Replies

1. 
   deadnuts | Dec 29, 2014 12:13pm | #1

   seems like ice damming issue

   If these pictures were taken at different times with snow being on the roof on the left photo, then it appears you have classic conditions for the promotion of ice damming. Warm air collecting around your conditioned catherdral roof finish is probably leaking through your insulation layer and causing the snow to melt and then re-freeze as ice at the overhang. At that point liquid water backs up until it drops behind the top of your shingles.

   I would investigate whether your roof is properly insulated and that you have an ice and water barrier installed on your roof deck that extends at least 36"  inboard of your conditioned wall plane.  Usually running two widths of ice and water materia from your eave is a good idea. If not, then I recommened how your going to improve both before you start ripping shingles off. Try to safely remove the ice dam as a temporary leak stop measure.

2. 
   DanH | Dec 29, 2014 12:28pm | #2

   "Vaulted ceiling" implies

   "Vaulted ceiling" implies little/no roof insulation.  This does indeed set you up for the classical ice damming scenario where the snow over the inhabited space melts and runs down the roof until it hits the cold eaves, where it freezes.  This creates a "dam" and forces the water coming down the roof back under the shingles.

1. 
   deadnuts | Dec 29, 2014 06:24pm | #3

   check the origins of your inferences

   DanH wrote:

   "Vaulted ceiling" implies little/no roof insulation. 

   No. It doesn't.

   "Vaulted ceiling" simply implies that ceiling and wall planes intersect at different elevations within a particular room. As far as insulation goes in vaulted ceilings, I'd venture to guess that most vaulted ceilings are perfectly well insulated.

1. 
   icerunner | Dec 30, 2014 12:13pm | #4

   Yeah, just rafters, insulation for 2x6 and wall board. Sorry, no snow. That's just the gutter, pretty dirty. If you look at the roof picutre, the leak is the thrid rafter from the right. Both pictures on the same day. Sorry should have said that.

   I guess I've just got to start pulling shingles.

1. 
   DanH | Dec 30, 2014 10:07pm | #5

   In that case I'd inspect the shingles above the leak very carefully for hairline cracks.  Do note that water can travel laterally in many cases, so look a couple of feet to either side of the leak in addition to looking directly in line with the leak.

3. 
   icerunner | Dec 31, 2014 11:08am | #6

   Thanks. It's 21 here now so if there isn't a crack, I'm sure to make some.....

1. 
   mark122 | Dec 31, 2014 11:15am | #7

   how old is the roof? everytime i have seen a 3tab roof curled up the way yours seems to be...im quoting a new roof.

4. 
   icerunner | Jan 01, 2015 10:11am | #8

   Only 11 years old. For some reason the picutre makes it look worse than it really is, or something wrong with my eyes.

   Found the leak. Apparently when we put the roof on, we used a 2x4 nailed in to the lower shingles for suport - I beleive its a7/12 roof. When done we used that roof repair ttha comes in a caulk  tube. It failed and the water was coming in there.

   Is there something better for holes than that stuff at the box stores?

1. 
   deadnuts | Jan 01, 2015 08:04pm | #9

   caulk between layers

   icerunner wrote:

   Is there something better for holes than that stuff at the box stores?

   Best would be to splice in a new three tab section if you have some left over or can match it closely. Short of that, lift the tab that has the nail hole(s) and caulk (with a  polyurethane sealant like Vulkem) between the shingle layers right at the hole. This will form a better seal... and you won't have an unsightly glob on the top side of shingles.

5. 
   icerunner | Jan 02, 2015 05:40pm | #10

   Thanks so much. Yeah, the problem now is that the temp is too cold for those caulks.

   And thanks for all the repiles.

1. 
   deadnuts | Jan 03, 2015 06:03pm | #11

   look on the bright side...

   if it's too cold to caulk, then it's too cold to leak.