Roof Leaking, No Flashing. How To Fix?
#1
07-14-14, 07:41 AM
Roof Leaking, No Flashing. How To Fix?
I have a problem with my roof and I was wondering if anyone knows what the fix would be? I noticed a soft spot on the kitchen floor near the exterior wall. This corner shares a wall with a bedroom. The ceiling is vaulted, so the roof between the kitchen and bedroom is two different heights, with the bedroom roof lower. No obvious water stains, but there is a crack in the drywall on each side, and the paint is starting to peel away along the ceiling/wall edge in both rooms.
A new roof was put on 3 years ago. We had someone look at it and apparently the roofers didn't install any flashing along the edge where the wall of the kitchen and the roof of the bedroom meet. There was just caulking there along the 'J channel', and that is where water is coming in.
How do you fix a leaking J channel that has no flashing? Is the only way to stop water from coming in to pull off the siding and the shingles in that area and put flashing down, or is there a different fix?
A new roof was put on 3 years ago. We had someone look at it and apparently the roofers didn't install any flashing along the edge where the wall of the kitchen and the roof of the bedroom meet. There was just caulking there along the 'J channel', and that is where water is coming in.
How do you fix a leaking J channel that has no flashing? Is the only way to stop water from coming in to pull off the siding and the shingles in that area and put flashing down, or is there a different fix?
#3
07-14-14, 10:09 AM
Group Moderator
Unfortunately step flashing is the best if not the only solution. Unfortunately the bottom of the siding will need to be pulled loose. You may have to pull the end nails from the shingles but should be able to slide the flashing in place without completely removing the shingles.
#4
07-14-14, 11:40 AM
Thanks for the replies! I'm assuming that the if there had been step flashing on there prior to the new roof installation 3 years ago, the roofers would have left it on and nailed over it. Since they didn't, that tells me that when the house was built 15 years ago, the builder didn't step flash it either.
Should I be talking to the original builder, the roofers from 3 yrs ago, or a general handyman? We had an adjuster look at it who indicated that this was more of a 'design flaw' and a way to cut corners, but not really considered roof damage (the damage is to the interior), which I don't get since the roof is causing the interior damage, so we're not sure how to proceed...
Should I be talking to the original builder, the roofers from 3 yrs ago, or a general handyman? We had an adjuster look at it who indicated that this was more of a 'design flaw' and a way to cut corners, but not really considered roof damage (the damage is to the interior), which I don't get since the roof is causing the interior damage, so we're not sure how to proceed...
#5
07-14-14, 12:05 PM
You need a roofer. Not a handyman. A good roofer may well charge you a lot more money but he should only have to come once.
The builder will note that the roof has been replaced since the house was built, and therefore it cannot be proven that they didn't flash the roof to wall intersection when the house was built. You can assume that if flashing had been there originally the roofer would have left it in place if you like but that doesn't necessarily mean that's how it went.
If it is me, I am not even interested in talking to the roofer from 3 years ago. I'm going to find a different one. If the first guy was so lazy that he put caulk where he should have put flashing I am not going to depend on him to fabricate and install the flashing properly now. I'd rather pay someone who I am confident can do it correctly. Most other people will probably tell you you have to make him come back and fix his work though.
The builder will note that the roof has been replaced since the house was built, and therefore it cannot be proven that they didn't flash the roof to wall intersection when the house was built. You can assume that if flashing had been there originally the roofer would have left it in place if you like but that doesn't necessarily mean that's how it went.
If it is me, I am not even interested in talking to the roofer from 3 years ago. I'm going to find a different one. If the first guy was so lazy that he put caulk where he should have put flashing I am not going to depend on him to fabricate and install the flashing properly now. I'd rather pay someone who I am confident can do it correctly. Most other people will probably tell you you have to make him come back and fix his work though.
