What could be causing rainwater to leak from the window frame and saturate the wood trim without any visible signs of caulking or sealant damage?
Asked by Albenisa Ribeiro 
2 months ago
Last Updated: October 4, 2024
So, after that big storm, I noticed rainwater seeping from the top of the window frame. The wood trim feels all damp, like it’s holding water in there. I checked the exterior, and the caulking and sealant seem fine. Do you think maybe the Tyvek wasn’t wrapped correctly, or maybe there’s some flashing tape missing over the nail flange before they folded the wrap over the frame? Just trying to figure out what’s going on here!
My hunch is that there’s an ice dam forming at the eaves, and once spring rolls around, water will seep in from underneath your shingles.
Hey Cliffy, appreciate it! The storm came from the east.
Place a spirit level on the outer soffit. It might tilt towards the house. If so, check the top of the fascia and the bottom of the shingle overlap. Water molecules are sticky and can travel far on a flat surface before dripping. If there’s no eave starter, this could happen. Eave starters extend under the shingles by 3 inches, with two drip edges to direct water down the vertical surface. The lower edge should hang over the back of the gutter. This seems like capillary action. Soffits are sloped outward to prevent capillary effects.