Calling all handymen and women: need advice

[jendf]

On Thursday, my bedroom window was damaged during a powerful monsoon storm. The window shook so hard that I thought it was going to blow out. When it began to rain, water started seeping through the window.

The apartment maintenance guys finally came out today. They looked at it for about 30 seconds, went outside and re-sealed the bottom ledge. While I'm sure that will help, I'm not sure it is going to take care of the problem entirely. I don't have a good feeling about this. I told them that water was pooling not just at the bottom but also on the ledge where I slide the window open and closed. I don't think sealing the bottom part of the window is going to resolve a leak 12 inches above it.

So I would like to see if there is anything I can do from inside. Apply some caulk or some type of sealant around the entire window frame. I can't do anything to the outside of it because it's a third floor apartment and I don't have a ladder.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Would caulk or sealant work if applied from the inside?

[franksolich]

On Thursday, my bedroom window was damaged during a powerful monsoon storm. The window shook so hard that I thought it was going to blow out. When it began to rain, water started seeping through the window.

The apartment maintenance guys finally came out today. They looked at it for about 30 seconds, went outside and re-sealed the bottom ledge. While I'm sure that will help, I'm not sure it is going to take care of the problem entirely. I don't have a good feeling about this. I told them that water was pooling not just at the bottom but also on the ledge where I slide the window open and closed. I don't think sealing the bottom part of the window is going to resolve a leak 12 inches above it.

So I would like to see if there is anything I can do from inside. Apply some caulk or some type of sealant around the entire window frame. I can't do anything to the outside of it because it's a third floor apartment and I don't have a ladder.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Would caulk or sealant work if applied from the inside?

I would just wait until the next big rainstorm, and see.

It's possible they did indeed solve the problem.

Maintenance guys aren't primitives; they know what they're doing.

[Carl]

You could get a tub of spackling compound at a hardware store and then with your fingertip smooth and press a small amount into the the corner where the window frame joins the opening.
It presses in pretty nice when uncured and will set to a dullish white color bit is hardly visible unless it is a large opening you are trying to fill.

[jendf]

I would just wait until the next big rainstorm, and see.

It's possible they did indeed solve the problem.

Maintenance guys aren't primitives; they know what they're doing.

I don't know, Frank. You haven't met my maintenance guys.  

But, yeah, you're right. Perhaps I should just wait and see. But I'm one of those people who likes to get ahead of potential mishaps.

[jendf]

You could get a tub of spackling compound at a hardware store and then with your fingertip smooth and press a small amount into the the corner where the window frame joins the opening.
It presses in pretty nice when uncured and will set to a dullish white color bit is hardly visible unless it is a large opening you are trying to fill.

Thanks. Frank's idea might be good so I can see exactly where the leak is coming from. Then I can do your idea. During the storm, the rain was coming down so hard and I was so focused on getting bath towels to sop it up  that I didn't really pay attention to the exact location of the leak.

[Carl]

You could get a tub of spackling compound at a hardware store and then with your fingertip smooth and press a small amount into the the corner where the window frame joins the opening.
It presses in pretty nice when uncured and will set to a dullish white color bit is hardly visible unless it is a large opening you are trying to fill.

Thanks. Frank's idea might be good so I can see exactly where the leak is coming from. Then I can do your idea. During the storm, the rain was coming down so hard and I was so focused on getting bath towels to sop it up  that I didn't really pay attention to the exact location of the leak.

If there is a leak you might be able to feel air moving too so as to not have to wait until rain starts seeping in.

[jendf]

You could get a tub of spackling compound at a hardware store and then with your fingertip smooth and press a small amount into the the corner where the window frame joins the opening.
It presses in pretty nice when uncured and will set to a dullish white color bit is hardly visible unless it is a large opening you are trying to fill.

Thanks. Frank's idea might be good so I can see exactly where the leak is coming from. Then I can do your idea. During the storm, the rain was coming down so hard and I was so focused on getting bath towels to sop it up  that I didn't really pay attention to the exact location of the leak.

If there is a leak you might be able to feel air moving too so as to not have to wait until rain starts seeping in.

I'll go inspect it now...

[Chris_]

On Thursday, my bedroom window was damaged during a powerful monsoon storm. The window shook so hard that I thought it was going to blow out. When it began to rain, water started seeping through the window.

The apartment maintenance guys finally came out today. They looked at it for about 30 seconds, went outside and re-sealed the bottom ledge. While I'm sure that will help, I'm not sure it is going to take care of the problem entirely. I don't have a good feeling about this. I told them that water was pooling not just at the bottom but also on the ledge where I slide the window open and closed. I don't think sealing the bottom part of the window is going to resolve a leak 12 inches above it.

So I would like to see if there is anything I can do from inside. Apply some caulk or some type of sealant around the entire window frame. I can't do anything to the outside of it because it's a third floor apartment and I don't have a ladder.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Would caulk or sealant work if applied from the inside?

Never seal a window from the inside.  If you do, the water will stay within the window frame and start other problems inside the wall.  Water must be kept completely outside the wall/window.  Wait for the next storm and inspect the window while it's raining/leaking.  With a pencil, mark the area(s) where it's leaking so you can show the maintenance people exactly where the problem is.

[Thor]

Who said that Aggies were dumb ??