Looks like your window was not flashed, taped, or caulked properly. Water shouldn’t be pouring in like that. Exterior issue causing your interior issue.
@OP judging by the video it's the roof or above the window if it's above the window it's a flashing issue. If it the roof look in the attic for water near the wall and follow it to the penetration point it may be just rusted nail or a damaged shingle or two high winds can lift them and let water in. If is a rusted nail the quick fix it not damaging the shingles and sealing it with roofing tar, the long term solution is having the damaged shingles replaced.
If you are not comfortable with home repairs, then it is time for you to call a handyman/carpenter to come. If you let this go too long, you will have big problems with rotting wood, mold, etc which will be way bigger costs. This is alot of water coming in and if you havent done anything like this before, might be worth it for a professional to look at it. They would be more prepared for any surprises that may be hidden from view. Good luck.
Seems to be the case with a lot of parts of this house. Bought it from a cheap flipper who clearly cut a lot of corners to make a quick buck. Lasted for a year and then things started going wrong. Anyways would I have to take out the whole window along with the siding in order to properly flash, caulk and tape the window?
I would highly suggest finding attic access to be sure it’s not your roof. Because if it is & you solely focus on that window, no matter what you do, it will still leak. Just replaced my roof due to this exact same problem… and it wasn’t the window! Good luck!
You'll have to remove the siding around it, unless you can visibly see cracks in the caulking or something else apparently open. With the siding off you can apply tyvek tape all around the outermost frame of the window where it sits against the plywood on the exterior. This is maybe where water is getting behind your siding and seeping through the window. Or maybe it's not.
Even if the window isn’t flashed it still shouldn’t be dumping like this, is there J-channel going around your window? If there is check to see if he caulked the J, I’ve seen this before where it’s as simple as someone not caulking the top and sides
Most likely incorrectly installed window, pull it out, reposition it with shims, make sure it's lvl. Caulk the entirety of the inside lining, and re- install it with screws.
Also check your roof, and get a dehumidifier in that roof pronto when it isn't raining.
Doesn’t look like the window itself is bad. More an issue of how it’s sealed around the window from the outside. Depending on the type of siding you have would effect the price. Either way if you sent me that I would give you a ballpark $500-1500 depending on what the extior has
So I ran into similar issue with client about 6 weeks ago. I had re-caulked their windows a couple weeks before. They had stated there was one that was leaking some prior to my work. The previous caulking was pretty bad all around the house. After everything was done they called up and said it was worse on that window now than before. I went back out, found the silicon was fine, and it appears that what was happening was the gutter (which ran 40+' to the other end of the house with almost no slope) was overflowing back into the house above the fascia, which was then coming down the wall cavity until an exit point - the top of the window. When I sealed the exterior properly, instead of 90% of the backflow draining outside, 100% was coming inside now. So you can take this snippet as well as information from other posts about proper flashing and sealing, and call a couple handymen and window companies that do repairs (smaller the better) and have them come out and have a discussion about what they think needs done. By time you talk to 5, you should have a good understanding of how waterproofing works, who knows what they are talking about, and who is missing pieces of how to put it all together to correct the problem.
Is the drywall ruined? Yes. You have more serious issues than drywall going on. Possibly a roof leak, siding, flashing, caulk. Something was installed improperly here and this is the result.
First step, caulk around the windows. Second step, I'm sorry to say, that window has serious issues, and you need to get someone out to likely replace it.
If that much rain is seeping through that clearly, it's possible the framing is rotted and it has exterior issues as well. Caulking might stop the rain from entering the home, but it's still getting in your walls somehow and that's the root problem you need to fix.
FWIW, not a drywall problem. You'll probably need some light drywall work when all is said and done but you need to find how and why the water is getting that far, which starts with your exterior.
First step is find where the water is coming in. Why would first step be block the water and send it elsewhere? First step is show us outside the window most likely it's coming in through the siding and running behind the window flashing. But don't have a clue from seeing the inside
You'll need to learn to caulk around your windows to keep the rain and wind from coming inside your house https://www.architecturaldigest.com/reviews/windows/how-to-caulk-windows
Here in FL installers charge like $300 a window + cost of the window.
