Condensation's definitely possible, but have you checked if the moisture shows up mostly after heavy rain or just cold snaps? Sometimes timing can clue you in on whether it's flashing or insulation-related...
Could be flashing, but have you checked the weep holes at the bottom of your window frame? Had a similar issue a few years back—thought it was caulking at first, but turned out the weep holes were clogged with dirt and debris. Cleared them out, problem solved. Might be worth a quick look before you start sealing things up...
Had a similar issue last spring, thought for sure it was the caulk failing around the frame. Spent a whole afternoon re-caulking, felt pretty good about myself until the next heavy rain hit and... yep, still leaking. Turns out the weather stripping had worn down just enough to let water sneak in during storms, especially when wind pushed rain against the window.
Ended up replacing the weather stripping (super easy DIY job, btw) and haven't had a drop come through since. But I agree with checking those weep holes first—mine were clear, but I've seen friends deal with clogged ones causing all sorts of headaches. It's definitely worth ruling out before you jump into bigger fixes.
Also, might want to double-check your flashing if you're comfortable getting up close and personal with your window exterior. Sometimes flashing issues can be sneaky and look like something else entirely. Good luck figuring it out—these kinds of leaks can be super frustrating until you pinpoint exactly what's going on.
Been there, done that—spent hours convinced it was caulk, only to find out it was weather stripping too. Isn't DIY life just full of surprises? Glad you got it sorted, leaks are the worst...
Haha, DIY life definitely keeps us humble. Couple quick tips from experience:
- If water's sneaking in, always check weather stripping first—it wears out sneakily over time.
- Caulk's great, but it won't fix a worn-out seal.
- Learned the hard way myself after a weekend battling mystery leaks...turns out the stripping was barely hanging on.
Glad you got yours figured out—dry windows make for happier weekends.
"Caulk's great, but it won't fix a worn-out seal."
Spot on. I'd also suggest checking the drip edge above the window—had a sneaky leak once that turned out to be water traveling down from higher up. DIY detective work never ends...
Good point about the drip edge—have you checked the flashing too? Sometimes water sneaks behind siding higher up and travels down...might be worth a quick look before you redo seals or caulk.
"Sometimes water sneaks behind siding higher up and travels down...might be worth a quick look before you redo seals or caulk."
Definitely agree with checking higher up first—I've seen cases where homeowners redid the caulking multiple times, only to find later that water was actually entering from improperly installed flashing above. It's surprising how far water can travel behind siding...
Yeah, good point about checking higher up. I used to think caulk was the magic fix for everything until I spent an entire weekend sealing around my windows, only to find out later the water was sneaking in from a loose piece of siding way above. Felt pretty dumb after that one, haha. Water's sneaky like that—always finds the weirdest paths to ruin your day. Better safe than sorry, I'd say.
Had a similar issue a few years back—spent hours sealing around the window frame, only to realize later the flashing above was improperly installed. Caulk and weather stripping are great for minor gaps, but always check flashing, siding, and even roof edges first. Water intrusion often originates higher than you'd expect, and gravity does the rest. Better to pinpoint the source accurately before spending time on fixes that might not address the real problem.