I have a leak around a vent pipe in my attic. Unfortunately I cannot get someone out to fix it for several days, and we have a hurricane coming so I can only imagine the rain is going to get worse.
I want to try to prevent as much further damage as I can to my ceiling, so I planned on either tying a towel around the pipe to catch water, or putting a pan/bucket under where the water is coming in.
Additionally however, I was advised that using a spray foam sprayed into the area of the roof where water is coming in could be a good temporary solution. I'm confused as to which to use however.
Here is a link describing the different foam types, one sounds water tight, one isn't. I'm worried that using a closed cell (water tight) foam could pool the water elsewhere and cause damage to another portion of the roof. Whereas the "open cell" foam is listed as not being water tight – would this foam even help me at all?
Keep in mind this is only meant as a temporary solution to hopefully get me through the weekend without significantly more damage. Which foam should I use? Are there any other pieces of advice I could do to limit damage?
My roof is on a 4th story townhouse, so unfortunately tarping my roof is not an option.
Best Answer
Application of foam from the interior will not stop water from penetrating the compromised flashing seal. The water that does penetrate may very likely end up someplace you would rather not have it. That being said, it will probably be better than doing nothing, judging by your description of the leak and considering the weather that is headed your way. The retro-fit seal linked in the comment from @Jack should help once you can obtain roof access, and you do not need to remove the foam to utilize it.