"Flashing is definitely underrated; it provides a more lasting solution compared to just caulking alone..."
Yeah, flashing's solid, but honestly, sometimes even that doesn't fully stop sneaky water. Ever checked if your window frame itself is warped or damaged? Had that happen once—total headache figuring it out.
Had a similar issue once—thought flashing would solve everything, but nope. Turned out the sill was slightly tilted inward, channeling water right inside. Quick shim adjustment fixed it, thankfully... worth checking those sneaky angles too.
"worth checking those sneaky angles too."
You're spot on about the angles. I had water sneaking in around a window last spring—went crazy with caulk first, thinking it was the obvious fix. Turns out the window wasn't fully closed because the frame had warped slightly over time. A quick adjustment and some weather stripping did the trick. Lesson learned: don't underestimate those tiny gaps... water finds a way every single time, lol.
I had something similar happen with my patio door a couple years back. Thought for sure it was the seal around the glass, so I spent a whole weekend carefully re-caulking everything. Next rainstorm—same puddle inside. Turns out, the track itself had gotten slightly bent over time (no idea how that even happened), and water was sneaking in underneath. Have you checked if your window frame or track might be slightly off-level? Sometimes it's not even noticeable until you really look closely or put a level on it. Once I straightened mine out and added some weather stripping along the bottom edge, problem solved. Crazy how water always finds the tiniest little opening to sneak through...
"Crazy how water always finds the tiniest little opening to sneak through..."
Yep, learned that lesson the hard way myself. Had a similar issue with my kitchen window—thought caulk would fix it, but nope. Turns out the sill had a slight downward tilt toward the house (barely noticeable). Shimming it level and adding some weather stripping underneath finally did the trick. Definitely worth checking the frame alignment before you spend more time caulking.
Hadn't thought about checking the alignment of the frame itself... is that a common issue or more of a rare case? I've been dealing with a similar leak around my bedroom window, and honestly, I'm skeptical that caulk alone will hold up long-term. But shimming sounds doable enough. Guess it's worth a look before I waste another weekend squeezing caulk everywhere. Thanks for sharing your experience—makes me feel slightly less clueless about this stuff, haha.
"I'm skeptical that caulk alone will hold up long-term."
You're right to be skeptical—caulk alone rarely solves persistent leaks. Frame alignment issues aren't super common, but they're definitely overlooked. Shimming is straightforward enough, just take your time and double-check as you go... you've got this.
"I'm skeptical that caulk alone will hold up long-term."
Yeah, good call being skeptical. I learned that lesson the hard way a couple years back—thought I'd fixed a leak with just caulk, but after one harsh winter, it was back worse than ever. Ended up shimming and realigning the frame properly, and it's been dry ever since. Like mentioned above, just take your time and double-check as you go... you'll be glad you did.
Caulk's fine for minor gaps, but if you're seeing actual water intrusion, it's usually a sign something else is off. Could be the window wasn't installed squarely or maybe the flashing wasn't done right. Weather stripping can help temporarily, but honestly, I'd pull the trim and check behind it. Had a similar issue last year—turned out the flashing was installed backwards (seriously...). Fixed that and haven't had a drop since. Better safe than sorry with water issues.
I get your point about checking behind the trim, but honestly, pulling it off seems like a big step if you're not totally sure what's going on. Maybe try a hose test first? Spray around the window frame and see exactly where the water's sneaking in. Had a similar issue once, turned out it was just a tiny gap in the caulk—quick fix and no major surgery needed. Could save you some hassle...