# Does this plywood or OSB need to be replaced? Pic included



## amodoko (May 29, 2011)

Hey guys, about to repair a roof leak in my home due to a satellite installation. I was going to just replace some shingles and use asphalt roofing cement to make the repair, but I wanted to double check if you guys think that the wood needed to be replaced too. I don't know if I have OSB or plywood (never had to work with either since I'm a basic DIY guy and don't have much knowledge yet), but you can see from the photo what the damage looks like. It was just a small leak from two small holes, but my parents just told me about it (it is their house) and said it has been leaking for about a year. 

What do you think? Can you tell from the photos if I need to replace the wood or is there some physical tests I should do (like feel if it is mushy, etc)?

Thanks.


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

Replace it.


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## amodoko (May 29, 2011)

Really? You can tell for sure I have to replace it? 

If that is the case, can you just replace the wood from underneath? Or do I have to rip up the water barriers under the shingles too? 

If the wood needs to be replaced, is it possible to salvage it and just do a proper rotting wood repair? The ones where you sand out everything and then put in epoxy? 

I would feel more comfortable doing an epoxy repair rather than replacing since I don't want to have to rip up the water barriers under the shingle


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## Gymschu (Dec 12, 2010)

There's really no way to replace that rotted wood from inside. Even if you could do it that way, you woulld still damage the water shield and damage some shingles. I suppose if it's not mushy you could shore that area up with some 2 x 4 braces nailed to the rafters on the underside. That's not an ideal solution but may keep someone from falling through the roof in that area if they are ever up there near that spot. At some point you really need to do it up right by replacing that rot from on top of the roof.


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## amodoko (May 29, 2011)

Thanks for the reply, greatly appreciated. With an epoxy repair, I would just have to sand out the bad stuff, in which case it may be possible to not damage the barriers. If I were to do an epoxy repair AND install the 2x4 supports, shouldn't that be as close to permanent as an original repair? I thought that would last for decades if it didn't get wet again with an epoxy repair and 2x4 reinforcement.


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## kwikfishron (Mar 11, 2010)

Your “barriers” are already damaged otherwise you likely would not have a leak. Any competent roofer could fix it all in just a couple-three hours assuming the roof is walkable.

Get epoxy out of your head...it has no use here.


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## amodoko (May 29, 2011)

Well if epoxy has no use here, I don't have to use it, that's why I was asking... to gain some information/knowledge on what is considered appropriate for a repair. 

Thanks for the replies, I will try to educate myself before doing the repair.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

They knew it was leaking for a year and did nothing
Now there stuck with the only right way to fix it. 
The shingles need to go, Tar paper removed, Plywood removed and replaced, new tar paper and new shingles.

Trying to do anything from the inside is just silly and a total waste of time.


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## amodoko (May 29, 2011)

Yeah, my parents are really old now and aren't on top of things as much. If I lived closer to them I would try to get their repairs done quicker. They actually only knew about it around 6 months ago, but I said one year because I'm assuming it has been leaking for about a year since they take a while to notice things, and because there was drywall there before that was masking the leak until the drywall got stained, and then moldy. The drywall is obviously removed in the photo. 

I'm going to fix it the right way, just need to do some more research about how to go about this/roof safety/etc.


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## Mark Harvey (Apr 20, 2009)

*roof repair*

Amodoko, It sounds as if you are trying to find an easy way out. Don't! A band-aid solution won't solve the problem. If the stain are also mold, then you probably are dealing with health issues on top of the leaking roof issue. You don't sound experienced enpugh to fix the problem. You do soul=nd smart enough to get the proper help you require. Do it properly and have piece of mind for you and your parents.


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

As an FYI....it's not that hard to remove a section of shingles.....I went through that when I was doing the roof on my 2-story addition...Once you get the first one above the area up...the rest are easy.

Follows Joe's advice...do it right the 1st time.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Pretty straightforward fix.

Pull the shingles, felt, plywood.

Install new plywood, underlayment, and shingles. 

That sheathing is beyond repair.


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## amodoko (May 29, 2011)

Yeah, I am going to do it the right way. Am actually at their house right now for Thanksgiving, and I touched the plywood with a broom and it is extremely weak and brittle, definitely needs to be replaced as you guys suggested. I'm just a bit confused about one thing though, when you remove a section of your roof that is in the middle of your roof, do you have to install new underlayment all the way towards the top of the roof even in the unaffected areas to get overlap between underlayments? 

To make my question clearer, I read some information about underlayment (specifically the storm shield stuff that is self-adhesive) installation and how you install it kind of like shingles where you start from the bottom of the roof and move up so the sections of underlayment are layered like shingles to get proper water run off. However, when you remove underlayment in the middle of your roof, you can't get that same overlap between the top edge of the new underlayment and the the bottom edge of the old underlayment. *So do you just remove the staples/nails that hold the old, salvageable underlayemnt's bottom lip and then reattach it to the new underlayment's top edge to get proper water runoff? Or do you have to remove all the underlayment above the repair to install new underlayment in proper layers? *


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## ddawg16 (Aug 15, 2011)

You just need to expose enough of the roof to remove the wood and to get up under the layer of underlayment above the damaged area. 

Shoot high...in other words....don't try to expose just the damaged area...go at least 2-3 rows above...or more...if you start high, it's a lot easier to remove the shingles going down. Once that first row is off...it gets easy.


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## mrairflow (Oct 25, 2009)

maybe a good time to replace all the roof or at least the one side as usually if it's leaking the roof is already shot


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## amodoko (May 29, 2011)

I don't think I need to replace the whole roof, this just leaked due to a satellite dish install. The roof is only a few years old anyways, so just repairing a section of it should be fine I believe


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## Roofmaster417 (Jun 9, 2010)

amodoko said:


> I don't think I need to replace the whole roof, this just leaked due to a satellite dish install. The roof is only a few years old anyways, so just repairing a section of it should be fine I believe


This is a perfect reason NOT to have dishes installed on your roof. :no:

And if you must..,buy a mount that is specifically made for roof top mounting.

Or,,have them bolt the dish to the side of your house.That way the siding guy's can deal with it.Hahahahaha


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## amodoko (May 29, 2011)

I agree, I told them to never have a dish installed on their roof again, and if the dish company says there is no other way... then they should get another cable/satellite company, LOL


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## guynextdoor (Nov 16, 2012)

Doesn't installing a dish on the roof void any warranties on the shingles? So, basically we are sacrificing the roof for a dish?


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