Roof Sheathing Rot

While a single exposure to moisture is unlikely to lead to rot routine water exposure may.

Roof sheathing rot.

Nonetheless there are still telltale signs that indicate you have a sheeting issue. Some signs that roof sheathing is damaged or rotted include a sagging ceiling noticeable roof leaks and missing patches of roof shingles or tiles. These thin sheets of wood absorb moisture when exposed to it through excess condensation or a roof leak. Rotted plywood is identifiable by sinking areas of the roof or visible leaks.

If your gutters are broken that s also a sign that your sheathing is damaged as functioning gutters help prevent moisture accumulation. Cut away the damaged area. Wood sheathing will eventually rot as excess moisture continually collects on it and the material is unable to properly dry out. As mentioned it is near impossible to see roof sheathing making it very hard to determine when it starts to rot.

Set the depth of your circular saw to the thickness of the roof decking. When sheathing is exposed to moisture frequently there is always a chance it will decay or develop wood rot. For starters you may notice a leak in your ceilings that originated from your roof. Most roof decking also called sheathing is plywood or oriented strand board osb.

Although the plywood typically lasts longer than most shingles and roof coverings leaks can cause them to rot. You may need to cut a little extra to expose enough of the trusses and make sure you get rid of all the rotten wood.