Water Leaking Behind Wood Siding

At some point in the past an owner had vinyl siding installed over old siding.

Water leaking behind wood siding.

Tracking down the leaks in a vinyl sided building. During a very heavy 2 days of rain water began running from between pieces of siding. Water from rain or melting snow running down a building exterior wall can pass behind the siding where it encounters a gap in siding butt joints if the gap is not backed by flashing and if water entry at the gap is not blocked by the choice of siding exposure depth and by having staggered butt joints so that the gap is closed by the siding course below. If the builder failed to install a weather barrier this sort of staining is more likely.

In this video this old house general contractor tom silva shows how to prevent water from leaking in behind vinyl siding. Water entry at siding butt joint gaps. See water barriers exterior. Examine walls and floors beneath sinks around tubs and showers and around the water heater for signs of water leaks or discoloration.

Inspect the area above the leak including both indoors and out. This is true of brick wood and stucco as well as the newest composite materials. Check to be sure weep holes are open along bottom of window openings. Some areas were extremely heavy while others were just a single streak.

Not all have wood rot but the damage would progress to rot in time. In most communities building codes require a moisture barrier. The extra thickness of. If you find mold growing the wood floor plates behind the.

Water damage is risky business. The problem rainwater leaking from a gutter ends up behind siding and causes a wall to rot. If you do find such an area remove the siding and inspect the walls behind it to determine how the water is getting in. Some areas were extremely heavy.

Preparation for siding while correct installation reduces the risk of water running behind the siding it can t completely stop it. At yanish we find water damage behind the siding of roughly 1 in 6 homes. It easily hides beneath siding materials and often shows no obvious signs to untrained eyes.