Sometimes the wind just drives water in at weird angles, especially with those sideways rainstorms.
Yeah, that’s the thing—water finds the weirdest ways in. I’ve crawled up into attics thinking it was a busted shingle, only to find a loose vent boot or even a nail hole that let water sneak in during those wild storms. You’re right about poking around up there... sometimes you gotta play detective. Don’t get discouraged if it takes a couple tries to track it down. Those leaks can be stubborn.
sometimes you gotta play detective. Don’t get discouraged if it takes a couple tries to track it down. Those leaks can be stubborn.
That’s the truth. I once spent weeks chasing a leak that only showed up during heavy wind-driven rain from the east. Turned out to be a tiny gap where the flashing met the chimney—never would’ve guessed. Sometimes it’s not even the roof itself, just how everything lines up when the weather gets wild.
I get what you’re saying about leaks showing up in weird spots, but honestly, sometimes I think we overcomplicate it. I spent a whole weekend crawling around my attic with a flashlight, convinced there was some hidden flaw in the flashing or a secret gap somewhere. Turned out, the real culprit was a cracked vent boot—plain as day once I finally looked at it from the right angle. All that detective work and it was just a $7 part from the hardware store.
I’m not saying ignore the tricky stuff, but sometimes it’s the obvious things that get missed because we’re expecting something more dramatic. And with these newer roofing materials—like synthetic shingles or metal panels—I’ve noticed they can be less forgiving if something’s off by even half an inch. My neighbor’s metal roof started leaking at the seams after a big storm, and it wasn’t even the weather, just a couple of loose fasteners.
Guess my point is, wild weather definitely tests your roof, but sometimes it’s just regular old wear and tear that sneaks up on you... especially if you’re trying to save a buck and stretch things out like I do.
Had the same thing happen with a skylight—spent hours poking at the flashing, convinced it was some elaborate leak, and it was just a cracked seal right on top. Sometimes I think roofs are like cars: it’s usually the cheap part that fails, not the fancy stuff. I do think these new materials are a mixed bag... my neighbor’s metal roof looks great, but every time the wind picks up, he’s out there with a wrench. Makes me miss the days when a shingle was just a shingle, you know?
That’s wild—does the metal roof actually loosen up that much in the wind? I always thought they were supposed to be super low-maintenance. Is it just the fasteners working loose, or does the whole panel shift around? Makes me wonder if all these “new and improved” materials are really worth the hype, or if it’s just more stuff to babysit.
