Said It Here

How to fix a flat exterior window sill that pools water

Contractors and handymen refuse to do maintenance work on exterior window sills, forcing homeowners to choose between a full window replacement or figuring out how to slope a pre-existing metal or plastic sill on their own.

What people tried

Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.

  1. 1
    Trying different types of contractors like roofers, siding installers, or gutters
  2. 2
    Considering DIY solutions with a long ladder or rented lift
  3. 3
    Trying to slow down the leakage instead of getting a full replacement
  4. 4
    White caulk and a prayer
  5. 5
    Hunting down a replacement sill piece at the hardware store

In their words

Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.

r/HomeImprovement2 people · October 2026

“I’ve got a problem that no one is willing to fix.”source ↗

“No handymen want to go up there, and no window or exterior companies are willing to do maintenance. They all want to fully replace it.”source ↗

“I can’t find solutions on sloping a pre-existing metal window sill anywhere.”source ↗

weldo8 · r/HomeImprovement · 3 upvotes

“My wife accidently smashed plastic window sill and large hole appeared. Any tips to get it fixed somehow.”source ↗

Claorhall · r/HomeImprovement · 1 upvotes

Where this came up

People with this problem also raised