Two Drops Forward, One Drop Back

The roof is more than 3/4 complete, but it leaks in four places. One is the vent flashing. This should be fixed by installing a new one.


The second one is in the skylight that has been flashed, but the roofing above it has not been installed. Thus all the water from 66 square feet of roof runs right under the flashing. Still, it didn’t leak when it had only "paper" flashing. This should be fixed when the additional roof pieces go on.

Third is in the living room above where the aforementioned roofing is to be installed. Should likewise be fixed. Still, it’s incredible that the roof is leaking at all.

Fourth, and the most disturbing one, is in the living room in an already roofed section. This area has never leaked before. The only source for water has to be the very upper edge of the roof that won’t get capped until the whole thing is on. Let’s hope so. I don’t really want to contemplate the alternatives.

The roof is made up of only 8 giant, 10" thick panels. The seams have been glued, and foamed. Then they were foamed again, once in place, and self-adhesive flashing was laid over all the seams (only 4 seams). Atop all this is a 5/8" layer of plywood that is offset to every seam, and is glued and screwed in place. Over all of this is a layer of Tri-Flex 30 roofing "paper". A tough, hurricane rated, polyethyline roofing material. The curbs for the skylights is equally impressivelly flashed. Still...

Never underestimate the persistence of water.