# Possible leak in roof or stucco



## Emc (Jan 9, 2017)

Help?! Is this is bad as it looks? We purchased this home 6 months ago, and this is the first time I've noticed this condition. We haven't had rain recently as it has been cold and snowing, but when I got home today I noticed that all of a sudden it looks like the stucco is wet around the front windows and also up to the roof eave. Any ideas what may be going on. Asked on the pictures?


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## oldognewtrick (Jan 9, 2017)

Can you post a pic of the roof?


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## nealtw (Jan 9, 2017)

Have a look at the roof from a distance and see if you can see ice on the roof , just at the lower section between above the wall and the gutter.


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## nealtw (Jan 9, 2017)

I would suspect ice damming. Above the wall there is insulation and the should be air chutes to allow escaping heat to move up into the attic so snow does not melt over the wall.
Code used to be one chute every three or four bays, now it is in every bay. The longer it stays cold the more the problem will persist.
When the snow melts the water runs down a few inches and re freezes and eventually builds up until the water backs up into the roofing.


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## Snoonyb (Jan 9, 2017)

If the stains are the evidence, I would suspect some shrinkage of the stucco away from the window, which may be addressed with caulking.


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## Emc (Jan 10, 2017)

Thanks for the quick replies guys.  Here are some photos of the roof taken this morning. I don't see any ice visible from the ground.


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## nealtw (Jan 10, 2017)

Emc said:


> Thanks for the quick replies guys.  Here are some photos of the roof taken this morning. I don't see any ice visible from the ground.



The low slope makes it hard to see up there and makes the chances for ice damming worse. It looks like most f the snow is gone and the ice would be gone too.

I would get up in the attic and see if there are air chutes in the area over that window and if not if you dare the insulation over that wall should be checked for wetness. Depending on how deep the insulation is, that could be very tricky.

This will give you a better explanation of what I am thinking is happening.
https://buildingscience.com/documents/insights/bsi-046-dam-ice-dam


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## nealtw (Jan 10, 2017)

If you get up in the attic try to gt a picture of the area in question


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