Ah, the fun of homeownership.
Bear in mind the peeling paint within the rest room ceiling that I discussed final week? The peeling paint that I felt sure was as a consequence of humidity from the bathe and lack of ample air flow? Nicely, I used to be improper. The paint is peeling as a result of we’ve a leak within the roof.
It appears to be a small leak, nevertheless it’s a leak nonetheless.
Monday morning, I observed that there was a tea-colored water stain within the space the place the paint had peeled. “I do not like that,” I assumed, and I snapped a photograph.
I drove as much as the household field manufacturing unit, the place my brother and I spent a number of hours ready for Mother to be discharged from the hospital. Whereas we waited, we sorted by means of her paperwork to make certain we had the whole lot so as. We up to date her personal-finance data. We chatted in regards to the future.
Ultimately, Mother was not launched from the hospital on Monday, so I drove residence within the heavy rain. Once I arrived, I checked the water spot within the rest room ceiling. Had it grown? It had.
So, I ventured into our attic for the primary time.
Crawling round at the hours of darkness, I managed to find three roof leaks. None of them had been excessive — there was no water pouring in wherever — however all had been most definitely leaks.
Yesterday morning, I climbed on the roof to see if I may find the sources. I couldn’t. Though I helped set up a roof as soon as way back — again in 1993! — I am no roof knowledgeable. I poked and prodded on the shingles, however I could not discover any apparent injury. (The supply of a leak, in fact, is not at all times the place the leak manifests. The injury could possibly be upslope and working beneath the shingles earlier than it finds a spot to drip.)
As a result of our attic had no walkways (that means that to be able to transfer round up there, I needed to transfer from joist to joist), I purchased ten low cost boards at Residence Depot. I hauled them up the ladder and into the attic, then nailed them down to be able to make it considerably simpler to maneuver by means of the cramped area. After that, I moved in to get a better view of the leaks.
In the end, I made a decision there are two (probably three) issues:
- There’s a very small leak — a seep? — coming from the chimney. That is seemingly as a consequence of issues with the flashing, which the house inspector had referred to as out in August. This seep wets a rafter, however I can not discover any indicators that it ever drips. The insulation and joist under weren’t moist, and I can not discover something inside the home that might present earlier issues.
- The bigger leak, the one which spurred all of this, is close to a photo voltaic tube. The wettest space is close to the downslope a part of the photo voltaic tube, which is smart, however the upslope a part of the roof is moist too. To me, this means that the leak could possibly be above the photo voltaic tube — or that the whole space across the cut-out is problematic.
- The third drawback spot is about twelve inches downslope from the photo voltaic tube. This could be a 3rd leak, nevertheless it may additionally be residual run-off from the larger leak upslope. I do not know.
After three hours mucking round with the roof, I got here inside to do analysis on the interwebs. Is that this one thing I can repair myself?
I made a decision that whereas repairing leaks is theoretically non-difficult, it isn’t one thing that I am certified to sort out in the course of Oregon winter. If this had been summer season and I had time to fiddle with the shingles, high-quality. I might attempt it. But it surely’s not summer season. It is a very moist winter (as at all times), and I am afraid that if I started to tinker, I might make issues worse.
I referred to as the consultants.
The person who answered the cellphone on the roofing firm requested me some questions in regards to the concern. “This does not sound too unhealthy,” he stated. “We’ll ship any person out tomorrow or Thursday. If this is so simple as it sounds, he ought to be capable to repair it in an hour or two.” I positive hope so! There is a $250 cost only for popping out (which incorporates the primary hour of labor), then it is $130 for every further hour. Plus supplies, in fact.
Whereas I do know that issues like this occur with homes — particularly older houses like ours — I can not assist however be slightly distraught. We simply bought a house that wanted fixed repairs (though by no means on the roof, humorous sufficient), so I’ve a little bit of PTSD. These roof leaks are in all probability a minor one-time blip. I get that. However the cynical facet of me worries that that is an unwell omen.
Once we purchased this home, Kim and I talked about future modifications we would prefer to make. There’s not a ton to do, however there are a number of bigger upgrades we would prefer to sort out.
We hate the carpeting within the bedrooms, for example. It is an off-white that stains simply and reveals each little bit of grime and particles. Yikes. I wished to exchange the carpeting earlier than we bodily moved in. Kim satisfied me to not. Looking back, we should always have achieved it.
The most important mission we would prefer to sort out is transforming one (or two) of the bogs. We now have three bogs however no bathtubs. As a result of Kim and I each prefer to soak, it is a nuisance. Now that we’ll need to repaint the ceiling within the corridor rest room, I’ve begun toying with the thought of taking the chance to really rework that room this summer season — and to do it myself. It could be a problem, little question, however I believe it could be enjoyable.
We’ll see…