water seeping into bedroom - HELP!!!

[jj_sutton76]

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.

thanks, jeff

[Joseph Meehan]

It sure sounds like you need a contractor. Likely there is a leak somewhere along the line where the new construction meets the old, likely a poor or missing flashing. Maybe on the roof. Since we can't see it, nor do we know much about the specific construction I don't think we are going to be able to offer much specific advice.

Is there an attic area over the room with the leak? If so go up there and see if you can find the source of the leak. Don't look just were you saw moisture coming into the room. These things tend to flow around from place to place.

[ameijers]

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...

[SQLit]

There is only one way to find the cause. If your interested in finding the problem. Rip out the carpet and see where that leads. Ripping out wall drywall is messy but not a big deal. Before you tackle the ceiling best have lots of plastic and a fair wet dry vacuum, like 20 gallons or bigger. If you get over your head call someone.

Guessing over the internet is ............

I bought a fixer upper. Had water in the small bedroom. I ripped up the carpet found a corner that it was coming from. A 2 foot square hole and it was fixed. The condensate drain from the roof had separated, god only knows how long ago.

[SJF]

Sure can't diagnose your problem from here. But I had one like this in a rented house with a slab floored addition. Regrading due to landscaping permitted storm water to run against the side or the house. Water then topped the footing, seeping under and through the framing and soaking the carpet whenever it rained.

SJF

[NickySantoro]

The first thing I would do is verify that the gutters are not clogged and that the leaders are directing the water away and down slope from the house.

[jj_sutton76]

hey guys! thanks so much for all of the advice. i know that the water isn't coming from the roof since there is another bedroom directly above it with no leakage problems. i feel my problem is exactly what SJF experienced. my house is located on a downgrade from the east end of my lot and i think due to years of regrading, the landscape is now about even with the foundation of that room. SJF... can i ask what you did to remedy the problem?

[Antwi Loma]

jj_sutton76 ha escrito:

[Joseph Meehan]

Re-grade so the ground slopes away from the foundation for at least

10-15 feet in all directions. Make sure the run off from the room (gutters) is sent away from the house.

I might suggest that while your observation about the other bedroom reduces the likelihood of a roof problem, it does not rule it out. Water can be funny. However I would do the re-grading anyway.

[SJF]

It was a temporary rental while I was shopping for a new house after a job relocation. Took a year to find one and I moved out without complaining or repairing when I found a place to buy.

If I had owned the place, I would have regraded the yard to divert the normal water flow away from the house. This may, or may not, be easy and the way you do it depends on local conditions.

SJF

[marks542004]

if the grade allows you can dig in a subsurface drain- slotted pvc- which will divert water from the foundation to a lower point.

[jj_sutton76]

hey guys....

thanks for the advice. unfortunately, the situation is far worse than i had anticipated... on several levels. i ripped up the carpet in that corner this morning, and as i expected the sub floor was rotted out. what i didn't expect was that there was no slab... no foundation... no vapor barrier.... nada. just sub-flooring on top of dirt. what were they thinking? i'm most definitely over my head here. looks like it's time to call a contractor.