Water dripping through soffit?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Water dripping through soffit?

Posted: 7/19/2013 12:09:40 PM EDT

I have lived here for about 5 years now and just noticed that there is water dripping through the holes in the soffit at one spot. There is a peak that protrudes out from the roof (ranch style home) that the bottom of it lines up with this spot and the valley comes down in this area too.
I see where the peak meets the roof there may be a spot for water to run down under the shingles but can't figure out how it could be getting into the soffit.

Thoughts?

Posted: 7/19/2013 12:19:37 PM EDT

[#1]

Are your gutters free and clear?

Posted: 7/19/2013 12:21:59 PM EDT

[#2]

Yes. I checked them just to be sure. Also I do get a few drips from the splash guard(?) where the nails run through the gutters as it seems a little water runs back along the nails.

It looks like it might stop raining so if any other pictures would help let me know.

Posted: 7/19/2013 12:22:54 PM EDT

[#3]

I had this happen on one of my rentals. As it turns out, there was a leak in the roof and it was running down the inside and leaking out of the soffit.

You might want to take a flashlight up into your attic the next time it rains.

Posted: 7/19/2013 12:44:59 PM EDT

[#4]

Yeah I tried to do that but the entrance is on the opposite end of the house so it is 40ft away. Also, we had 14in of insulation blown in and I'm not sure if I just scoop it aside and walk over replacing it as I come back or what?

Here are more pictures. I really dislike home ownership at times. It seems as though there is always a monthly expense that ranges from $100-$5000

I wonder if the trim piece in the second picture poked through the shingle and is letting water run down where it shouldn't? I was going to put some silicone there and test my theory for the next rain (which could be in September at the rate we are going).

Posted: 7/19/2013 12:54:20 PM EDT

[#5]

Zoomed in on my iPad. Does look like a hole in the shingle where that flashing piece ends.

Is it possible to gently pry off that piece of soffit? Might be able to see where the water is coming from.

Posted: 7/19/2013 1:02:35 PM EDT

[#6]

I am leaning that way too. I am not sure about prying it off. I kind of tried but stopped as I didn't want to bend the trim piece too bad. I may end up just cutting the piece just enough so that I can bend a section down so that I can see what is going on.

I am leaning towards silicone first just as it will be the easiest fix.

At least it isn't a 10x12 pitch roof

Posted: 7/19/2013 3:42:17 PM EDT

[#7]

What part of NE are you in?

I can come look at it for you and maybe put an extra

eyeball on it.

Posted: 7/19/2013 4:03:37 PM EDT

[#8]

Quote History

Quoted:
What part of NE are you in?
I can come look at it for you and maybe put an extra
eyeball on it.

View Quote

IM sent...thanks!!

Posted: 7/20/2013 1:49:25 PM EDT

[#9]

Just looking at the way there is some sort of seam that comes out of the valley, and the lack of drip edge on the bottom, and that the shingles don't extend past the drip edge, leads me to believe that the roofers also fucked up the valley.

Could you move your ladder a few feet to the right and take a picture that shows the valley, and how they end it at the bottom? Also a picture from the ground that shows the whole side of the roof would help.

Thanks

Posted: 7/20/2013 6:58:05 PM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
I am leaning that way too. I am not sure about prying it off. I kind of tried but stopped as I didn't want to bend the trim piece too bad. I may end up just cutting the piece just enough so that I can bend a section down so that I can see what is going on.

I am leaning towards silicone first just as it will be the easiest fix.

At least it isn't a 10x12 pitch roof

View Quote

Don't use silicone if you are going to do that. Use the Loctite polyurethane roofing tar at lowes or depot. I would just squeeze some at the bottom of the valley in the hole where the drip meets the shingle, and a small bead across the cut shingle at the fascia board (unless they were able to run that shingle far under it). Use as little as possible to do the job. I also agree with the guy above me. Shingles don't overhang the drip edge, and what is that thing that extends out of the bottom of the valley? Some kind of seam? Makes me think the roofer didn't know what they were doing.

Posted: 7/23/2013 4:11:53 PM EDT

[#11]

Is there anything in the valley to prevent sideways flow of water?

Posted: 7/24/2013 6:50:36 AM EDT

[#12]

As a supervisor to a few roofing crews, that looks pretty standard for how most will do, but that doesn't always mean it is correct. Water loves to find it's way in at little corners like that. Nothing a few minutes with either a small piece of metal or some Ice and Water Membrane probably couldn't fix. Water will and does find its way under shingles in a valley and my guess it is not coming out over the edge like you would like, but instead dripping straight into that corner.

Posted: 7/24/2013 8:31:30 AM EDT

[#13]

Where do your bathroom fans vent?

I have seen some builders will simply run a vent to the soffit and leave it there. It's such a cheap shortcut but many do it...at least where I live. So, you could have water leaking out from the fan vent when you run the shower. More likely to be seen during cold weather as the moisture condenses in the cold air though.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Water dripping through soffit?

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