I must have a small roof leak in my 1.5 story, 2 dormer, roof.

There is a small darkening spot, about 6" in diameter, on our 1st
level bathroom. It's about right at the point where the 1.5 story
dormer meets the roofline. From that bedroom I looked out onto the
roof and see the shingles as they come up to the roof nailed at the
very top where the roof meets the dormer. The top row of shingles are
nailed and the nails are exposed. One nail in particular seems to
have broken through the shingle. I'm thinking I need to start there
and somehow seal that nail. How should I do that?

What else do I need to look for? How should the roof shingles as
they meet the dormer walls be installed? It just seems like that is a
leak waiting to happen with a wall running down to a roof where it
cannot be properly capped. Is there some sort of flashing there?

Here is the house:
http://www.dongardner.com/images.asp...ront1.jpg&f =

The leak seems to lead up to the roof where that single 2nd level
window on the main living area is shown in this picture.

On Oct 17, 12:46*am, coloradotrout wrote:
I must have a small roof leak in my 1.5 story, 2 dormer, roof.

There is a small darkening spot, about 6" in diameter, on our 1st
level bathroom. *It's about right at the point where the 1.5 story
dormer meets the roofline. *From that bedroom I looked out onto the
roof and see the shingles as they come up to the roof nailed at the
very top where the roof meets the dormer. *The top row of shingles are
nailed and the nails are exposed. *One nail in particular seems to
have broken through the shingle. *I'm thinking I need to start there
and somehow seal that nail. *How should I do that?

What else do I need to look for? * How should the roof shingles as
they meet the dormer walls be installed? *It just seems like that is a
leak waiting to happen with a wall running down to a roof where it
cannot *be properly capped. *Is there some sort of flashing there?

Flashing is an art form. Slapping some roofing cement on what you're
describing is just as likely to trap water and make the leak worse.
If you posted some pictures of your house, not the generic house, and
the specific location where you are having a problem, you'd get more
constructive responses and advice.

R

On Oct 17, 1:07*am, RicodJour wrote:
On Oct 17, 12:46*am, coloradotrout wrote:

I must have a small roof leak in my 1.5 story, 2 dormer, roof.

There is a small darkening spot, about 6" in diameter, on our 1st
level bathroom. *It's about right at the point where the 1.5 story
dormer meets the roofline. *From that bedroom I looked out onto the
roof and see the shingles as they come up to the roof nailed at the
very top where the roof meets the dormer. *The top row of shingles are
nailed and the nails are exposed. *One nail in particular seems to
have broken through the shingle. *I'm thinking I need to start there
and somehow seal that nail. *How should I do that?

What else do I need to look for? * How should the roof shingles as
they meet the dormer walls be installed? *It just seems like that is a
leak waiting to happen with a wall running down to a roof where it
cannot *be properly capped. *Is there some sort of flashing there?

Flashing is an art form. *Slapping some roofing cement on what you're
describing is just as likely to trap water and make the leak worse.
If you posted some pictures of your house, not the generic house, and
the specific location where you are having a problem, you'd get more
constructive responses and advice.

R

Also consider any plumbing vents. Since it's over a bathroom, it
could be from a vent if there is one there. The rubber boots fail
over time. Why not climb into the attic during a rain and take a
look up there?

I don't think I can very easily get to that location. I have not
tried yet, but there is not going to be much, if any, headroom in the
attic at that location.

On Oct 17, 12:07*am, RicodJour wrote:
On Oct 17, 12:46*am, coloradotrout wrote:

I must have a small roof leak in my 1.5 story, 2 dormer, roof.

There is a small darkening spot, about 6" in diameter, on our 1st
level bathroom. *It's about right at the point where the 1.5 story
dormer meets the roofline. *From that bedroom I looked out onto the
roof and see the shingles as they come up to the roof nailed at the
very top where the roof meets the dormer. *The top row of shingles are
nailed and the nails are exposed. *One nail in particular seems to
have broken through the shingle. *I'm thinking I need to start there
and somehow seal that nail. *How should I do that?

What else do I need to look for? * How should the roof shingles as
they meet the dormer walls be installed? *It just seems like that is a
leak waiting to happen with a wall running down to a roof where it
cannot *be properly capped. *Is there some sort of flashing there?

Flashing is an art form. *Slapping some roofing cement on what you're
describing is just as likely to trap water and make the leak worse.
If you posted some pictures of your house, not the generic house, and
the specific location where you are having a problem, you'd get more
constructive responses and advice.

R

Your description of the loation of the leak doesn't make any sense. "
single 2nd level
window on the main living area is shown in this picture". There are 3
windows on the 2nd level on the front and one on the side, assuming
that the two-story building in the back is not what you're talking
about. If you have to use a generic photo, put an arrow pointing to
where the leak is!!!

It's the side window -- the "single window on the 2nd level".

Below that window is a bay window that is apart of the bath.

