# Skylight removal Cathedral Ceiling leak with new roof



## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

Soffet vents? air chutes should be the same length are some to far down and blocking air flow. There should be some air flow thru the repaired area. Insulated hatch to attic?


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

A ice dam may well have occurred but more often you are loosing heat through that area to the roof sheathing. On a frosty morning when the roof is covered with frost take a look at the roof and as you discovered the roof above the previous skylight will be free of frost, hence the wet area within the attic that may not be dripping wet. Insulation is the preventative measure. Where is the insulation in the cavity? That area must be insulated and sealed from room air intrusion.


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## bevans99 (Mar 19, 2018)

Thanks for the responses. I do have soffet vents all around. Again I think what or is part of the missing thing here is there is no air flow between the rafters where the skylight cavity is and the cavity was filled in with fiberglass insulation. I wasn't able to get pictures of them installing it but I watched him carry the cut pieces up to install.

The attic hatch is in a closet and was kind of poorly done it get pushed up into attic to gain access. A piece of drywall sits on top of the edge (kinda like bottom of a box) of the molding then its framed in with 2 X 6, then as you lower the drywall down a over-sized piece of paper backed fiberglass insulation covers the opening. I updated this with attaching foam gasket to trim and added a piece of pink foam to the back of the drywall. I did notice a couple of times the drywall if not set correctly would have allowed air through. Its fixed now.

My biggest issue is the integrity of the roof deck where it got damp. If it dried OK and I get a baffle installed to allow for airflow I just don't know if that would be enough.

Attached is pic of old roof and skylight.

Thanks again


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## CrazyGuy (Nov 18, 2017)

You need to do something with that hole in your ceiling where the skylight was. All of the moisture and heat is going up through that and causing condensation issues which are traveling up to your black area (heat and moisture rise). You need to insulate that hole, stick a vapor barrier up and then put some type of ceiling up. That circle that you see in the snow is melted snow from the heat barreling up through your ceiling hole.

Unless the roofer was contracted to do interior work, this is your deal, not the roofers. I would guess that the roofer was just contracted to do the roof and not ceiling work, but I don't know. That hole should've been filled in long ago.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

bevans99 said:


> Thanks for the responses. I do have soffet vents all around. Again I think what or is part of the missing thing here is there is no air flow between the rafters where the skylight cavity is and the cavity was filled in with fiberglass insulation. I wasn't able to get pictures of them installing it but I watched him carry the cut pieces up to install.
> 
> The attic hatch is in a closet and was kind of poorly done it get pushed up into attic to gain access. A piece of drywall sits on top of the edge (kinda like bottom of a box) of the molding then its framed in with 2 X 6, then as you lower the drywall down a over-sized piece of paper backed fiberglass insulation covers the opening. I updated this with attaching foam gasket to trim and added a piece of pink foam to the back of the drywall. I did notice a couple of times the drywall if not set correctly would have allowed air through. Its fixed now.
> 
> ...


 You could have ice dams where heat is transferring thru structure but you would expect even with that any water trapped behind ice would run around the end of the ice.
But yes they should have made space for air. The trouble with water is it can sow up just about anywhere at some distance for the leak.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Nealtw said:


> You could have ice dams where heat is transferring thru structure but you would expect even with that any water trapped behind ice would run around the end of the ice.
> But yes they should have made space for air. The trouble with water is it can sow up just about anywhere at some distance for the leak.


With ice dams the water is under the ice.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

SeniorSitizen said:


> With ice dams the water is under the ice.


Then the ice would fall off the roof. It is the lake forming above the dam that works it's way under the shingles. The snow melts above the heat source and freezes a few inches down the roof.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

That's not how it works. Show me an actual pic of water on top the ice. Drawings, yes they are everywhere but not actual photos.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

SeniorSitizen said:


> That's not how it works. Show me an actual pic of water on top the ice. Drawings, yes they are everywhere but not actual photos.


 http://meltsnow.com/ice-dams-101/


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## carpdad (Oct 11, 2010)

2x on ice dam above the skylite. Cathedral rafters not wide enough for fluffy fiberglass insulation. I think baffles are carrying the warmer air and melting the ice. Probably repair not air blocked either. Should have cut away some of the skylite headers and continue the baffles from the soffit vents. If no venting under the header to the soffit, push one in. Glue sheetmetal to the baffle if you have to to push it in. Repair can be done from outside but shingle tear offs. But they are cheap. I don't think this is roofer's fault either. It is over-sight but always easier to come up with guesses after the deed is done.:smile: I'd also remove larger area, hard pack with cellulose or xps boards (spray foam the joints), lay down baffle and glue to existing baffles, decking, ice shield overlapping the sheet down with min 6" overlap and another course ice shield and keep the felt overlaps by half width above. Good insurance would be carrying the full width ice shield to above the skylite top header.


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## CrazyGuy (Nov 18, 2017)

CrazyGuy said:


> You need to do something with that hole in your ceiling where the skylight was. All of the moisture and heat is going up through that and causing condensation issues which are traveling up to your black area (heat and moisture rise). You need to insulate that hole, stick a vapor barrier up and then put some type of ceiling up. That circle that you see in the snow is melted snow from the heat barreling up through your ceiling hole.
> 
> Unless the roofer was contracted to do interior work, this is your deal, not the roofers. I would guess that the roofer was just contracted to do the roof and not ceiling work, but I don't know. That hole should've been filled in long ago.


My apologies OP, after rereading your post I see that they already filled in the hole. I usually find it best to just look at pictures and jump to conclusions without reading or listening, guess my method wasn't the best in this case.:vs_lol:


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## bevans99 (Mar 19, 2018)

CrazyGuy said:


> My apologies OP, after rereading your post I see that they already filled in the hole. I usually find it best to just look at pictures and jump to conclusions without reading or listening, guess my method wasn't the best in this case.:vs_lol:


The roofer also did the interior. It was one of the reasons picking them instead of getting another set of contractors in. The skylight cavity was insulated a day or 2 after the roof was done. The roof was done in May 17' and like I stated in OP didn't see it until Jan this year.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Nealtw said:


> http://meltsnow.com/ice-dams-101/


Not even close. Try another group of pics.


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## Nealtw (Jun 22, 2017)

SeniorSitizen said:


> Not even close. Try another group of pics.


 Your turn me, you show me where I am wrong.:biggrin2:


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