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WOOD DETERIORATION
WOOD DETERIORATION NOTED ON
BUILDING MEMBER:
Wood deterioration occurs when wood gets wet and
cannot dry out with the circulation of air. A
fungus starts and feeds on the wood, leaving it
weak and soft. It can be found between boards,
especially decks, between stucco and wood, in
wood which touches earth, or anywhere there is
moisture and no air circulation. If you let a
little air in and stop the moisture, the fungus
will usually subside. An example of wood
deterioration (in fact, a classic condition) is
in roof sheathing at the eaves and fascia trim.
Many buildings are topped with asphalt shingles
over a gable or hip roof. Ideally these roofs
should have drip edge type "L" shaped
flashing around the roof sheathing edges-more
often they do not. Over time, some moisture is
bound to "wick" back up into the roof
sheathing and gradually weaken it. With time,
deterioration may extend up the roof sheathing a
foot or more. Deterioration can occur on any
wood building member. The inspector will try to
indicate, in the report, where the affected
areas are. Any repairs necessary will depend on
the extent of damage. .. It is not uncommon for
this condition to go unnoticed by the owner for
many years. Exterior trim boards may be replaced
by the owner, but larger structural members
should be replaced by a General Contractor. Roof
sheathing is usually replaced by the Roofing
Contractor during reroofing or may be required
as a result of a Termite
Inspection. The
inspector will usually indicate the extent of
damage in the report. Use this as a guide to
determine whether to call a Contractor. Check
the Pest Inspection Report for additional
information and other locations of wood
deterioration, if any
The above information was provided by TWI Systems Copyright 1995-2005 1-800-553-5660 |
