Leaking siding?

[danomac]

Background: I had all my windows replaced with vinyl windows back in 2010/2011. When the master bedroom window was taken out there was evidence of a leak, but everything was dry. Chalked this up to an old leak that had been repaired.

So, this window has given me nothing but grief. I have had to repair it three times over the last five years, this year the caulking was so dried out it cracked along the top of the window and I had a waterfall inside.

Anyway, this year I had a window place remove and reseal the window. I noticed the other day water is still getting between the window and 2x4 frame. However, the leak is so slow now it doesn't drip inside unless the rain is really heavy.

I marked it and went outside and see the window is still sealed, and that there is a vertical seam for the aluminum siding pretty much smack in the center of the water I discovered. So now I think the window is OK and the siding has been leaking for YEARS. Most likely longer than I've been here.

So now the question is... is it even possible to repair this type of leak? I almost wonder if the water is getting behind the seam and running down the sheeting to the window.

The roof looks OK (it's maybe 12 years old now, torch down stuff.)

Does anyone have any suggestions for trying to fix this type of damage?

[danomac]

So, I left work early so I could actually see when inspecting. The window is fine and the window installers even put a small bead of caulk on the vertical seams.

I was looking at the roofing material (12 years old) and it was a torch-down type. The roofers folded this material over at its edges and I noticed right above the window the roofing material was under the drip tray on the siding right above the window, and pretty much everywhere else the roofing material was over top the drip tray.

Given how it was installed I theorized that the drip tray couldn't drain properly and it filled up with moisture and ran in behind the siding. This is all theoretical at this point, it hasn't rained any substantial amount since yesterday morning. I tarred up that area after cleaning moss out of the partially exposed drip tray.

I hope that fixes it...

[Greg]

See if it works. If not post some pictures so we can see what you are up against.

Greg

[danomac]

Dang, it is still leaking.

I'll have to wait until tomorrow to get pics, it'll be dark when I get back from work.

[danomac]

It's been utterly pouring all day yesterday and the rain is still pretty heavy right now. It's supposed to ease up later, hopefully while it's still light outside. Edit: Argh, now they're saying the rain won't break until tomorrow. The weather guys keep pushing it back a day. I wish I could be wrong all the time at work and still have a job.

Given all the heavy rain (at times there was rivers on each side of the street) the leak I have never actually accumulated enough to drip inside. So it must be a slooooow leak.

[danomac]

Boy, has it been raining here. I just read today that since October 1 there's only been 3 dry days!

Got some pictures during a dry spot between storms.

Hmm. I was wondering why so many images had broken links, pretty sure it's the 256kb limit.

I shrunk them down to 1280x720 but they were still too big, so I figured photobucket was a better idea.

On the inside window you can see the reflection of the water when I snapped a picture. When looking from the outside you can see it's right where that vertical seam is.

I can get more pictures if it dries out for a bit. I had to take them from the ground and it was starting to rain again when I snapped the last one... didn't even have time to get the ladder...

[danomac]

Well, I still can't figure out where this leak is coming from.

I am beginning to wonder if it's condensation as I don't have spray foam between the window and wall. How much condensation can form? It can be dry in the house (30-40%) and very humid outside (80-90%).

I did find an old satellite mount that had four screws sticking out. I screwed them into the wall and sealed them and I no longer hear a dripping noise when inside now.

I've had a roofer by and after he took about 15 minutes inspecting he said there's no evidence of a roof issue at all.

So I'm at a bit of a loss. I wonder if I should put spray foam around the window and see what it does.

[Greg]

I think at this point I would try adding either a drip edge over the window or flashing on the top of the window.

Greg

[danomac]

Well, today I had more time and looked into this in more detail.

I noticed a vertical screw in the top of the window going to the framing, and I could see that the centre of the window was bowing upward. I backed the screw out and put shims in there to correct it.

This allowed me to see between the window and frame with a flashlight, and there was no standing water there, and no water at all coming in between the window flange and the siding (it's been raining on and off all day, heavy at times.) I did see a reflection of water on the inside of the sheeting which worries me, I think I'm going to have to carefully pull the staples out of the wallboard and remove the two sheets around the window so I can check the inside of the sheeting and the insulation for damage. I wonder if the warm air from the house is getting into the wall cavity because there's no insulation there and causing it to sweat. From there I can replace as necessary and maybe even call a roofer out and have them try to figure out where it's coming in if there's evidence of an actual leak.