leak mystery...please help!!
We have an extension on the 1st floor of our 3 story house. Above the extension, is a deck. For 3 years now, we have been struggling to figure out the source of a leak into the rooms in the extension. In the past, the leak seemed worse when slush sat on the deck. We…
We have an extension on the 1st floor of our 3 story house. Above the extension, is a deck. For 3 years now, we have been struggling to figure out the source of a leak into the rooms in the extension. In the past, the leak seemed worse when slush sat on the deck. We have redone the rubber roof on the deck, patched and sealed the perimeters of the deck, siliconed the limestone parapet walls of the deck, installed a drain and it is STILL LEAKING!! Most recently, during heavy rains, I have noticed that a lot of rain water flows over the side of our house (from the roof) rather than going down the leader(sp?) pipe. The leader is not clogged–it seems to be a problem with the pitch on the roof. So, during heavy rain the water cascades down the brick facade, flush against the house, and onto the deck. Is it possible that the water is leeching into the building this way and causing the leak in the room below? What is even more perplexing to me is that in the last day and a half, there has been more leaking–even though it hasn’t rained since last weekend. Could it be that water is trapped in the walls for almost a week before coming out? I plan to fix the problem so the water stops coming over the side of the roof but I fear it is not going to end our leak. Anyone have any advise to help–or know an expert who can help? We have tried so many things and while I am hoping the roof drainage problem will end our angst–I have my doubts. All suggestions welcome, I’m desperate. thanks!!
I had a similar problem & it turned out that the caulk around the window above the extension needed redoing.
It’s seems trite to say: remember that gravity works, water will seek it’s own level and will follow the path of least resistance. In our case that meant that water running down the façade exited through an indoor ceiling light fixture three feet away. A good roofer with experience should be better able than you to identify the source of your leak. There are many past posts to the Forum on roofs and roofers. Read up before you have someone come over and quote your job. Although This Old House deals mostly with pitched roofs, it might be good for you to read through their articles. The first link is to an article on flat roofs, though it’s dated and you cannot torch a roof in NYC. The second link contains links to many more:
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,1110914,00.html
http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/roofing
Thanks so much for the feedback. Really appreciate it I am going to review the links carefully. We will try the hose test this weekend. My fear is that it will only
work on one of the outer brick walls of the extension or just the deck but not the facade of house where the water cascades when it rains heavily as all of that water will go onto the deck and we still won’t be able to pinpoint the area of the leak. No matter what, I will fix the problem so the water no longer cascades–any reccs for a roofer?
What Vinca said, plus, this is an easy enuf test. After it’s been dry for a few days, specifically test the masonry with a hose to simulate that wind-driven rain. If you get leaks, you know it’s the masonry and not the roof.
From personal experience I can testify that, absolutely, water cascading down your masonry façade can and will penetrate the brick. The source/cause of this water can be multiple, including an incorrectly pitched roof; a roof where a new surface has been laid over an existing, leaking surface (or multiple layers of surface), rather than the entire roof torn off and replaced; gutters and/or leaders that are clogged, therefore causing water to spill rather than drain, etc. You can test the permeability of some of your surfaces by soaking them with a hose, however wind-driven rain will penetrate more and faster than simple running water. For additional info, see: http://www.chimneysaver.com/reducing_water_permeance_in_masonry_walls_and_chimneys.html
http://www.oldhouseweb.com/how-to-advice/gutters-and-down-spouts.shtml
http://www.oldhouseweb.com/how-to-advice/above-ground-masonry-walls.shtml