I know what you mean about the borescope—mine’s mostly just confirmed my suspicion that bugs love dark, damp spaces. I had a spot last year that looked fine from above, but when I started prepping for a green roof install, the plywood crumbled like stale bread. Ended up pulling half a sheet and finding rot that wasn’t obvious at all. Now I’m big on tapping, prying up suspect boards, and sometimes even sniffing for that musty smell. It’s not scientific, but it’s caught things my tools missed.
Yeah, I’ve run into that same issue more times than I care to admit. You think everything looks solid from the top, but once you start poking around, it’s a different story underneath. I’ve learned the hard way not to trust just what I see—or even what my tools say. Sometimes the boards look fine, but if you walk over them and there’s even a tiny bit of bounce or that dull thud when you tap, I get suspicious.
I’m not totally sold on sniffing for rot (my allergies are bad enough as it is), but I do agree there’s something to be said for using your senses beyond just sight. For me, I tend to go over the deck with a pry bar and give any questionable spots a gentle lift. If it comes up easy or feels soft at all, it’s coming out. I’ve also started checking from underneath when possible—crawl spaces aren’t fun, but sometimes you spot water trails or staining that never makes it to the surface.
One thing that’s burned me before is relying too much on moisture meters. They’re useful, but in humid weather they can give false positives, and sometimes dry rot doesn’t even register. I guess my process is a mix of old-school and new tech—tap, poke, pry, and then maybe double-check with a meter if I’m not sure.
Last winter was rough here (coastal New England), so now I spend extra time around the edges and any roof penetrations. That’s where most of my headaches have started. And honestly? Half the time it’s something small like an unsealed nail hole that lets water in and starts the whole mess.
I get why people want to rush through this part, but every time I’ve cut corners on deck prep, it’s come back to haunt me—usually with a leak right after a big rain. Not saying you need to go full detective mode every time, but it pays to be a little paranoid before putting down underlayment.
Can’t tell you how many times I’ve thought a deck was good to go, only to find hidden damage after a storm rolls through. Here’s my usual routine: first, I walk the whole thing and listen for that hollow sound—just like you mentioned, it’s a dead giveaway. Next, I check all the seams and edges, especially around chimneys or vents. One time, I missed a tiny split near a skylight and paid for it with a nasty leak after a nor’easter. I do use a moisture meter, but I never trust it alone—too many false alarms in humid weather. If something feels off, I’ll pry up a board or two. Better to spend an extra hour now than rip everything up later.
That hollow sound trick is gold—I never would’ve thought to listen for that until I saw it mentioned here. I’m still getting used to catching the little stuff, like those splits you mentioned. I’ve found a flashlight helps spot weird shadows or dips, especially near the edges. Moisture meters have thrown me off too... sometimes they just freak out if it rained the day before. I’m with you on prying up a board if something feels off—better safe than sorry.
Funny, I used to rely on moisture meters a lot too, but yeah... after a rainy night, they can go wild. I usually just trust my gut and look for visual cues first—warping or dark spots, especially at the seams. Flashlights are underrated for catching those little dips. One thing I’ve picked up: running a putty knife along the edge sometimes reveals soft spots you’d miss otherwise. Prying up a board isn’t fun, but it beats finding rot after the underlayment goes down.