Why Is Water Seeping Through My Walls From the Rain?

A rainy day is the perfect excuse to curl up with a good book or watch your favorite movie, but your rainy day activities will get put on hold if you notice water coming through your wall when it rains. When your home fails at keeping the rain outside, there could be a number of issues with anything from the gutters and roof to the siding. Identifying the cause of rain leaking into your home is the first step toward fixing the damage.

Your gutters and downspouts are designed to direct water away from your home when it rains. Any issues with your gutters or downspouts can force the water back toward your home, where it can seep through your walls and cause major water damage. This often happens if the gutters become clogged due to not being cleaned out regularly. The clogs make it impossible for the water to pass, so it may push back toward the house.

Cleaning your gutters regularly and ensuring they're properly installed helps prevent this type of rain leakage inside your home. You can also install gutter guards to help prevent clogging.

Things like your siding and eaves aren't just there to make your house look nice. They're designed to keep water out of your home when it rains. Any damage to those exterior materials or the waterproofing materials underneath them gives water a path inside your home, where it can leak down your walls.

If you notice water coming through your walls, head outdoors to inspect your home in that general area. Look closely for loose siding, cracks, rotten areas, missing sections, loose caulk, or other signs of damage. Fixing those issues should stop the rain from coming through your walls.

You might assume a roof leak will show up as a stain on your ceiling, but leaks from above can also find their way into your walls. The water doesn't always fall straight down below the leak. It can run along the framing and seep down into the walls. Roof leaks can happen due to shingle damage, holes in the roof, issues with flashing, or problems around vents, chimneys, and other roof features. Having a roofing company repair these damages is often necessary to keep your home dry from above when it rains.

You might not suspect rain entering your home through your windows if they're closed, but they can leak, especially if there is damage or installation issues. Damaged or improperly installed window flashing can allow rain to leak through the windows and onto the walls. Cracks or gaps anywhere along the window frame or window components also provide an entry point for rain. If you see water coming in through the window or the water is on your walls near a window, have a professional inspect them for issues that might need to be repaired.

Water can get into your basement in a number of ways. If the water you're seeing on your walls when it rains is in the basement, you could have foundation cracks that let the water enter your home. Window wells around your basement windows can cause leaking if they don't drain properly. If the ground outside your basement becomes too saturated during a heavy rain, the moisture can seep through the walls and floors of your basement.