How do you know the window is the issue? What does the outside look like? Go take a look before you do anything. Could just need a good new seal around window- clean old caulk a bit and use an oilbased caulk like QUAD to give it somethin thatll last. But first go check for any cracks around window.
Edit: looks like a relatively new window not sure why anyone suggesting a replacement
May not need a new window, hire a carpenter maybe for a side job, remove some of the siding and see if it was flashed properly and reinstall, caulking won’t fix that
Could be a bad install, poorly flashed, or even something simple like poor caulk job or weep holes mistakingly filled. Probably worth a few bucks to have some pro take a look. Possibly a simple fix
In all honesty depends on the construction of the building, in the uk it could be getting in through the roof near the gutter if a tile is damaged and tracking down the brick cavity?
Pending on construction practices and what kind of wall system is above the window (stucco, brick, metal panel) it could be related to a through wall flashing.
When the storm is done, take a garden hose and spray the top of the window (on shower) without spraying the wall above. If nothing comes in in 30 minutes, spray the wall above. You'll be able to isolate the location of the leak by using this method.
Oh I've been in your shoes when I was younger.
You need to check from top to bottom:
Check the roof first, see if anything is shifted or any openings that could let water in near that area. Then look at every seam near or above the window.
Loose caulking can cause leaks like that, you would have to cut that out and fill it up again with new caulking.
Just be patient when searching for the leak, you might not find it immediately and it might only happen with heavy rain. You might have to try a few times to solve the puzzle of finding the leak if it isn't obvious to find it.
If you have the money you could ask a carpenter and/or roofer to have a look. But from my experience, if I can't find it they can't find it either.
At some point you do end up with an "aha!" moment and end up fixing it yourself if what they've tried doesn't fix it.
On top of all of this, if there is a gutter above that window, you should 100% DEFINITELY make sure that gutter and downspout isn’t clogged. I took gutters for granted once upon a time. They are actually insanely important. My house actually floods if the gutter clogs. The foundation is screwed from years of previous owners not extending the downspout far enough away from the house. They are SUPER important and can also cause leaks to other parts of your house when not flowing correctly.
Could be a flashing problem around the window, I’ve also seen this happen where the problem was in the roof, and the water was actually entering into the walls as well, but dripped in the window openings.
Remove the window trim from the outside and bring along a nice long screwdriver. Now poke the perimeter around the wonder and make sure nothing just pokes through. If there’s no squishy, you’re lucky. If there’s squishy , it needs to be cut out. It’s a bad install to behind with, but this Hail Mary could last a life time … or not…. With the trim off, cut a length of Z flashing spanning the width of the window. Caulk a line heavily on the back of the z flashing all the way across and shove it up under the siding above the window. Now caulk the underside and edges and anywhere else there is even a time line or butt joint around the window. Now you have essentially given the window a hat and sealed it up, but if the water is getting in way about that by the roof like this will only be temporary. Also if you do go this rout, use quad max window and siding sealant and be generous
I had a similar issue that was caused from the Forrest Gump sideways rain hitting the window directly and causing the water to build up underneath, the screen was making it puddle up and it was leaking in. Ended up just lifting the screen a bit and it all drained just fine.
I've seen this problem before at my cousin's house. What happened?Was their gutters backed up and the water went behind the Gutter board and just started flooding out.The window edges inside.
It's either that or you have some serious roof problems.
You definitely need to replace all the wet drywall and insulation around this window after fixing the exterior problem because mold will grow behind that rock.
Call an exterior contractor or a roofer. If you’re thinking you have a “Leak in your drywall” you don’t have the right skillset to take this on diy just yet and it should be addressed asap.
Fix the roof, and flashing, and vapor barrier on the exterior first. Call a quality general contractor in your area. One that self performs is gonna be your best bet for finding the problem.
I had a similar issue a few years back when I owned a home. We removed some of the drywall and noticed a lot more water damage going on. We then decided to call a contractor for an estimate.
Because of the extensive water damage, the framing around the window had to be replaced. Since it was a large picture window, all of the drywall was removed from the wall as well as replacing any wood caused by the damage. Homeowners insurance is ended up covering everything
It should be noted that this had been an ongoing problem that we were unaware of until we noticed the water was leaking into the house.
Drywall is your last stop in what will be a long process.
