[xneuromancer]

Hi all,


I've been having issues with my roof deck leaking water into the ceiling below (master bathroom). For this particular issue, I've used the hose test to narrow down the area where an inside corner (perpendicular) of two vinyl siding's meet (see pic).


I'm not experienced enough on my own to fix completely, and with the virus going on, I can't hire anyone to come over and fix it. I'm looking for any short term "hacks" or water proofing ideas (covering the area with vinyl tape, caulk, etc.) that will get me through a few months.


There's another inside corner around from the door that I think also has this issue, due to where the other spots are on the ceiling, but I haven't been able to confirm yet with a hose test.


The doorway is another area of ongoing issues: no storm door, poor seal when door is closed, etc. But that's for another time

 

[xneuromancer]

Inside corner with leak behind siding: https://imgur.com/9kjPFn5


Overall layout & dimensions: https://imgur.com/Owior5m


Another view of doorway: https://imgur.com/ECo3tfp

 

[Nealtw]

Vinyl siding is not weather proof the house wrap behind it is supposed to catch the water that is get by the siding. So he water is getting behind that wrap and that could be any where above where you see the water.

It could be a roof leak right at the top and the water is getting behind the wrap where the wrap starts up high. Can you post some pictures of how it looks looking up and stand back and get a picture of the roof too.

 

[joecaption]

Got a real mess there, I think that first picture tells the most.
#1, That siding should have been no closer then 6" of the decking.
#2, The siding should have been started with a starter strip, not J molding forming a gutter forcing water into that corner.
#3, All that silicone slapped on there is not doing anything but making it look like a first time DIY making a mess.
#4, That coil stock "job" some hack did around that door is an abomination!
Sure would be nice if you would add your location to your profile.

 

[Nealtw]

Water in this bottom J trim should be expected, there should be holes in lower front to the let the water out..

I missed the pictures before.

 

[Old Thomas]

That is a mess.
Typically a parapet wall will have roofing going up the wall with a flashing and termination bar on the wall. Then the siding would start above it. It could leak from j-channel pushing water into the corner, from j-channel nail holes, from where the inside corner channel meets the roof or from joints in the capstone or whatever is on top of the parapet. You have a range of options from constantly chasing leaks and maybe getting lucky to tearing it all apart and starting over. How many roof drains are there and where are they? Is there an emergency drain scupper through the parapet?

 

[xneuromancer]

There's a drain on the opposite side of the roof deck from this picture, about 40ft.

Do you think a small tarp or some sort of other wrap material and gorilla or 3m vinyl tape would get me through a few months?

 

[Nealtw]

There's a drain on the opposite side of the roof deck from this picture, about 40ft.

Do you think a small tarp or some sort of other wrap material and gorilla or 3m vinyl tape would get me through a few months?

Is the leak showing up in the ceiling below this area?

 

[Nealtw]

 

[xneuromancer]

Got a real mess there, I think that first picture tells the most.
#1, That siding should have been no closer then 6" of the decking.
#2, The siding should have been started with a starter strip, not J molding forming a gutter forcing water into that corner.
#3, All that silicone slapped on there is not doing anything but making it look like a first time DIY making a mess.
#4, That coil stock "job" some hack did around that door is an abomination!
Sure would be nice if you would add your location to your profile.

Thank you for responding. I have a lot to learn about roofing. This roof has been a never ending headache, I understand there's a lot that needs fixed.


For now, my most urgent priority is attempting to temporarily have a work-around to water proof the problem spots, until this virus stuff dies down, and I can have someone come over and work on it.


For #4, is "coil stock" the metal flashing around the door frame? When I bought the house, originally it was just raw painted wood there. The roof drain wasn't low enough so water was pooling on the surface, so I had a roofer lower the drain, during this job, they also put flashing around the wood of the door frame.


I've updated my profile, I'm in Philadelphia, PA.

 

[xneuromancer]

Is the leak showing up in the ceiling below this area?

Yes. Here's another picture of one of the leaks in my master bathroom, https://imgur.com/0zLcvNJ


When I performed the hose test, I first put the hose only on the fiberglass part of that corner, to test if there any issues with the fiberglass. It was fine after 10 minutes. Then, I angled the hose up a bit, to hit that corner with the siding, the running water directly was where those 2 red arrows are pointing in the previous picture.



Within only a few minutes, I could hear water dripping down into the bathroom ceiling where this other picture shows water dripping. I had also drilled a few drainage holes to try to funnel the water into my sink and a bucket. Within a few minutes, water was dripping out of those holes almost a straight stream.

 

[Nealtw]

 

[xneuromancer]

Additional pictures.


Bathroom, to the left and behind where ceiling leak was, I believe this is coming from the other inside corner from the roof deck, https://imgur.com/M9MFKyd


same area, above leaking light switch, https://imgur.com/Hvrevto



crap door frame: https://imgur.com/8QJgDUv


more crap door frame: https://imgur.com/FBWFJZI


poor seal from door, light coming through: https://imgur.com/41i8uXq


other suspect inside corner area, not yet confirmed with hose test: https://imgur.com/fd8xDCT


leaking sky light: https://imgur.com/boYSLB6

 

[Nealtw]

Yes. Here's another picture of one of the leaks in my master bathroom, https://imgur.com/0zLcvNJ


When I performed the hose test, I first put the hose only on the fiberglass part of that corner, to test if there any issues with the fiberglass. It was fine after 10 minutes. Then, I angled the hose up a bit, to hit that corner with the siding, the running water directly was where those 2 red arrows are pointing in the previous picture.



