I think I'm going to learn an expensive lesson

[PJMcK]

We have a small cabin on our property in the Catskills that was originally built as a hunting retreat. A few years ago, I had it rebuilt and improved into a wonderful music studio/office. It has lots of windows and a skylight so it's quite bright even on an overcast day. There's a small fireplace in one corner and you can see the Delaware River down the mountain side.

Like most structures here, the cabin doesn't have rain gutters because of the dominance of pine needles. This winter, we've had a great deal of snow and frozen rain and the ice has built up to 6-inches thick on the edge of the back side of the roof. The water got underneath the shingles then froze and expanded creating a leak into the soffit. The warmth from inside melted the frozen water and it leaked down through the wall and inside the cabin. Ugh.

The carpenter I hire suggested I get a "snow rake" to clear the roof and try to chip up the ice block without damaging the shingles. My initial assessment is that I'll have to have the wall opened to remove any wet insulation, dry it out and seal any leaks. But we can't do anything until after the Spring thaw, probably mid-April.

Meanwhile, I turned up the heat a bit to encourage evaporation and I lugged a dehumidifier through the snowy woods to help keep the interior dry. Please explain to me the joys of home ownership! (wink)