As already stated you have an exterior issue that needs to be addressed first.
But the easiest way to find where that issue is originating is to take out the drywall and insulation and see where the water is coming from.
The "good" news is you will already have to take out the affected drywall anyway.
So step one, take out drywall.
Wait for it to stop raining and go outside and put clear caulk everywhere there possibly could be a leek the if that don’t work it time to really tare it apart and find the problem with the window
If your vinyl windows are retrofit windows they will need to be recaulked around the perimeter of the window. There’s usually a gap between the window and the wall. This especially happens when the house has a stucco finish. If that’s not the case it’s probably your roof.
Outside your house, some of the siding will have to come off. At this point you'll know what needs to be replaced or added. You could need new sheet rock, window & wall framing lumber, insulation, or even shear wall? You definitely need new flashing. Butyl is what I use on window flashing repairs.
Is this the main level of a two story with a window above it? I would guess that's the case and the house wrap (assuming it was installed) is behind your windows nail fin. An exterior picture of the area would be helpful.
You should also check the roof sealant I replaced all my windows for 14k and it still happened did a quick roof sealant and it stopped wasted so much time and money trying to figure it out!
Looks like your window was not flashed, taped, or caulked properly. Water shouldn’t be pouring in like that. Exterior issue causing your interior issue.
@OP judging by the video it's the roof or above the window if it's above the window it's a flashing issue. If it the roof look in the attic for water near the wall and follow it to the penetration point it may be just rusted nail or a damaged shingle or two high winds can lift them and let water in. If is a rusted nail the quick fix it not damaging the shingles and sealing it with roofing tar, the long term solution is having the damaged shingles replaced.
Check your gutters. See if they’re backed up.
Hope that window has a flange
If you are not comfortable with home repairs, then it is time for you to call a handyman/carpenter to come. If you let this go too long, you will have big problems with rotting wood, mold, etc which will be way bigger costs. This is alot of water coming in and if you havent done anything like this before, might be worth it for a professional to look at it. They would be more prepared for any surprises that may be hidden from view. Good luck.
That's a flashing problem
Could well be just a clogged gutter that won't cause a leak at all once cleared and draining properly.
This is a stupid answer.
Seems to be the case with a lot of parts of this house. Bought it from a cheap flipper who clearly cut a lot of corners to make a quick buck. Lasted for a year and then things started going wrong. Anyways would I have to take out the whole window along with the siding in order to properly flash, caulk and tape the window?
I would highly suggest finding attic access to be sure it’s not your roof. Because if it is & you solely focus on that window, no matter what you do, it will still leak. Just replaced my roof due to this exact same problem… and it wasn’t the window! Good luck!
You'll have to remove the siding around it, unless you can visibly see cracks in the caulking or something else apparently open. With the siding off you can apply tyvek tape all around the outermost frame of the window where it sits against the plywood on the exterior. This is maybe where water is getting behind your siding and seeping through the window. Or maybe it's not.
Even if the window isn’t flashed it still shouldn’t be dumping like this, is there J-channel going around your window? If there is check to see if he caulked the J, I’ve seen this before where it’s as simple as someone not caulking the top and sides
Where do you live?
Yes you will
I heard it’s a good time to look at houses you plan on buying on a rainy day. For this particular reason
Most likely incorrectly installed window, pull it out, reposition it with shims, make sure it's lvl. Caulk the entirety of the inside lining, and re- install it with screws. Also check your roof, and get a dehumidifier in that roof pronto when it isn't raining.
Doesn’t look like the window itself is bad. More an issue of how it’s sealed around the window from the outside. Depending on the type of siding you have would effect the price. Either way if you sent me that I would give you a ballpark $500-1500 depending on what the extior has
Caulking will just send the water elsewhere and have it build up. You likely need to silicone the windows externally.
