lahug roof leaks

all the roof leaks have been repaired. please read this article because it contains important info on regular maintenance tasks to prevent future leaks such as cleaning the gutters. it also gives you an idea on how to easily fix future leaks. even if you don't live in lahug, i might be traveling or out of town and it would be great if any of you can assist mama and papa on any problems. even if you hire a contractor, it's still helpful if you know what to say to the contractor to lessen the cost or hasten the repair.

there were 4 problem areas:

1. terrace sunroof
2. terrace near storage door
3. storage room
4. rain splashing inside the terrace

to reproduce a leak or test a fix anywhere on the roof, just connect the 2 hoses:

1. terrace sunroof

this problem has been fixed 3 months ago but it was just using vulcaseal which usually deteriorates and cause the leak to re-occur. as i already mentioned before, the permanent fix is to place some extra sheets under the problem areas. as i expected, it was quite easy. i just had to remove a few nails so i can insert the sheets under. of course before i fasten the sheets with nails i have to test it first luckily as soon as i placed the last sheet it rained hard.

so i inspected the kisame and made sure everything was dry.

by the way while fixing the roof i cleaned the kisame area and treated it for termites:

2. terrace near storage door

i was shocked when this leak happened because the flow was so abundant and water quickly reached the sala. i thought an entire sheet of roof came off. i immediately switched off the main electrical panel and crawled in the kisame to inspect. i immediately learned it was coming from the gutter that was overflowing. i went on the roof to clean the gutter and the leaked stopped. i added in the list of monthly tasks for the staff to also clean the gutters (https://reyondit.blogspot.com/2019/08/kitchen-cleaning-procedure.html). in case this gets overlooked, i also drilled holes on the kisame so we get an early detection. that's because i already repaired and sealed the terrace kisame and we don't want the wood to have to deteriorate and need a major repair before we know the gutter needs cleaning. i think this is the only solution. if we try to cover the gap with vulcaseal it will require many cans and if someone just steps on the gutter the seal will immediately break and the gap will reappear.

3. storage room

looks like this used to happen before based on the repair i saw using flashing tape. the flashing tape deteriorated and came off so the leak returned. i inspected the kisame while it was raining and found 3 leaks. i stuck a wire through each hole so i will know where the holes are when i go on the roof.

2 holes were caused by the termite problem. the beam was dilapidated so the roof nails came off. someone mistakenly thought it was a good idea to remove the nail and covere the hole with vulcaseal, not knowing that he left a hole on the flashing under the sheet. on mild rains this won't be a problem but during a heavy rain the water could reach that part of the flashing where there is a hole.  someone made another mistake of covering the gaps with flashing tape. this did solve the problem for a while but flashing tape deteriorates so the leak returned when it came off. a more robust fix is to cover the hole with vulcaseal, which will last long because it is not exposed to direct sunlight. i even  made it more robust by applying vulcaseal on both sides of the flashing. note the holes are under sheets so there really is no way of knowing where the holes are unless you inspect the kisame while it's leaking or you remove the sheets so you can see the holes on the flashing under it. so i understood why the previous fix was just to cover the gaps with flashing tape.

i also drilled a small hole so i can fasten the sheets together with a screw or else this will be a problem during a strong typhoon (since there is no more beam under it to hold the roof nail):

the third hole was also on the flashing but not under the sheet. it was on the edge of the flashing. it was not a hole left over by a nail that was removed rather it was caused by deterioration (rust). just like the other holes, i covered the hole with vulcaseal on both sides (on the roof and under the kisame). i suspect the rust was caused by debris on this flashing which causes the water to get stuck or stagnant and cause the more rapid oxidation. when i train the staff to clean the gutters i will instruct them to also clean this. but in case it gets missed, i sandpapered and cleaned it and coated the entire edge with vulcaseal.

4. rain water splashing inside terrace

i covered the veranda with thin sheets.

fortunately the sheets fit snug betweenthe gutter and the grill so i just needed a few fasteners.

i also covered this gutter hole so water won't splash towards the aircon condenser.

and lastly, if the gutter is not cleaned, water will backflow and soak the tool cabinet wall. so i drilled holes to redirect the flow and also covered the gap using a cut out from a plastic paint lid and fastening it with vulcaseal.