Funny you mention the roof decking—I swear, sometimes it’s like the inspector’s got x-ray vision for those hidden spots. I’ve seen cases where the sheathing looked fine from below, but once you pop a couple shingles, it’s a different story. Did your inspector get up there and actually check for soft spots or delamination? I always tell folks, if your decking’s not up to code or got water damage, those wind credits can go right out the window. Ever had to deal with replacing sections of decking mid-project? That can really throw off a timeline...
You nailed it about the decking—sometimes it really does take getting up there and poking around to spot the trouble. I’ve seen more than a few jobs where what looked solid from inside turned out to be a patchwork of soft spots once we started pulling shingles. It’s a pain when you have to swap out sections mid-project, but honestly, I’d rather deal with it upfront than risk losing those wind credits or having bigger headaches down the line. Always better to catch it early, even if it slows things up a bit.
That’s spot on about catching decking issues early. I’ve noticed sometimes you don’t see the rot until you’re halfway through tear-off, and then you’re scrambling for new plywood. Has anyone tried using a moisture meter before starting demo? Curious if that actually helps or just adds another step.
I get the appeal of using a moisture meter, but honestly, I’ve found they’re not always reliable for roof decking—especially if you’ve got layers of old felt or insulation in the way. Sometimes you’ll get a false sense of security and still hit rotten spots once you start pulling things up. I’d rather budget for a few sheets of plywood just in case, instead of adding another gadget to the process. Maybe it’s different in drier climates, but here on the coast, hidden rot is almost a given no matter what tools you use.
That’s exactly what I was thinking—those meters sound good in theory, but with all the layers and weird angles on an old roof, I just don’t trust them to catch everything. I’m in a pretty rainy area too (Pacific Northwest), and it’s always a surprise once you start peeling things back. Last time, I found way more rot than I expected, even though things looked fine from below.
Curious if anyone’s actually had an insurance inspector catch hidden rot or water damage before it turned into a bigger problem? Or do they mostly just look for obvious stuff like missing shingles and visible leaks? I’m always wondering how much they really see during those quick walkarounds.
Also, for folks who’ve budgeted for extra plywood or had to do emergency repairs—did your insurance give you any grief over “pre-existing damage,” or were they pretty chill about it? Just trying to get a sense of what’s normal, since every company seems to play by their own rules...