We have sprung a leak :(
Literally I'm afraid! I was working on editing this week's video for tomorrow (ironically it was supposed to be 'everything I accomplished in the house/decor in the first year recap'...cute), I went downstairs to grab my usual afternoon cup of coffee, noticed that the cats must have spilled their water...and then noticed that they hadn't, there was just water dripping from my dining room ceiling.
There was a big bubble in the paint where it was dripping through the drywall, which quickly crumbed into wet mud in my hand upon further inspection. So instead of finishing the video up today, I ran all up and down my house for several hours trying to find the source of the leak. At first I was worried it was the plumbing, because this spot is directly below my bathroom upstairs, but once I pulled the sodden drywall from the ceiling (it was more like wet clay than ceiling anymore for a good 2ft by 2ft chunk as you can see) I confirmed the pipes were all holding just fine. Looking up into the wall I could see the water was dripping through the pink insulation fuzz in the wall, a trickle of cold water so not the radiators then, instead it's presumably ice melt from the recent storm.
So upstairs into the attic, and after lots of faffing around I found the spot above said leaky area two floors below, which has some weird vent thing running through the soffit overhang bit of the roof. There is a trickle (a steady drip drop is enough, some would say...too much) entering in the roof somewhere in this zone and then collecting a bit in the soffit so that it's then leaking into (and down along) the walls, apparently. Or at least, that is what I think is going on. I'm not qualified in roofing! It's not an easily accessible area for me to seal up on my own, so I'll be calling roofers for spot fix estimates all morning tomorrow. It would be easiest to fix from the outside honestly, and that bit of roof is near where I am missing a piece of flashing...so hopefully I can get it patched up somehow shortly.
Meanwhile, I had already booked Xander in for a vet appointment tomorrow afternoon because he had some sort of coughing/asthma attack yesterday evening. He seems okay now, but I would hate for anything to go undiagnosed and for him be in any distress due to negligence on my part. It was only a few moments of him sorta sneeze/wheezing, but as a cat mom it was very worrying of course. He's going to be so pissed about going on a car journey tomorrow...
Which means I also spent an hour and a half digging my car out of the snow this morning in order to make it out of my driveway for said vet appointment, which was enough cardio before all the running up to the attic then afterwards thank you very much. My shoulders thought painting in my stenciling was tough? Try 10" of snow very much in the way. Don't worry, after such a very full day I absolutely pulled cookie dough out of my freezer for a quick fresh baked dessert.
So it looks like the rest of my week is going to be mini-crisis management and roofing repair estimates. Thank you again for your patience, I can't wait to get back to my pile of iridescent fabrics and fun projects instead believe me! I'll try and give you another update as soon as I've got a plan ❤
(PS: I blame myself for saying I didn't have many updates in the pod...no updates can be good news it turns out, oof)
Comments (60)
Hi Bianca. I’m so sorry this is happening. I’ve had pipes burst in my house and you have my sympathy. Would it be possible for you to start a go fund me account so that I might be able to help you with your repairs? Please let me know if this is something you could consider. Thanks.
I'd contribute. I bet most everyone would.
Oh dear why couldn't it have leaked in the mudroom instead of your lovely painted ceiling. And on top of worring about the cat. *hugs*
I am relieved that at least it was a simple painted ceiling and not the more intricate one in the living room 😅
Hi Bianca, I'm so sorry to hear what you're going through. My cat has asthma, and unfortunately, his older sister did too ans died due to the treatment she was given (cortisone). So this time we opted for supplements to add to the Ventolin , and the results are fantastic. I hope that every things well be ok for you, your cats and yours house.
Oh Bianca, I am so sorry! Hope you can find a good roof repair person that's not too expensive. Sad to see all that damage to your careful paint job but I guess better the dining room ceiling than the room where you did all the glorious stenciling and painting. It's always something when you are a home owner. Hoping Xander is OK. My TidBit has been hacking too, I'm blaming the dry air because it's not hairballs and she seems otherwise fine. And I've been sneezing for days but am not sick. When it rains it pours!
OH, this is yet another omen for my own situation, though in my apartment it truly is the plumbing. I had black water coming out of the bathroom sink, just sporadically, back in June, and the manager did nothing. On January 1, LOTS of black water issuing forth. And just before I saw your post, the manager knocked on my door, asking that I not use the shower tomorrow until my downstairs neighbor's bathtub, which is backed up, can be cleared. Yes, I've been trying to move for a couple of years, but I live in Los Angeles where rents are in the stratosphere and I have comparatively cheap rent in this rent-controlled apartment. So I hope you can get a good repairman and it's not too expensive - and it's just a small problem. And I'm sending lots of loving energy to Xander the golden boy. Marie
We had a cat, Mr. Booger, who wheezed. Especially after eating. We took him to the vet and it turned out that he was a greedy little MOFO who was too busy wolfing down his food to chew it 🙄 and sometimes it got stuck. So, he was basically choking to death for a few minutes after din-dins each day. There’s no kitty Heimlich, so we had to find a way to slow him down. No slow feeders in those days, so we would give him a few kibbles and then a few more after each batch was eaten. He eventually learned to slow down, thank goodness. Sending all my best recuperative love to Xander and your ceiling/roof!
