The first place you see water is not always the place it got in. That’s what makes these leaks so easy to misread. Learn more—and hear Sal chat with Rosie on the House—about this common issue.
Water showing up around a window or door can be surprisingly misleading. The obvious assumption is that the window failed, but water may actually be entering through the roof, flashing, eaves, stucco, siding or another opening somewhere above or nearby.
Once water gets behind the exterior surface of a home, it can travel through the wall before becoming visible. By the time you see a drip at the top of a window, the actual entry point may be several feet away.
That matters because replacing the window won’t fix a leak that started somewhere else.
In the video below, Sal Sucato of DunRite Windows & Doors walks through a real Phoenix-area remodel where the open walls reveal exactly how this happens.
Why These Leaks Can Stay Hidden for Years
One of the biggest problems with water intrusion is that the damage may be happening long before you see any obvious sign of it.
In the home Sal walks through, the exterior looked fine. With drywall in place, the inside likely would have looked fine too. But once the walls were opened up, there was clear evidence of long-term water exposure and wood damage behind the surface.
That’s what makes these leaks so deceptive. The first visible symptom may show up around a window or door even though the water has already been traveling through the wall for quite some time.
Sal also demonstrates a simple hose test homeowners can use to see whether an exterior painted surface is absorbing water instead of shedding it. If the color darkens as it gets wet, that can be a clue that moisture is soaking into the surface rather than staying outside where it belongs.
We Took the Conversation to Rosie on the House
This issue is common enough, and misunderstood enough, that we wanted to keep the conversation going.
DunRite sponsored a recent Rosie on the House podcast segment where Sal joined their team to talk more about water intrusion, misleading window leaks and what homeowners should investigate before assuming they need a new window.
Prefer to read? The Rosie on the House team also interviewed Sal for a companion article on the same topic. Check it out on KTAR.
