Help identifying cause of water damage to engineered flooring?


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Old 11-16-16, 08:51 AM
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Help identifying cause of water damage to engineered flooring?

There has been significant moisture / water damage to my newly laid engineered wood flooring in one room of my house and I can't identify the source of the damage. This is up along walls that are adjacent to the outside of the house, on the second floor above plywood. A proper moisture barrier has been installed, but moisture damage can of course still occur when it comes from the edges.

I don't think it is from a roof leak, as I have had three roofers out here perform an inspection. It shouldn't be plumbing, since all plumbing is isolated to the opposite side of the house and two plumbers already did an inspection. I don't think it is an issue of the siding leaking either. I don't think it is the window either since much of the damage is so far from it, and I see no evidence of moisture damage to it anywhere. The window is never opened.

This isn't a problem anywhere else in the house. The paint, drywall, ceiling, and electrical outlets are all completely unaffected.

I live in a moist part of the rural South, but this damage seems too extensive to attribute just to humidity.

Any ideas on what could be the issue?

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Old 11-16-16, 09:12 AM
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It is somewhat common to see water damage at the floor level. Modern houses are built on "decks". During construction the floor is totally sheeted with subflooring. Then the walls are built on top of that subfloor. So, any water that gets in can run down inside the wall but when it hits the subfloor it spreads out and becomes visible.

Your water leaks could be almost anywhere. Inspect: the trim around windows, where siding meets the windows or any other penetrations, seams in the siding, roof, roof penetrations especially like vent stacks, chimneys... And, depending on what type siding you have there may be condensation on the back side that could find it's way inside.
 
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Old 11-16-16, 10:29 AM
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Give us a picture of the exterior of the house from far enough away that we can see the big picture. Knowing what kind of siding you have may help.
 
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Old 11-16-16, 10:32 AM
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So the room begins to the left of the window which is left of the chimney chute (second floor) and goes right. I forgot to include the window to the right of the chimney in the floor plan. The siding is cement board.
 
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Old 11-16-16, 10:56 AM
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Well, *if* the house has housewrap behind the siding, which it should if it was built in the last 10-12 years, any leak that can get in between the subfloor and wall plate would indicate the leak is getting in above the housewrap, because water has to be behind the house wrap in order to leak in. Water behind the siding but on top of the housewrap should not be able to leak in. If there is no housewrap behind the siding, all bets are off.

Can't see the right side of the house but it looks like no soffit there... would suspect maybe the caulking is compromised along the top edge where it meets the fascia. On the side pictured, I would suspect either plugged gutter downspouts or the chimney cricket flashing.

Hard to diagnose without being there to inspect it. Getting on a ladder and inspecting the window perimeters... looking for caulking that has cracked or pulled away... examining edges of siding at the top and inside corners... those would be things I would check first before getting on the roof. Be sure those downspout elbows aren't plugged or water will pour over those gutters like a waterfall when it rains.
 
 

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