Revealing Hidden Bits
I have previously posted about a water issue regarding the porch. Water is somehow getting INSIDE the main beam just above the columns. And this water is then getting inside the two north columns, rotting out the base on the right one these past ten years. THIS IS BAD. VERY BAD.
Recently, I replaced the base on the right column. But, HOW is water getting in?
To ascertain the location of the leak, I had to see inside the porch beam, a view unseen since 1894. This, though, revealed nothing.
I needed to get higher. This meant that I had to get behind the ‘big curve’ cornice.
Once inside…squee!!!!!!!!…I discovered several things. One angle brace was no longer attached. There was also a lot of spray-foam where the big curve had pulled 1/2-inch away from the house. The most vital discovery was a lot of new wood (top). This meant that this area had already been rebuilt in the 1990s. Including…
…the built-in gutter (the shiny silver). At first, I was amazed that the bottom of the 1894 gutter would look so pristine. The adjacent new wood though says: all this is new. Oh! Of course! Silly Ross!
The exposed facia board is also rotted.
And the corbel has been water damaged and needs some love.
Even though I now have access to the inner parts of The Problem, I still cannot see any obvious leak. This is quite vexing! So, on Friday, Godsend Eric is gonna help answer this question by standing on the porch roof and pouring water on the roof with the hopes that Ross, with his head shoved up inside the void, will be able to see how water is getting in. This should be fun, right? Right?
NOTE: This post however answers an age-old question: Why do people buy boring new Condos?
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Is it possible ice is forming under the roof or shingles in the winter and then melting and going down inside the columns?
I work in housing. Even boring brand new condos have leaks, my friend.
Boring brand new condos just have construction dust instead of old character dust.
For the benefit of the greater Cross House Fandom, I think it is of vital importance that video documentation of Godsend Eric pouring water over/onto Ross should be provided.
I will not be sitting in my office with popcorn, I promise.
Seconding the request for video!
Thirding request!
Fourthing (?) the request! I make no promises about the popcorn, though.
Fifthing ☔
Oh yes please a video is needed. That’s cool you were able to get inside and see the goings on, new & old. Why buy a boring new condo when all this excitment awaits inside an old house. Three cheers for old houses.
Damaged areas to be fixed! Leak to be plugged! Hoping that the source be found. Hugs Ross and Godsend Eric.
I love seeing the innards of your porch, Ross. I bought a boring condo and lived there for 13 years. In that time I had ice dam damage, went through 4 hot water heaters and 3 garbage disposals. I had to keep the upper part of the windows in place with sticks because they tended to slide down. I am much happier now living in an 80 year old New York City coop with all of its lumps and bumps. The old things in it are better quality and when I have a problem I call the super. Since I am almost 80 years old I don’t have another reno in me.
Anytime I see sprayfoam, I become suspicious of everything. People use that stuff as a “fix-all” without realizing it can deteriorate, often causing further damage in a galaxy far far away. Cutting out that glob of foam would be the best place to start the backtrack. Now that we appear to be in the rainy season, it may be easier to trace. Good luck! 🍀