have a couple annoying leaks that I can't seem to fix.

first is water getting behind the exterior wood siding and seeping into the basement walls. the water soaks the wallboard and/or seeps through the tyvek where tyvek is installed, and then collects on the foundation walls where the framing attaches. this happens on the wall where we have 2 chimneys. I thought the chimneys might be at fault, so I had them repaired/sealed (the crowns were cracked and the shoulder stones loose). then I thought it was due to peeled paint and a few split cedar planks and missing caulk joints, so I thoroughly repaired & caulked the siding, primed & 2 coats paint. the leaks remain, and seem to be getting worse. now even moderate showers cause leakage.

the attic had always been dry before, but during the recent record rains the wallboards in the attic soaked through where they attach to the 2x4 framing (presumable where the siding is nailed to the house...). I thought this was a separte leak from the basement situation, but now I'm not sure.

now I'm wondering if the watering is getting in at the roof somehow, or otherwise getting behind the siding, and seeping all the way down to the basement along the walls behind the siding. I haven't ripped out any drywall on the 1st or 2nd floors to inspect (I'm afraid of what i'll find).

anyway, I don't really know what to do next. I'd rather not hire someone to tell me I need to tear off all the siding & wall board & replace the roof. but I can't have water getting in everytime it rains. and now when i go to sell the house there'll be evidence of water intrusion....

 

here's a few photos...

basement w/ insulation removed...

basement foundation...

attic:

attic:

 

ouch, you are going to have to find where that water is coming from, climb up into the attic and see if you can spot the leaks from there, otherwise it will take some detective work.

if we're not supposed to eat animals why are they made out of meat?

 

Wow, you have so much, it's hard to see one leak causing what you have pictured. Just a thought, and the reason I always click on all leaky roof threads this time of year, is frequently condensation is involved somewhere. It's possible you are dealing with two issues, like a leak in the attic and condensation in the basement.

Question, did you have any water/leak problems before the cold weather set in. Cold and condensation go hand in hand. If it wasn't leaking back in October and you haven't done any construction, then you are dealing with excess moisture/condensation, and that problem is fairly easy to solve.

let us know,
Bud

 

the first time I noticed water in the attic was during a massive rain storm in September. it rained for 3 days straight. before that there was no evidence that the attic had ever leaked. now how to prevent further leaks & get rid of the water stains??

the basement walls look like they had been wet before (dark staining behind the insulation). it's almost as if the water is just soaking right through the siding. but like I said, I caulked it up and painted it good. how does water get through that? I must be missing something...

 

here's a before/after photo of the paint on the exterior of the basement wall that's leaking. as you can see it was really bad before, and i wonder if the peeling was due to water getting behind the siding....

 

very well could be water behind causing the peeling, are there any windows above this that could have water entering around the trim? how much roof overhang is there? other wise you will need to look at the roof or trim.

Murphy was an optimist

 

there arent any windows directly above the leaky areas in the basement. there is a window a few feet to the one side, but I recaulked around that as well.

in the attic there are no windows. there's 2 chimneys on one side, but both sides (north & south) leaked.

 

some more info on this.
this is a picture of the roofline near one of the chimneys. there doesn't appear to be any drip edge. in the red circle there was a 2" gap between the upper edge of the fascia board and the roof. I filled it with great stuff foam and painted it. there was an old triangular piece of silicone sealant in there. the gap was now larger than the old silicon. this leads me to believe 1) the gap was there to begin with, and 2) it's getting bigger.

iirc, there was also flashing in there - and perhaps this is why there was a gap (flashing may have been pulled up from sheathing at the chimney edge, and the shakes just laid on top). wish I took pictures before i filled it with foam.

this might have something to do with the leaks on one side of the attic near the chimney, but it can't be responsible for all of it.

the roof is cedar shake, and was replaced 6 yrs ago.

 

Need detailed pics of the flashing. Only the 4 corners of a chimney get caulk, a dab each.
The flashing on that eave looks like it traps water under the siding to me.

Those gable pictures make me wonder if there is some aluminum trim up top directing the water behind the rake boards. Or, did the roofers stop shy of the rake????

 

you are getting an ice and water back up,you need flashing behind the gutter onto roof,ice shield to pass interior of bearing wall 2 ft. minimum,Requires proper insulation
(R-38 minimum),vented soffits,and ridge to release built up heat---not typically a homeowner project except for the insulation--if you add insulation-be sure to use unfaced so you don`t create condensation problems as well