I have a large bay window. There is currently ice and snow right above it on the roof. In certain spots along the top between the wood, water is getting in here and there and dripping down. I did what I could with what I had: spray silicone water repellent into it while drying it with paper towels and a hairdryer. It seems to have stopped for now. I plan to use some NeverWet on it inside and outside to repel the water more thoroughly for a more extended period. Someone suggested it could be a roofing problem.

What could it be? What would you do? Should I call a roofer?

Shows area in window frame water was coming in between. You can tell it by what I patched with silicone spray.

Shows area in window frame water was coming in between. You can tell it by what I patched with silicone spray.

Shows area in window frame water was coming in between. You can tell it by what I patched with silicone spray.

 

In my opinion a roofer is the place to start. Could be the flashing between the wall and bay window roof shingles has deteriorated and is allowing water to enter. Is it possible to sweep the snow off the bay window roof after storms?

 

Could be an ice dam. Without seeing it, it's hard to say.

 

You mean sweep it off from on top of the roof so there's no ice/show to come in? I'm not going up on top of the roof myself. Is it something a roofer could actually fix in the winter time?

 

What about those heating cables they put on top of roofs to melt the snow?

 

Someone said install an electric ice guard on the roof.

 

I added photos.

 

We don't really need pics of the inside, it's the outside that we need to see so that we can tell where the leak is coming from.

 

Trying to fix it from inside is a waste of time.
You will just trap moisture up there and it will cause a lot of damage in the long run.

Unless you can see something obvious outside get a roofer.
You cannot even say it is an ice dam so until there is more info you cannot go any further.

 

Added outside photos

 

We need a picture of the area where the water is coming in and above. Take a picture from further away and maybe one from the side so we can see the roof over the window. Judging by the snow and ice in your photo I don't know if we will be able to see much though. We are looking for details of how the bay window roof meets the house and how it is flashed to keep water out.

 

Easiest solution is eliminating water from ice on roof melted by home heat that becomes leaks on window.

Install electric roof deicing cable system.

When snow or ice comes turn them on. Day after weather clears turn them off.

Pay back is ending costly damage from leaks and to property and humans from falling icicles.

There are many types and lay outs.

https://www.google.com/search?client...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

 

A snow rake should be used to get as much snow off the roof as possible. Then I have seen people use a hose hooked up to a hot water spigot, to melt a few channels through the ice so that water from above can drain.

Using an ice pick on it is rarely a good idea as 9ne blow too many with it and you've damaged your roof.

If you have anyone in the area with a Hotsy, that would be a good way to melt it as well. If you cant do any of those, then you are back to scooping snow and putting ice melt on it.

 

Frequently melt water flowing under roof ice finds its way inside.

Trying to wash ice away only increase amount of water finding way inside and may increase problem.

With electric heat cables melting roof ice, cables in gutters and down spouts provide drainage out of house.

 

First, this is a picture window not a bay window. A bay window protrudes out from the house. They need a roof of their own since they are not flush with the exterior wall. Just a clarification.

My guess is you have severe ice dams built up starting at the eves and going back/up the roof. These are usually caused by heat from the ceiling heating the bottom side of the roof and melting the snow. The snow above it hides this from view. As the snowmelt runs down the roof it hits the cold roof under the overhang and freezes to the roof. This continues unseen and builds up to an ice dam working back up the roof. Eventually the water works up under the shingles and finds its way into the underside of the roof. Then it runs down the underside until it reaches the exterior wall. It then flows down the wall often inside the wall cavity. This water is likely hitting a horizontal framing member above your window and then exiting and running down the window frame. This is what you are seeing.

I suggest you go into the attic and see if you can get to the area of the roof where it meets this exterior wall above this window. See if the underside of the roof is wet. If so, it can be because there is not sufficient insulation there thus allowing the heat leaving the house through the ceiling below. Or, it could be because the insulation is blocking the soffit vents from allowing cold air to flow up from the soffit or eve vents toward the ridge vents.

This is a lot to understand. There are many threads here and elsewhere on the net explaining the causes an ice dams and resulting water damage. I suggest you spend some time reading about this. Then go into your attic and explore what I explained above.

 

When using hot water to melt an ice dam, you start from the bottom and go up. I agree that heating cables are the ultimate solution.

 

Other sources of heat to melt are sun and out door temperature above 32F. Maybe those are factors to consider.

 

Another way to prevent water going under ice and shingles into home is with strip of ice dam prevention material 3 to 6 foot wide, under the bottom row of shingles.

Here in northeast coastal areas with lots of wet snow some roofers routinely use it. DH roofer did.