Snow and ice are so much fun with an older home. 😫. Wishing you much luck with a fixit person. Ice dams have been a regular feature in my old houses 🥳
So sorry to hear of your roof troubles and Xander’s cough. I hope that both things get fixed soon. You’re doing a great job of handling it all on your own, in terribly cold weather. Thinking good thoughts for you…this, too, shall pass! (Although not soon enough, I’m sure.)
Thinking good thoughts and cheap repair magic for you!!
Oh no! I hope it can be fixed relatively easily 🤞 And I hope the big orange boy is ok ❤️❤️❤️
Old houses and pets are money pits, for sure Last year I spent $14k to brace my home foundation where it had sunk nearly 2”, $6k to fix a similar roof leak as you have, and $50k to tear down and rebuild a chimney that was in danger of collapsing on my neighbor’s house. Makes the $1500 I just spent on my dog’s dental cleaning seem like a bargain. Good thing we love them so much.
That sucks. And as a mom of a dog with special needs I understand your concern. Wishing you, your kitty, and your roof all the best!
It just kills me that the leak ruined any of your beautiful painting!
Why do things like this always happen at once? Ugh. I hope all the things get resolved quickly and without massive expense.
Ohhhhh noooooo! Wishing good health for Xander & smooth sailing for fixing the roof and repairing the leak damage. Fingers crossed for you that the lake effect snow doesn't crank back up again before you have a chance to get things sorted. (Toronto got TWO FEET of snow in this last storm so, solidarity in shovelling)
Water damage is no fun. I’m glad you were able to find the source, and I hope the repair is easy and not too costly.
Keeping my piano fingers crossed for you and your little family! I had frozen pipes just a couple days ago, no water, and the landlord set up a block heater type thing around the pipe and instructed me to run the fawcet overnight on a slow drip when it's -10C or more. I'm near Buffalo, so very similar weather and the snow hasn't been letting up. The shovel is my buddy. Take care!💚
Good vibes your way!! I hope it turns out to be something just annoying and simple to fix.
Oh no, you're beautifully painted ceiling! I'm so sorry, I hate this for you. I hope everything is okay with Xander. I also hope the roofers can find a fast, inexpensive solution for you and you can repair the ceiling without much pain.
Hang in there! And prayers for Xander. Hopefully it was just an errant dust bunny out from under all the cleaning you have been doing. As for the roof... welcome to old home ownership. Sigh.
Holy crap!!! The only positive I can send is that at least it was the least fancy of the ceilings. i wish you mental and physical strength to get through this.
Oh No! Welcome to home ownership! Roof, shoveling and a sick cat all at once isn't fun. Do what you have to do. We've all had those situations. You are doing great! We are here when you are ready! Hope Zander gets a good diagnosis and will be fine. Stay warm, stay safe! May u find a good roof person, and may it be an easy and inexpensive fix! Fingers crossed!
I’m so sorry! Your tone in the post seems to level headed! I’d be losing it! Keep up the faith that good will soon follow. It always does. Acmes follow nadirs eventually. Such is life - the ebb and flow of life’s fortune. Keep us posted! We all are sending positive energy your way (and Xander’s).
Ohhhh man - from one single girl homeowner to another - sending good vibes 😮💨 My cat has cold-induced asthma and uses an inhaler ❤️
Oh no! Yikes. I hope everything goes OK and you can get it back looking fabulous again. Home ownership is not for the weak of heart. Keep warm!
Oh no!!! 😱 I echo Sarah’s sentiment … roofing (and fur-baby/kitty) problems SUCK!! I can certainly empathize!! You do what you HAVE to do …. We’ll be right here - we got your back!
Greetings from a fellow leaky roof alumni. We have a sneaky drip in our roof that annoyingly only leaks when the rain comes from a certain direction. At the moment we've got a bucket under it but I suppose we need a more long term solution. I hope you get yours sorted out quickly and your lovely ceiling back to normal. Xxx
Sending positive thoughts for Xander too xx
So many little squeaky wheels in home ownership! I’m hopeful that dry air and dust bunnies are the only irritants in Xander’s system, thereby giving you a scooch of relief. I’m sending my best positive witchy energy to vortex over your home. High winds to be expected. ❤️
That bites! I hate that you are having to deal with all that and hope Xander is completely fine. Being a homeowner is not all paint and stunning deco, alas. Thanks for the update!
