Water Stains On Attic Decking

Out of sight out of mind.

Water stains on attic decking.

Clearly the stains were caused by water saturating the wood. One of the most common signs that a roof s decking is damaged is a roof leak. A quick inspection of the attic might uncover dark water stains on the rafters or in the insulation or even light passing through holes in the roof. Water leakage can lead to ceiling spots or leaks stains on interior walls cracked paint or peeling wallpaper.

Spray rinse each individual deck board using a fan tip no closer than 8 from the decking surface. Attics can suffer two types of leaks. In some houses this may be the case. Mold usually causes a musty odor and may cause staining that may be black brown gray white yellow or green.

A common misconception is that it takes little more than the installation of some decking over the attic joists to ready an attic for move in. All deck stains both water based and oil based offer a measure of water protection they repel water and keep rain from saturating the wood which can lead to swelling warping and rot. If dirty water from cleaning is left to dry this will cause a film to remain on the decking surface. The mold itself may have a cottony texture but can also be velvety leathery or.

Spray deck with soap then follow by gently scrubbing each deck board with a soft bristle brush. Stubborn water stains need to be treated with household cleaner and water mixture. Unless a problem arises like a wet spot suddenly appearing on a living room ceiling attics are pretty much ignored. In many others.

Stains or even wet areas on the under side of roof decking and on rafters can appear to be a roof leak but in fact moisture may be entering the attic not from above outside and through the roof but by rising through a building suffering from leaks a prior fire extinguishment or most common a wet basement or crawl space. Combine a 1 cup of household bleach with 1 gallon of water in a plastic bucket to make a homemade deck cleaning solution.