Roof leak or insulation missing?

[Carl A. Brown]

Originally Posted by dandersen

I will bow out and let the "expert" John McKenna answer that one for you.

I'm only a lowly Level III Thermographer and should not be doing Home Inspections any more...

It's all well and good to help out the other guy, but "Dude" you need some training to go with your camera...

We can't scratch the surface of what is going on here.
You don't have the equipment or the training, never mind being in parts unknown.
As it has ice dam issues, you could be north of me. That's about I can tell you at this point.

We can guess till the cows come home, but it won't do you any good. This is not point and shoot digital photography.

My best recommendation is to advise your client that there is a problem there and they need an expert to locate the problem or just get the saws-all out and go for it.

Seeing it is just sheetrock and the house is new(er), the latter will be the most cost effective. They have to rip it all out to make the repair anyway.

As there is a cold spot, that means there is an opening. If there is an opening, water can get in.
Water/Air it doesn't matter. It needs to be fixed or they will be talking down the wall in the near future.

Peter Russel does these all the time. Give him a call.
Rip it out now, or a lot more later...

Dave,

You should not degrade yourself like that!

[Carl A. Brown]

Mark,

Where are you located?

[LeRoy D. Holm]

Always back up the pictures with a moisture reading

[Mark CDavis]

Location: Portland, OR

Using the FLIR S/W, it is clear that the lowest reading is above he dew point on the ceiling.

Also, using a Wagner moisture meter, readings are in the 3%-5% range.

Given all data, I do not think it is a leak.

This area is a source of a previous ice dam, but that was repaired thoroughly...

Speakers were also installed in the area, with no insulation above, given that it fell out when the speakers were installed from below (no access to the area from above -- cathedral).

-mark

[Dale Duffy]

Originally Posted by prussell

Looks like a combination of air/water infiltration.

Confirmation with a moisture meter and then destructive investigation.

Do you have any close ups of the exterior window casings and flashing.

I'd bet the world the windows are not flashed properly at the top......water entering.

Having an IR Cam and not all the other equipment necessary is like trying to cook a chicken without a fire.

[Mark CDavis]

Dale-

I bet you are right.

Plan is to re-flash all the headers...replace all the trim w/hardie - same thickness as the wood. Inject 3/8" gaps, backing rod, and sonolastic 150 in the sides and top. New - non-asphalt SAM on the header w/custom-made metal header flashing w/custom edges.

One difficulty is that the siding will stay on the sides, so there will only be 3.5" of space, which limits options to re-SAM (assuming SAM is there).

Above, several siding rows will be taken off to properly flash the headers.

No caulk above the Z-metal (as it is today, and is failing). Caulk between the windows and all trim, 3/8" wide. Sonolastic 150.

-mark

[David A. Andersen]

Originally Posted by Mark CDavis

Location: Portland, OR

Using the FLIR S/W, it is clear that the lowest reading is above he dew point on the ceiling.

Also, using a Wagner moisture meter, readings are in the 3%-5% range.

Given all data, I do not think it is a leak.

This area is a source of a previous ice dam, but that was repaired thoroughly...

Speakers were also installed in the area, with no insulation above, given that it fell out when the speakers were installed from below (no access to the area from above -- cathedral).

-mark

So, do you know the answer to your question or not?

If you do, why are you asking?

Are you telling me that temps above the dew point are not moisture?


Just how do you know if moisture is involved or not?
You don't need a moisture meter to determine this.

Do you know Scott Wood?
If not, I think you should look him up. He is in your neighborhood.

[Carl A. Brown]

Mark,

What about under the window?

[Mark CDavis]

David-

Don't know all the answers -- I am new to the FLIR and am just getting used to it. I've spent about 4 days so far thinking about infrared, the uses and implications of it.

The Flir S/W was helpful to point out the dewpoints and to allow me to attempt to find areas within the range.

The Delmhorst was useful to test wood -- nothing above 7-8% so far with this meter.

The Wagner EM was good for non-invasive testing...lots of low readings -- 305% on drywall, 6-8% on wood trim (inside), and perhaps 10% when it hits a nail head

I'm convinced there are signs of past leakage in 3 of 4 banks of windows, based on the drywall that is missing on the inside. The leakage appears to have happened at the header. Could have been caulk failure, white wood crack failure, SAM, flashing, etc...we'll see what is missing when it gets ripped out. Could have been the case that the rain just came up under the Z-metal that is between the window and trim (not the Z-metal above the trim) and caulked.

Windows are Marvin Integrity, which recommend against Asphalt SAMs. We'll see what was used.

The topic that I am spending more time on of late is the specifics on the best header layering for a coastal environment. Lots of different opinions on this.

The likely recommendation will be to lose the Z-metal above the window and just put in the backer rod & 3/8" sonolastic 150 caulk there and on the sides...Z-metal above the trim. New SAM for the header, below and above the WRB. Custom Z-metal w/edges to prevent rain-driven wind from the sides. No caulk above the Z-metal. Hardie trim to deal with the exposure.

[Peter C. Russell]

Just when you think you have it all figured out, and complete the repair.....

It will fail again.

[Linas Dapkus]

Originally Posted by Mark CDavis

Still learning how to properly interpret these.

Parameters:
Used: FLIR e60
Temp inside: ~72-74
Humidity inslide: 39%
Temp outside: low 50s
Dew point was in the mid 40s.

We have water leaking on the upper right edge of the 2nd window from the right, now likely falling into the wall between the right most and 2nd from right window.

Question is: what is the source? There are cracked trim boards above the window, failing caulking above the window, or we also had roofing work on the right side where snow had previously formed an ICE dam...they claimed to put 3' of membrane over there -- the color is where I'd expect the edge of the membrane to be...and it shows on the other side of the wall, 3' up as well...(last image -- other size of roof "V")

As you can tell, looks like the previous homeowner had taken out some of the drywall.

Any expedited help is much appreciated,
-mark

I think you had it figured out a while ago.