Wet floor (2nd floor), Evidence of moisture near ceiling on 1st floor

[Melanie]

Hi,

We have a porch that runs the length of the front of our house. I suspect that it was added within the past three years. After recent heavy rains (we live in the northeast), the carpet along that side of the house on the second floor is damp, and in some places sopping wet. On the first floor, there is eveidence of moisture (a longer-term problem that we noticed shortly after moving in last August) near the top of the window alcove. I suspect that both problems are related to the porch roof where it meets the house. I was on the roof recently and the shingles look OK (new) but there is no flashing. I suspect that there should be flashing along the line where the porch roof meets the side of the house. Is this something I can do myself, or should I have a contractor do it? [I already have a contractor coming to wrap the fascia board and close the ends of the soffit vents where starlings have entered the roof to make nests.] Will it be very expensive to have it done?

Thanks in advance.

Melanie

[E. Dodge]

What kind of roof covers the porch? It's usually a good idea to install flashings at areas in which: 2 different kinds of roofing material join together...or at pitch changes . It's not uncommon to have leaks at house/porch pitch change junctures which is why I like to install flashings there, unless the pitch change is very slight.

But, it might just be how it was tied in with the older shingled roof, that is, not tied in in a thorough manner. We run into many leaks like this due to someone not having taken the time to dismantle the older roof edge {first several rows} so a permant tie-in could be installed.
But it could be any number of things.

[shinstr]

Flashings that transition a roof area to an exterior wall are commonly refered to as a "Headwall Flashing".

Headwall flashings should extend up the wall behind the siding (and exterior building paper/wrap) or beneath a counterflashing if it is a brick facade.
4 to 6 inches and a minimum of 4 inches out over the roofing material. Pre-bent 4" X4" X 10' lengths are avilable at most all lumber yards/big box stores.

Install a thick bead of sealant (roof cement) 1" under the roof flange then stitch a row of fasteners through the top of the flange every 12" where the fasteners are thru the underlying compressed sealant. Then a dab on each fastener head for good measure.

Picture in your mind water running down the wall and out over the shingles...you want everything overlapping to the exterior or downhill.

Good Luck!