Don t panic if you suspect that you have a plumbing leak.
Pipe on roof leaking water.
A roof leak at the edge of a dormer can allow a lot of water to enter your home.
Often water runs to openings in the vapor barrier such as at ceiling light fixtures.
Here are four common problems that can cause water to leak around vent pipes.
Remove debris make sure your roof valleys are clear of debris re shingle valleys valleys may need to be reshingled with new ice and water shield put in place.
Rotten or missing trim or siding can allow water to leak behind flashing and into your roof.
It may be coming from a leaking water pipe overhead or in the walls.
Here are the symptoms that the ceiling leak was caused by a leaking roof.
If your ceiling has a plastic vapor barrier between the drywall and the attic insulation push the insulation aside and look for flow stains on the plastic.
Sometimes the water shows up at a ceiling spot distant from the leak.
If your shingles are still in relatively good condition chances are that water seeps around a plumbing vent that goes through the roof.
Dormer leaks can be caused from a number of issues.
Rusty and cracked collars around the vent pipe can allow rainwater to pool and eventually drip into.
Problems with drain pipes may cause more intermittent leaking but unlike roof leaks there is no correlation to weather conditions.
When this happens the water can seep into the house along the pipe.
Some roof leaks are tough to locate.
If you see signs of water damage from the ceiling right below the attic then it s a certainty that you re dealing with a leaking roof.
When the roof vent is leaking the actual cause must be identified first.
Water leaking from the ceiling is often clear water rather than brown and dirty if a faulty plumbing pipe is the culprit.
Sun exposure and heat especially during the summer can cause the rubber boot to crack creating the space for water to leak in.
Especially if a water supply pipe is to blame the water dripping from the ceiling may be never ending.
Metal flashing and vent boots work together to prevent water.
Leaking will usually be quite steady if the ceiling leak is plumbing related.
Whatever you do don t begin tearing holes in the ceiling and walls looking for the leak.
If the rubber boot is cracked rotted away or torn.
Other causes of leaking roof vent are including broken seams on the metal base loosen nails and rusty metal collars around the vent pipe.