How do I stop a window unit from leaking inside of my house?

Question

We found a leak in my window in my room. I just primed my whole room and now I found a leak line coming from the windowsill. Can I caulk it? If so what kind of caulk. My husband just gives up on things, so I have to do it. The windowsill where it is coming from is loose like I can move it where the unit is sitting on. We cleaned the sill not too long ago. But its not leaking directly under the unit it is under the sill.

Answer 1

A window unit air conditioner i take it?

Tilt it backwards. Dont worry, it wont fall out the window. But just prop it up in the front, inside the window so that while looking at it from the outside it looks like its slightly tilted downwards.

Air conditioning units create moisture by sucking it out the air. It is meant to drain out the back. If your unit is tilted forward or not at all it will leak inside.

EDIT-oh wait, i thought you were talking about a air conditioner leaking in....im sorry.

If its just a leaky window try caulking as you mentioned. Caulk around the window frame, around any cracks you see. There are many types of caulk, just swing by a hardware store and look for one that is compatible with wood and glass. They make kinds for windows, just ask the clerk.

Answer 2

I am assuming that the leak is coming from the outside.  You will need to do a simple test.  use a water hose and start with minimal water and also from the bottom of the window.  Spray directly at the window and around everthing and progressivly work your way up.  This should help with identifying your leak.  You will need two people to do this.  good luck.

Answer 3

Yes just tilt it back you can also drill a hole in the bottom pan to allow faster, efficent draining so it wont rust out. Also if you need a man that wont give up i'm here.

Answer 4

If you caulk it, the water might not leak into the bedroom but it probably still will cause a problem. The others are right, you need to send the accumulated water in the other direction by tilting the unit. Use shims -- thin pieces of wood (usually) that you wedge in to create a space. You can buy wooden shims at a hardware store. Maybe the drain tube is blocked -- if so, you can drill one or more holes in the bottom edge after you tilt the unit. The metal is thin.