Last Wednesday I drove home from work during a fierce thunder storm. I was wondering how Arborion was doing since I had left the windows open on either end to allow for a little airflow while I was gone for the day. These particular windows are below a one foot overhang so they are fairly protected from the weather, except when it is windy. I was nervous because this storm was gusting heavily from the south as it plowed through.
I arrived home safely glad to be out of the traffic and dashed from my big house through the rain and standing water to the cozy tiny house and jumped inside trying to let as little water in as I could. I was pretty wet at this point, but there was cardboard on the floor to catch the drips.
I checked the interior and closed the windows. And that’s when I saw water all over the window casing beside the door. It appeared that it was the result of the rain being blown in through the previously open window, but I caught sight of a trickle of water from the top of the window frame. I opened the door and stood on the front landing and checked outside on top of the window, but that was well protected under the foot overhang directly above.
I jumped back inside, shut the door, and calmed myself. I tried to think about this as clearly as I could. I figured the water was making it’s way through the siding, then the storm guard, the plywood sheathing, and the waterproof closed cell spray foam insulation in order to find it’s way to the top of the window frame.
At this time the wind shifted and the rain came in from the north. I noticed that water was beginning to seep past one end of the threshold under the door. The rain was now blowing directly at the porch landing and front door. I grabbed a towel and mopped it up and left it along the length of the threshold to hold back water. Then turned my attention back to the window frame leak.
The leak was much slower now. Barely a drip. This was a clue that the leak was on the south side of something as it all but stopped once the wind shifted. I then saw that the interior maple wall was dark along a seam directly above the window. I marked it with painter’s tape and followed the ‘line’ vertically up until I saw that it lined up with the south side of the awning window up in the storage loft. That was the moment when I knew I had it right. Rain must be getting in around the awning window in the loft.
I had never noticed this issue in the past even during many days of rain, but this was no ordinary storm. This was a wind driven thunder storm coming from just the right angle. Once I got over the shock, I was glad to have been there to witness the leak and identify the problem before it got any worse. I also recognize that if the weather had not been as fierce, or if I had not gone out into Arborion at that time then I may not have found this leak and it may have resulted in a bigger problem down the road.
The next day I carefully removed the window and added a generous dose of caulking to the window frame. I also recaulked around the threshold. Withing twenty-four hours I experienced another serious rain storm and I’m happy to report that it appears the window and threshold are both properly sealed. No more leaks.
Verdant Passages 