Can this be fixed?

40701085

Howdo folks,
Had wind driven rain all day today and it's exposed a flaw in the kitchen window area with a consequent leak - attached. It looks like the builder made a ball$ of the DPC around either this window or the cill on the one above it (directly upstairs) an water is running down the inner leaf.
I've looked outside & can't see any major problems with the render although I know that prob doesn't mean much as a) I'm not a great diy'er b) water can hide anywhere.

The builder's long gone so what I'm basically asking is - if this is a DPC issue - is there any way it can be fixed? Are there solutions out there? Best/worst case scenarios?

I'm flummoxed.:(

Thanks for any help.

Dtp1979

40701085 wrote: »

Howdo folks,
Had wind driven rain all day today and it's exposed a flaw in the kitchen window area with a consequent leak - attached. It looks like the builder made a ball$ of the DPC around either this window or the cill on the one above it (directly upstairs) an water is running down the inner leaf.
I've looked outside & can't see any major problems with the render although I know that prob doesn't mean much as a) I'm not a great diy'er b) water can hide anywhere.

The builder's long gone so what I'm basically asking is - if this is a DPC issue - is there any way it can be fixed? Are there solutions out there? Best/worst case scenarios?

I'm flummoxed.:(

Thanks for any help.

Is it a render finish or standard plaster?

jack of all

It certainly looks like a DPC problem, window fitter probably left the DPC rolled up in the cavity over the head. Best way to confirm this before undergoing expensive remedial work would be a borescope- drilling a small hole (or two or three!) in the outer leaf to allow a small inspection camera to view the cavity detailing at this location. Best case scenario (if the stepped DPC is in fact there but does not terminate correctly): the window will need to be removed or external rendered reveals hacked off and the DPC repositioned (DPC can be lengthened or modified to as required using a butyl tape (Monobond or similar) to join any new sections of DPC whilst maintaining the integrity of the DPC. Worst case scenario you may need to remove the window and the window head may need to be reconstructed- maybe consider using a proprietary cavity (Cavity Trays Yeovil) in this case. I presume this is the only window that's presenting this issue? I would guess your external leaf is either brickwork or you are living in an exposed location with wind driven rain.

I doubt the window cill over is causing the issue- even if the wrap-around DPC was omitted any water that found its way across the cavity on the underside of the cill wouldn't be of the volume shown in your photo- unless the sill has an inadequate drip formed (check this- easily remedied), and the stepped DPC shouldn't allow this to happen anyway.

40701085

Dtp1979 wrote: »

Is it a render finish or standard plaster?

It's a standard nap plaster finish.

jack of all wrote: »

It certainly looks like a DPC problem, window fitter probably left the DPC rolled up in the cavity over the head. Best way to confirm this before undergoing expensive remedial work would be a borescope- drilling a small hole (or two or three!) in the outer leaf to allow a small inspection camera to view the cavity detailing at this location. Best case scenario (if the stepped DPC is in fact there but does not terminate correctly): the window will need to be removed or external rendered reveals hacked off and the DPC repositioned (DPC can be lengthened or modified to as required using a butyl tape (Monobond or similar) to join any new sections of DPC whilst maintaining the integrity of the DPC. Worst case scenario you may need to remove the window and the window head may need to be reconstructed- maybe consider using a proprietary cavity (Cavity Trays Yeovil) in this case. I presume this is the only window that's presenting this issue? I would guess your external leaf is either brickwork or you are living in an exposed location with wind driven rain.

I doubt the window cill over is causing the issue- even if the wrap-around DPC was omitted any water that found its way across the cavity on the underside of the cill wouldn't be of the volume shown in your photo- unless the sill has an inadequate drip formed (check this- easily remedied), and the stepped DPC shouldn't allow this to happen anyway.

Many thanks for this. Another complicating factor I didn't mention - the cavity is pumped with ecobead. So, not sure if the borescope would work and secondly d'ya think it raises the fear of capillary action in the ecobead? Although to be fair this is the only window with the issue (south facing so got the brunt of the drenching gales today).

Excuse my ignorance but what should I be looking for in the cill for that inadequate drip that you mentioned?

Final ask - since I wouldn't be taking off the reveal/window until weather takes up, is there any temporary fix that might stave off the water for a week or 2? I can't imagine one, but no harm in asking

Guest0000

The plasterer probably cut the dpc back tight to the external head before plastering the reveal, then the Eco bead entry holes were bored close to the head and in turn the pressure of the beads pushed the already shorten dpc back against the inside leaf, with the driven rain entering the cavity and across the window frame.
A much less intrusive fix may be an application of an industrial strength waterproof coating on the external plaster, even a decent couple of coat of decent masonry paint, is this elevation facing the prevailing wind which would take most of the driving rain....

40701085

Guest0000 wrote: »

The plasterer probably cut the dpc back tight to the external head before plastering the reveal, then the Eco bead entry holes were bored close to the head and in turn the pressure of the beads pushed the already shorten dpc back against the inside leaf, with the driven rain entering the cavity and across the window frame.
A much less intrusive fix may be an application of an industrial strength waterproof coating on the external plaster, even a decent couple of coat of decent masonry paint, is this elevation facing the prevailing wind which would take most of the driving rain....

Thanks for this input, yes unfortunately that side is directly exposed to the southwesterlies...what I can't figure out is how the water is getting into the cavity in the first place??? There's no cracks or anything on the reveals, and this is the 4th winter since the house was built and the first time it's leaked. Sorry if this is a stupid question but - Can the rain really just pass through the nap/block?

whupdedo

40701085 wrote: »

Thanks for this input, yes unfortunately that side is directly exposed to the southwesterlies...what I can't figure out is how the water is getting into the cavity in the first place??? There's no cracks or anything on the reveals, and this is the 4th winter since the house was built and the first time it's leaked. Sorry if this is a stupid question but - Can the rain really just pass through the nap/block?

Ya it can no problem, the nap and block are like a sponge, if the water gets in, it soaks it up and goes straight through, if it's a dpc problem in the head of the window its not a major job, and man that knows what he's at would have it fixed in a day.