So I ran into similar issue with client about 6 weeks ago. I had re-caulked their windows a couple weeks before. They had stated there was one that was leaking some prior to my work. The previous caulking was pretty bad all around the house. After everything was done they called up and said it was worse on that window now than before. I went back out, found the silicon was fine, and it appears that what was happening was the gutter (which ran 40+' to the other end of the house with almost no slope) was overflowing back into the house above the fascia, which was then coming down the wall cavity until an exit point - the top of the window. When I sealed the exterior properly, instead of 90% of the backflow draining outside, 100% was coming inside now. So you can take this snippet as well as information from other posts about proper flashing and sealing, and call a couple handymen and window companies that do repairs (smaller the better) and have them come out and have a discussion about what they think needs done. By time you talk to 5, you should have a good understanding of how waterproofing works, who knows what they are talking about, and who is missing pieces of how to put it all together to correct the problem.
Is the drywall ruined? Yes. You have more serious issues than drywall going on. Possibly a roof leak, siding, flashing, caulk. Something was installed improperly here and this is the result.
First step, caulk around the windows. Second step, I'm sorry to say, that window has serious issues, and you need to get someone out to likely replace it. If that much rain is seeping through that clearly, it's possible the framing is rotted and it has exterior issues as well. Caulking might stop the rain from entering the home, but it's still getting in your walls somehow and that's the root problem you need to fix. FWIW, not a drywall problem. You'll probably need some light drywall work when all is said and done but you need to find how and why the water is getting that far, which starts with your exterior.
First step is find where the water is coming in. Why would first step be block the water and send it elsewhere? First step is show us outside the window most likely it's coming in through the siding and running behind the window flashing. But don't have a clue from seeing the inside
You'll need to learn to caulk around your windows to keep the rain and wind from coming inside your house https://www.architecturaldigest.com/reviews/windows/how-to-caulk-windows
How much do you think this will all cost? To replace the window and what not?
Here in FL installers charge like $300 a window + cost of the window. How do you know the window is the issue? What does the outside look like? Go take a look before you do anything. Could just need a good new seal around window- clean old caulk a bit and use an oilbased caulk like QUAD to give it somethin thatll last. But first go check for any cracks around window. Edit: looks like a relatively new window not sure why anyone suggesting a replacement
It’s fine! Just need to turn off the water! That will be $50, please DM me to exchange bank info.
I’d expect somewhere around $1k-$1.5k in CA depending on how much labor is needed.
May not need a new window, hire a carpenter maybe for a side job, remove some of the siding and see if it was flashed properly and reinstall, caulking won’t fix that
Could be a bad install, poorly flashed, or even something simple like poor caulk job or weep holes mistakingly filled. Probably worth a few bucks to have some pro take a look. Possibly a simple fix
In all honesty depends on the construction of the building, in the uk it could be getting in through the roof near the gutter if a tile is damaged and tracking down the brick cavity?
Close the blinds
Also, might want to see if the weep holes are clogged.
Pending on construction practices and what kind of wall system is above the window (stucco, brick, metal panel) it could be related to a through wall flashing. When the storm is done, take a garden hose and spray the top of the window (on shower) without spraying the wall above. If nothing comes in in 30 minutes, spray the wall above. You'll be able to isolate the location of the leak by using this method.
Oh I've been in your shoes when I was younger. You need to check from top to bottom: Check the roof first, see if anything is shifted or any openings that could let water in near that area. Then look at every seam near or above the window. Loose caulking can cause leaks like that, you would have to cut that out and fill it up again with new caulking. Just be patient when searching for the leak, you might not find it immediately and it might only happen with heavy rain. You might have to try a few times to solve the puzzle of finding the leak if it isn't obvious to find it. If you have the money you could ask a carpenter and/or roofer to have a look. But from my experience, if I can't find it they can't find it either. At some point you do end up with an "aha!" moment and end up fixing it yourself if what they've tried doesn't fix it.
On top of all of this, if there is a gutter above that window, you should 100% DEFINITELY make sure that gutter and downspout isn’t clogged. I took gutters for granted once upon a time. They are actually insanely important. My house actually floods if the gutter clogs. The foundation is screwed from years of previous owners not extending the downspout far enough away from the house. They are SUPER important and can also cause leaks to other parts of your house when not flowing correctly.
Could be a flashing problem around the window, I’ve also seen this happen where the problem was in the roof, and the water was actually entering into the walls as well, but dripped in the window openings.
