I have done lots of posts about flashings that seal around the pipes that go through roofs. At a recent inspection there were no flashings at all on any of the pipes. On this roof there were three vent pipes, one electrical mast and one improperly vented exhaust fan---no flashings at all. There was however, LOTS of bear doo---or you might now it as "tar." I guess a couple of buckets of tar is a lot cheaper than the proper flashings---but the money saved will surely be out paced by the damage that will be done once the connections start to leak. There is also the ongoing maintenance involved with continually having to patch the patches---requiring additional cans of bear doo every year. It will cost a lot more to install the flashings now than it would have cost to install them when the roof covering was installed---not to mention the waste of Bear Doo. Bear doo is a sign that things are not constructed properly and is merely an attempt to cover up inadequacy. Plus it looks like S@#$!!
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WA State, Home Inspector Advisory Licensing Board
there's nothing worse than wasted bear doo. "Ya think that stuff grows on trees?".
I often wonder how the original builder got away with stuff like this? Then I remember to be grateful for those blunders because the repairs feed my family. :)
Thanks Charles!
Charles I had no idea about this - wow - learned something new this morning. Thanks - I'll ask around my town and see if folks run into this. Good to know.
Great blog post! Thank you for sharing it with us!
Charles, you said "Plus it looks like S@#$!!"
Well isn't that exactly what bear doo is? Scat by another name.
There is an older technology that uses tar in a frame called a pitch pocket to create a water proof passthrough in a roofing system. It works very well if you keep it maintained. You maintain it by periodically toping up the pitch (tar).
This system could theoretically be used on a sloped (pitched) roof shingle system, though I've never seen it. The pitch pocket frame, yeah its made and installed with flashing, so if you're going to use flashing...........then use it.
Tom and that is the American way---one persons screw up is a job security for someone else
Anna, hopefully leaving out the flashings entirely is not common anywyere :)
SarMana Properties, thanks
Robert, and even those old pitch pockets were less than satisfactory---fortunately we have better ways to do those seals now.
You are absolutely right Charles. My point was that even then constant maintenance was required and metal flashing work was necissarey. So if you must flash anyway, just install the appropriate flashing for the roof system and dispense with the bear scat.
I saw lot and lots of doo on a roof a week ago. The flashing's were all done wrong, so when the leaks started, out came the can o' S*%#.
Hi Charles: Never heard it referred to as bear doo before but I guess it is a great analogy! Best, Gay
Robert, for sure
Jim, I think the stuff gets used a lot in "emergencies"---I don't see it used very often as an entire way of doing things :)
Gay, that is what I grew up calling it.
Charles, your industry sure uses a lot of technical terms were commonplace items :-)
And where does a bear doo doo in the woods? Anywhere he wants...
Apparently that applies to roofs too. Don't mess with nature Charlie.
Paul, it does have a lot of "colorful" terms
Jay, I have seen raccoon scat on roofs but never bear skat
Mr Charles,
I personally believe that a liberal coating of tar is very helpful in restoring chimney problems.
Nutsy
Hi Charles, Nice photos! and sad.... Incompetent roofer? maybe... lowest bidder? maybe... lazy roofer who forgot flashing but had a bunch of bear poo?...probably lazy inspector? most certainly! jay
I like Toms comment , this is pretty common on older homes in our area. The bear doo doesn't last long in our climate. Thanks Charles
I had a house yesterday with lots of that and lots of water stains in the ceiling below.
Nutsy, I imagine you do
Jay, who knows----hard to imagine
Brian, in my area too
Steve, I heard you tried to use that roof as a trampoline