Source of persistant leak has yet to be found

Q. I have had a leak above my living room for about 15 years (the house is a one-and-a-half-story ranch).

The living room ceiling plaster is getting wet, and also the wall plaster behind the chimney, but it is hard to determine exactly when this is happening. Sometimes it rains and it doesn't get wet; other times it will be damp a few days after a rain.

At least 30 different contractors have come to try and fix the leak. Needless to say, it still leaks.

About 15 years ago, my father had a man put a roof over the open brick front porch. This "shorter" roof overlaps the existing roof. To give you a rough idea of how it is built, let's say the original roof is on a 45-degree angle, and the overlapping roof is on a 30-degree angle.

I had the entire roof replaced 10 years ago, gutters and fascia changed, the chimney flashing redone numerous times, the entire house and chimney pointed and on and on.

The chimney does not have a purpose. There is no working fireplace, and there is no venting from a gas dryer, etc. It is blocked off and the chimney has a cement cap, but with two bricks on each corner supporting the cap, it appears "open." It may be possible that with a hard, driving rain there may be some water getting down into the chimney, but not with a normal (vertical type) rain.

We have torn the entire center section of the living room ceiling plaster out to the studs, and also along the wall next to the chimney. One contractor said not to replace the plaster until he could go up on the roof and check while I ran a hose on the roof for about a half-hour. We came inside and the ceiling was dry. We also went up into the attic to check the eaves area, but could not see any wet spots there.

This past spring one man came to look at it, and he said that I don't have a leak, that it is a condensation issue. He said the temperature difference between the outside and inside of the house makes condensation between these two roofs, so that is the problem. I paid a company $1,200 to install insulation between the roofs, and also put in small ventilation louvers to help "air out" the problem area.

This did not solve the issue, either. I am still getting wet plaster in the living room. Can you offer any other suggestions?

A. You haven't said how much of the living room ceiling gets wet. If the wetness is extensive over most of the living room ceiling, there is something going on that needs extensive sleuthing, and it is curious that some 30 contractors have not found the source.

From your description, I think that condensation should be ruled out. Condensation would occur only in cold weather and would not show up only occasionally. The ceiling would remain wet throughout the cold spell - for weeks.

Signs of condensation should have been visible when the area above the insulation was inspected and the new insulation added.

Moreover, you point out that the wall by the chimney is also getting wet. So if the wetness on the ceiling is localized close to the chimney, it sounds as if the leakage is at the chimney.

If the leakage started after the porch roof was built and this roof ties around the chimney, there may be a flashing issue that needs to be checked out very carefully.

But if the leakage occurred before or long after the roof was built, there may be no connection.

Consider having an experienced mason check the chimney walls, flashing at the roof line and the chimney cap. If the bricks are porous, and the occasional leakage comes through, a sealant should be applied to them.

Not having any photos of the chimney, roofs and of the location of the leakage, this is the best I can come up with.

Q. We think we have a porcupine eating a trim board on the outside of our garage. Do you know of anything we can apply to it that might stop him, hopefully, for good!?

A. Try applying a strong solution of jalapeño peppers to the board, or staple wire mesh to it.

Another option is to apply a "fear scent" or "taste-based" repellent to the board and the area around it. Fear scent repellents are based on fox or coyote urine, which you can buy on the Internet or likely find in agricultural stores. Taste-based repellents should also be available in the same stores.

Q. We live in a 1950s brick house with a Nutone kitchen fan that exhausts through the wall. To operate the fan, you must depress a lever to allow the chain to move to the side, which releases an outside, spring-hinged door. When the lever is up, the fan turns on. The wall opening's bottom begins approximately 18 inches above the cooking surface.

We would like to update our kitchen and replace this fan. However, I would rather not cover this brick opening to create another one.

What options are available to allow a fan or hood to exhaust out a side brick wall without requiring us to manually open the outside door? I am especially concerned about keeping the winter cold from entering through this opening.

A. Nutone makes a through-the-wall fan that is operated with a switch. You can see the fan on the following website: www.centralvacuumstores.com. Click on Vent Fans & Heaters and scroll down to Utility Fans. The replacement fan is the Broan 12C Motordor Utility Fan, located at the top left on the page. Click on its image and click on Resources just below the fan, then click on Broan 12C Motordor Spec Sheet to see if it fits the existing hole in your wall.

If it fits, you can click on Broan 12C Motordor Install Guide to get more details.

This fan has a separate motor that opens and closes the insulated door when you operate the switch.

Q. Recently, someone asked about using steam on wood flooring. You recommended "absolutely not." You didn't elaborate.

I have been using the Shark Steam Mop on mine. Have I been ruining my wood floor all this time?

A. The wood flooring industry does not recommend using any water or steam on wood floors. Wood and water are not compatible, and the use of water or steam may cause the floor to buckle.

Wood floors should be vacuumed or dry-mopped, then receive a mist of Bona followed by buffing.

Q. Ten years ago, I installed outdoor handrails made from 1¼-inch copper pipe and fittings. The copper was very shiny at the time and I sprayed it all with three coats of clear lacquer to preserve it. However, the finish has now badly deteriorated to dull shades of black, brown and green. How can I restore it to its former shiny condition and keep it that way?

A. You should be able to remove the patina with copper cleaner. It may take several applications.

Then coat the copper with lacquer, as you did 10 years ago.

Q. What is your advice about installing a copper kitchen sink? I love the look of it new, and I understand that it will patina over time. I feel like it will just grow darker in color, but still maintain the lovely look of copper. Will it ever take on the green look? Also, how durable would it be? I know that copper is soft and malleable. Will it dent or possibly cut easily? The one I am looking at is made by Ecosinks. It is made of 14-gauge pure solid copper and comes with a limited lifetime guarantee. Model No KDF-3322HA. Will I be happy for the next 10 years with an investment of $500 for this sink?

A. Copper sinks are beautiful, but you have to decide if the drawbacks to them are worth it. Copper is somewhat fragile, can dent and scratch easily, and requires care in cleaning, as acids and other products can damage it.

Copper goes through several stages of oxidation: brown/black and eventually green, but it isn't likely to turn green in a kitchen sink, since it will be frequently cleaned.

The patina, which is highly regarded, will develop slowly and unevenly, and it can easily be removed if any acidic foods, such as citrus fruit remnants, are left in the sink, even for a short time.

Citrus-based cleaning agents and abrasive scrubbing pads should not be used, as they will damage the patina.

The patina will return in time, but will you be happy with the look of the sink until it does?

It boils down to your decision and yours alone. Only time will tell whether you'll be happy with it 10 years from now.

Follow-up advice from a reader: In answer to a reader with a woodpecker problem, I suggested a few ways to discourage them from pecking at siding. The following is a suggestion from a reader:

"My neighbor had the same issue with woodpeckers, and nothing seemed to work. They covered the (cedar corner board) with a nylon netting, and no more woodpeckers! It can be that simple."

• Henri de Marne was a remodeling contractor in Washington, D.C., for many years, and is now a consultant. His book, "About the House," is available at www.upperaccess.com. His website is www.henridemarne.com. Email questions to henridemarne@gmavt.net.

© 2015, United Feature Syndicate Inc.