Leaking window

[ssanbower]

The window in our dining room has started to leak. We live in Minnesota and have much snow built up on the roof and gutter. The past few days have been above freezing, and I suspect that snow/ice is melting and the water is somehow coming in from the gutter/soffit and getting into the wall above the window. A drop of water forms on the top casing every few seconds and falls onto the sill. I am a new homeowner and can't claim to know the first thing about identifying the source of a leak or how to fix it.

Where do I start? Should I call a pro right away before things get worse? Or are there steps I should take myself first?

I greatly appreciate any help.

-Seth

[dkpbxman]

You might be getting "ice dams"

Ice Dams

My house is a one story ranch. When it stops snowing I go outside with an old push broom and pull down the snow that has collected on the unheated part of the roof (soffit) in order to prevent dams from forming. Just be careful not to damage any shingles on the roof while doing this.

Obviously, this little trick won't work if your house is more than one story and you can't reach.

In that case you might want to look into electrically heated wire that you can put in this area to melt any ice although a better solution is to make sure the attic is well insulated and properly ventilated. In that way you can keep the ice dams from forming in the first place.

Any hardware store would know what you're talking about.

[Robbie245]

Sounds like ice damming.

Consult a roofing / insulation contractor.

If your soffit vents are blocked, your ridge vent won't work properly and you'll get ice dams.