Inward-opening window letting-in rain

[beano2012]

Whenever there's a combination of high wind and torrential rain, I find a pool of water on the inner sill of an old arched casement style window on our house. As the window faces into the prevailing wind, I assume that rainwater is blown into the tiny gaps between the sash and the frame, runs down and somehow collects on the inner sill.

Any ideas on how to prevent this happening again? I'm reluctant to sandwich a sponge weather strip between frame and sash because sponge would surely absorb the rain run-off whereas I need to repel it. Are there any squashable rubber-type strips that would do the job?

There is a kind of little weatherboard fitted to the base of the sash but, like weather strips on inward opening doors, it can't extend all the way across or you can't open the darn thing.

Advice please!

 

[fillapolly]

Without a picture i would be guessing. All upvc window are made to allow water(rain) run through them. From the frame to the casements, the window frames will be concealed or face drained(plastic caps on outer frame, just above sill). With the weatherstrip fitted, it should stop some water. Is the weather strip sealed or can you slide it sideways. If not sealed, seal with silicone(use masking tape if you don't trust yourself). Open you casement and look for a elongated hole on the bottom part of frame, if you cannot see it. Try and find them on bottom of casement and line up on frame. See if they are blocked, you will never get it bone dry unless there has been no rain. Hope this helps

 

[crank39]

My guess is this is a timber window

 

[beano2012]

Without a picture i would be guessing. All upvc window are made to allow water(rain) run through them. From the frame to the casements, the window frames will be concealed or face drained(plastic caps on outer frame, just above sill). With the weatherstrip fitted, it should stop some water. Is the weather strip sealed or can you slide it sideways. If not sealed, seal with silicone(use masking tape if you don't trust yourself). Open you casement and look for a elongated hole on the bottom part of frame, if you cannot see it. Try and find them on bottom of casement and line up on frame. See if they are blocked, you will never get it bone dry unless there has been no rain. Hope this helps

Humble apologies fillapolly - I should have made clear that it is an old timber window made in the 1920s from pine wood. The design is very basic and doesn't have the sophisticated weather protection that you get from upvc. Instead, the sash (Is that the right word? it's the bit of the window you can open inwards) closes against a 20mm wide lip that forms part of the frame. The frame and sash are in extremely good condition but obviously there is a design weakness here that needs addressing! Grateful for your further thoughts.

 

[beano2012]

My guess is this is a timber window

Hi crank39 - and yes your assumption is correct: please see my reply to fillapolly above. Would a photo help?

 

[beano2012]

help.... anyone out there? Surely there's a solution to this ?

 

[HERTS P&D]

Everyone is waiting for the pictures.

Andy

 

[beano2012]

@ herts drainage: DOH!!! Thanks - i'll get snapping tomorrow daytime assuming the weather's ok and post asap after that ,...cheers

 

[beano2012]

Hope the attached pics help show the problem. They were taken from the inside of the house. Two of the pics show the window in the closed position: in very windy weather, I think rainwater is forced between the imperfect seal between the inward opening sash and the lip of the frame that surrounds it. The rainwater then runs down and onto the inside sill where it collects on the RH side.

The third picture was taken with the window open and hopefully shows the frame lip and the (possibly ineffective) weatherboard affixed to the inward-opening sash. View media item 53325 View media item 53326 View media item 53327 [/img]