Yeah, flashing is usually the sneaky culprit. Caulk and weather stripping are good for minor gaps, but they're basically band-aids if the flashing isn't done right. Had a similar headache myself—spent hours sealing everything in sight, only to realize water was actually traveling down from a gap in the siding above. Water's tricky like that... it'll find the weirdest paths to ruin your day. I'd definitely check above and around the window before you waste more time with caulk.
Yeah, flashing is usually the main issue, but honestly, even decent flashing can fail if the siding or trim isn't installed right. Had a similar thing happen—spent a weekend sealing every tiny crack I could find, only to discover water was sneaking in from higher up and running down behind everything. Caulk's great for drafts and small leaks, but it's not magic... I'd definitely poke around above the window first before throwing more time (and caulk tubes) at it.
Had the same issue a couple years back—spent hours caulking around the window only to realize water was actually sneaking in from a loose piece of siding way up near the roofline. Felt pretty dumb after that one, lol. Did you check if your siding or trim higher up is loose or warped at all? Might save you some frustration (and caulk).
"Did you check if your siding or trim higher up is loose or warped at all? Might save you some frustration (and caulk)."
Good call on checking higher up—I had something similar happen last spring. Thought it was the window seal at first, but turned out the flashing above the window had come loose and was funneling water right down behind the siding. Took me forever to figure out because it only leaked during heavy rain. Definitely worth inspecting the flashing and siding above before you go crazy with the caulk gun...
Could also be condensation sneaking in—especially if it's only noticeable after big temp swings. Had that happen to me, chased leaks forever before realizing my humidity was way too high indoors. Maybe check that first before climbing ladders in the rain...
Good point about condensation—I chased a phantom leak for months when I first moved into my place. Thought for sure it was rain sneaking in around the window frame, spent a weekend caulking everything in sight, and still had moisture showing up. Turned out my bathroom fan wasn't venting properly, and the humidity was just building up inside. Once I fixed that, problem solved.
But now I'm curious—if it does turn out to be an actual leak around the window, would weather stripping even help much? I've always thought weather stripping was more for drafts and air leaks rather than actual water intrusion. Seems like caulk or even flashing might be better suited for keeping rain out. Or am I missing something here?
I ask because I've got another window that's been giving me trouble lately, and I'm debating whether to just redo the caulk or if weather stripping could actually make a difference. It's not a huge leak, just enough to annoy me every time there's heavy rain. Would love to hear if anyone's had luck with weather stripping in situations like this...
- Totally get your frustration—been there myself chasing mystery leaks.
- Honestly, weather stripping probably won't do much for actual water intrusion. It's great for drafts and air leaks, but water usually finds its way around it pretty easily.
- Caulk is your best bet for minor leaks around the window frame itself. Flashing is even better if you suspect it's coming from above or behind the siding.
- Had a similar issue last spring—thought weather stripping would help, but nope... ended up redoing the caulk properly and haven't had issues since.
- If it's just a small annoyance during heavy rain, I'd start with fresh caulk first. Weather stripping might help with comfort and energy efficiency, but probably won't solve your leak issue directly.
- Good luck—these little leaks can drive you nuts until you finally nail down the source.
Agree on caulk being key here, but definitely double-check your flashing too. Had a leak that drove me nuts until I realized water was sneaking behind the siding above and trickling down—fresh caulk helped, but properly redoing the flashing finally fixed it.
Totally agree flashing can be sneaky. Had a similar issue a few years back—thought it was just the window needing fresh caulk, but nope, turned out water was actually getting in higher up and running down behind the siding. Took me forever to figure that one out. But here's something else to consider: have you checked your gutters lately? I noticed mine were clogged with leaves and debris, causing water to overflow and drip down in weird spots around the window frames. Cleaning them out made a huge difference, even before I redid any flashing or caulking.
Also wondering, is your siding wood or vinyl? Mine's wood, and I've found that seasonal expansion and contraction can create gaps you wouldn't expect. Weather stripping might help temporarily, but caulk seems more flexible for those little movements... Have you noticed any patterns—like does it leak worse during certain wind directions or heavy storms?
Good call on the gutters—I overlooked mine for ages and had similar weird leaks around windows. Also, wind direction definitely matters... storms from the east always seemed worse for me. Hang in there, you'll track it down eventually.