was atypical to say the least. i got a call asking if i did home inspections and i said yes. she said her roof had been replaced in feb. of this year and they messed up and she wanted to know if i could check for mold. i told her that took a special license in wv that i did not have but i could check for the presence of microbial growth and where it was but couldn’t sample it or tell what it was. when i got there it looked pretty good at first then i started finding little things like gaps in the shingles and too much overhang on the shingles. found mg on the underside of the covered porch roof and possibly more in the attic.
she kept insisting that the nails going through the wood were causing it. i could not for the life of me figure out why because this is how roofs are. i have many scars from them to prove it. then she showed me the roof inspection. turns out i had missed some shingles overlapping too much but they missed the six of seven places with gaps between them. they also got the missing ice dam, aka bituminous, self-sealing membrane. notice the self-sealing part. it has to extend 24" past the heated wall. otherwise the nails freeze, then they melt and leave the wood damp which doesn’t dry out and allows microbial growth to flourish because it’s a closed in porch. she has pictures of the frosty nails!
oh, the best part is the emails she has from the contractor saying he doesn’t have to put it in except on the valleys and vents, but irc 2015 which wv uses says otherwise, and funny enough, so does his contract. but the thing is, she can’t get a lawyer to take the case. seems to me it;s a slam dunk - she has two (will have as soon as i get mine written) reports saying he forgot the membrane and that’s the only way she could have gotten those pictures of frosty nails. it’s required by code in wv and that’s in both reports.
the wife says she should turn it in on her insurance and let them fight it out. with what she has the insurance will take it for sure because they aren’t paying for it. any other ideas?
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She could put a temp / humidistat controlled fan in to vent the condensation thats collecting on the nails and in the space. Its not likely a roof leak or poor installation, its more likely poor ventilation. Roofers are not liable for attic ventilation.
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I understand that building codes vary from state to state, but I will elaborate a bit seeing this is mainly a cannabis forum.
- ice & water barrier is required in many states solely for the mitigation of damage created from an ice dam ( build up from freeze/thaw/freeze/etc). In my state it is required for 3’ from the body of the structure, which is never the edge of the roof. So add in the soffit extension +3’ uphill, and thats whats required for ice & water.
- Check local building codes, and if you are in WV, odds are this is a requirement.
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Ventilation. If the roof was done properly but inadequate soffit/ridge vent or (less optimal) gable/ridge vent.
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Agreed that roofers cant reduce ventilation requirements. Sounds like a porch was made without ventilation.
Roofers are liable for ventilation if they pull a permit and do not address inadequate situations.
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yep, required 24" from the heated wall. i just can’t tell if it’s required both ways or just over the attic space. it is not ventillation causing it, but the missing ice dam, aka self-sealing membrane, that is causing the moisture to appear. had it sealed itself when the nails went through as it was supposed to, it would not be intruding into the living area. it was a faulty installation since it is not as stated in the contract, and also since there is now microbial growth in her home that was not there until the faulty installation took place. i’m not sure who the manufacturer of the rolled roofing is but many of them also require a self-sealing membrane under their products, so this one could be wrong all the way around. i think her best bet is to file a claim on his insurance.
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Condensation always forms on the nails if there is moisture. Its obvious there is a location where cold and warm meet and its causing condensation. She cant file anything on his insurance. She should buy a $100 fan and ventilate her attic. Its a simple fix.
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she has a roof inspection stating there is a missing ice dam required by code and contract, so yes, she can file a claim on his insurance. she is about to have another inspection confirming this just as soon as i can verify the ice dam is requred over the covered porch. if i could verify the manufacturer of the rolled roofing i may be able to use that as well. dude screwed up on the roof because he hired shit workers most likely since she said they were just there for a paycheck when they came out to evaluate the problem. their solution was to clip the nails off. like that’s going to stop the moisture from ruining the roof. he said if she had purchased the platinum warranty she woud have gotten an ice dam over the porch.
it’s not the attic where the problem is, it’s the porch. the mold will go to the attic if not stopped now since it shares a piece of plywood.
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When moisture just “appears” ,its from condensation. Either there is A leak or its condensation. If you can prove a leak, he may fix it . Thats about it. No way shes getting a cent. Ive been a builder for a few years, and ive seen this a time or two.
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i can prove faulty installation with this picture of the drip edge not lapping the required 2", and that along with the pictures of frosty nails and the roofing inspection along with all the other details i found wrong. it should all add up to a pretty good claim for insurance. they had gaps in the shingles, overlapping shingles, missing ice dam, this crap with the drip edge and more.
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How do you mean “claim” for insurance. His liability is for damages caused. His workmans compensation is for employees hurt on the job. Did you require a bond ? Was thier conditional amd unconditional lean releases. Was he paid for completion?
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