# Mobile Home shingle roof leak from ridge?



## Karen5510 (Aug 16, 2015)

Hello. First time posting. Looking for some help. I have a 98' fleet wood double wide. The roof was installed 2yrs ago. 25 yr 3 tab shingle over style ridge. Recently noticed water stains on the inside along the ceiling where the trailer meets and some stains showing up down the wall along the same center area. I previously had 2-3 turtle vents but when the roofer replaced the roof he went back with 2-3 off ridge style vents on the back and no vents on the front. I called the roofer out and he said it's not the roof you have a moisture problem and need to add 2-3 off ridge vents on the front to solve the problem. When he removed some ridge cap shingles there was nothing over the whole where trailer meets there was just the plastic barrier that goes down in-between the trailer from floor to ceiling. Does anyone know if it is code to install something over the hole that runs along the ridge to prevent water penetration if it should get in at the ridge? I was told there is usually a valley type metal used? Looking for any guidance to resolve my issue. Thanks.


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## oldognewtrick (Aug 16, 2015)

First off  to House Repair Talk!

Sorry to hear about your leak, could be a couple of things.

Can you post apic of the roof so we can see the slope?

Is the leaking close to where the vents are?

Ask your roofer why he didn't run the underlayment up and over the ridge.


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## Karen5510 (Aug 16, 2015)

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1439772409.451386.jpg


I've got to take a better pic. Here's what I have right now. It is not leaking near any vents. I'll have to ask about the underlayment. My thing is another roofer said usually there is a valley type metal that is run over the middle to prevent water penetration and I'm wondering is this standard protocol he seemed to say it was. Also, the roofer that installed it said I can re-roof the ridge and use some peel and stick if that will make you happy but then said immediately after that's not your problem it's that you need more venting. Thoughts?? I really don't think venting is my issue.


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## havasu (Aug 16, 2015)

I'm stuck on the fact that your mobile home is 98 feet long. Was this a typo?


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## oldognewtrick (Aug 16, 2015)

havasu said:


> I'm stuck on the fact that your mobile home is 98 feet long. Was this a typo?




I think it was made in 1998.


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## nealtw (Aug 16, 2015)

havasu said:


> I'm stuck on the fact that your mobile home is 98 feet long. Was this a typo?



Reading error:trophy:


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## Karen5510 (Aug 17, 2015)

Lol. No, it's 24x52. Built in 1998.


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## Karen5510 (Aug 17, 2015)

Karen5510 said:


> Lol. No, it's 24x52. Built in 1998.




These are the inside pics showing where the water is coming in.View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1439808444.718047.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1439808462.766700.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1439808471.367574.jpg


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## joecaption (Aug 17, 2015)

If I had of done that job I would have used a ridge vent so the whole roof gets vented.
If there's no soffit vents for make up air any roof venting will not be working the way should.
There is no special type or material used to cover over the ridge if there's no ridge venting.
You just install the felt over the peak of the roof.
Storm and Ice shield should have been used in the valleys and at the bottom of the roof.
Even if there was no felt over the hole the caps should have kept the water out.
Did they replace all the seals around waste stacks? (sewer vents, the ABS or PVC pipes sticking out of the roof)


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## oldognewtrick (Aug 17, 2015)

Guessing from the slope in the pic, ice and water shield should have been installed on the entire roof, slopes less than 4/12 and greater than 2/12 require installation of ice and water shield. Less tha 2/12 should not have shingles applied.


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## Karen5510 (Aug 17, 2015)

There are soffit vents on the home. All of the stacks appear to be replaced and sealed properly. This is clearly an issue at the ridge as there are no stains showing anywhere else on the home.

I'm need to get this fixed just want to make sure I am really fixing what needs to be done. I'm willing to pay for additional vents but I feel the roofer should make it right since he is the expert and is warranting the workmanship. A 2yr old roof should not be leaking. 

Do you think it's best to have him re-roof and use peel and stick or put an actual metal flashing down the middle of ridge?


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## bud16415 (Aug 17, 2015)

The only photos you show are of the front outside and the inside damage. Can you take a photo that actually shows the ridge and how it was done. From that it might not tell the whole story but will give some an idea of what the venting at the ridge line is like. Also when it rains it leaks every time or more so in a rain with high winds? If so what direction does the wind come from with relation to the ridge?


