Roof Sheathing Problems

Some houses with open cell spray foam installed on the underside of the osb roof sheathing have had moisture problems.

Roof sheathing problems.

Such leakage can lead to the development of mold and mildew within a home. Try to correct this problem. If the walls are crooked the rafter tails will also be crooked. But where does the moisture come from.

The importance of roof pitch photo by julian wass. Condensation on the underside of foil backed osb can cause several problems. If you have gutters but no gutter apron to stop the water it will wick behind the gutter. If these problems are widespread it s a sure sign that you need to call a roofer.

Water spots may appear on the ceilings of the living spaces. The osb got wet and rotted. A sagging ceiling is another clue that there are major problems with a roof s sheathing. And exposed misplaced roofing repair nails should be pulled and the holes patched.

Solutions to roof buckling. A broken sagging rafter will also cause a dip in the roof s surface. If the insulation becomes damp it will lose some of its insulating values. Moisture can lead to mold which is both unhealthy to the occupants of the building and can rot the ceiling framing or wall assembly.

Eventually the fascia soffits and even the roof sheathing will rot. While you re in the attic scan the underside of the roof sheathing for any new signs of water staining since the last inspection as well as any soft or moist spots which tend to show up after a heavy rain. This is crucial because this building line will be a very noticeable when viewed from below. If you are unable to pop a chalk line across the rafter tails and trim them with a saw before attaching the sheathing.

Without proper air flow moisture can build up behind the home s exterior siding and supporting structures cannot dry out creating mold and deterioration problems. One of the most common signs that a roof s sheathing is damaged is a roof leak. The authors of the first paper cited a study in south carolina where the relative humidity in the attic was way too high in summer 80 to 100. Faulty durability as home construction has evolved throughout the years we have seen sheathing methods change from boards to plywood to oriented strand board osb.

Tiny holes in shingles are sneaky because they can cause rot a leaky roof and other damage for years before you notice the obvious signs of a leak. Buckling can occur if the wrong type of nails were used to connect the sheathing to the rafters. The nails slip out of the sheathing and create small visible bumps on the surface of your roof. You might find holes left over from a satellite dish or antenna mounting brackets or just about anything.

Waterlogged roofing materials and sheathing will bend and bow creating dips or making a ceiling take on a convex appearance.