There's always a leak in my dad's house

[CircuitGeek]

My dad has owned a construction business for 20 years. But now he has been battling roof leaks in his Cape Cod house for years.

he tried to fix it himself also hired one of his friends. tried open cell spray foam in the new garage (successful), then replaced the shingle roof with metal after ice dam issues, including ice and water shielding.
Last year, he also added closed cell spray foam to the vented underside of the new roof.

Despite all these efforts, he now found another leak while renovating the upstairs bathroom. Probably people here have more experience, what do you think is the problem here?

 

[Hoeegarden]

Sounds like your dad has tried just about everything. With all the foam, metal roofing, and shielding, it might come down to hidden ventilation issues, tricky flashing details, or even condensation buildup. A more detailed inspection by a building envelope specialist might reveal whats still slipping through the cracks..

 

[Equalizer1]

what abtou the slope, is it steep enough? If it's flatter than it should be it could result in water not going down and pooling in certain areas

 

[BubbleWrapBandit]

Sounds like your dad has tried just about everything. With all the foam, metal roofing, and shielding, it might come down to hidden ventilation issues, tricky flashing details, or even condensation buildup. A more detailed inspection by a building envelope specialist might reveal whats still slipping through the cracks..

You make a great point,it's often the little details or moisture traps that you might miss unless you have a professional take a look. Bringing in a specialist seems like a wise move.

 

[JRobert Oppenheimer]

Ok, that's frustrating. With all those fixes done already, the problem might now be with poor flashing or moisture sneaking through the attic space. It might be time to call in a pro (not us here, we're not pros HAHAHA mostly I mean) with a thermal camera. Just to track it down.

 

[WrapAndTrap]

My uncle is a contractor, and he's still dealing with leaks in his old farmhouse. He switched to metal roofing and added spray foam insulation, but another leak popped up during renovations. It could be an issue with the flashing or the venting. It's funny how, no matter how experienced you are, some probs just stick around

 

[JRobert Oppenheimer]

Getting back and jumping in on this thread to reiterate my previous thought that @Hoeegarden is right, a building envelope specialist could spot something everyone else overlooked. Leaks that survive all those fixes usually hide in the tiniest details. So now, I just wanna ask, what did you end up doing? @CircuitGeek

 

[glass3s9uy]

@CircuitGeek most of the comments here are right. just want to add that the leak is likely a symptom of a larger, more complex issue related to moisture management, hidden damage, or a very subtle flaw in the roof's flashing.
my best advice is to stop the DIY fixes and bring in a professional who specializes in diagnosing these kinds of building science problems

 

[Nomorenoise]

Cape Cod homes often leak because of their roofs' design with many angles and dormers. Even metal roofs aren't safe if seals or flashing aren't done well. Using closed cell foam on a vented roof can cause issues. It can trap water and lead to condensation, which seems like a leak. Pay close attention to flashing near chimneys and roof openings. Remember, water can move sideways before dripping, so leaks might not be directly above where you see them inside.