leakage. A friendly reminder: When installing doors and windows, pay attention to the window and the window sill settings.
3. Loose or deformed windows
Leakage caused by loosening between the window and the frame is the most common cause. A large part of this is due to the quality of the window not being up to scratch. Poorer quality windows are not strong enough and are prone to deformation. Soon after, the mortar layer on the side of the window frame will crack and fall off, thus triggering leakage. In addition, the windows are too old, causing gaps between the window frame and the wall, resulting in water seepage.
Solution： Re-process the joints
Check the joints between the windows and the walls, remove the aging or damaged sealing materials, and clean and level the base layer. For larger gaps between the windows and walls, fill them with foam, and seal the inner and outer sides of the window frame and window sash with adhesive sealant.
4. Damaged waterproof layer near the windows causing leakage
In older houses, the waterproof layer around the windows is easily damaged, leading to leakage. In addition, when renovating old houses and replacing windows, the external waterproof layer may be damaged if the window removal is not done professionally. If not repaired in time, leakage may occur after installing the new windows.
Solution: Redo the window wall waterproof layer
The waterproofing layer should be redone for balconies with severe leakage, especially the waterproofing on the top surface and walls. A water stop board can also be added above the wall to reduce the impact of rainwater on the filling layer between the window and the wall. When repairing, suitable sealing materials should be selected to seal all leaks carefully.
Every household has windows, but many people do not pay enough attention to the decoration of windows. Windows are the eyes of the house and carry the entire family’s lighting, so they must be taken seriously! Window leakage is a common problem in daily life. Once encountered, the actual cause of the leakage should be identified, and professional repair personnel should be hired to fix it.
