DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

Hello and thanks in advance for any help!

I'm having some water ingress and struggling to find the source. It's on the ground floor, dripping in just inside a window frame on the underside of the alcove the window is in. It only happens when it's very windy and rainy, which is what makes me think it's ingress rather than a plumbing problem. Only about 50ml overnight.

My theory is that it's rain getting between the exterior render and the brickwork, then getting funneled down.

This isn't yet a damp problem, but could become one I suppose!

I'll post pictures ASAP. Any thoughts would be great on how to identify the source of the problem. Also, I'm quite happy to get a professional in but can't figure out who to call! A roofer?

Many thanks! Peter

Hi petoid
Do you have a small roof above this window (like a bay window) or is the alcove you refer to just a window recess?
Regards S

Sorry, yes just the window recess. Here are some pictures.

On the internal picture you can probably see a small discoloured patch and small crack in paintwork above the window, this is where the drip was coming from.

On the external picture, you can see the wall is vertical above the window, so nowhere for water to pool - my suspected culprit is the top of the render not being fully bonded to the brickwork. But I may be totally wrong!

Hi petoid,
The reason you have with water ingress at this point will be difficult to identify. Water running down the brickwork and getting behind the rendering leading to saturated brickwork may be a cause but with a south facing wall and porous bricks it is unlikely.
It is possible that rainwater running down the rendered part could then travel in to the top of the window and by capillary action soak the bottom part of the wall. Suggest you try running a bead of silicone across the top of the frame to seal the render to the frame.
Whatever you do it may take months/years to establish if it has been successful.
Regards S