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Mysterious roof leak

9 years ago

In March 2014 there was a massive hail storm in my area. Our roof was severely damaged and was completely replaced in October 2014. It's an asphalt shingle roof.

In February 2015, we experienced heavy rain storms and we noticed pooling water in the corner of one of the bedrooms.

There was no water on the walls, it seemed to be coming up from the slab foundation and I had no ide what was causing the problem.

I consulted a plumber and a very experienced repairman and they determined the leak was not in the slab or the plumbing. The only thing that has changed was the roof.

The roofing company has been out twice to repair the leak, but they haven't been able to fix/find it. When we have a hard rain, the floor in the bedroom gets wet.

Any suggestions or experiences with something like this? I'm at the point where having the bedroom walls cut open is the next step.

Featured Answer

PRO

Joseph Corlett, LLC

9 years ago

The tips of asphalt shingles lying beneath those exposed in valleys should be trimmed to keep heavy rainwater from catching on them, flowing laterally, and finally dripping into the house.

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Comments (7)

energy_rater_la
9 years ago
pictures would help.
remember that with roof leaks
the water can enter higher than where the leak
shows up. the water simply travels to lowest
point to exit.

from inside the attic,
examine the roof decking after a rain.
examine the rafters & the attic floor for
signs of moisture. move insulation back
to see better.

much easier to examine attic & roof
to make determination. any areas that
are flashed (fireplaces, skylights, vents)
to make sure flashing has not failed.

best of luck.
klem1
9 years ago
"Any suggestions or experiences with something like this?"

Yes,I have experience with people who show,take customer's money and leave without finding or fixing the problem. 100% sucess getting someone compitent on the job instead.
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l west
Original Author
9 years ago
Actually, the roofing company has been very proactive in trying to fix the issue. They have paid to replace damaged carpet and furniture and are willing to pay to have the walls cut open, repaired and painted. So I am quite satisfied that they are working to fix the problem.

Energy- the way the room, roof and attic are constructed make it extremely difficult to get close to the area of the leak. The leak is in a valley very close to where the edges of the roof and exterior wall of the house meet.
millworkman
9 years ago
Proactive is great but fixing the problem is paramount and if they cannot find the leak that they must have caused as klem states find someone competent to find and fix it.
energy_rater_la
9 years ago
IR camera would tell you a lot, since you can't
access to see the area.
does roofer have access to IR/thermal scan camera?
Vith
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Did they use ice shield underneath that valley area? A waterproofing underlay may be needed depending on the valley and how the roof slopes. Water may be driving underneath the shingles at the valley.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Grace-Ice-Water-Shield-225-sq-ft-Roll-Roofing-Underlayment-5003002/202088840

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