Arrrrrgh, what is this problem???

[classybird]

Ok so I have a problem when it rains with water coming in through a crack that has appeared through my upstairs bathroom wall (in Salford) above the window. It's actually quite bad, to the point where it has dis-coloured the white paintwork in the bedroom next to it (think of this like an L shape), obvious wetness when I have had to drill in to the wall to hang stuff etc, and now I am getting a leak in my kitchen ceiling close to the wall from the problem. A couple of friends who know about this kind of stuff looked at it. One said it was the gutter that has been put up wrong (we had some neighbourhood renewal work done about 6 - 7 years ago which included gutters). Another friend thought it was the roof although couldn't find any obvious places where water was coming in. I'm starting to feel a bit desperate now. I know it's impossible to say without seeing it but what is a likely cause for this problem? Is it a building or a roofing problem? I don't know where to go and am worried about being ripped off, especially as I am on maternity leave and managing on maternity pay at the minute which isn't a lot.

 

[noseall]

Is there a soffit overhang above the windows? Or is this on a gable end?

Sounds to me like it is a roofing problem if this is on an eaves elevation.

 

[classybird]

Will get some pics up in within the hour.

 

[classybird]

Here's a photo of the inside crack, you can see a crack on the front of the wall and also one under this running parallel with the top of the window. Water comes through all of this. You can also see paint bubbles in the photo. Both walls of the 'L' shape of the back of the house are affected, both upstairs and downstairs.

 

[classybird]

Image below

 

[classybird]

Here we go!
View media item 67989

 

[Alastairreid]

Can you post a pic of the outside? above the window at roof and gutter level.

 

[classybird]

Yes, give me a min - it's not a good picture though.

 

[classybird]

Outside picture View media item 67990

 

[Alastairreid]

I would get a roofer to check the gutter is running, and the eaves of the roof above the window.

Advice and estimates are free.

 

[noseall]

Could be a problem with the valley or the volume of combined valley water and roof run-off is overwhelming the gutter.

 

[classybird]

Ok so I had a few people round to look at this. All have said about the roof being in a bad state and listed jobs which needed doing, which came as no surprise really. However only one said he also thought the gutter was causing the problem of water coming in through the walls - basically there's a build-up of water gathering in the corner which is seeping into the brickwork when it rains. None of the other roofers picked up this particular problem and said they did not know exactly where the leak is coming from. So I am now in the process of getting the work done by the roofer who picked up the gutter problem (going with him as my friend had also said the gutter was the problem).

One thing that is pickling my head right now is that, on top of all the other various leaks in the bathroom and kitchen because of this gutter problem, there is now a leak in the kitchen every time the shower is used in a near by place to the leek when it rains. Not the bath, (although the shower is in the bath but the water comes from a different source), just when the shower is used. How can this be?? I understand about the gutter causing the problem, but now the shower???? Can this is anyway be related, or does it sound like I have two different problems that have come at the same time?

 

[Burnerman]

Shower water in the room directly beneath the bathroom certainly points to the seal between the bath and the wall being very suspect - together with faulty grouting, maybe.
Again, more pics would help here!
John

 

[Alastairreid]

If the shower is leaking into the kitchen it would be a different issue from your gutter.

Look at the waste pipe and the sealant around the bath.