# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > General Homesteading >  Roof Leaks

## kyratshooter

I just came down from up on the roof.  

It seems that 6 inches of rain in three days will expose roofing problems you did not know you had.

I could not find the immediate problem but there appears to be one so I spread roof sealer over the entire area.  It is a stop gap since the roof is more than 30 years old and due for replacement.

It is supposed to be sunny and 60 to apply the stuff but cloudy and 45 is going to have to do, since I had to do something, even if it was wrong! 

Fortunately we do not have more rain forecast for a few days so perhaps it will work.  I already have enough damage done that I will need to replace the living room ceiling.  But that will not be done until I get a full new roof on in the spring.

Seems there is something all the time.  But at least it is mine, and it is paid for.   :Wheelchair:

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## hunter63

I hear ya......
Worst storm here yesterday....started raining...turned to sleet, then snow with 30-40 mile and hour winds......then back to freezing rain again......so had a frozen layered mess outside.

Then the Dish went out, so out side at 9:30 PM to clear the frozen slop off the dish....got that done....DW sticks her head out the back door and says the sump pump won't stop running. 

Go in check the front yard....no water coming out of the above ground soaker hose I use in the winter (that I had prepared for).
Undo the hose....no water coming out.....WTH?....
Check the pump....running and swirling around in the pit......not pumping.......Unplug....undo hose connector between the two 1-1.4 gal pipe....Plug back in........GOT WET......

Connect back up......NOTHING.

2 ft of pipe...90 degree fitting.....2 more feet to out side.....Not frozen .....WTH?

Run the snake (from garage) up the inside, and back in thru the out side....but only to elbow.....can't make the turn but both ends appear clear.

Hook back up....NOTHING.

Pull pump (purchased 4-17-15)....but receipt was for the previous pump for 2013....WTH(?)
Pull cover off the bottom of the pump....seems clear....check back flow flapper valve appears to be opening and closing ok....
WTH(?)
Reassembled... 
NOTHING!

Now 11:30 PM......Pump down.....can't get out of driveway....and no where to get parts anyway......
Water didn't seem to be coming up any more....so called it a day.

This morning neighbor brought his BIG AZZ snow blower over and cleared me out (again)


Just got back from Menards.....they have a "look up receipt" feature....found it....so may have to return the old pump....
But no direct replacement.....just the High dollars version....seems they had a run on pumps.....
So have a new pump, new back flow check valve.......

AND, because I had no back up for the pump.......Picked up a portable submersible elect pump......and feeds a garden hose....as a drop in the hold spare...as well as pumping anything into garden hose.
Hope to never use it.

So, Yeah...always something.......

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## Roel

Find the leak... Impossible maybe .. but try...  :Creepy:

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## hunter63

Only leaks when it raining.....but can't fix it.
When it isn't raining....don't know where the leak is?

Bigest problem....leaks "over there"....but runs in "over here".....

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## randyt

put a bucket under the leak and that's one less bucket of water you need to bring into the cabin.

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## kyratshooter

> Only leaks when it raining.....but can't fix it.
> When it isn't raining....don't know where the leak is?
> 
> Bigest problem....leaks "over there"....but runs in "over here".....


That is the big problem I fear.  

I think the leak is several feet away, running down a rafter, puddling on the drywall and seeping through at the joints.  

That is why I just sealed the entire area.  I did a quick job this afternoon but after going to Home Depot and dragging all the gear around my back was already giving me fits.  I will get back up there tomorrow and put a second coat on and do a better job.

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## hunter63

Installed new pump.....found the back flow /check valve had a crack in the side of a fitting the had the iron pipe screwed into it.....
So, appears it was short cycling and not pumping the complete pit out....but just slowly pumping some out, but swirling and staying running.
Soooo.....finally didn't pump enough, that DW noticed it running extra long....and said something.

Also appears the backflow preventer/ check valve....is a "Universal 1-1/2 and 1-1/4" requiring the inside to be threaded on the top for a 1-1/4 and out side thread in the same spot.......Bad idea, weak spot....will check that next if future problems ....and use a valve the is for the size pipe I have.

So, I now have the  new spare sump pump....AND the old pump, that will get checked out when it warms up...to see how well it pumps.

May have 2 spares.....cost some bucks...but don't have that helpless feeling of watch water coming in at night and not a darn thing I can do about it.  

I suspect the roof is going to be more of a problem.

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## natertot

man, kyrat! bad time of the year to contend with that kinda issue! Sounds like you got a band aide til spring at least. Yell if you need a hand.

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## hunter63

That's the way a Yankee does it.....In the south they just put up another blue tarp....
Bhohahahahahaha

Joke....ducking and getting outta here.....

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## Fixit

That blue tarp is known as a FEMA SHINGLE .  The government did issues and they did put them up. :Smash:

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## hunter63

Fema Shingles are like $500 bucks.......
Harbor Freight, $12 bucks for a big one on sale......

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## Buzzy204

Had a limb punch thru the roof and into the bedroom in our Thanksgiving ice storm and was able to patch it with a few shingles.  Our recent rain and ice stayed out, thank God.  

I've found of you can't find damaged shingles and have a leak the problem is usually the seals around your various vent pipes etc.  

