My roof is leaking!

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

What horrible timing. If it isn't a new leak then if you can't come to a resolution before you leave it will probably last until you return home. Maybe family or friend can come check on the home while you are gone if you have more rain?

If your roof failed because it's old, then insurance likely won't cover it. A roofer might be able to give you a little further clarity on the cause of the leak and if it can be repaired or needs a fill replacement. If it's 20 years old then a replacement sounds more likely. Good luck and hopefully you come to some sort of comfortable resolution so you don't have to worry about it on vacation.

 

[kymom99]

I finally got this issue resolved. Or at least almost. I went on my vacation and was able to stop thinking about it pretty quick. (My husband's solution: put a bucket under it.) When I got home I called a guy who has done work for my relatives. He set up a time to come look at it a week later but never showed. Another company set up a time but we had to reschedule due to weather. This late snow has been nuts. We finally got an answer we are satisfied with.

I am happy to say the roof just needs new flashing. The guy who gave us an estimate said the actual roof is in good shape. He was shocked when I told him it is at least 20 years old. Probably older. What a relief we don't have to replace it all. He said most likely we have been having water coming in for a long time but just never knew it. The rains that caused flooding last month caused it to become obvious, which I guess we should be thankful about.

 

[kymom99]

Well I was wrong. MY husband found a bundle of shingles from 2005. I'm wondering if it was replaced at that time due to hail damage. The guy who gave the estimate said he would guess it to be no more than 13 years old at the most. So he was exactly right. Crazy! That helps me to know he knows his stuff.

As a back story, my parents built this house in 1958. They built an addition and put on new roof and siding in about 1990 when a subdivision was built around them to update it and make it look nicer. I don't remember them replacing the roof again. But I didn't live with them so...

But the roof they put on then would have not have been very old in 2005. I'll have to pick the brains of my siblings.

 

[JinxedSydney]

Glad it's still in decent shape. Now, you have time to save up for a new one.

Did he say that the flashing failed? Flashing is metal, so it's strange that it would need to be replaced prior to a re-roof. I'd think that the caulking failed, but maybe you had some sort of storm damage that punctured it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well I was wrong. MY husband found a bundle of shingles from 2005. I'm wondering if it was replaced at that time due to hail damage. The guy who gave the estimate said he would guess it to be no more than 13 years old at the most. So he was exactly right. Crazy! That helps me to know he knows his stuff.

As a back story, my parents built this house in 1958. They built an addition and put on new roof and siding in about 1990 when a subdivision was built around them to update it and make it look nicer. I don't remember them replacing the roof again. But I didn't live with them so...

But the roof they put on then would have not have been very old in 2005. I'll have to pick the brains of my siblings.

It all depends on where you live and the type of roof you got and the abuse they took but when I worked at the insurance company a 20 year roof was usually right near the end of its usable life span and oftentimes if there was enough wear and tear (like granule loss, curling, sun damage, wind damage, etc) we would decline the policy until you got a roof replacement (usually wear and tear required full replacement versus repair)--from a new business perspective it made sense as the number of usability of the roof that old means it's got a shorter lifespan and more susceptible to a claim in the first few years of the policy.

Likely makes much more sense that the roof you have is 12-13 years old.

The better quality asphalt shingles (if that was what the homeowner had) the longer the lifespan typically though hail damage, if bad enough, will still impact higher quality roofing materials.

I too am intrigued by the flashing being the issue.

 

[kymom99]

Glad it's still in decent shape. Now, you have time to save up for a new one.

Did he say that the flashing failed? Flashing is metal, so it's strange that it would need to be replaced prior to a re-roof. I'd think that the caulking failed, but maybe you had some sort of storm damage that punctured it.

He said it was not installed correctly. He explained there are 2 parts to flashing but they only used one part. Then used this stuff they refer to as duct tape (but that's not what it is) to cover over it. I don't know if I'm explaining this right since I don't have any knowledge of this type of thing. I'm wondering if this was an insurance job and if so they did this wrong. He said the rest of the roof was installed very well and is of good quality.

He also said his company solders the flashing so it will last virtually forever.

 

[JinxedSydney]

That's fantastic!

Yeah, the "duct tape" is probably the aluminum tape that is not weather tight.

 

[kymom99]

That's fantastic!

Yeah, the "duct tape" is probably the aluminum tape that is not weather tight.

I'm pretty sure that's what it is. Looks like aluminum foil

 

[NinaBella]

Sounds like that roofer needs to be sued!

 

[kymom99]

Sounds like that roofer needs to be sued!

That would be true if I knew who it was. These are the times I wish Dad was still here. Just things I wish I could ask.

 

[tvguy]

Sounds like that roofer needs to be sued!

A leak over a decade after the installation merits a lawsuit? Most roofers here guarantee against leaks for one year.

 

[kymom99]

A leak over a decade after the installation merits a lawsuit? Most roofers here guarantee against leaks for one year.

It was installed improperly. And the roofer I am using guarantees for 5 years.

I think the point is that it's terrible someone did this kind of job and got paid for it.

 

[laceltris3]

I feel your pain. We had a really nice metal tile roof that was supposed to be guaranteed to Category 2 hurricane winds. Ike came along and blew off a good section of it and we ended up with water damage on the top floor. As it turns out it actually is a pretty good product, but it was supposed to be screwed down and they had nailed it.

It was a small builder who had since gone out of business, so we got a new roof, and had no real recourse for the shoddy work. Fortunately our insurance adjustor was nice and covered the cost of the new roof since they had discontinued the color of the panels on our roof so we couldn't get a repair. Our neighbors in the townhome development were taking the tiles as they came down to use to repair their own. They even had the same insurance company, but a different adjustor.

 

[tvguy]

It was installed improperly. And the roofer I am using guarantees for 5 years.

I think the point is that it's terrible someone did this kind of job and got paid for it.

Was the roof done with a permit and did it pass inspection?

It is called flashing tape and it appears to be approved for this use. Unless the roofer did in fact use duct tape.

https://www.echotape.com/blog/choose-right-flashing-tape/

After adding onto my house, and then remodeling it, I am amazed at how many things that clearly should not have passed inspection when the house was built, did pass. And watching those HGTV shows, crazy things in original construction always seem to turn up. I paid the County $3,000 in inspection fees for my remodel. I was a bit shocked that the guy that inspected my new roof had to borrow MY ladder to inspect my roof. How a roof inspector doesn't have a ladder is beyond me.

 

[JinxedSydney]

These are the times I wish Dad was still here. Just things I wish I could ask.

((hugs))

I think the point is that it's terrible someone did this kind of job and got paid for it.

Agreed. Fly-by-night roofers are all over the country and my FIL's business had over 1/3 of his jobs from repairs by them.

I am happy your new guy will fix it and guarantee it! Moving on from here, since you can't go backwards and sue for a faulty installation for a company you don't know about, I hope you are leak free!

Woohoo for future worry-free trips!