# Leaking Sunroom Roof - Pics Attached



## ZMonet (Aug 1, 2009)

I need some help with a leaking sunroom roof problem. The sunroom was an option when the house was built (2003) and was constructed almost like an add on module to the base house. The leak seems to occur where the sunroom meets the rest of the house (flashing issue?). I noticed a leak about five months ago and went up on the roof to see if I could see anything. Nothing stood out -- no missing shingles or anything out of the ordinary that I could see. I hammered down some nail heads and siliconed over them. I also put a bead of the silicone where the sunroom roof meets the house and at the ridge vent.

The problem went away for a while. We had torrential rains, heavy snows, etc. and...no problems or leaks. Today, we had a light snow, maybe an inch, and all of a sudden we have a leak again (the pic with the red circles).

Anyone have any thoughts before I call out the professionals? Could that ridge vent be my problem?

Thanks in advance for any help.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Hi ZMonet,
Light snow can blow into just about any opening, but it carries very little water. The old one foot of snow equals 1" of rain applies and light powdered snow has even less.

Condensation is a common source of ceiling moisture problems and there one aspect of it that may help identify whether it is contributing here. Condensation can freeze and accumulate during cold spells and then melt when it warms up. It doesn't always follow that sequence but when a warm day with no rain results in dripping it is a clue.

I see you have a vaulted ceiling and recessed lights, they are a common source of moisture getting into the, we'll call it an attic. You have a ridge vent but do you have soffit venting for intake?

Bud


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Bunch of stuff going on there but that is not a roof that should be done in asphalt in this case. Way to low a pitch.


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## ZMonet (Aug 1, 2009)

Thanks, Bud. The sunroom does have soffit venting (see pic below). Also, this was slushy snow that fell this morning that largely melted when it hit the ground. Temps were someplace around 34 degrees. Every time that I have seen a leak, four in total, there was precipitation. I don't want to discount the possibility of condensation but I haven't seen a leak when there were extreme temp. differences between the outside and inside temp -- just when it rains/snows. And not every time it rains/snows...just one time in 5 months for this last occurrence. You can see from the pic below that the intrusion was somewhat significant, about 6 ounces or so I would estimate had bubbled up and formed a bubble I popped.

One other point. Directly above the place where it seems like the leak is coming from is a gutter line and I saw a lot of water dripping off of that (see pic below). I think that might be where most of the water is coming from.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

Condensation can go to the bottom of the list as it doesn't sound like the right conditions exist.
As Windows mentioned the slope is on the low side and that valley is right above the inside leaks.
If you have a gutter above it should not be dripping in the area shown (a guess). Is there a clog backing up the gutter? I can also see what looks like a drip line, the discoloration right below that upper roof edge.

Is there a gutter above?

Bud


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## ZMonet (Aug 1, 2009)

Thanks again, Bud. As soon as this weather clears, I'm going to take a look at the gutter and see if there is a clog. There are gutter guards on the gutters and not many trees that close by, but I imagine that there could be a lot of sludge build up nonetheless. I don't think I've checked up there in 8-10 years.

Would the splash down from the upper gutter onto the sunroom roof force the water up and under the shingles? Or even if water is pouring down from the gutter line should it not be causing a leak? It may be that the gutters were closed up because of the snow/ice, but that is just a guess.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Those surface mounted ridge vents are horrible, and at some point almost always leak.
Everyone I've seen the nails are popping out.
Siding was installed to close to the shingles.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

They built a huge cricket here but they have a down hill slope from the corner to the ridge vent that could be a problem with snow in the roof.
They should have turned the valley so it was feet away from the ridge and 3" lower.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

like this


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## ZMonet (Aug 1, 2009)

Thanks for everyone's help. In the afternoon, the slush turned to all rain and it rained throughout the night. But the leak seemed to stop when it turned to rain. I got on the roof this weekend and see that the gutters directly above the sunroom are not clogged (see last pic), although I do see water dripping off them. I'm thinking that is just residual water that makes it over the gutter guards and onto the roof below.

I've taken some additional pics, hopefully at better angles, and I'm hoping someone might be able to guestimate where the intrusion is coming from. Is it the ridge vent? The flashing? From the posts before, it sounds like some think the pitch wasn't designed correctly?

From what I see on the inside, it seems logical that the water is getting in through the ridge vent, and then traveling down the slope of the ceiling and getting in between the drywall paper/paint and bubbling out.

Finally, any thoughts on a fix? Thanks!


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

The only area in question that I can see (long distance) is that splice in the ridge vent towards the house. Looks like that joint and the edge that meets the shingles to left and right has received considerable attention, like trying to stop a leak. Was that you or was that done when built. Sealing the exposed surfaces does not ensure the internal mating surfaces are also sealed.

Bud


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## ZMonet (Aug 1, 2009)

Thanks, Bud. That was me who put the sealant on the ridge vent joint, over the nails holding the ridge vent down, and also tried to apply some between where the ridge vent meets the roof. Would it make sense to put more sealant between the ridge vent and the roof? Rip off the existing ridge vent and install another?


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

My personal choice would be a new ridge vent, but not just yet. You could try covering the first 4' or so with a piece of plastic secured to a length of 2x6 on each side. just enough to cover the ridge vent and first row of shingles each side. Each side can be secured to a longer piece of 2x? on each side laying down the slope of the roof.

The objective would be to see if the leaking stops. I always like to know what the problem was in addition to fixing it.

Bud


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## ZMonet (Aug 1, 2009)

Thanks, Bud! This is really helpful and I'll give it a shot. So the idea would be to limit the plastic sheeting to the ridge vent (side where water intrusion appears to be coming) so that I can say it is the ridge vent or exclude it?

Do I secure the 2x? to the roof with a couple screws or just leave it? The only issue I foresee is that it took 5 months or so for the leak to appear last time so I might have to wait as long, if not longer, to know for sure.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

He does change out plywood in this video.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

I wouldn't cover the whole vent, maybe just the 4 or 5' towards the house. With a 4' length of 2x? on each side of the ridge, plastic over the top secured to those 2x? you could add a 6' length to each side running down the slope. The weight of the long pieces would prevent the wind from ripping the new cap off. I would hesitate adding any holes to the roof. I have even run a rope down each side and secured it to keep temporary work in place. Overkill is good especially if it has to stay up for awhile.

Is the leak winter/snow related only?

Bud


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Nealtw said:


> He does change out plywood in this video.



Steve and Ken are good dudes. I am going to tell them you shared their video next time we get lunch.


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## ZMonet (Aug 1, 2009)

Bud9051 said:


> Is the leak winter/snow related only?
> 
> Bud


I vaguely remember a problem when it was just raining one time, but it is definitely not every snow/every rain sort of thing. Not even close. The ridge vent makes some sense since that would explain why it is so seemingly random -- that it only happens when conditions cause the water to back up the ridge vent.

Thanks again. I need to get some decent quality plastic sheeting (high mil thickness) tomorrow and then I'll try what you said.


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