Where to Look for Moisture Damage & Mold

In the Pacific Northwest, its very difficult to avoid moisture. It’s what makes everything green and beautiful, but it also can wreak havoc on your structures if left alone. Here’s some places to check to head off any issues before they become major problems!

Changes in the Roof

Wherever there is a peak or a valley in your roof, there’s always a gap where boards connect. If not properly protected, there’s usually more than a few problems! Other places where there’s holes in your roof, such as vent pipes, chimneys, or skylights are other good places to check!

Many builders use OSB (Oriented Strand Board) for roof decking, but the best use plywood. Either way, if you’re started to see depressions in your roofline, it could mean the boards are starting to decay from water intrusion. Replacing the decking is a big job worth avoiding so make sure to have it looked at as soon as possible so the wood rot doesn’t expand its area.

Water Flow

Typically, as it rains the water will run off the roof into the gutters. However, if not properly installed or damaged, the water can bypass the gutters and induce decay in the fascia and soffits. When you see paint bubbling or flaking off, this is a good sign water is involved!

Also, if you have a leak from the attic where you have to put a bucket out to catch the water, you might be a redneck… I mean you clearly have a water issue that are already causing major problems in the attic and roof.

Another tell tale sign of a water issue is discoloration. Here is an example.

This is from my house! When we purchased the home, we painted over the discoloration because we had some gutters installed on the dormers. With all this rainy weather, it is back and we noticed a slight depression in the roof line right above this spot. Time to get it checked out!