Thread: Question on water leaking into windows on new construction

Hello, first post. We are having a house built and the current state is:
- Vinyl windows are installed (seems to be a rubber membrane around the windows)
- 3 sides are covered with viny siding
- Front of house will be stucco but is currently just tyvek over sheathing
- Wall insulation installed, drywall hung and finished, walls painted, trim installed

The issue we have seen is on the front of the house. Water has been coming in and it seems to be from the windows. We have not seen water come in one any of the three vinyl siding sides of the house though was some prior to siding being installed.

We were going to ask the builder to pull drywall from areas where there was water intrusion but is it normal or acceptable for vinyl windows to leak prior to a stucco facade being installed?

Thanks

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Originally Posted by TempTag

Hello, first post. We are having a house built and the current state is:
- Vinyl windows are installed (seems to be a rubber membrane around the windows)
- 3 sides are covered with viny siding
- Front of house will be stucco but is currently just tyvek over sheathing
- Wall insulation installed, drywall hung and finished, walls painted, trim installed

The issue we have seen is on the front of the house. Water has been coming in and it seems to be from the windows. We have not seen water come in one any of the three vinyl siding sides of the house though was some prior to siding being installed.

We were going to ask the builder to pull drywall from areas where there was water intrusion but is it normal or acceptable for vinyl windows to leak prior to a stucco facade being installed?

Thanks

No, it is not normal. Once a window is "properly" installed in the dry-in stage it should not leak. The cladding will not keep water from leaking in a window that was leaking prior to the cladding being installed.

Thanks for the information Scott. We will ask the builder to check the windows as well.

We will ask the builder to check the windows as well.

The siding is a cladding, and not a water resistive barrier. Once the flashing and housewrap is installed, water should not readily leak into the home. Have the builder re- do the flashing at windows and any other penetrations where needed.