Hello All,

I started having a leak in my family room ceiling recently. I removed the drywall and found some pretty wet wood. There is a screw in the middle of the wood where the drip appears to be coming from. Above the leak there is an overhang. I can access the area from my bedroom window. I did notice there are some joints and nails that do not look sealed. Could this be causing water to come in? I'm going to replace the drywall but I'm not sure whether I should have a roofer look at it or just go out and seal those spots up. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

Link to images- Postimage.org / gallery - 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 (http://postimage.org/gallery/5k32vtx4/)

Well it certainly won't do any good to replace the drywall until you find the leak.

Where water comes through the ceiling is not necessary where the leak is occurring. The wood appears to be beams supporting wall above and the overhanging roof. In your case the leak is probably directly above the damage drywall or very close, but not necessarily. Remove additional drywall (roof side) and the insulation so you can see the underside of the roof above the wood beams. Look for water stains on the roof sheathing to find where the leak is actually occurring.

The nails in the flange should be hammered down and covered with roofing cement. They may be the source of the leak or they may not. After you have found and repaired where you think the leak is occurring, test with hose before repairing drywall.

Thanks Harold. I will go ahead with your suggestions. Cheers!