Roof or chimney leaking

[chaoticj]

Hi,

Roof structure in 1st pic, rear of the house 2nd pic from May 2022.

Noticed last night, 3rd pic, inside of bathroom cupboard lots of yellow marks/stains, went up in loft above back of house and looking up through the hatch 4th pic the large timber seemed to be very wet in places as well as the underside of the valley board and felt.

Looking further up where the large timber goes - it's wet up there too. If I follow the valley down, 5th pic it meets a rafter and this is soaking wet with what looks like white fungus starting to form. The insulation under here is wet which probably explains the marks in the cupboard.

It's wet all the way along to where the rafter disappears along the edge of the roof 6th pic.

I went up in this loft mid-November and also in mid-December to get the Christmas decorations down and didn't see or notice any of this? When the weather was -7 outside, I checked this loft and there was lots of moisture on the opposite side but assumed it was the huge temperature difference vs outside and also that sides slate vents need cleaning out.

I've been up in the crawl space above the top floor and next to the hip seems wet?

I had all damaged/slipped slates repaired and loose ridge tiles refixed beginning August 2022.
I had all the front ridge tiles rebedded 3rd week of November 2022.

The 2nd floor room behind the rear chimney the wall is wet - started as a small patch early November and has got bigger. I thought it was the chimney leaking a bit and was planning on having an overhaul in spring. Could this be the same or a separate problem? When we bought the place 4 years ago there was a similar 'portal' but more to the left of this one and it wasn't wet.

The 8th & 9th pics show the chimney, hip and behind the chimney but these are from August 2022 before I lost the drone in a tree.

As the valleys are laid on wooden board I think you can get condensation underneath, but I think it seems far too wet for this to all be condensation? Is there any way at all it could be caused by the ridge tiles being rebedded?

Would really appreciate any help that could be offered on this please.

Many thanks,
chaoticj

 

[Loofah]

What's that copper pipe in pic 4?

 

[chaoticj]

What's that copper pipe in pic 4?

Hmm not sure - seemed to be cut off and wobbly I think. There are old pipes going up to a disused water tank - capped off in the very top of the house.

 

[chaoticj]

These are 3 pipes that go up to the top loft (picture taken in 2nd floor bedroom) one of the pipes is lagged, they are all capped off in the loft. Do you think one of them could be leaking as it froze? I did wonder but..?

How could I check?

 

[Loofah]

Need a plumber to answer that one. It looked like it's either coming down a breach in the chimney/roof join or that uncapped pipe is venting steam.
Think you might need a better informed response from some of the forum members, sorry

 

[chaoticj]

Hi,

Ok so, I followed that pipe from top of house crawl space where it's capped off, it comes down into the rear 2nd floor bedroom drops down a bit and goes out the wall emerging in the 1st floor loft where it's uncapped. The other pipes drop down and I think they go into some boxing in the 1st floor bedroom underneath. So I don't think it's the pipes.

The wall in the 2nd floor bedroom is damp/has some water droplets. I thought it could be a bit of water getting in the chimney - could it be a problem with the chimney flashing? This is the red square on the layout picture. It was like this (not as widespread though) before I had the ridge tiles rebedded.

I went back in the top of house crawl space - where the hip (green), side valley (yellow) meet, I've marked pink. Under the ridge tiles the felt is wet and can see moisture droplets, the valley board is wet.

This is the outside to visualise, area marked in pink;

This the inside, area marked in pink:

Could this be caused by rebedding the ridge tiles? The roofer says it will not be that, because the water would have to get through the ridge tile, slate, felt and lead to get to the valley boards.

Further down the side valley it looks a lot wetter (where it's really dark in the pic). He says it's probably a small split in the valley.
So why is there moisture so much further up?

I've also noticed a small yellow stain and bit of bubbling behind roughly where the front valley would be? I don't remember if it was like this before or not. Does not seem wet.

It looks like the area has been painted previously, because the paint around it is magnolia coloured and this area is white. You can't see hardly any of the rear of this valley as it's covered over with the original Victorian stud walls.

All of the valleys were dry as a bone before ridge tiles rebedded as far as I'm aware and also for a time after? what could cause seemingly all the valleys to leak please?

The valleys seem to be constructed with the lead laid directly on wooden valley boards, the roofing felt goes over the side of the lead. Here is a picture from when part of the front slates had to be stripped and repaired.

Thank you very much for any help you might be able to give, thank you.

 

[Sonic70]

The lead valley doesnt look like it goes under the tiles very far. Also what is the black stuff between tiles and lead valley.

 

[chaoticj]

Hi @Sonic70 I guess the black stuff is the edge of the felt? Could the water be from wind driving it under? That was another theory of mine..?

 

[Sonic70]

Could it be black mastic to seal tile edge to lead. I cant quite tell from pic. I have grp valleys on my house so not up to speed with lead ones but surely the lead should go further under the tiles. Plus shouldnt the lead have some sort of upstand on each side edge as well.

 

[chaoticj]

Hi @Sonic70 think we have everything sussed now..

Bit of water at top of house will be where the 1st ridge to side is missing pointing - winds blown water up and inside?

Valleys are too shallow and not correctly detailed so again heavy rainfall or winds blown water in?

Main leak probably flashing around back of chimney. Which needs fixing ASAP.

Will see what the roofer says after he's looked.. cheers.

 

[Sonic70]

Think the lead should have a welt on each side as well. I'm not a roofer but just giving my own opinion from my knowledge.

 

[chaoticj]

Think you're spot on tbh @Sonic70

I think if it's been so bad as to require sealing, I guess the sealant is coming loose in places.

So I may be best getting them resealed if I'm not paying to have them properly redone anytime soon.

I bet that will be a pretty penny?! geez.

 

[Sonic70]

Yes I know the cost of having a valley redone all too well.

 

[Koolpc]

Valley looks quite bad to be honest.