CRAP! 1st investment, 1st rain, window sill pooling water!!

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CRAP! 1st investment, 1st rain, window sill pooling water!!

Jennifer H.
Glen Allen, VA · Member since 2013 · 17 posts · 1 vote

I just closed on my VERY FIRST investment property last week and got painters in there quickly to repaint the walls and trim. Today was the first big rain we had since we closed on the property and I noticed one of the window sills inside the house had a HUGE POOL of water!! :( INSIDE! The pool of water took up half of the window sill. It started on the outer edge and pooled all the way to the middle of the sill. I can't figure out where the water is coming from! I wiped it up and don't notice any water seeping back but also the rain let up a bit. I felt along the upper part of the window but it didn't seem to be wet just the bottom of the sill towards the wall.

I am guessing at this point it's too late to get any money back from the evil sellers right since I already closed? :( Shouldn't they have disclosed something like that to us before we bought the house?! How can someone NOT notice after 7 years of living in a house giant pools of water on the window sill every time it freaking rains. No wonder all the caulking along that window was horrible.

The worse part is, the window that is pooling was the window that had termite wings when the seller had the termite inspection. The seller did a termite treatment and we didn't see any visible signs of damage when we initially looked at the house and everyone said termites are very common. It also wasn't raining then when we looked at the house before closing. :( ARGHHhhhhhh so stressed. :( I'm afraid we might have to replace that whole entire window or wall! Have no idea how much something like that costs but that was not in the budget!

Has anyone else ever experienced leaking windows? Or problems that come up after you buy the house and you have buyers remorse?

Any advice is appreciated. :'(

ugh.

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Brian Mathews
Contractor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2013 · 767 posts · 389 votes
12y

If something so minor gets you going as much as you seem to be. I think you might want to sell that property and find something else to invest in. This is literally nothing. A few hundred dollars at most. Wait until somebody moves out and leaves the place trashed, costing you thousands on dollars in replacing flooring, painting and cleaning. If this is the worst thing that happens to you, you will be lucky.

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  • Robert Carl
    Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2013 · 205 posts · 44 votes
    12y

    @Jennifer H. it's not that bad. Calm down. The worst part is over from your statement. If there is no rot and termite damage as you stated the window and sill is still good you just have to stop the leak. You stated that the leaking isn't coming from the top. Thats good if this is a top floor window that means most likely it is not the roof.

    Simply the window doesn't need to be replaced. The window needs to be recaulked. Have the old caulk removed completely and cleaned. Then have the window caulked with silicone.

    Inform me of your update.

    0Reply
  • Brian Mathews
    Contractor · Round Rock, TX · Member since 2013 · 767 posts · 389 votes
    12y

    If something so minor gets you going as much as you seem to be. I think you might want to sell that property and find something else to invest in. This is literally nothing. A few hundred dollars at most. Wait until somebody moves out and leaves the place trashed, costing you thousands on dollars in replacing flooring, painting and cleaning. If this is the worst thing that happens to you, you will be lucky.

    5Reply
  • Roy N.Pro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Fredericton, New Brunswick · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    12y

    ... and while you are caulking the window, clean the weeping/drain holes in the window frame (if it has them) and have a look above the window on the outside and see if water is getting in there.

    1Reply
  • Elizabeth Colegrove
    Hanford, CA · Member since 2013 · 5k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    12y

    @Jennifer H.

    Congratulations on your new purchase. The first rental is always the hardest and the most stressful. I would wipe it down and replace the calking. If that still doesn't work I would call a window professional out.

    Honestly I have never had a seller disclose anything. Heck I even have tenants move out without telling me that things are broken.

    1Reply
  • Troy Sheets
    Developer · Philadelphia, PA · Member since 2013 · 1k+ posts · 902 votes
    12y

    Great responses above from all! If something this minor has you upset and feeling betrayed, you're not cut out for this. Not trying to sound harsh, but it's true. Contractors, sellers, buyers, tenants; they'll all lie/hide/fudge the truth. Houses? They leak, they break, they need repair and maintenance. Welcome to the club!!!

    3Reply
  • Pat L.
    Rental Property Investor · Upstate, NY · Member since 2012 · 3k+ posts · 3k+ votes
    12y

    I had to replace all 15 windows in one that 'passed' disclosure/inspection & it was the best investment we made.

    I found that the Pella windows were never installed/sealed correctly & the frames had rotted out along with the surrounding wall sheathing & in a couple of cases the flooring beneath the windows.

    But at least we didn't have termites......so a leaking window maybe the least of your problems.

    good luck & welcome to REI.

    0Reply
  • Sam Leon
    Investor · Fort Lauderdale, FL · Member since 2012 · 1k+ posts · 465 votes
    12y

    you need to figure out where the water is penetrating from the outside. Take a garden hosevand turn on the hosebib, and strategically wash your window perimeter and see where it will reproduce the pooling on the inside. Make sure it I'd the window and not a roof leak which had water travelling down the rafters and eventually piddling on the top of the exterior wall and seeping down to the window.

    Is this a wood frame or concrete structure?

    The termite wings, means there is a matured termite nest and the occupants are now seeking satellite nests within the structures. Those winged reproductives have most likely found another spot to start their new families. Was it tented after the wings were discovered?

    This is not always true, but a likihood the termites and moisture penetration are at the same location.

    Keep your eyes open for coffee ground looking circles on your floor. Those would be termite droppings.

    Don't be discouraged, look at it as a small challenge.

    0Reply
  • Jon Holdman
    Rental Property Investor · Mercer Island, WA · Member since 2008 · 22k+ posts · 14k+ votes
    12y

    Even if you have to replace the entire window its not that big of a deal. A few hundred bucks to replace a window.

