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ameijers
 
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Default water seeping into bedroom - HELP!!!


"jj_sutton76" wrote in message
oups.com...
hello all! i have a big problem with a starter house i purchased a few
years ago and figured i'd come here for some sage advice.

the problem is simple: water is seeping into the northeast corner of
the bedroom whenever we have a heavy rain. i purchased a dehumidifier
last summer to help remedy the situation, but as i'm sure you've
figured out by now the problem has gotten out of control. the carpet
permanently smells like mildew in that corner and i'm sure once i
tear-down the wallpaper, the drywall will be rotted.

from what i understand, the room was an addition and it's obvious from
just giving it a once over that it was poorly constructed. i have no
idea what foundation they laid. the house does not have a basement and
the crawlspace does not extend underneath that room. i'm assuming it
must be concrete slab.

does anyone have any advice on how i should tackle this problem short
of hiring a contractor? or can you perhaps point me to any books/videos
that may address problems like this?

thanks in advance for listening and if you need any other info, please
ask and i'll gladly oblige it.

Can't see your house from here. Hate to say it, but since you obviously
don't have the training or experience to diagnose it on your own, you need a
site survey by a pro. (Hey, everybody has to start learning somewhere.) Just
off the top of my head, if this is an addition, I'd suspect where the new
roof and old roof meet up. Another common place is improper or missing
flashing around windows. If gutter and fascia board are done wrong, it can
direct water back to wall above soffit, and leak in that way. Can you get in
attic? If no water trails show in attic, it is probably windows. Poke around
outside with an icepick- if you find soft wood outside where it is leaking,
go up and see where the soft part starts. That can be a hint where the leak
is. Can I assume the outside edge of the slab is above grade level? If the
siding or whatever is touching dirt, and if it puddles up there, water can
wick in that way. If it has been damp for a long time, it ain't gonna be
cheap to fix. You may be able to save a few bucks by going the Home
Handyman route, if you can find one you trust, and who will let you do some
of the work yourself. Get an expert to fix the hole in the shell of the
house, and you can buy a DIY book to guide you through the demo and fixing
the interior.

aem sends...