this question is both for my landlord's benefit as well as my own as I am the tenant on the top floor of a 122 yr old 3 story building.
Last spring, some very dirty smelly water came thru the kitchen ceiling, not a ton of water, mind you, maybe 3 half buckets. The landlord and I were both puzzled because the roof does NOT leak when it rains. at least not that we can tell. Maybe there's some very small slow leak that caused the depressed area I'm about to tell you about.
After googling and investigating, it appears that the problem is water pooling in this depressed area that is lower that the rest of the roof (the rubber in that area also looks very weathered) and this water is coming from melting ice dams. This depressed area is directly above where my ceiling is leaking in the kitchen and water staining in the bedrooms
My investigation led me to finding several sections along the overhang of the exterior of the building where the soffits and fascia are all rotted out. These sections of rot are getting worse as winter progresses and more ice dams have formed and melted- with some of that water ending up in my apt. again.
There is now also water staining in the living room corresponding to one of the rotted soffits/fascia sections but no frank leak yet
The ice dams form in an area that i is literally on the opposite end of the bldg from where the water is pooling and entering my apt. I have water coming down the walls and thru the ceiling in my kitchen as well as water stains in both bedrooms and the pantry and a closet. SO that water is travelling quite a distance and it makes me wonder what the entire roof might look like under the rolled rubber.
I know without actually getting up there and looking for yourselves, it would be impossible to say if this is a serious issue but just in general: if we assume that the water getting in is ONLY from melting ice dams (this is New England) can we more or less safely assume that the amount of water damage is minimal and that the exterior doesn't urgently need repairs?
Last spring, some very dirty smelly water came thru the kitchen ceiling, not a ton of water, mind you, maybe 3 half buckets. The landlord and I were both puzzled because the roof does NOT leak when it rains. at least not that we can tell. Maybe there's some very small slow leak that caused the depressed area I'm about to tell you about.
After googling and investigating, it appears that the problem is water pooling in this depressed area that is lower that the rest of the roof (the rubber in that area also looks very weathered) and this water is coming from melting ice dams. This depressed area is directly above where my ceiling is leaking in the kitchen and water staining in the bedrooms
My investigation led me to finding several sections along the overhang of the exterior of the building where the soffits and fascia are all rotted out. These sections of rot are getting worse as winter progresses and more ice dams have formed and melted- with some of that water ending up in my apt. again.
There is now also water staining in the living room corresponding to one of the rotted soffits/fascia sections but no frank leak yet
The ice dams form in an area that i is literally on the opposite end of the bldg from where the water is pooling and entering my apt. I have water coming down the walls and thru the ceiling in my kitchen as well as water stains in both bedrooms and the pantry and a closet. SO that water is travelling quite a distance and it makes me wonder what the entire roof might look like under the rolled rubber.
I know without actually getting up there and looking for yourselves, it would be impossible to say if this is a serious issue but just in general: if we assume that the water getting in is ONLY from melting ice dams (this is New England) can we more or less safely assume that the amount of water damage is minimal and that the exterior doesn't urgently need repairs?