Source of seepage
Window frames
Rain getting in around windows set in plaster
How water travels
From the source to your wall.
Aluminium, uPVC and wooden window frames in Indian flats are set into openings in brick or block walls and finished with plaster. Rain runs down the glass and frame, and if the joint between frame and plaster is cracked or unsealed, the sill has no outward slope or drip groove, or the frame's drainage slots are blocked, water gets into the wall around the opening and runs down inside it.
When it shows: During monsoon rain, especially wind-driven rain on the exposed side.
The pattern it leaves
- Damp patches below the corners of the window sill
- Stains running down from the corners of the opening, or above it from the lintel or sunshade
- Water in the sill channel and on the floor below after rain
- Peeling paint and salts around the frame edges
How it's confirmed
Meter, thermal, eyes.
- Meter readings around the opening, at the corners and below the sill, against the dry reference wall
- Thermal scan around the frame, which can show cool wet areas but also cool lines from draughts through gaps, so every anomaly is checked with the meter
- Visual check of the sealant, sill slope, drip groove, drainage slots and sunshade
- Comparing windows on the monsoon-facing side with the sheltered side
Who is usually responsible
It depends on where the water starts.
- Owner
- Usually responsible for windows and their sealing within their own flat, depending on the society's bye-laws, which vary.
- Builder (within defect period)
- Poor sealing or sill detailing in a new flat brought to the builder's notice within five years from the date of handing over possession falls under Section 14(3) of the RERA Act, 2016. Your state's rules may differ.
- Society or association
- May be responsible where the leak comes from the external wall or sunshade around the window rather than the frame itself.
Typical repair approach
What a fix usually involves.
Described for understanding, not as a recommendation. Megahedge does not do repairs or recommend contractors.
- 01Removing old sealant and re-sealing the frame to plaster joint inside and out
- 02Clearing the frame's drainage slots
- 03Correcting the sill slope and cutting or restoring a drip groove under the sill and sunshade
- 04Repairing cracks in the plaster around the opening
- 05Interior plaster and paint repairs once the wall is dry
Questions buyers ask
Is the leak from the window or the wall?
The pattern helps. Damp at the corners and below the sill points to the frame and sill. Damp spread across the wall or along a beam points to the wall itself.
Is this checked in a Possession Check?
Yes. Window frame gaps, sill slope and sealant are on the seepage snag list for new flats.
Can silicone fix it?
Sealing the frame joint is often part of the fix, but if the sill slopes inwards or the drainage slots are blocked, sealant alone will not hold for long.
Find the damp before you pay for it.
Book a moisture and thermal inspection. Report on WhatsApp within 24 hours.