Tracing a leak

[Mick Haggy]

Hello - during heavy rains how could I be getting water running down the outside of a PVC drain pipe clear down in the basement of a 2 story house? I sit down in the basement office with that pipe right above my head and heard it dripping onto the acoustical tile during a heavy rain. Now it does it constantly with the rains, and though not a whole lot of water, leaving stains after a while on the tile. Just had a new roof put on a couple months ago but don't know how it could be coming in from the roof way above. It's not in line with the plumbing vent on the roof at all. The pipe is built into the wall coming down and is where the washing machine drains into. Thanks

 

[Jadnashua]

An incorrectly installed boot for the vent line roof penetration can allow rainwater to flow down the pipe. Once water is in the house, it can flow places you wouldn't expect it to. Since you had recent roofing done, and it seems to have started about then, that is the first place to look. If it's not obvious, then you have to start either tearing things apart or drilling some holes to insert an inspection camera's probe.

I'd get someone to get up on the roof if you don't feel comfortable doing it and look there first.