On Oct 17, 9:07*pm, coloradotrout wrote:
It's the side window -- the "single window on the 2nd level".

Below that window is a bay window that is apart of the bath.

Why not post a thumbnail so we could have an even smaller less
detailed picture to guess at?

R

On Oct 17, 10:16*pm, RicodJour wrote:
On Oct 17, 9:07*pm, coloradotrout wrote:

It's the side window -- the "single window on the 2nd level".

Below that window is a bay window that is apart of the bath.

Why not post a thumbnail so we could have an even smaller less
detailed picture to guess at?

R

Agreed, the description from the OP would make more sense if he showed
a photo of what he saw when he looked out the window.

On Oct 17, 12:46*am, coloradotrout wrote:
I must have a small roof leak in my 1.5 story, 2 dormer, roof.

There is a small darkening spot, about 6" in diameter, on our 1st
level bathroom. *It's about right at the point where the 1.5 story
dormer meets the roofline. *From that bedroom I looked out onto the
roof and see the shingles as they come up to the roof nailed at the
very top where the roof meets the dormer. *The top row of shingles are
nailed and the nails are exposed. *One nail in particular seems to
have broken through the shingle. *I'm thinking I need to start there
and somehow seal that nail. *How should I do that?

What else do I need to look for? * How should the roof shingles as
they meet the dormer walls be installed? *It just seems like that is a
leak waiting to happen with a wall running down to a roof where it
cannot *be properly capped. *Is there some sort of flashing there?

I am a professsional roofer located in CT. The leak is probably at
the pitch change between the upper steeply pitched roof and the lower
"moderately" pitched roof. The step flashing in this area is two
small to handle the backwash of the pitch change. We usually cover
the entire lower pitched are with self adhesive ice & water barrier
and install an oversized flashing detail at the pitch change the
covers the last two sourse of the low pitched roof. Good luck!

On Oct 28, 5:30*pm, "
wrote:
On Oct 17, 12:46*am, coloradotrout wrote:

I must have a small roof leak in my 1.5 story, 2 dormer, roof.

There is a small darkening spot, about 6" in diameter, on our 1st
level bathroom. *It's about right at the point where the 1.5 story
dormer meets the roofline. *From that bedroom I looked out onto the
roof and see the shingles as they come up to the roof nailed at the
very top where the roof meets the dormer. *The top row of shingles are
nailed and the nails are exposed. *One nail in particular seems to
have broken through the shingle. *I'm thinking I need to start there
and somehow seal that nail. *How should I do that?

What else do I need to look for? * How should the roof shingles as
they meet the dormer walls be installed? *It just seems like that is a
leak waiting to happen with a wall running down to a roof where it
cannot *be properly capped. *Is there some sort of flashing there?

I am a professsional roofer located in CT. *The leak is probably at
the pitch change between the upper steeply pitched roof and the lower
"moderately" pitched roof. *The step flashing in this area is two
small to handle the backwash of the pitch change. *We usually cover
the entire lower pitched are with self adhesive ice & water barrier
and install an oversized flashing detail at the pitch change the
covers the last two sourse of the low pitched roof. *Good luck!

I don't know about that. It's possible, but the OP's sorry picture
has the arrow pointing to a spot that's a distance away from the step
flashing on the pitched part of the roof running along that wall, and
under the window. There's no up-slope area, just the wall and
window. We need better pictures! Coloradotrout, provide them
forthwith!

R

On Oct 28, 5:30*pm, "
wrote:
On Oct 17, 12:46*am, coloradotrout wrote:

I must have a small roof leak in my 1.5 story, 2 dormer, roof.

There is a small darkening spot, about 6" in diameter, on our 1st
level bathroom. *It's about right at the point where the 1.5 story
dormer meets the roofline. *From that bedroom I looked out onto the
roof and see the shingles as they come up to the roof nailed at the
very top where the roof meets the dormer. *The top row of shingles are
nailed and the nails are exposed. *One nail in particular seems to
have broken through the shingle. *I'm thinking I need to start there
and somehow seal that nail. *How should I do that?

What else do I need to look for? * How should the roof shingles as
they meet the dormer walls be installed? *It just seems like that is a
leak waiting to happen with a wall running down to a roof where it
cannot *be properly capped. *Is there some sort of flashing there?

I am a professsional roofer located in CT. *The leak is probably at
the pitch change between the upper steeply pitched roof and the lower
"moderately" pitched roof. *The step flashing in this area is two
small to handle the backwash of the pitch change. *We usually cover
the entire lower pitched are with self adhesive ice & water barrier
and install an oversized flashing detail at the pitch change the
covers the last two sourse of the low pitched roof. *Good luck!

I don't know about that. It's possible, but the OP's sorry picture
has the arrow pointing to a spot that's a distance away from the step
flashing on the pitched part of the roof running along that wall, and
under the window. There's no up-slope area, just the wall and
window. We need better pictures! Coloradotrout, provide them
forthwith!

R