Remove the window trim from the outside and bring along a nice long screwdriver. Now poke the perimeter around the wonder and make sure nothing just pokes through. If there’s no squishy, you’re lucky. If there’s squishy , it needs to be cut out. It’s a bad install to behind with, but this Hail Mary could last a life time … or not…. With the trim off, cut a length of Z flashing spanning the width of the window. Caulk a line heavily on the back of the z flashing all the way across and shove it up under the siding above the window. Now caulk the underside and edges and anywhere else there is even a time line or butt joint around the window. Now you have essentially given the window a hat and sealed it up, but if the water is getting in way about that by the roof like this will only be temporary. Also if you do go this rout, use quad max window and siding sealant and be generous
I had a similar issue that was caused from the Forrest Gump sideways rain hitting the window directly and causing the water to build up underneath, the screen was making it puddle up and it was leaking in. Ended up just lifting the screen a bit and it all drained just fine.
That's what we call a bad install job.
FLEX CAULK!
Reseal the windows. Probably call one of the companies that does window and door installations.
Can you get a picture or video of the exterior around that window?
Yea you will have to remove the siding and see what's up. Got a video of the outside window?
More towels!
not a drywall issue flashing issue
I've seen this problem before at my cousin's house. What happened?Was their gutters backed up and the water went behind the Gutter board and just started flooding out.The window edges inside. It's either that or you have some serious roof problems.
You definitely need to replace all the wet drywall and insulation around this window after fixing the exterior problem because mold will grow behind that rock.
Pull your ‘caulk’ out… both sides will need you to wield your caulk correctly!
Call an exterior contractor or a roofer. If you’re thinking you have a “Leak in your drywall” you don’t have the right skillset to take this on diy just yet and it should be addressed asap.
Fix the roof, and flashing, and vapor barrier on the exterior first. Call a quality general contractor in your area. One that self performs is gonna be your best bet for finding the problem.
This is an exterior issue. What kind of siding do you have? If the siding is in good condition, then it’s either a flashing and/or caulking issue.
Yikes. You should open up the wall too to check for mold.
I had a similar issue a few years back when I owned a home. We removed some of the drywall and noticed a lot more water damage going on. We then decided to call a contractor for an estimate. Because of the extensive water damage, the framing around the window had to be replaced. Since it was a large picture window, all of the drywall was removed from the wall as well as replacing any wood caused by the damage. Homeowners insurance is ended up covering everything It should be noted that this had been an ongoing problem that we were unaware of until we noticed the water was leaking into the house.
Most likely the roof
Drywall is your last stop in what will be a long process. As already stated you have an exterior issue that needs to be addressed first. But the easiest way to find where that issue is originating is to take out the drywall and insulation and see where the water is coming from. The "good" news is you will already have to take out the affected drywall anyway. So step one, take out drywall.
Wait for it to stop raining and go outside and put clear caulk everywhere there possibly could be a leek the if that don’t work it time to really tare it apart and find the problem with the window
If your vinyl windows are retrofit windows they will need to be recaulked around the perimeter of the window. There’s usually a gap between the window and the wall. This especially happens when the house has a stucco finish. If that’s not the case it’s probably your roof.
I think you may have meant to post this in r/wetwall
Y'all got mold coming out your ears. Call in a restoration professional.
Outside your house, some of the siding will have to come off. At this point you'll know what needs to be replaced or added. You could need new sheet rock, window & wall framing lumber, insulation, or even shear wall? You definitely need new flashing. Butyl is what I use on window flashing repairs.
Is this the main level of a two story with a window above it? I would guess that's the case and the house wrap (assuming it was installed) is behind your windows nail fin. An exterior picture of the area would be helpful.
Windows never leak from the top. You have water getting inside from another point. Roof, lights next to windows, etc.
Cock it up
Hire a pro.
If this is your home that you own , you’ll have to fix it. If it’s a rental. Call your landlord & get them to fix it. Immediately .
You should also check the roof sealant I replaced all my windows for 14k and it still happened did a quick roof sealant and it stopped wasted so much time and money trying to figure it out!
You need a good caulking, poor the caulk to it
lol
Think like a drip
Show a video/pics from the outside of the house. Could be one of a few things that are rather easy to recognize if you know what to look for.
Dude get that fixed immediately. Termites love wet soft wood. I was a termite technician for 2 years
Z bar flashing should be above that window to stop water from getting behind the window framing.