Cupola letting rain in the barn

[RobA]

I have a 42" square cupola on top of my tractor barn. Whenever a windblown rain comes through I get water coming in through the cupola vents. The cupola was installed over the roof trusses so working on the inside of it is difficult. Any ideas?

Here is an older picture...

 

[EddieWalker]

Since it's a wind driven leak, and it looks like it's part of your venting system, you might have to live with it. Changing the angle of the louvers would help, but it would be a huge undertaking. Blocking off the vents will stop the air flow.

I would caulk and paint the interior to make it water tight and let it be.

If that's not an option and you absolutely have to stop the water from coming in, then I'd seal off the vents and come up with another vent system.

Beautiful building!!

Eddie

 

[davitk]

As a band-aide you could suspend a drip pan from the trusses directly under the copula. I would suspect most copulas leak during a driven rain (many modern roof vents do as well). It sure is beautiful though. Copper roof?

 

[Robert_in_NY]

How tight is the wire screen behind the louvers? If you need to you could put a fine mesh screen on the inside of the vents and that will keep the big drops of water from coming thru. Then you could put a small piece of metal on the bottom of the screen to move the water back out thru the vent. It won't stop all the water but it should stop a lot of it.

This all makes sense in my head but I am sorry if it doesn't make sense to you or anyone else. Some times I have trouble making sense of my thoughts

 

[ToadHill]

When my dad had this problem, he made a tin box that he put behind the wind driven side. He put a small drain in the bottom and a small hose he ran from the drain to the outside bottom of the cupola and onto the roof. It solved his problem.

 

[RobA]

Thanks guys.

The cupola roof is copper. I had it built by an Amish cupola maker. I used some chemical concotions to help speed up the aging procees and turn it green.

There is a fine mesh screen on the inside tight against the louvers to stop bugs/birds. I was going to reinforce it with some heavier duty screening but haven't gotten around to it. When water comes in it lies on the 2nd story floor. For now I have put some left over metal roofing on the floor to catch the rain water. I thought about a drip pan. I was thinking of suspending a small plastic kids wading pool below the cupola and drain the water with a hose out through the soffit.

 

[Podunkadunk]

RobA,
That's one really nice barn man! I love the style (board and batten) and the look and feel. I'm sorry to hear about your leak and don't intend to hijack your thread, but I have a few questions about your barn.

What are the dimensions of your barn?

Is the siding cypress? It looks like Cypress, but I noticed you are in PA. Cypress isn't too common a siding up there (or is it)?

Would you mind shooting a couple pics of the inside?

Thanks. I'm building my pole barn with upstairs bonus room in the spring and am looking for ideas. Another poster put up a link a while back to many, many plans for barns, however I really like yours...and to think the good book says "Thou shalt not covet"....I guess I'm blowing that one

Podunk

 

[Soundguy]

I'd remove the louver vents and install window screen behind them...either in a small panel frame.. or just stapled to the back of the louver frame using a piece of 1/2" x 1/4" trim as a lip to hold the screening in.

soundguy

 

[rox]

Thanks guys.

The cupola roof is copper. I had it built by an Amish cupola maker. I used some chemical concotions to help speed up the aging procees and turn it green.

There is a fine mesh screen on the inside tight against the louvers to stop bugs/birds. I was going to reinforce it with some heavier duty screening but haven't gotten around to it. When water comes in it lies on the 2nd story floor. For now I have put some left over metal roofing on the floor to catch the rain water. I thought about a drip pan. I was thinking of suspending a small plastic kids wading pool below the cupola and drain the water with a hose out through the soffit.

Have you contacted the "Amish Cupol Maker"? Surely since he built it he would have the best advice.

 

[dqdave1]

I am assuming your driving rains come out of one direction normally. Since you have vents on all four sides, install glass over the wind driven side. Three sides will still allow for ventilation. Redo louvers to be longer and different angle also.