At wits end with window leak

[Kilt]

On 02/11/2020 at 15:38, Gav_P said:

What state is the roof in? I had the same scenario in the past where in only certain weather conditions water was getting into the top of the cavity due to old knackered felt, then escaping through a downstairs window header onto the internal windowsill 

roofs alright. This leak is on a gable end, and the gable is foot higher than roof line. We have skew stones, sat on DPC. This was all re-pointed and had lythomex mortar on-top of the skews as there were severely weather damaged (nearly 400 years old).

 

There's also a small window on 1st floor, above where the leak is, so if it was coming from roof, water would have to navigate around the 1st floor window first, where there are no issues.

[joe90]

Get the wall sealed ASAP and see if it works before pulling the wall apart .

[Gav_P]

20 hours ago, Kilt said:

There's also a small window on 1st floor, above where the leak is, so if it was coming from roof, water would have to navigate around the 1st floor window first, where there are no issues.

Not necessarily... I had a window directly above the one where mine was leaking, exactly the same width too. Your upper window is quite narrow so the water could track past it quite easily. 
 

I have just flashed back to when I lived in a barn conversion and the gable end was facing the driving rain which penetrated the stone and brought damp inside. We had to waterproof spray the whole gable end to stop it. 

[Kilt]

On 02/11/2020 at 14:54, Dave Jones said:

no cav tray/weepers?

 

I bet the water is wicking through the muck at the top of the lintle into the cavity, not helped by the sill of the window above certainly feeding water into it.

 

We decided to go with a charted surveyor to come out and he said same. Insufficient mortar above, beyond and behind the lintel. Voiding enabling water to penetrate. Had endoscope and thermal cameras out to find issues.

 

Last storm we had close to 15 litres come through onto window head (its was a +12h storm, with localised flooding and 70mph winds)!

 

Recommendation is for Lime harling, lime wash, and slate drip detail above the big lintel; it's what traditionally would have been applied, if this barn had been built as a house in 1700's.

Going to be VERY expensive, but hopefully fix the issue.

 

Utter kicker but everything crossed it finally fixes leak.

[Carrerahill]

On 02/11/2020 at 11:57, Kilt said:

Had a window installed last year, the head is permanently wet.

Is water coming in above the window, i.e. nothing to do with the window itself? 

 

Not sure of the build type/situation but is there an issue with the cavity tray above the window?

[Carrerahill]

On 02/11/2020 at 13:18, Kilt said:

after last nights storm there's a puddle on the window head that's been dripping on the floor.

 

Window is south/south-south-east facing.

 

Photo below.

 

See all that dampness at the lower lintel coming out through the mortar? Makes me think this wall leaks like a sieve and a lot of water is running down the inside, hitting the cavity tray and seeping through the mortar on the lintel... 

[Kilt]

5 hours ago, Carrerahill said:

Is water coming in above the window, i.e. nothing to do with the window itself? 

 

Not sure of the build type/situation but is there an issue with the cavity tray above the window?

Nothing to do window

no cavity tray installed.

 

it’s a traditional 1700 rubble built barn converted 20 years ago. 
we’ve replaced a rotten window, they’d created a crude tray out of dpc between plasterboard and lintels. 
 

we re-pointed last summer, wall was in horrific state, could put fists into gaps. 
 

still leaks. Only way is to install a tray or Harl and lime wash. 
we’re going for latter as it’ll be a full waterproof jacket that will see us out and is what would traditionally have been done. 

 

[Dave Jones]

i think id be inclined to put a lead apron on it as a temporary stop fix, it wont look pretty but it should stop the problem.i think id be inclined to put a lead apron on it as a temporary stop fix, it wont look pretty but it should stop the problem.