"Turned out the ridge vent itself had shifted slightly after a storm, creating just enough of a gap for water to trickle in during heavy rains."
Yep, seen this exact scenario more times than I can count. Ever notice how it's always the smallest shifts causing the biggest headaches? Glad you finally tracked it down... midnight roof mysteries are no joke.
Had the same thing happen after a nasty windstorm. Turned out the ridge vent screws had backed out slightly over time, letting the vent lift just enough to leak. Re-securing with longer screws and some roofing sealant did the trick—been dry ever since.
Had something similar happen last spring, but honestly I think roofing sealant alone isn't always the best long-term fix. Eventually went with a strip of flashing under the ridge vent—cheap, simple, and zero leaks since. Worth considering if it starts dripping again...
- Had the same midnight drip drama last winter... thought my house was haunted for a sec.
- Tried roofing sealant first too—worked for like two weeks, then drip drip drip again.
- Ended up doing exactly what you did, flashing under the ridge vent. Cheap fix, and no more ghostly drips waking me up at 2am.
- Honestly, as a first-time homeowner, I'm learning half of homeownership is just trial and error (mostly error in my case).
- Now if only I could figure out why my gutters sound possessed every time it rains...
Yeah, flashing under the ridge vent is usually the way to go. Sealants can be tempting because they're quick fixes, but they're rarely permanent—especially with temperature swings and roof movement. As for your gutters sounding possessed, might wanna check if they're pitched correctly or clogged somewhere. Water pooling or uneven flow can cause some pretty eerie noises during heavy rain... learned that one the hard way myself a few years back.