Sent from my SM-T537R4 using Tapatalk

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## hunter63

Hunter63 saying Hey and Welcome.....
The is an intro section if you would care to say Hello...at:
http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...-Introductions

Your advice is valid, ....found that to be true in some cases.
A lot depends on the condition of the singles at the time.....bad asphalt shingles, rolled roofing, rubber roofing and even steel can leak at seams and fasteners. 

My experience on a leak at a "rubber Witches Hat" for my electrical service was due to the green logs on the cabin drying and settling... breaking the  seal around the pipe.....

If the seal is done correctly on perimeter your molding, that should be about the only area that might leak.

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## kyratshooter

Well I finished the job up this afternoon.  Had some good sunshine and the air temp was 40f.  I put a second coat on the problem area and ran about on the roof chasing likely problems on a 30 year old roof.  I sealed around every vent and stand pipe I have and around a couple of previous patches that might be tempted to give me trouble.

We have a couple of dry days ahead and hopefully some sun will help cure the patches and flat areas I sealed.  Looks like a new roof will be next spring's big project.

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## hunter63

Congrats...hopefully that will solve you problem.....at least for a while.
cold here for the last couple of days.....
I used to like roofing, did a lot for friends and my self.....but knees aren't what they used to be.

Now like many things...I call my "roofing guy"....had him do my shed last summer at "The Place"

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## Grizz123

With heavy rains, the gutters can overflow into the house, even if the downspouts are clear. A quick fix is drill holes in the gutters or tear them down until you can replace them with larger gutters.

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## hunter63

> With heavy rains, the gutters can overflow into the house, even if the downspouts are clear. A quick fix is drill holes in the gutters or tear them down until you can replace them with larger gutters.


I can't see where that would do much good.....Actually make no sense to me at all...
Would you care to clarify that a bit?

My gutters just overflow into the yard.....I have big trees, so I spend a lot of time cleaning them....
Most likely if the gutters are plugged, the bottom is the first place that fills with crap....so holes would be just into the crap.

Heavy rains don't seem to be a problem with roof back ups....but ice dams are a killer....lack of insulation in the attic is the biggest culprit.

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## Grizz123

> I can't see where that would do much good.....Actually make no sense to me at all...
> Would you care to clarify that a bit?
> 
> My gutters just overflow into the yard.....I have big trees, so I spend a lot of time cleaning them....
> Most likely if the gutters are plugged, the bottom is the first place that fills with crap....so holes would be just into the crap.
> 
> Heavy rains don't seem to be a problem with roof back ups....but ice dams are a killer....lack of insulation in the attic is the biggest culprit.


Sure, I can clarify. 
I was getting musty, moldy smells after big rains and could not find the leak. Turns out my clean gutters were overflowing in the front but also in the rear on one corner. This was allowing the water to get into the wall between two rooms. The wall was inside a closet and after removing the clothes I could see a small water stain. I cut into the sheetrock to find all the studs soaking wet. 

I drilled holes in the gutter to prevent more overflowing and then caulked the heck out of everything when the rain stopped. Closer inspection revieled that the corner was fine except for a small gap and the caulk took care of that, no rotting or critter damage. More than likely the gap was started with an ice dam at some point in time.

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## hunter63

Thanks for clearing that up.
Now that makes sense.....seems the root cause is with the gutters to start with.....may need to rehang?
Guess I would never have thought of that, unless it happened to me.

Like I said, mine just overflow into the yard.......and I have a 24" overhang.

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## Grizz123

I wish I did think of it, it took years and pure luck I found it. 

Next time I run out of places to look for a solution to a problem, I will look start looking in the places it should not be...

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## finallyME

I just finished putting on a new roof.  It was probably around the 30 year mark...with 25 yr shingles.  Luckily I live in one of the driest places in the US.  I decided to put on a metal roof, right over the shingles.  Love it!

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## Rick

I will have to do a replacement in a few years. When I had the last one put on I had them strip the roof thinking the next one will just be roof over. I like the idea of a metal roof. Our sun room has a solid roof and it clatters a bit when it rains hard. I love the sound.

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## hunter63

That is the latest Amish business in the area ofr "The Place".....
You buy the cabin for the Amish...they put on....maybe not the best shingles.....then sell and install the steel roof 10-15 years later.

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## crashdive123

This past year we put on a new roof.  Had to go with a rolled roof since the building codes have changed a bit and we don't have enough pitch for shingles anymore.  I guess the shingles for the first 60 years of this house were just......wrong?

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## calreid

There is a quick fix for the problem. Attach metal sheets where there is a chance for leak. I had a similar problem while I was in Toronto.  I got some Copper roofing sheets from Royal York roofing . And added it wherever there is a chance for leak or where I feel like the roof has corroded. Copper is corrosion free so it is highly durably and you don't have to worry about water leaks anymore.

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## natertot

Thanks calReid. If you could,  please go over to the introduction section and tell us a bit about yourself. Thanks!

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## hunter63

> There is a quick fix for the problem. Attach metal sheets where there is a chance for leak. I had a similar problem while I was in Toronto.  I got some Copper roofing sheets from Royal York roofing . And added it wherever there is a chance for leak or where I feel like the roof has corroded. Copper is corrosion free so it is highly durably and you don't have to worry about water leaks anymore.


Hunter63 saying Hey and Welcome....

Copper sheeting is kinda expensive.
Our company did copper roofs on expensive old houses....and you didn't want to mess up too many pieces.

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