Water leaking in through window :-(

[allduffedup]

We had a thunderstorm a couple of hours ago - a lot of rain fell in a short time. Water starting coming in through one of the living room windows - firstly around the top, then the sides, then from the bottom of the window sill. It wasn't just a few drops, it was a steady stream. We had all of our towels there to stem the flow.

We had a look outside but can't see an obvious problem. I wonder whether water is getting in somewhere higher up the wall, and coming out when it gets to the window, as there are no obvious leaks around the outside of the window itself.

Have called the insurance company, but apparently it is not an emergency so they won't phone us back until Monday. In the meantime I'm scared of it raining again.

I'm just so so tired of all these house-related problems. We only moved in 6 months ago, and have put loads of time, effort and money into painting, carpets, floors etc but every time we do something I feel like it is one step forward and two steps back. DC1 is due in 6 weeks time and I was hoping to finally have things in a liveable state.

[PigletJohn]

Is it a replacement plastic window?

Is it a bay window?

[PigletJohn]

Is it a replacement plastic window?

Is it a bay window?

[PigletJohn]

Is it a replacement plastic window?

Is it a bay window?

[allduffedup]

It's a double glazed plastic window. We had another look today in the light, and it looks like it is the guttering that is the problem - our neighbour (semi-detached) has a conservatory with a gutter that backs onto our wall. The gutter takes water from the downpipe coming from the roof (which would previously have gone straight into the ground). So I think when the gutter gets too full it is backing up into the brickwork. Kind of complicated to explain without seeing it, but think we are going to have to get the neighbours involved as it is all on their side.

[hiccupgirl]

Our conservatory guttering is like this - basically the down pipe for the whole of the back of our house and next door goes into it. I'm guessing the previous owners let the conservatory company do this because it was the easiest option. But yes in very heavy rain the guttering overflows and the water pours down the side wall of the conservatory just because the gutter can't deal with volume of water.

You need to speak to your neighbour - they may be totally unaware if they can't see the water themselves. Our is easy to spot because it overflows over a window and comes in if the window is open!

[PigletJohn]

get up on a stepladder if you can reach, see if there is a blockage of leaves.

[allduffedup]

We've had a look and there may be a blockage further down (where the downpipe from the conservatory drains into the ground), which is causing water to build up. But I also just think it's a terrible design because in really heavy rain, the gutter could get full even if it wasn't blocked. We have a 1970s house with tiling, and they have had to remove some of the tiles to install the conservatory. Where the conservatory gutter backs onto the wall, a couple of tiles have been removed leaving exposed brick, and I can see a gap in the mortar between two bricks. The only thing to stop water from backing up onto these bricks, is some air foam that someone has sprayed into the end of the gutter, but obviously it doesn't do a very good job if the gutter is overflowing!

Glad we have potentially found the source of the problem, but I'm not exactly sure what the solution is going to be. And I doubt our insurance company will do much to help since the problem is essentially caused by next door. Our neighbours can't see this area at all so I'm sure they have no idea there is a problem. Thankfully they are very nice people, so I hope they will be willing to help us sort it out.

I would recommend you clean out your gutters regularly hiccupgirl!

[hiccupgirl]

Don't worry our gutters are clear but it makes no difference in very heavy rain - the open guttering just can't cope with water from 2 roofs in a downpour. But the way ours overflows, the water is pushed away from the building by the windowsill so it's not as bad as your situation. Soon the conservatory will be replaced and then the down pipe will be re routed.

Hope your neighbours are nice too!

[PigletJohn]

even if the gutter is overflowing (which needs to be fixed) it is wrong for water to come in round your windowframe.

Usually, roofers are good at gutters (I suppose because they specialise in doing both at heights) so ask around for someone local and recommended. I have a roofer in at the moment fixing new slates, and he has also fitted new lead flashing over one of my strange windows, to keep the rain out, and will fit a new stop-end on one of the gutters which drips.

Plastic windows don't usually have lead flashing, silicone sealant is more usual, but unless the design and build is very bad, the same person should be able to identify and fix it. I am not a fan of plastic windows. I suspect it is leaking in at the top and running round the frame because there is an unfinished gap between frame and wall. Water that gets inside a plastic window frame is normally led away by drainage channels and comes out under the sill.

[allduffedup]

Thanks, we'll see what the insurance company say when they send someone round