I've got an old house that's over 100 years old, and after I bought it, I had a contractor replace all the windows and doors immediately. A couple of years later, I noticed paint bubbling and popcorn ceiling falling in my main floor bathroom, which is an addition. I suspect the previous homeowners might have hidden a problem because I only see the leaks coming after a heavy rain. The door leads to a roof that was recently replaced, and there's about a 6-inch step down to the roof. I've stopped fixing the bathroom since it's a constant battle with repainting due to the leaks. I'm wondering if something was overlooked when they installed the door. Does anyone have tips on how I can tackle this myself? I'm pretty far from any contractors for small jobs. Any advice would be appreciated!
2 Answers
I get where you're coming from; dealing with old houses can be frustrating! It's tough to expect everything to be perfect when you buy a place. Just remember that even with all the renovations, things can still go wrong, so it's essential to do regular checks, kind of like maintaining a car. You'll figure this out, and it's great that you're looking into fixing it yourself!
It sounds like the leak could be coming from either improper flashing or failed sealant where the door meets the roof. You might want to grab some roofing cement (kind of like caulk) and run it down the edges to seal any gaps. Also, check if your gutters are contributing to the problem — sometimes they can leak down by the fascia, especially during heavy rain. You can use gutter sealant to fix any issues there. Just remember, it's tough to give specific advice without pictures, but these are good starting points!
Thanks for the roofing cement tip! Just a heads-up, I made a separate post to share pictures, as I can't add them here. The gutters were replaced with the roof, so I’ll definitely check for leaks there too.