In a nor’easter, strong northeast winds drive rain sideways into walls instead of letting it fall on the roof. In older Montgomery County homes, that water gets in through worn mortar joints in stone and brick, gaps around old window frames, chimney flashing and clogged gutters that overflow against the foundation. Check those spots before the storm, and look for damp plaster and stains after it.
Fall is when the nor’easter season starts to build. The National Weather Service says these East Coast storms can happen any time of year but are most frequent and most violent between September and April, bringing gale-force gusts and heavy rain or snow. For a house that has been standing since the 1920s, that kind of storm is a real test.
Montgomery County has a lot of those houses. Census estimates for Glenside show a median year built of 1938, with more than half of its homes built in 1939 or earlier. Ambler’s own historic survey counted more than 900 properties built before 1940. From Ambler to Glenside and Lafayette Hill, many local homes were built long before modern weather barriers, house wrap and sealed windows existed.
What is a nor’easter, and why is it different from a regular rainstorm?
A nor’easter is a storm that tracks along the East Coast and gets its name from the strong winds blowing in from the northeast off the ocean. What sets it apart for homeowners is how long it lasts and how hard the wind blows. A summer thunderstorm might drop an inch of rain in an hour and move on. A nor’easter can push wind and rain against the same side of your house for a day or more.
That steady sideways rain is what finds weak points. Roofs are designed to shed water falling from above. Walls are not built to stand up to hours of water being blown straight at them, especially older masonry walls that depend on their mortar to keep water out.
The region has seen how much damage these storms can do. In March 2018, Winter Storm Riley brought gusts up to 60 mph and heavy wet snow to Pennsylvania, and the state’s utility commission reported about 680,000 electric outages at the peak.
How does rain get into a stone or brick wall?
Stone and brick are durable, but the mortar between them is the part that wears out. The National Park Service’s guidance on repointing historic masonry explains that when mortar erodes, it lets moisture penetrate deeply into the wall, and that broken bonds between mortar and masonry let water into hairline cracks.
Once water is in the wall, it moves. It can show up as damp plaster on the inside, peeling paint, efflorescence (white salt deposits on the surface) or a musty smell in a closet on an exterior wall. In homes with plaster on the inside of the stone, the stain may appear well below or to the side of where the water actually entered.
The Park Service also warns about a common mistake: repointing old, soft brick or stone with hard portland cement mortar. Hard mortar can trap moisture inside the wall and cause the face of the brick or stone to crack and flake off over time. If your home has had repairs done with the wrong mortar, it may be more vulnerable than it looks.
Where else does wind-driven rain get into older homes?
Masonry is not the only weak spot. In a long, windy rain, water tends to get in at the joints between materials.
- Window frames and sills. Old wood windows, worn glazing and failed caulk let water run into the wall below the sill.
- Chimney flashing. The metal where the chimney meets the roof often gets loose over time, and water runs down inside the chimney chase.
- Porch and roof connections. Where a porch roof ties into the main wall, flashing details can fail and let water into the wall cavity.
- Overflowing gutters. Leaf-clogged gutters dump water against the wall and foundation instead of carrying it away.
- Basement window wells and foundation cracks. Rain driven against the house runs down the wall and into the basement through any opening it finds.
Nor’easter checklist for older Montgomery County homes
Run through this list in the fall, before the first big coastal storm. Each item comes with the reason it matters.
- Clean gutters after the leaves drop. Clogged gutters overflow against walls and foundations, which is exactly where you do not want extra water in a long storm.
- Check downspouts. Make sure each one empties several feet away from the house so water does not pool at the foundation.
- Look at your mortar joints. Crumbling mortar, open joints and loose stones or bricks are the main entry points for wind-driven rain in masonry walls.
- Inspect window caulk and glazing. Cracked caulk and missing glazing let water run straight into the wall below the window.
- Look at chimney flashing. Use binoculars to check for loose or lifted metal where the chimney meets the roof.
- Keep storm drains clear. Pennsylvania American Water asks residents not to rake or blow leaves into streets or storm drains, because blocked drains cause street flooding and sewer backups.
- Check the basement. Look for cracks, damp spots or white mineral deposits on foundation walls, which show where water has gotten in before.
- Photograph your home. A quick set of photos of each room and the exterior gives you a record of how things looked before a storm.
What should I look for after a nor’easter passes?
Walk the house inside and out within a day or two of the storm. Pay closest attention to the wall that faced the wind, which for a nor’easter is usually the north and east sides.
Inside, look for new stains on ceilings and walls, bubbling or peeling paint, damp plaster, wet window sills and puddles in the basement. Check closets and corners on exterior walls, where water often shows up first. Outside, look for loose stones or bricks, missing shingles and gutters that pulled away from the house.
If you find water, take photos before cleaning anything. The Pennsylvania Insurance Department recommends documenting damage before cleanup, making reasonable temporary repairs like covering an opening, saving receipts and contacting your insurer promptly.
How fast do I need to deal with water inside a wall?
Quickly. The EPA says mold can begin growing on wet materials within 24 to 48 hours. Water inside a wall cavity is hard to see and slow to dry on its own, because there is very little air movement behind plaster or drywall.
A restoration crew uses moisture meters to map how far the water spread, then sets dehumidifiers and air movers to dry the wall and the framing. In older homes with plaster and masonry, drying often takes a careful approach so finishes can be saved instead of torn out. Once the structure is dry, repairs can be planned, and the outside entry point can be fixed so the same wall does not take on water in the next storm.
Can I fix wind-driven rain leaks myself?
Some prevention is homeowner work: cleaning gutters, extending downspouts and recaulking accessible windows. Repointing masonry is different. The Park Service guidance stresses matching the mortar to the original material, which is skilled work. Leaks that have already put water into walls, ceilings or a finished basement call for professional drying so hidden moisture does not stay behind.
Water Inside After a Nor’easter?
Older stone and brick homes are worth protecting, and a little attention before storm season keeps them dry. If wind-driven rain has gotten into your home in Ambler, Glenside, Lafayette Hill or anywhere in Montgomery County, schedule a storm damage inspection with Best Option Restoration of Montgomery, PA for Storm Damage Repair Services.