Leaving a small gap for airflow really does make a difference—too much sealing and you end up with condensation issues, especially in older homes. I’ve found sometimes it’s not even the window but the trim or that bottom sill where water sneaks in. Once I chased a leak for weeks before realizing the flashing above was failing... fixed that and problem solved. Definitely worth taking a close look outside, even if the inside looks fine.
That’s a solid point about the flashing. I’ve been down that rabbit hole more than once—thought I had a leaky window, but it was actually water sneaking in from the siding above and running down behind everything. You can caulk and weatherstrip all you want, but if the outside’s not sorted, you’re just chasing your tail.
One thing I’ve learned (usually the hard way) is that over-caulking can be just as bad as under-doing it. Seal up every gap and suddenly you’ve got moisture trapped inside the wall or frame, which is a whole new headache. Especially in these older houses where nothing’s square and there’s always some mystery draft or cold spot. I try to focus on the obvious gaps—like where the trim meets the siding or sill—and leave a little breathing room at the bottom for any stray water to escape. Those little weep holes manufacturers put in modern windows? They’re there for a reason, but folks love to caulk them shut...
Weather stripping is great for drafts, but it won’t do much if you’ve got water coming in from above or behind. If you see staining on the wall or sill, or if it only leaks when rain comes from a certain direction, odds are good it’s not just the window itself.
I’d say check from the outside first—look for cracked caulk lines, missing paint, or soft spots in the trim. Sometimes you can actually see where water’s been running down after a storm. Fixing flashing isn’t always fun (or cheap), but it beats tearing out drywall later.
Funny enough, my neighbor swore his window was leaking for months—turned out his gutters were overflowing right above and dumping water straight onto the sill. Sometimes it’s not even the window at all... just bad luck with rain direction and old gutters.
- Been there with the “mystery leak” routine—sometimes it feels like the water’s got a mind of its own.
- Agree about over-caulking. Did that once in my old place and ended up with condensation inside the wall... which led to some gnarly mold. Not my finest DIY moment.
- I usually do a quick hose test outside before tearing into anything. Sometimes you can spot where the water’s sneaking in if you spray above the window and watch for drips inside.
- Gutters are so underrated—half the time, it’s just clogged junk up there redirecting water right where you don’t want it.
- One thing I still struggle with: figuring out if it’s just wind-driven rain or a bigger flashing issue. Ever notice leaks only show up during those sideways storms?
Anyone ever try one of those drip cap add-ons above the trim? Curious if they’re worth the hassle or just another band-aid fix.
Drip caps are actually a pretty solid solution, especially if you’re dealing with wind-driven rain. I added them above two of my north-facing windows after a couple of those sideways storms pushed water in, and honestly, it made a noticeable difference. They're not going to fix a bigger flashing problem, but they do help direct water away from the top edge so it doesn’t have a chance to sneak behind the trim.
I wouldn’t call them a total band-aid, but you still need to make sure the rest of your window assembly is sound—flashing, caulk (but not overdoing it), and weather stripping all matter. I’ve seen folks just slap on a drip cap and ignore a bigger issue like missing or failed flashing, which doesn’t end well.
One thing I like about drip caps is they’re pretty low profile and don’t mess with the look of the house much. Installation’s not too bad if you’re already working on the trim anyway. Just my two cents, but I’d go for it if you’re seeing leaks only during heavy wind/rain combos.
I get why drip caps are getting so much love here, but I’m still not convinced they’re the magic fix for every leaky window. Maybe I’m just a little jaded after what happened with my place last spring. I had some water sneaking in around the frame—nothing dramatic, just enough to bubble the paint and make me nervous. Everyone kept telling me to throw a drip cap on and call it a day. I did, and yeah, it helped a bit during rain that came in at an angle, but the problem wasn’t totally solved.
This bit really stood out:
They're not going to fix a bigger flashing problem, but they do help direct water away from the top edge so it doesn’t have a chance to sneak behind the trim.
That’s exactly what happened to me—the cap was fine, but once I dug deeper, I found out the old caulk had pulled away and the original flashing job was, honestly, kind of a joke. No amount of drip cap was going to make up for that. Ended up having to pull the whole window trim off, re-do the flashing (which was a pain), and then re-caulk everything. Not exactly what I signed up for as a new homeowner.
I get wanting a quick fix—trust me, I do. But sometimes the “easy” solution just covers up the real issue for a while. If you’re seeing leaks, especially if they’re showing up after years without problems, it might be worth checking if the caulk or flashing is shot before adding anything else. Drip caps are neat, but they’re not a substitute for proper sealing, at least from what I’ve seen.
Maybe I’m just paranoid after dealing with soggy drywall, but I’d rather overthink it than end up with mold behind the walls. Anyone else run into this? Sometimes I feel like old houses come with their own set of rules...
Drip caps are neat, but they’re not a substitute for proper sealing, at least from what I’ve seen.
Couldn’t agree more with this. Drip caps get hyped up a lot, but in my experience, they’re just one piece of the puzzle. On my old Craftsman, I chased leaks for months before realizing the flashing was basically decorative at that point—cracked, gapped, and letting water run right behind everything. Slapping on a drip cap helped *some*, but I still got that dreaded paint bubbling you mentioned.
Honestly, once water starts making its way in, it’s usually a sign something bigger’s failing. Caulk dries out or shrinks over time (especially with wild temperature swings), and flashing that wasn’t done right from the start just compounds it. I know redoing trim and flashing is a pain—been there—but it’s way better than finding rot or mold later.
Old houses really do have their own rules... Sometimes you have to peel back a few layers to get to the root problem. Quick fixes are tempting, but they rarely last if the underlying stuff isn’t solid.
Quick fixes are tempting, but they rarely last if the underlying stuff isn’t solid.
That’s been my experience too. I used to just re-caulk every year, thinking it’d do the trick, but the water kept showing up in weird spots. Ever notice how sometimes it’s not even the window itself, but something higher up? Makes me wonder if we’re all chasing leaks in the wrong place half the time. I’m starting to think unless you dig into the trim and flashing, you’re just playing whack-a-mole with leaks.
- Had the same problem in my 90s split-level. I figured a fat bead of caulk would fix everything... nope.
- After chasing leaks for months, I realized the real culprit was bad flashing above the window—not even visible unless you start pulling trim.
- Weather stripping helped with drafts but did nothing for water.
- If you’re seeing water in weird spots, definitely check above and around, not just right at the window.
- Took me three tries to finally stop the leak—felt like a home repair whodunit.
Had a similar headache with my early-2000s ranch—kept blaming the caulk, but it was actually a tiny gap in the siding above the window. Did you check the exterior wall for cracks or missing flashing? Sometimes the water travels way farther than you'd think.
Sometimes the water travels way farther than you'd think.
That’s exactly what tripped me up with my place. I was convinced it was failed caulk, but after redoing it twice, the leak kept showing up. Ended up crawling around outside with a flashlight during a storm and spotted a hairline crack in the stucco about a foot above the window. Water was running in behind the siding and finding its way down—never would’ve guessed.
I’d say don’t just focus on the window frame itself or the caulk. Weather stripping is rarely the culprit for rain leaks unless your window is ancient or warped. Most times, it’s some tiny gap or missing flashing further up the wall. Even a poorly installed drip cap above the window can let water sneak in.
If you’ve got access, try running a hose above the window (not directly on it) and see if anything shows up inside. It’s tedious, but sometimes that’s the only way to track these things down. I know it’s tempting to just re-caulk and hope for the best, but in my experience, that’s usually just masking a bigger issue.