Water can be wicked. On this spectrum, you have floods on the extreme, treacherous end, and on the other end, you find gradual leaks. I would further classify gradual leaks as insidious. Some leaks may go unnoticed for years, all the while causing damage to water systems or structures.
When we were at the cabin a couple of
weeks ago, Desiree noticed a discolored spot where the ceiling meets the
outside wall in the loft. “The wall looks burned here,” she announced.
I immediately stepped closer for a
better look. “That’s water damage,” I said grimly. “We have a leak in the
roof.”
A quick investigation revealed that a
rubber roof jack for a plumbing vent pipe was inverted on the roof, allowing
water to pool around the vent and seep in alongside the PVC pipe. A week after
discovering the leak, I opened up the wall to evaluate the extent of the
damage. What I found was something my buddy Rodney terms “ungood.” Obviously,
water had been leaking inside for many years. The insulation was soaked, and
the framing members were rotting and infested with mold.
It’s sinister how such extensive
damage can go unnoticed for so long. Without a sound and only drop by drop, the
water invaded the cabin wall’s inner space. Upon reaching the fiberglass
batting, the water wicked laterally, spreading deeper inside while feeding
fungus and decay. I have posted a photograph of the wall after I opened it up.
You’ll notice the hair dryer I duct-taped to the vacuum as a means to dry out
the spaces within the wall.
—Mitchell Hegman
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