Had a similar issue myself, and you're definitely on the right track checking gutters first. If that's sorted and you're still seeing leaks, I'd suggest a quick test: next time it's dry, spray your window area gently with a hose, starting low and working upward slowly. Watch carefully to pinpoint exactly where water sneaks in. Once you find the spot, caulk usually works best for stationary gaps, while weather stripping is better for moving parts. Keep at it, you're almost there...
"caulk usually works best for stationary gaps, while weather stripping is better for moving parts."
That's generally solid advice, but honestly, sometimes the issue isn't as straightforward as stationary vs. moving parts. I've seen cases where homeowners went straight to caulking gaps around windows, only to find water still sneaking in because the real culprit was actually a compromised flashing or even tiny cracks in the window frame itself.
Before you jump into sealing things up, check carefully around the exterior trim and flashing—especially above the window. Water has a sneaky way of traveling downward and showing up in weird spots you'd never expect. Had one client who spent hours sealing every gap imaginable, only to discover later that water was trickling down from a bad roof flashing two feet above the window.
So yeah, caulk and weather stripping are great tools, but don't assume they're always the fix. Sometimes you gotta look a little higher up...literally.
Good points about checking higher up—water can definitely travel in weird ways. Had a similar issue at my place last spring. Spent a whole weekend carefully caulking around the window frames, thinking I'd nailed it. Next heavy rain, same annoying drip showed up again. Turned out the siding above the window had a tiny gap where water was sneaking behind and running down behind the trim. Took me forever to figure that one out.
One thing I learned from that experience is to look closely at the siding and flashing above windows, especially if you've got vinyl or wood siding. Sometimes the smallest gap or loose piece can funnel water right down into places you'd never expect.
Have you checked if your siding or exterior trim above the window is secure and properly sealed? Might be worth a quick look before you break out the caulk gun again...
Yeah, water leaks are sneaky little devils. I've seen cases where the flashing looked perfect, but water was actually getting behind the fascia board and traveling sideways before dripping down. Sometimes you gotta think like water—lazy and unpredictable, lol.
Had a similar situation last spring—spent half a day scratching my head because the window looked totally sealed up. Turns out, water was sneaking in from above, traveling along a tiny gap behind the siding, and popping out near the window frame. Like you said, lazy and unpredictable. Sometimes it's less about sealing where you see the leak and more about tracking it back to the source... Hang in there, you'll find it eventually.
"Sometimes it's less about sealing where you see the leak and more about tracking it back to the source..."
Exactly this. Had a similar headache last fall—thought I had a window leak, spent hours re-caulking everything in sight, only to find out the water was actually coming from a loose gutter bracket above. Rainwater was sneaking behind the fascia board, running down inside the wall, and popping out around the window frame. Sneaky stuff. Definitely worth checking higher up before you go crazy with caulk or weather stripping...
Had something similar happen once—turned out the flashing above the window had pulled away slightly, letting water slip behind the siding. Caulk wouldn't have fixed that. Always worth checking flashing and siding integrity first before sealing things up.
Had a similar issue myself a few years back—drove me nuts trying to figure out exactly where the water was sneaking in. At first, I assumed it was just old caulk or weather stripping, but even after redoing those, the leak persisted. Eventually, I noticed the siding above the window looked a little warped... turns out water had been getting behind there for a while, thanks to faulty flashing.
Makes me wonder how often caulking ends up being just a temporary fix? You'd think sealing around the window would be enough, but if there's an underlying issue like flashing or siding gaps, wouldn't that just trap moisture behind there and cause bigger headaches down the road? Curious if others have found themselves chasing leaks that turned out to be something totally different from what they assumed at first.
"Makes me wonder how often caulking ends up being just a temporary fix?"
I've found caulking usually holds up fine—as long as the initial install was done properly. Thing is, many people slap on new caulk without fully removing the old stuff or prepping the surface, so it never bonds right. Also, caulk isn't meant to solve major structural gaps or flashing issues. If water's sneaking behind siding, no amount of sealing around the window itself will solve it... learned that the hard way myself.
"Thing is, many people slap on new caulk without fully removing the old stuff or prepping the surface, so it never bonds right."
Totally agree with this—prep work makes or breaks it. But I'm curious, has anyone here found weather stripping to be a more reliable long-term solution for window leaks? I've had decent luck with caulking, but sometimes wonder if weather stripping might handle expansion and contraction better over time... thoughts?