Many of Tucson's early adobe homes have flat roofs, and the monsoon tests them every summer. A leak from above can soak a ceiling and the tops of the walls before anyone sees a stain.
Key takeaways
- Barrio Anita and Barrio Santa Rosa have Sonoran adobe homes with flat roofs, and Barrio Santa Rosa also has pitched metal roofs added later.
- The monsoon officially begins June 15, with first storms around July 3 on average and activity into August and often September.
- Monsoon storms can bring intense thunderstorms and flash floods, and humidity runs much higher than the rest of the year.
- Roof water reaches the ceiling first, then the tops of the walls.
- Drying is slow and measured, because earth walls and ceilings hold moisture.
Why flat roofs and monsoon storms are a hard match
A flat roof has little slope to shed water. During a hard storm, water can pool, find a seam or the joint around a drain, and work its way inside.
A flat roof also collects debris. Leaves and dust can clog a drain or scupper, and then water has nowhere to go but over the edge or through a seam.
The area gets about 10.61 inches of precipitation a year, from winter Pacific storms and the summer monsoon. The monsoon officially begins June 15, and the first storms arrive around July 3 on average.
Activity lasts through August and often into September. Monsoon storms can bring intense thunderstorms and flash floods, and humidity is much higher than the rest of the year.
The homes behind the leaks
Several of the older neighborhoods are known for adobe construction, and the roofs on those homes are part of what sets them apart.
Barrio Anita
Barrio Anita was platted in 1903, and over 90 percent of it was built by 1920. Its early homes are Sonoran adobe with flat roofs.
Barrio Santa Rosa
Barrio Santa Rosa has Sonoran row houses of adobe with flat roofs. Pitched metal roofs were added later, and ranch houses came in the 1950s.
El Presidio and Barrio Viejo
Most El Presidio structures date from 1860 to 1920, and Barrio Viejo has more territorial adobes than any other district. Both are older areas where a wet wall deserves careful, measured drying.
How roof water reaches the ceiling and walls
Water that gets through the roof surface travels along the structure until it finds a low spot. The ceiling takes the first hit, and the wall tops come next.
Earth walls take up water, so the tops of walls under a leak are checked as well as the ceiling.
Roof water often travels before it shows. It can run along a beam or a wall top before it drips, so the stain is not always under the leak.
Signs of roof water are easy to miss in a room that is not used often.
- A brown or yellow stain that spreads after a storm.
- Paint bubbling or plaster flaking on a ceiling.
- Damp wall tops where the ceiling meets the wall.
- A musty smell in a room that was dry.
- Drips or a dripping sound during a storm.
First steps during a monsoon leak
Monsoon storms arrive with lightning, so the roof is no place to be during one. Stay inside and work from below.
A roof leak water damage job starts with protecting what is under the leak and stopping more water from entering.
If water is dripping near outlets or a light fixture, stay away and switch off the breaker for that circuit if it can be reached dry.
- Place buckets and move furniture, rugs and electronics.
- Photograph the stain, the drip and the ceiling.
- Lay plastic over floors and furniture that cannot be moved.
- Switch off ceiling fans and lights under a wet ceiling.
- Call a restoration team once the storm eases, and a roofer for the roof itself.
What the restoration team does
The extraction crew removes water from floors and low spots, then the team opens the wet ceiling where it is saturated. Ceiling leak water damage work follows the water to where it stopped.
Because adobe walls dry slowly, readings are taken at the same spots on each visit. A wall that reads dry once can read wet again if moisture comes back from the roof.
- Saturated ceiling material is cut out.
- Wall tops are measured and dried slowly.
- Room humidity is held down with dehumidifiers.
- The roofer's repair is finished before the ceiling is rebuilt.
Ceiling and the space above it
Wet ceiling material and insulation are removed, and the cavity is dried. The cut is kept as small as the readings allow.
Wall tops and walls
Moisture readings are taken along the wall tops and down the walls. Air movers and dehumidifiers run until the readings settle, and the team returns to measure again.
Monsoon humidity slows drying, so the plan accounts for the season.
Roof checks before June 15
Spring is the time to look at a flat roof. A seam that is open in May becomes a leak by July.
More on local help is available through water damage help across Tucson, including the other leaks and floods the same team handles.
- Clear drains and scuppers of leaves and debris.
- Look for cracked or lifted seams and flashing.
- Check the joint where the roof meets a parapet or wall.
- Have a roofer repair open seams before the storms start.
- Photograph the ceiling in each room while it is clean.
Roof types and repair planning
Flat roofs and pitched metal roofs fail in different places, so the repair starts with knowing which kind of roof is overhead.
A roofer repairs the roof and the restoration team dries the house. The two jobs are separate, and the ceiling is not rebuilt until both are done.
- Flat roofs tend to leak at seams, drains and edges.
- Pitched metal roofs tend to leak at fasteners, seams and flashing.
- A temporary tarp can hold until a permanent repair is made.
- The ceiling stays open until readings show the space above is dry.
Questions
When does the monsoon start in Tucson?
It officially begins June 15, and the first storms arrive around July 3 on average. Activity lasts through August and often into September.
Why do flat roofs leak during monsoon storms?
Flat roofs have little slope, so water can pool and find seams, drains and edges. Intense downpours add more water than the roof can shed, and a clogged drain makes it worse.
How are adobe walls dried after a roof leak?
The wall tops are checked with a moisture meter and dried with air movers and dehumidifiers. Drying is monitored and repeated, because earth walls hold water and can read wet again after they first read dry.
Can a ceiling stain be painted over?
Painting hides the mark but not the moisture. The ceiling and wall tops need to be dried first, or the stain comes back and the paint peels.
Do pitched metal roofs still leak?
Yes. Seams, fasteners and flashing can leak in a hard storm. Barrio Santa Rosa has pitched metal roofs that were added later.
What should be photographed after a roof leak?
Take wide shots of each wet room, close-ups of the stain and photos of damaged belongings. Photos taken before cleanup give a clear record.