So sorry to hear!! Don't worry about us, things come up and family/ home emergencies come first
Oh no, roofing problems suck!
So sorry about all your troubles. Hope the cat will be okay soon.
I am so sorry. A roof leak is awful at any time of the year, but adding snow into the mix is just awful. I hope that you can find someone to help you. Keeping fingers crossed that Xander vet visit will not be too stressful for you both.
Sending Xander the best vibes. I hope your leak is an easy fix.
Oh no! Best of luck!!! It sucks to deal with stuff like that AND have sore shoulders to boot... ::sending good vibes:: and, yes, cookies sound like a good plan!
Ah crap! I had a leak one winter because of ice damming on the roof which was caused by the lackof insulation in neighbour's attic - I am in a townhouse and share 3 ft wall with neighbour. Ice damming was where roofs meet. I am hoping it is an easy fix like mine was. 🤞
Oh no! I am so sorry about the leak and Xander. I hope the visit to the vet is uneventful, your roof repair is not a huge hit to your budget, and there is no unseen damage.
Yikes, I hope you can get your leak situation sorted quickly and inexpensively (!). One of my cats does that alarming wheezing/ sneezing thing occasionally too but the vet couldn't find a direct cause, so fingers crossed that it turns out to be nothing sinister for Xander too xx
Oh… wow… that sounds miserable! I hope the universe backs off a bit and you have a less eventful rest of the week! O.o
Oh nooo! I’m so sorry. Good luck for the vet tomorrow.
Oh no! I'm so sorry. That's a lot of worry out of no where. I hope xander will be completely fine, no matter how annoying for him, you're a good cat mom for getting it checked out. The melting ice and snow is the worst, thankfully I didn't have any trouble at home a few weeks ago when there was an unusual amount of snow here, but the new atelier we moved into this summer for work suddenly had multiple leaks (it's an old building from 1600 something, so not up to the newest building standards I'm afraid) but it ruined the new wooden floor we put in. I hope the melting means the active ice storm is over and I hope this is the last bit of trouble you have with it.
You are showing up and handling the big things. Be happy and proud of yourself. You will have "your roof guy" the "plumber", all the others that come over the years. Bake cookies for them too and they'll never forget you. ... I took up knitting a few years ago and there's rarely a day goes by I don't find another reason why/how it's great for me and changed my life. Incredible quite honestly! If you could with cats, might be another slow hobby for you 😻
I know your pain, our house flooded 2 nights ago and now smells like a swamp.
Dogs have "reverse sneezing" and it sounds worrying at first. Can cats have this, too?
Your beautiful ceiling! I’m so sorry. Owning an old house is always an adventure. Best wishes for Xander.
Oof. 😬 Fingers crossed for Xander to be fine and for the roof issue to be easily resolved (or at the very least, easily patched!)
If there's an issue that the previous owners (or the people doing the inspection for you prior to you purchasing the property) neglected to mention, you may be eligible for compensation. It of course depends on what's going on. My drains had issues that the previous owners had hidden, and they were ordered to pay to get that sorted.
Noooo! I hope it’s an easy roof fix and Xander is ok 🤞🤞🤞
Oh no!! Not your pretty ceiling that you just finished not so long ago. Hang in there!!
Wishing you and Xander good luck at the vet. When it rains it pours 🧡
Yikes! What a day you've had. Hopefully you can get an emergency roof repair quickly.
Oh no!!! I hope it's a quick, easy fix. ❤️ I hope it's nothing serious with Xander. One of my cats has wheezy sessions from time to time. We've had him checked over and there's nothing wrong, best that they can guess is that he has a little mild asthma, but nothing that needs medication, just monitoring in case it gets worse. Hopefully Xander is the same.
Oh no! That sucks so bad I'm so sorry, Bianca! And right after you finished painting the dining room.. At the very least the problem was visible quickly. The water intrusion/black mold combo is not. fun. I hope the roofer is kind, affordable, and can get the problem solved quickly 💙
Im so sorry hopefully tou can fix it easily. My water is frozen and i have leaks in at least 2 places 🤦
Ah yes. Unexpected repair bills tend to pop up at the worst times
I am in the upstate New York area. Dunno where you're located in the area but if it's near the capital district I can drop the name of the company I used this fall to replace my roof.
Ahhhh, I’m so sorry to hear that!! I feel this hard, we got 24 inches up here and that has made the last few days crazy 😱 Hope it’s smooth sailing getting the ceiling fixed. :<