On the inside, my wife and I could see cracks in the wallboard around the window frame, and feel cold air blowing in. As a temporary measure, we caulked the cracks. Today, I looked at the outside.
You can see the gaps above the window frame where rain and wind have been entering. We spent thr briefly non-raining afternoon recaulking the outside of the most obvious offenders, and we'lll do all the rest when we some days above freezing.
If you haven't checking the sealing around your window frames in the last year or two, do it.
Consider checking for water damage and mold.
ReplyDeleteCaulking the outside is good, but caulking inside may trap moisture in the wall. Can you determine the water path? I suspect that some would follow the window frame to the sides, and then down. You should have a heavy beam across the top, above that crack. The sides may have double 2x4's to the floor.
I'd be inclined to look for a simple way to access the inside to get it dry. Is there moldings or kick panels along the wall bottom? You could remove that, and cut ports in the drywall between the studs. I would use a vibrating cutting tool to slice the drywall. If you have hardwood floors, you don't want that to soak up water. If you do find water, use fans to move air through those ports. Cut neat ports, and you can replace the pieces to save time.
The quicker you verify the condition, the better. Homeowners insurance may cover your costs, although if not too extensive, it may not pay to make a claim.
You could rent or buy a remote viewer to see inside the wall. It only needs a hole big enough to fit the fiberoptic lens end, maybe a half inch or so. Costco may still carry one in their tool section. Home Depo sells them, and may rent.