Rain sneaking in around my window—caulk or weather stripping?

Definitely agree that weather stripping handles seasonal shifting better than caulk, but one thing I'd add is considering the type of window frame material. Is yours wood or vinyl? Wood tends to expand and contract more significantly with moisture levels and temperature changes, making flexible solutions like weather stripping preferable. Also, have you checked the flashing above the window itself? Had a sneaky leak once caused by improperly installed flashing—took forever to pinpoint that one...

"Had a sneaky leak once caused by improperly installed flashing—took forever to pinpoint that one..."

Haha, man, been there. Spent weeks chasing down a leak, convinced it was the window seals, only to find out it was the flashing above letting water sneak in behind the siding. Felt pretty dumb after all that caulking and weather stripping I threw at it.

Totally agree about wood frames too—they move around way more than you'd expect. Mine are wood, and weather stripping has definitely held up better long-term. Caulk just ends up cracking or peeling off after a couple seasons of expanding and contracting. If you're dealing with vinyl though, caulk might hold up fine since vinyl doesn't shift as much.

One other thing I'd toss out there: check your gutters if they're nearby. Had a clogged gutter once that overflowed right onto my window during heavy rain... talk about sneaky leaks.

Totally agree about wood frames too—they move around way more than you'd expect. Mine are wood, and weather stripping has definitely held up better long-term.

Haha, clogged gutters are sneaky little devils for sure. Had a similar issue myself—spent ages sealing up everything around the window, convinced it was the flashing or seals. Turned out water was backing up from a gutter full of leaves and pine needles, then dripping down behind the siding. Felt like a genius after finally figuring that one out... until I realized I'd wasted half my weekend caulking stuff that didn't need it.

Yeah, wood frames definitely have more movement than most people realize. Weather stripping tends to handle that flexing better than caulk, since caulk can crack or pull away when the wood expands and contracts with humidity changes. I've noticed that myself—especially on older wooden windows where the joints aren't as tight anymore.

Also, good call on the gutters. It's surprising how often water intrusion issues trace back to something totally unrelated, like clogged gutters or even improper grading around the house. I had a similar mystery leak once and spent hours checking window seals and flashing before realizing the soil around my foundation had settled, directing water right toward the wall. Felt pretty silly afterward, but at least it was an easy fix once I figured it out.

Makes me wonder how many leaks people chase down with caulk guns when the real culprit is hiding somewhere else entirely...

- Weather stripping's great, but honestly, I've had decent luck with flexible silicone caulk too. It moves a bit better with the wood than the regular stuff.
- Totally agree about gutters though—spent a weekend sealing windows only to find out later it was a clogged downspout causing all the trouble. Felt like a genius after that one...
- Sometimes leaks are just sneaky like that, no matter how much detective work you do.

I’ve definitely been there—spent ages caulking every seam on my 1960s ranch, only to realize the real culprit was a cracked gutter elbow dumping water right at the window. For the window itself, I like using a combo: flexible silicone caulk for the outside (it moves with the wood, like you said), and weather stripping inside if there’s any draft. Just make sure everything’s dry before you seal it up, or you’ll trap moisture. Anyone else run into weird leaks that turned out to be something totally unexpected?

spent ages caulking every seam on my 1960s ranch, only to realize the real culprit was a cracked gutter elbow dumping water right at the window.

That’s so relatable—I once blamed a drafty window for months before realizing it was actually a tiny gap where the siding met the foundation. Your combo of silicone outside and weather stripping inside is solid. It’s wild how water finds the weirdest ways in, even when you think you’ve sealed everything up. Don’t get discouraged, sometimes it’s just trial and error with these old houses.

- Water’s sneaky—sometimes it’s not the window at all, but something upstream like you found with that gutter.
- I usually check the flashing above the window and the siding overlap too. Even a tiny gap can let water in over time.
- Silicone caulk outside is great for hairline cracks, but if you’re still getting leaks, try low-expansion foam around the frame (from inside, under the trim). Just don’t overdo it or you’ll warp the window.
- Weather stripping’s more for drafts than leaks, but it won’t hurt if you’ve got old sashes.
- Had a client who swore it was the glass... turned out to be a nail hole in the trim from 1975. Go figure.
- Sometimes you gotta play detective—old houses keep you on your toes.

That bit about the nail hole from 1975 cracked me up—reminds me of when I spent weeks chasing a leak that turned out to be a tiny gap where the siding met the old storm window.

“Sometimes you gotta play detective—old houses keep you on your toes.”

“Sometimes you gotta play detective—old houses keep you on your toes.”

Ain’t that the truth. I’ve chased my fair share of phantom leaks over the years. One time, I swore up and down it was the window itself, but after a wild goose chase (and a few buckets on the floor), turned out water was sneaking in from a cracked shingle way up by the gutter, running down behind the siding, and popping out right above the window frame. Drove me nuts.

I get what you’re saying about caulk just being a band-aid if you haven’t found the real entry point. Sometimes folks go wild with the silicone, but if water’s coming in from higher up, it’ll just find another way out. I usually start with a hose test—have someone spray low, then work their way up while I watch inside for drips. Found more than one “leak” that way that was actually a siding issue, not the window at all.

Weather stripping’s great for drafts, but yeah, rarely does much against water. If you do end up caulking, make sure to use exterior-grade stuff and check for gaps where trim meets siding, not just around the window itself. Old houses love to keep us guessing...