# Deck leaks thru to room below.



## greenlight (Apr 3, 2006)

My office room has a deck above, 12'x12', and is leaking on the side.  The deck is finished with terra cotta tiles, plastic and other impermeable layers, but it leaks anyway.  

I'm going to have to rip up the deck and replace, plus redo the ceiling and walls inside to get rid of what ever is rotten.  I haven't had to do this kind of repair before and am really nervous.  I don't want to fix the thing and have it leak again, but I would expect it.  

I also don't want to keep throwing money at the problem.  [email protected]#!  I don't think a tarp or a sail will suffice for long.  I'm thinking many thousands of $$$, but have no idea how many.

I wish it would stop raining already.


----------



## Square Eye (Apr 3, 2006)

Flashings or lack of, are more than half of what causes most of the leaks that I have been blessed enough to have to repair. I don't think I've ever had to repair one of my own flashings because I flash the crap out my jobs. Nearly every edge situation where there's a transition in materials or major pitch change requires a flashing. Even the drip edge around the edge of your roof is a type of flashing. It makes the transition from the roof pitch to the vertical fascia. There must be a flashing around that deck to deflect the water away from the edges and off of the house. At least, that's where I'd start to look for my problems. Remember, tar will not replace a good flashing made of a metal that will not react with the materials that contact it.

Tom in KY, been flashing folks for years.


----------



## MinConst (Apr 3, 2006)

I just did a band joist replacement because of the lack of flashing. The water just ran down the joint at the ledger board and band joist. The band joist was so bad it crumbled in my hands. I guess the 20 bucks saved when the deck was built saved the builder some money. Cost the HO 1600.00 to repair.
  It's a shame when these things are not done properly.


----------

