Severe storm leak
A severe thunderstorm just concluded at my home. During the height of the storm, rain was blowing sideways. I noticed spattered water in the doorway of my master bath and looked up to find water beaded on the top of the door frame, which was formerly a window and is the point of attachment to the house (the bath was added five years ago). I've never had a leaking problem before, there's no sign/stain of previous leakage, and while standing there as the storm subsided, no more water came through. What should I do to seal the opening this came through (although I'm not sure where it did, except somewhere along the roofline).
Would you be able to take a few photos and add captions. Sorry to hear about your water leak, it's always frustrating to find these problems.
The only thing I can advise you without looking at it, is not to have a reaction to taring up every space between the siding and roof. ...»
Sealing the space between the roof and bottom of the siding is one of the biggest mistakes I have seen when it comes to trying to stop leaks. Even sealing valleys in an attempt to stop a leak only causes more issues then it solves. Water must always drain out. And putting any kind of tar or caulk on the roof shingle joints, or between roof and wall areas where you would think the leak is occurring will only cause water to build up and not drain out. Resulting in more hidden damage and costs in the long run.
The only tried and true method other then opening the wall or ceilings is to take a hose when its dry out and spray one area at a time mimicking the rain storm in direction until you begin to see the leak. This will narrow your issue down and result in the proper identification of where its happening and help you make the right repair the first time.
You must also remember. Water can leak on one side of the house and show up on the other. If the door was an old window. your leak may be way up top, far beyond where you think the leak is now coming from.
In any case do not simply tar or caulk every opening you see until your sure that is where the leak has come from, and then take that area apart and fix it correctly, not with just a tar or caulk patch.
Most of these installs are just band aid jobs with caulk trying to fill to roll of proper flashing etc. It would be my guess that this caulk has failed and would need to to upgraded.
And thanks for the post , I learned a lot here, and will share with my non handy hubs!
Check out this article I wrote on storm proofing your roof.
http://www.networx.com/article/storm-proof-y...
Even if the shingles blew up and allowed rain to get under, this can happen even if they do not lift. The seal tab does not prevent water from blowing up under the shingle. The concern here is that the roof pitch is not enough or the exposure is not proper to compensate for the flatter pitch.
Still another concern is the flashing methods used and if who ever did the roof used ice and ...»
But KMS your correct there are many parts of the roof system and although only one part seems to be at fault, I have a feeling its something else that should have worked and did not which is really the bigger issue here.
If things were correct you should be able to blow the entire tab off and still not have any leak. personally I think there is a incorrectly installed or faulty flashing issue here. And the shingle has only brought it to light.
Poor Roof pitch and flashing mistakes are leading issues for leaks.