Within only a few minutes, I could hear water dripping down into the bathroom ceiling where this other picture shows water dripping. I had also drilled a few drainage holes to try to funnel the water into my sink and a bucket. Within a few minutes, water was dripping out of those holes almost a straight stream.

I have marked all the spots that look to be suspect and holes that should be drilled to let water out of the J trim, there should be a hole every so many inches, that could be looked up for the inches between.
So could any of these places bean the problem when you hit it with the hose?

 

[xneuromancer]

I have marked all the spots that look to be suspect and holes that should be drilled to let water out of the J trim, there should be a hole every so many inches, that could be looked up for the inches between.
So could any of these places bean the problem when you hit it with the hose?

There are already a few drainage holes on the right hand side strip of bottom siding. That's a good idea about drilling a hole in that very small problem area strip, I will do that.


The leak for sure is coming right where my two red arrows meet. I had the hose running and angled directly into that corner without touching the door frame, so water would get behind the channels.

 

[Old Thomas]

It is hard to tell whether temporary repairs will work. You can try, if you have to wait to get it fixed there is little to lose.
Most modern codes require an emergency scupper through the parapet. That would be an opening through the perimeter wall just above the roof deck. Its purpose is in case the roof drain plugs water will spill over the side of the building and it will be noticed if the side of the building looks like Niagara Falls. There have been cases where roof drains plug and water accumulates until the roof collapses or until it blows a door like you have open. It is especially important on a roof with only one drain. When I worked for the county there was a building like yours that was foreclosed for taxes and the county owned it. The neighboring building was taller and they would call saying the roof was flooded. Sometimes it had 3 feet of water on it and we couldn’t believe it didn’t collapse. I mention the scupper because if you have work done it would be a worthwhile modification. There is nothing requiring you to meet today’s code, so it is your choice. Water weighs about 62 lbs. per cubic foot. If you had a foot of water on your roof the roof would be supporting 62 lbs./square foot of roof. Even in western NY snow country we don’t design for that much weight.
The metal cover on some of the capstone makes me think there was a problem there at some point in time. too. Joints between capstones can be a source of leaks. It should have a metal through wall flashing below the capstone.
Do you use the roof as a patio or is the door only used for maintenance?

 

[Nealtw]

There are already a few drainage holes on the right hand side strip of bottom siding. That's a good idea about drilling a hole in that very small problem area strip, I will do that.


The leak for sure is coming right where my two red arrows meet. I had the hose running and angled directly into that corner without touching the door frame, so water would get behind the channels.

So for now you want to cover it to stop the leak and then we can talk about what all should be corrected.

Can you get your hands on some 10 mil poly or tarping and some red tuck tape. Home depot, Lowes, lumber yards.

 

[xneuromancer]

It is hard to tell whether temporary repairs will work. You can try, if you have to wait to get it fixed there is little to lose.
Most modern codes require an emergency scupper through the parapet. That would be an opening through the perimeter wall just above the roof deck. Its purpose is in case the roof drain plugs water will spill over the side of the building and it will be noticed if the side of the building looks like Niagara Falls. There have been cases where roof drains plug and water accumulates until the roof collapses or until it blows a door like you have open. It is especially important on a roof with only one drain. When I worked for the county there was a building like yours that was foreclosed for taxes and the county owned it. The neighboring building was taller and they would call saying the roof was flooded. Sometimes it had 3 feet of water on it and we couldn’t believe it didn’t collapse. I mention the scupper because if you have work done it would be a worthwhile modification. There is nothing requiring you to meet today’s code, so it is your choice.
The metal cover on some of the capstone makes me think there was a problem there at some point.
Do you use the roof as a patio or is the door only used for maintenance?

yes, there is an emergency drain. This is a picture of the other side of the deck. Note, this is before I had the drain lowered. Water still pools a little bit, but not nearly as bad. https://imgur.com/mDNrt9l ; https://imgur.com/JB5mOt0


Long view, looking back: https://imgur.com/447Hgsr

 

[xneuromancer]

So for now you want to cover it to stop the leak and then we can talk about what all should be corrected.

Can you get your hands on some 10 mil poly or tarping and some red tuck tape. Home depot, Lowes, lumber yards.

yes, this is what I was thinking. Some type of tarp and UV / water proof tape.


It doesn't look like we have "tuck tape" in my area, but this comes up as the same thing as house wrapping tape or Tyvek tape, which we do sell here.


I'm not sure I have the knowledge or tools to rip up some of the vinyl siding, are you suggesting I take off the siding and tarp directly to the underlying wrap?


I was originally thinking of tarping over the siding and using water proof tape made for vinyl.

 

[Nealtw]

yes, this is what I was thinking. Some type of tarp and UV / water proof tape.


It doesn't look like we have "tuck tape" in my area, but this comes up as the same thing as house wrapping tape or Tyvek tape, which we do sell here.


I'm not sure I have the knowledge or tools to rip up some of the vinyl siding, are you suggesting I take off the siding and tarp directly to the underlying wrap?


I was originally thinking of tarping over the siding and using water proof tape made for vinyl.

That is the same tape,
No I would thinking of helping you cover the area. That tape may be Bich to get off later but it will stand up for a few months in the weather.

The colour fades to clear before the tape lets go. Maybe a year.