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## nealtw (Aug 17, 2015)

Both front and back shopuld have been vented but that looks like a leak to me.


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## Karen5510 (Aug 18, 2015)

Here are the photos of the roof. The roofer came out today after several no return calls and brushing me off with its a moisture issue not a roof issue. He cut part of the sheathing near ridge and stands on his opinion it's not a roof issue. He went on to say he thinks it could be the AC duct that runs along the ceiling. Im having a home inspector come out in the morning to get his opinion b/c I'm not sure where else to go. By the way found out from inspector no permit was pulled although my bill states permit included in price.[View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1439937663.145811.jpg
ATTACH]9708[/ATTACH]View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1439937588.235392.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1439937633.308846.jpg
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Repair1439937641.526176.jpg


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## nealtw (Aug 18, 2015)

http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/forum/topics/insulating-rigid-ducts-in-attic-space-best-practices

I borrowed this answer from ED Minch

We did some studies with a major regional builder in the mid-Atlantic (hot humid).  The spec they finally wrote was: all ducts on the attic floor sitting on the bottom truss chord or the back of the drywall if possible, runs as straight as possible, but gentle curves when needed, sealed tight, then more insulation material blown over the top of the already-insulated duct to about 4-5 inches tapering gradually on the sides.  Computer modeling suggested that this accomplished most of what moving them inside would do - in fact that same builder is finally now moving the ducts inside for V-3.0 of EStar.  
They had an engineer on staff, so complaints from building inspectors were mostly easy to deal with.
For solving problems in this builder's older houses (and all other houses with attic ducts) our policy is cutting all straps holding ducts off the floor of the attic, disconnecting flex at the trunk and re-routing through the truss work to be straight from the boot to the trunk, cutting off excess length of the flex (up to 5-6 feet of duct which is 10-12 ft2 of surface area in a 7" flex duct, and lots of friction), sealing all duct seams, nestling the flex ducts into the existing attic insulation as much as possible, then blowing additional insulation to about an R-20 over the top gradually tapering to the normal attic thickness at the sides.  Some trunks are suspended a foot or so off the attic floor so we will wrap them with another layer of R-8 if blowing is not practical.  This has resulted in about 10-15% more flow out of the treated ducts and also about 4° better temperature on a design day, heating or cooling.  More air with better temperature.
Still leaves that damn air handle sitting there.


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## Karen5510 (Aug 19, 2015)

We had a home inspector/GC come out. They determined it was lack of ridge flashing and the failure of the roofer to put vents on the front of our mobile home. This has contributed to moisture buildup in the very small attic space. There were vents on the home straight from the manufacturer when the home was built in 1998. For some reason the roofer did not put vents back on the front. Although, I have a 5yr workmanship warranty at the end of the day this is costing me money since the roofer's warranty is only as good as his word. Lesson learned.


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## bud16415 (Aug 19, 2015)

If you had vents on the front in 1998 and had your home re-roofed. Why did the roofer have to touch the venting on the front or back of the home? What did he do to block them? 

Did the inspector make any recommendation on the repair at this point?


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## nealtw (Aug 19, 2015)

Yes the venting needs to be done . more insulation around or over the duct too. Warm moist air touching that will cause a problem too.


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## Karen5510 (Aug 19, 2015)

I had to pay a home inspector because the county would not come out since the roofer did not pull a permit as he was supposed to. The inspector recommended pulling the ridge up to flash underneath for moisture protection and installing 2-3 vents on the front elevation. 

When I asked the roofer why they did not put vents back he simply said I don't know but that's not my issue its a moisture problem or maybe your duct work. I'm beyond upset that the county won't stand up for the consumer and make them make this right, especially when I have an invoice that says permit included in price. Thanks for all your input and advice.


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## nealtw (Aug 19, 2015)

For you and others here, Permits must be displayed on the front of the house while work is being done.
If you never had a moisture problem while vents were there and he left them out and now you have a moisture problem. The only thing worse than this is what a lawyer would charge to talk about it.


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## slownsteady (Aug 19, 2015)

Sometimes all it takes is a letter from a lawyer to the contractor. Some lawyers will do this this for a minimal fee.


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