Home Improvement Today?

you must have food scraps out in the open?... empty the kitchen garbage can more frequently, make sure pantry food is stored closed up, etc... to kill them off, i've had much success w/ the stuff in the orange box (can't remember name off hand) - just put a drop or two on piece of carboard, place on floor in area(s) where you see them congregating... they'll come out to feed like crazy, but then it kills them off in a matter of days...

 

water and vinegar

 

Spread a line of diatomaceous earth around the house and anywhere else you find them. Safe for pets and kids, but it gets into the joints of insects and cracks their exoskeleton. You can get it at pool supply stores, and maybe lowes/home depot too.

http://www.richsoil.com/diatomaceous-earth.jsp

 

So I found a leak coming thru the chimney area at the house. But it doesn't come straight down the pipe of the chimney, and it doesn't down the outside the chimney pipe. I'm kinda lost. Can't get up on the roof right now because of the storm that provided the water.

I don't want to destroy another floor...Any ideas??
These holes is where the water is coming down from.

 

Finishing a room that we had neglected during our remodel. Going to add a deck when done too. Moved the door and opened it up to the kitchen/dining.



Not sure what happened to the pic...

 

I had a similar problem (might still have it lol) After a major storm I heard the water dripping onto the top of the fireplace box. In the attic I found out it was mostly dripping down the framing (wood framed not full brick like traditional ones) of the chimney from the very top. It was either an issue with the shoddy siding work above the roof line or the chimney pan on top wasn't sealed correctly.

 

Well, I installed a dishwasher where we never had one.
Which turned into gutting 1/4 of the kitchen.
And the dishwasher still isn't in a month later.
Waiting on help with the new countertop.
ugh....

 

Water , especially wind driven rain has a way of getting in around roof penetrations like chimney flashing

After the storm , go up and inspect your flashing around the chimney

 

waTER IS GOING TO SEEK THE its own path.....
like oz said
after storm go check flashing and chimney cap

 

Full brick chimney? May be soaking through the bricks as the mortar joints. See it pretty regularly on large buildings. Make sure you check the counter flashing on the chimney though. If need be, get your chimney repointed and/or spray it with a water sealant like thompsons. And any caulking should be a urethane. Don't use silicone. It'll peel off a lot faster than a good urethane. Sika flex and dura link are both very good caulking and come in numerous colors.

 

Yeah...The hurricane I chalked up to the wind driven, but this morning didn't seem as bad. I do gotta get up there and look.

Metal pipe up thru the shingle roof...No brick at all.

I think I'm gunna take a look at it in the morning and if it's not obvious to me...I'm gunna call the roofer that laid this one down two years ago...Let him fix it.

 

Your pipe just goes up through a sleeve?

 

That's how insulated pipe works , through a sleeve in the roof , there should also be a storm collar that acts as a counterflashing just above the roof flashing sleeve

 

Yup-Metal sleeve right up thru the attic and out the roof.

 

any signs of water in the attic ?

ie : is there water on the roof sheathing above the chimney , or below , or none visible ?

 

Not that I could see-Sadly the chimney is nearly all the way to the outside of a 1 story, so the roof and rafters are not far apart right there. Used a mirror and light and dodn't see any obvious signs.

 

And you are sure the water isn't coming down inside the pipe ?

 

Possibly the rain collar needs recaulked

 

To be specfic-It's not emptying onto the pile of ashes in the middle. It's dripping out some vents right at the front of the opening. I didn't put in or select this fireplace, so those vents may go up the pipe. Once I can hop on the roof and look - I think I'll have a better feel. Probably clean out ashes and look up the flue too

 

You would see water on the outside of the chimney in the attic