"Mystery roof leak and ice damming prevention

Homeowner called us with a very unusual roof leak.

This water stain appeared at the base of the wall
Somehow this is taking place and running down the wall
Behind the drywall

We checked the attic,found water stains running down a rafter
Which led to this dryer vent.
So much lint had a serious effect.
condensation

The blockage was removed.

We also realized this vent had only been nailed at the top
The small gap at the base could allow wind driven rain.
we drove additional fasteners

Applied a bead of urethane based caulk.
Snow and ice tend to accumulate around this vents.
A watertight seal

Homeowner also mentioned,water was not running down the downspout.
It was simply dumping the water over the side.
This downspout was completely clogged shut.
The dirt and debri were packed solid.
This was 3 stories up.
Only a roofersview.

Preventative maintenance
At least once a year to avoid this type of problem.
This was ice damming waiting to happen

Laundry room situation.

Homeowner found this little gift this morning
very worried she called us,this stain might have been here for sometime.
it was dry to the touch even though we had severe rains

checked the attic did not find any issues,at this point the roof needs to be checked also.
The soil stack pipe its split open,ready to give this homeowner a new headache.

roofersview.
You actually have to look and flash a light to see this 

Preventative maintenance,at its best

Why wait for the snow and ice to be present.
This pipe flashing would have been a new water leak
no openings are visible or nail heads exposed.

Dryer lint flying around,tons of it.enough to clog the dryer vent.
condensation forms and appears as a stain
first impression:the roof.

roofersview
When on a customers roof we do an entire visual check.
Find this small openings that will become expensive damages.
Preventative maintenance will pay for itself during the first visit.

A rude awakening

 

good morning,a brand new water stain after the heavy rain last night

after and extensive search in the attic it lead to this area of this very large roof.

water will drip down the sides and find its way in

wind will definitely do its part

the gap is big enough to hold a carpenters pencil

this piece of flashing is pushed up.ice and snow will find a way in.
This is close to the valley,the area that suffers the most water damage.

noticeable gaps on all 4 corners

We sealed all these openings with a clear urethane based caulk.
and the metal flashing at the base was re-fastened accordingly.
all exposed nail heads were also coated.

Roofersview.
only from a close angle.
We fixed this problem 

Dryer vent from hell.

Water stains in the room adjacent to the laundry room
The homeowner was very troubled. 

checked the roof ,its very obvious what is going on
This is a 3 story building not for the average homeowner to tackle from the outside.

a roofers point of view

Oh my! this is not anything new.

Good old maintenance would have been too easy

The basic issue a disconnected dryer vent duct

This is going to be an expensive one

candidate for plywood replacement

The installation of a flexible line would have been enough to prevent this nightmare.
Definitely not a roof issue,very misleading symptoms

Moldy ceiling

Very concerned building owner after a tenant reported moldy black stains
only a professional will be able to determine that.
Our mission:check the roof with due diligence.

The flashing around the leaky area was compromised.
Even a regular walk on the roof would have been enough to spot these issues.
This parapet wall above was in the need of repairs.

Very large roof

Extreme caution,always exercised around electrical,gas or other sources  (mechanical)

Roofersview
This is only visible from a roofers point of view

The tenants were lucky to spot the damages,above their leak these were the findings
this is a hot tar and gravel roof,removal of stone and carefully checked yielded results.

Compromised roof flashing,needless to say 

Over 75 linear feet of flashing had to be redone.

These openings were hidden under a heavy layer of rock.
After removal and heavy sweeping were done.
All these openings were allowing the water to get into the building

We reflashed the entire length with a new roofing membrane.
Torch down modified 

A propane torch is used in the application of this roofing material.
Once torched down and overlapped it becomes a permanent solution
Removal of the river rock or stone its crucial.

To ensure an extra layer of protection,roof cement was added at the end by the managers  request
The outside seams and parapet walls were reinforced with modified roof cement.
This repair will sit underwater once it rains.
Very low spot on the roof

roofersview

From a different angle,pictures do speak a thousand words

we are watertight,same day heavy rains were expected,a good water test.
bring it on elements,we are confident we sealed that water leak.

The real cost of cable tv

Home owner called in very concerned about a dark stain.
This was taking place in the same direction as the fireplace

On the second floor in one of the bedrooms water dripped so bad .
The homeowner cut the drywall to allow the water out and prevent further damage.

This was a 3 story building a 40ft ladder was needed,not for the average  homeowner.

This chimney cap has seen better days.
Preventative maintenance,a coat of paint a handful of screws
The real cost of not having your roof checked.
A heating contractor was also needed to replace the obvious
.

Roofersview
This has to be secured for the time being until entire chimney cap replacement

This are only visible when the roof its checked closely.
This property its very high next to an open field.
Wind had its way with this chimney flashing

This flashing cap was re-fastened and a premium quality sealant was used to permanently seal.
Until replacement with anew galvanized chimney cap
Notice the water on top,this chimney cap even though its galvanized,will eventually rust.
Preventative maintenance (a coat of paint) at least once a year will pay for itself.

The attic was inspected and the water stain stemmed from around a bathroom soil stack pvc pipe

Very "convenient"
Definitely visible only from a roofers view

This flexible neoprene flashing was allowing wind driven rain to get in

Properly fastened and sealed to prevent water intrusion.
No exposed nail heads to prevent corrosion.
The rest of this roof was in sound condition

Latent defect

Preventative maintenance will always save you money

This was right above the 4 year old baby's bedroom
only found after a close inspection there is no substitute for experience.
and due diligence.