Roof leak at P-vent and some IR pics

[Chris Bernhardt]

1950's cottage, pouring down rain, roof has 3 layers.

I happened to go up on the roof first, and I didn't see any initial concerns. I happened to go into the crawlspace next and found leaking at the bathroom sink drain. I knew right away since the water was off to the home at that moment, that the source was most likely a leak at the P-vent on the roof. I went in and visually looked in the bathroom and the adjacent bedroom and didn't see anything. I even took out my Tramex ME+ and scanned the bedroom wall where I thought the pipe ran and didn't find anything. I then scanned the wall with my IR camera and found I was scanning with the Tramex in the wrong place. I then went up into the attic and confirmed visually the leak at the P-vent, and then finally went back up on the roof and found upon closer examination that there was a depression and soft spot in the roof adjacent to the P-vent flashing.

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Chris, Oregon

[Marc]

One bad thing about multilayered shingle roofs is that moisture becomes trapped between the layers and rots everything from the decking on up.

Marc

[kurt]

You're making me jealous.....I'm on order for a TiR32, but they aren't shipping yet.

[Brad Manor]

You're making me jealous.....I'm on order for a TiR32, but they aren't shipping yet.

A TiR32 - now you're making me jealous.

-Brad

.... I should have waited another year before buying my IRcam.

[Chad Fabry]

One bad thing about multilayered shingle roofs is that moisture becomes trapped between the layers and rots everything from the decking on up.

What's above the decking besides roofing?

[Chris Bernhardt]

A couple of more points.

I didn't need IR to find this leak, just rain. I knew pretty much what to expect when I saw the leak in the crawlspace. But what does bother me is how many times I may have missed this in the summer time. A leak like this could go on for years before anyone notices, and with two shingle layers or more how do you know if the stains are old or new?

IR is fun in the winter rainy months, but it's about useless in the summer months for this kind of problem.

Chris, Oregon