How to fix leak from the joint between the sidewall and the eave?

[Will_sy2002]

Hi there,

I'm hoping someone can help me figure out how to fix a leak coming from the joint between the sidewall and the eave of my house.

The house, located in Tasmania, was built in 1970, and I've been living here for over 10 years. Over the last few months, I've noticed that one sidewall has been getting wet (please see the attached photos). After some investigation, I discovered that the water is coming from the joint between the sidewall and the eave.

Here are the key details:

• The leak only occurs during rain and originates from a specific joint around 20 cm long.
• The gutter is not blocked.
• There are no visible cracks or broken tiles on the roof, at least from what I can see from the gutter side (I didn’t climb onto the roof).
• There’s no water damage or marks inside the house, either on the ceiling or walls, near the affected area.
• I checked the attic and found no water leaks inside, although I couldn’t reach the edge of the eave.
• The other sidewall of the house has no issues.
• This is the first time I’ve encountered this issue.

Has anyone experienced something similar or have advice on how to address this issue?

Many thanks in advance for your help!

[EricL]

Hello @Will_sy2002 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us, and thanks for sharing your question about your leaking side wall.

Thank you for providing the key details about the leak. One of the details that has me convinced that it is a roof leak is that the leak only occurs when it rains. Odds are it is a roof leak that you can't see and is gathering in a spot inside your ceiling and is making its way to your exterior brick wall. You can test this theory by covering this particular section of your roof with a tarp and weighing it down with bricks to prevent it from flying off. 

When the rain comes and no leak occurs, it is safe to conclude that there is a section of your roof in that particular area that's leaking. But if you are keen to have it repaired, I suggest engaging the services of a roof repair specialist and showing them what is happening. The specialist has materials and equipment that can patch and bypass the leak in your roof. The only way to test it of course is to either wait for the rain or use your garden hose on your roof.

I recommend getting a minimum of two quotes so that you can see what the going rate is for a roof leak repair.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric