Roof Sheathing Rot

As mentioned it is near impossible to see roof sheathing making it very hard to determine when it starts to rot.

Roof sheathing rot.

Damaged shingles and rotted plywood must be removed before replacing them with new plywood and roofing material. While a single exposure to moisture is unlikely to lead to rot routine water exposure may. If your gutters are broken that s also a sign that your sheathing is damaged as functioning gutters help prevent moisture accumulation. These thin sheets of wood absorb moisture when exposed to it through excess condensation or a roof leak.

When sheathing is exposed to moisture frequently there is always a chance it will decay or develop wood rot. Rotted plywood is identifiable by sinking areas of the roof or visible leaks. Although the plywood typically lasts longer than most shingles and roof coverings leaks can cause them to rot. For starters you may notice a leak in your ceilings that originated from your roof.

When replacing roof decking you first need to get rid of the old rotten section. Cut away the damaged area. Some signs that roof sheathing is damaged or rotted include a sagging ceiling noticeable roof leaks and missing patches of roof shingles or tiles. Set the depth of your circular saw to the thickness of the roof decking.

Nonetheless there are still telltale signs that indicate you have a sheeting issue. Most roof decking also called sheathing is plywood or oriented strand board osb.