    Are these old, wooden windows? Around here, aluminum windows are common as is needing to replace them at some point.

    With wooden single (lower pane moves up, upper one is fixed) or double hung (both panes move up and down) windows a common trouble spot is where the two panes meet. That joint should seal. But over time, paint build up, wood wears down, and plastic seals wear out and rain started getting in. Look to see if you can see any gap where the panes meet. If so, a strip of thin weatherstripping may keep the rain out.

    Rain could also be getting in along the edges of the panes.

    The fact that rain is pooling on the sill is a problem. The sills should slope away from the window, not toward it. So, even if rain was getting in it should be running off onto the floor. But, again, if these are old, double or single hung windows these are common ills.

    0Reply
  • Steve Babiak
    Real Estate Investor · Audubon, PA · Member since 2009 · 13k+ posts · 8k+ votes
    12y

    I agree with @Roy N. that it sounds like the weep hole(s) at the bottom of the storm window frame is/are blocked, or the weep area around the bottom of vinyl replacements near the sides is blocked.

    So, what type of window is this, so that we can suggest how to look for this?

    0Reply
  • Jennifer H.
    OP
    Glen Allen, VA · Member since 2013 · 17 posts · 1 vote
    12y

    @SteveBabiak

    I think they are Vinyl windows maybe. You guys are right it's pretty dumb to get stressed out so easily over this. I am over it now. :) I called a bunch of contracting companies and they pretty much said it's a small job to fix a window leak. I shouldn't get freaked out and should welcome these bumps as learning experiences that will help me be more prepared for more serious stuff that might happen later on. I panicked because it's my 1st investment, just closed, thinking if it was a good move or not and beginning to have buyers remorse from panicking.

    No one can come out to look at it till end of this week since it's Christmas so I decided to investigate myself took off the vinyl siding over the top of the window and see a slit above the window under the siding. (Picture below.)

    That's probably where the water is getting in. It looks like a nail is poking out or something puffy under the house wrap This was a home built by Ryan homes. Unfortunately I hear they build houses super fast and a lot of them are not quality. It is a 2005 house so not even that old and its leaking. Don't know what could be poking out and cracking the window.

    One guy suggested to just caulk that and then put aluminum flashing over the top of the window and that should fix it....but I know water is evil and can find their way through anything....do you guys think I should replace the window or do what the contractor suggested?

    0Reply
  • Jennifer H.
    OP
    Glen Allen, VA · Member since 2013 · 17 posts · 1 vote
    12y

    Hmm how do you guys do the @someone and it is linked?

    0Reply
  • Elizabeth Colegrove
    Hanford, CA · Member since 2013 · 5k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    12y

    @Jennifer H.

    Don't worry. We all flip out at some point over something stupid when we are first starting :) Welcome to the club. I can't answer your question but I am sure someone will respond shortly. I just wanted to let you know, that it happens to even the best of us :)

    Welcome and good luck.

    0Reply
  • John H.
    Massachusetts, MA · Member since 2009 · 144 posts · 31 votes
    12y

    It looks like your window was not installed properly. I'd check out another window, and see if it is installed correctly. If not, I would pull the siding off around all windows and do it right.

    See this photo, installer is putting a weather proofing type material over the edge of the window, so water cannot penetrate from behind the siding.

    http://www.finehomebuilding.com/how-to/install-replacement-windows-and-flashing-correctly.aspx

    0Reply
  • Raymond B.
    FL · Member since 2009 · 2k+ posts · 357 votes
    12y

    @Jennifer H.,

    To make the @ work, do the following:

    Hold down the shift key and type the @?

    Look below this Window, and you will see a list of names. Click on the name of the person that you want notified via an email, that you made a response to.

    Raymond

    0Reply
  • Eric Hrlbock
    Rental Property Investor · Poughkeepsie, NY · Member since 2013 · 262 posts · 96 votes
    12y
    I do not have a lot of real estate experience but I do have building experience and I have done a couple of houses that needed new caulk . One of them didn't need caulk at all but needed the siding taken off and the tar tape(not the real name) put around the new construction windows. The fix was a 6" roll of that tape and a couple of hours of work. Got off pretty cheap,and hopefully you will too
    0Reply
  • Jennifer H.
    OP
    Glen Allen, VA · Member since 2013 · 17 posts · 1 vote
    12y

    I got a few different quotes. One big company wanted to charge me 375.

    I also called a little guy and he said he would only charge 175. So...going with the little guy...hopefully it doesn't start leaking again.

    Little guy's solution was to pull the window away from the wall caulk it, then put some rubber flashing tape over the top of the window. He didn't remove all the siding on the sides just the top and put flashing up at the top.

    I will cross my fingers it doesn't happen again. :/

    0Reply
  • Roy N.Pro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Fredericton, New Brunswick · Member since 2013 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes
    12y
    Originally posted by @Jennifer H.:
    I got a few different quotes. One big company wanted to charge me 375.

    I also called a little guy and he said he would only charge 175. So...going with the little guy...hopefully it doesn't start leaking again.

    Little guy's solution was to pull the window away from the wall caulk it, then put some rubber flashing tape over the top of the window. He didn't remove all the siding on the sides just the top and put flashing up at the top.

    I will cross my fingers it doesn't happen again. :/

    Maybe you should have gone with the other guy?

    If I'm going to go through the effort to take the siding back and pull a window, I'm going to pull it completely, ensure the wrap is in-place correctly, blue shield, re-install and tape.

    I just had a tenant call this morning to tell me a window was leaking during all the freezing rain we had on the 23rd ... she thought nothing of it at the time, but today noticed a stain on the living room ceiling below this window. Now I have to pull a window (if we get a day above -10C) and likely some drywall and insulation.

    0Reply
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