damp under D/Glazed windowsills

[copey]

Hi Guys,
I've just joined DIYnot it has helped me a fair few times! but I have a problem that I need some advice on.

I've beeen in my property for a couple of years and the DG was already fitted but in both front upstairs rooms I have damp problems under the windowsills. The main bedroom has tiles on the outside of the house and lead flashing under the sills. The small bedroom has a pitched roof outside it and also has lead under the window sills.

In both rooms it looks like the lead is poking out underneath the wooden window sill in places and this appears to be where the damp and mould grow the worst. We get a fair bit of condensation in the bedrooms which pools on the window ledge and I don't know if this is leaking through the window frame and down into the wall cavity or if the cold is condensating on the lead and making the areas where the lead pokes through damp.

Don't know if anyone has had any similar problems or any ideas as to what the solution might be. I've took a few pics of the small bedroom.
any help/advice greatly appreciated

 

[pinenot]

Can you post the pics...pinenot

 

[copey]

Hi Pienot,
I upoladed the images to an album on the site I thought the were visible..
Hopefully they are now I can see them as I write the reply.
Cheers
Ian

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• 10 Mar 2013
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[pinenot]

Is that the lead flashing coming all the way through?
If it is then your problem is cold bridging, most likely...pinenot

 

[copey]

Thanks for the reply Pienot.
Yes it is the lead coming through, I think whoever fitted the window just bent it in under the frame. Originally I guess it would have just bent up towards the outside sill.
I would imagine this is quite a job to rectify am I right? Am I looking at taking the windows out or would I be able to remove the insde wall and poke the lead back out? I don't know how the frame is supported. The window in the bedroom isn't a brick wall I don't think, my neighbour has a very sinilar house and said the walls were hollow and tiled on the outside. I don't know about the small bedroom.
Anyway thanks for the reply.
Cheers
Ian

 

[pinenot]

Normally I would expect to see this type of arrangement -

View media item 58140 with the lead between concrete and wooden/plastic cills.

Could you describe the type of windows: material , opening style etc...pinenot

 

[copey]

Hi Pienot,
They're UPVC DG windows, plastic sills on the exterior with what I assume are the original wooden ones inside but with a plastic strip covering half the sill. the openings in the main room are 2 sideopenings & 1 small one in the upper middle, the small room has one large opening in the middle.
I'll take another couple of photos and post them when I get a chance.
Cheers
Ian

 

[pinenot]

Hopefully the new photos will help answer the rectification question.
Being pvc, I doubt the windows actually require a lead dpc in the first place.
Can you tell at this time whether there's any upward play in the window frames, away from the lead?

 

[copey]

Hi Pienot,
So I took a few photos of the outside of the house showing the tiles and where the lead is. Don't know if they'll help. I took another look over the weekend and theres defo some lead poking through under the sill in the small room, it looks like a wavy line, can't think what else that would be.
Anyway let me know if these help at all.
Cheers
Ian

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• 20 Mar 2013
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[pinenot]

It's more than likely the lead showing internally under the cills is a full width piece with the flashing dressed over those tiles, that complicates things. if you can expose the window head(s) as a means of establishing if the windows can be lifted in situ, it may be possible to proceed without removing the windows.
It looks to me like plastic profile cills, are the reveals also plastic?

 

[copey]

Hi Pienot,
Thanks again for the reply.
I'm not sure what you mean by window heads, do you mean the top edge of the windows? I've taken a couple more photos. I think it sounds like what you mean is lifting the window in situ off the sill and then dealing with the lead, would that be right, also what do you mean by the returns?
Anyway here are the other pics and once again thanks for your help.

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• copey
• 22 Mar 2013
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Thanks
Ian

 

[masona]

We get a fair bit of condensation in the bedrooms which pools on the window ledge

It's best to control the condensation first before you do anything, very common in the bedrooms when breathing in the room at night

 

[pinenot]

Essentially yes, lifting the windows at the cill, but pvc windows normally have their cills fixed to the window frame, either delivered that way or fixed on site (depending on horn cuts required) So exposing the top of the windows by removing the curtain plates/trim (window to ceiling) we can establish if there's any space to allow the windows to be raised clear of the lead. This may seem like a tall order, but believe me it can be done, but we need to establish the facts first. Also, if you can try to establish how the windows at each end to the walls...pinenot