Aluminum Siding Water Leak

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

Aluminum siding water leak.

Although vinyl is impervious to water when installed as directed by the manufacturer vinyl siding as a whole is not completely watertight. In this video this old house general contractor tom silva shows how to prevent water from leaking in behind vinyl siding. Water runs down the siding and can collect in the j channel. You ll want something strong like bondo or quickwood.

Once it has dried you can paint over it to maintain your home s curb appeal. Check to be sure weep holes are open along bottom of window openings. I have gutted the interior and i m removing the wall panels now. The problem rainwater leaking from a gutter ends up behind siding and causes a wall to rot.

Cover the exterior casing with aluminum or vinyl trim sheet. Install rigid head flashing i e drip cap on top of. A notorious example of leaks at this location is at improperly cut too short not properly positioned j channel used with aluminum or vinyl siding and placed around windows and doors or other wall penetrations. This old house general contractor tom silva shows how to prevent water from leaking in behind vinyl siding.

Inspect the area above the leak including both indoors and out. It is an 18 tt with aluminum siding. Does my matching siding cover cracks and leaks. How to prevent water from flowing under vinyl siding.

Small cracks in vinyl siding can occur over time. Significant water buildup can lead to leakage behind the channel and siding. To repair leaky siding you can use exterior caulk to fill in any small cracks. Ensure that exterior casing is sealed to the exterior sheathing or water resistive barrier with a good quality sealant.

The extra thickness of. If the crack is too large for caulk repair you can use a wood filler or putty to fill in the area. Unfortunately you won t be covered when normal wear and tear is at issue. During a few rain storms i venture out to the trailer to see where the leaks are coming through and there is water streaming from the seams in the aluminum siding.

The siding is not visibly damaged and i can t figure out how this can happen. If there is no way for it to drain the channel holds this water along with any dirt that was on the outside of the house.