T1-11 siding problems

[richardwu9]

hi experts,

May I ask a favor who could help to tell the story behind this T1-11 siding problem?

33581

Is it due to water leaking from the roof? or is it due to livestock?
How to predict the internal damage without tearing it down?

I am just a home buyer and unfortunately this house is a HUD foreclosure, so it is a unique situation where I need to be creative.

I appreciate any help from anyone.

Sincerely,
Richard

[Brian Hannigan]

Hello richardwu9,

I'm Brian Hannigan and I am the creator of InspectionNews

Welcome aboard. Enjoy your visit here at InspectionNews and if there is anything I can help you with just let me know.

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[Jerry Peck]

Richard,

You need to post that information here, not some place where we need to ask for permission to look at it.

And even with permission - I'm not going to connect to someone else's drive which might be infected. Just a heads up.

[richardwu9]

Thank you Jerry for the comment.
For some reasons I couldn't post the picture, but now I can, I just edited the original post with picture.

Richard

===

Richard,

You need to post that information here, not some place where we need to ask for permission to look at it.

And even with permission - I'm not going to connect to someone else's drive which might be infected. Just a heads up.

[Jerry Peck]

Looks like long term moisture issues and resulting damage.

Possibly termites, possibly other pests going after what is in the wood.

The next step would be to remove the worst panels, they are 4 feet wide, up to the 'Z' flashing, and see what is going on behind that siding - is that a crawlspace back behind it?

[richardwu9]

hi Jerry,

Thank you for the feedback.

Yes, that is a crawlspace behind the siding.
This house is in the Pacific Northwest, our realtor said we don't need to hire termite inspection.
I am not really sure about the termite problem here since it is raining like crazy during the winter, but damp termite exists though ...

The damage is on the right side of the house, and a little area on the rear side near the mutual corner. If it is caused by pest, should it be separated all around the corner?

At some point we were thinking that the previous owner raised beaked livestock which caused that, but after thinking it more and more, it isn't likely the rootcause ...

I appreciate your help here.

Richard

===

Looks like long term moisture issues and resulting damage.

Possibly termites, possibly other pests going after what is in the wood.

The next step would be to remove the worst panels, they are 4 feet wide, up to the 'Z' flashing, and see what is going on behind that siding - is that a crawlspace back behind it?

[Jerry Peck]

Richard,

"This house is in the Pacific Northwest, our realtor said we don't need to hire termite inspection."

"Termite inspections" are actually a lot more than just inspecting "for termites".

As I recall, up there "termite inspections" are actually WDI inspections - Wood Destroying Insects.

Ask that real estate agent if she is "guaranteeing" that there are no WDI affecting that structure? If the agent says "No." ... then tell that agent to order a proper WDI (termite) inspection at their cost, because stating that an inspection is not needed is the same as stating there are none, and to state that there are none means the agent is acting as an inspector ... and the agent is likely NOT licensed as such ... so have the agent order the inspection and the agent pays for it (otherwise you can report the agent as acting as an unlicensed inspector).

That agent is likely NOT acting in YOUR best interests.

[Jerry Peck]

http://ccbed.ccb.state.or.us/webpdf/ccb/publications/insp-reg.pdf

See item 5., specifically the underlined "or" part.

[ROBERT YOUNG]

Is it due to water leaking from the roof? or is it due to livestock?

T1-11 is OBS waffered siding, or am I mistaken?

Issues. I suspect moisture. The bottom is not clad/flashed/finished.
As for livestock. There would be no sod/grass and ruts would be visible.

Repair. I am sure 12" or more can be removed and replaced with a material suited for the envelope.

Hope that helps.

[Garry Sorrells]

........

T1-11 is OBS waffered siding, or am I mistaken?................

T1-11 is a pattern/style/appearance. It comes in various material composition such as Plywood, OSB and various types of compressed fiber. Some treated some not, some primed some not.


Richard,
What the damage looks like is a typical age related failed sealing of the bottom edge. Water has been wicked up into the siding accentuated by the failure of the surface seal allowing migration into the core. T1-11 surface that is not maintained suffers this failure. It also tends to consistently start at the bottom. In other words it looks perfectly normal.

Birds will pick at the material as insects will start to live in the dry-rotted material. As the material deteriorates it becomes easily damaged, will crumble in your fingers at times. Would not be surprised that if you played withe most damaged material it would just crumble away and you could see what may be going on behind the siding such as damaged sill plate and end of stud sitting on it.

Underlying damage is highly probable (guaranteed to some degree). The extent can be only guessed at until the siding is removed. Figure replacing the bottom 4ft from the "Z flashing" down for the entire length of the wall. Not a big job in my opinion. The unseen damage probably is not major with the possible exception of the corner.

Like Jerry said, get a WDI.

Opinions can be worthless unless they have skin in the game (liability).

[Gunnar Alquist]

... our realtor said we don't need to hire termite inspection.
I am not really sure about the termite problem here since it is raining like crazy during the winter, but damp termite exists though ...===

I am not a WDO inspector, but a few thoughts.

I do inspections for a living and I would not purchase a home without a WDO inspection. It does not matter to me if it is a foreclosure or not. I would want to know what I was getting into. I would question your agent as to why he/she indicated that.

I knew a WDO inspector from Oregon and he said carpenter ants were a big problem up there. I don't know from personal experience, but I would expect beetles would also be an issue.

Without actually seeing this, I would guess at fungus damage/dry rot (possibly beetles as well), but I have seen dogs do similar damage. Is the bottom crumbling/soft?

I believe you should get a WDO inspection.

[Jim Robinson]

We have a lot of that siding here. That's usually caused by drainage from the roof splashing back onto the bottom of the siding. No gutters or clogged gutters will contribute to it, especially in OR. Possible damage to the bottom plate - sure thing. WDO inspections are not that expensive here, I think it would be a good idea to look from the inside at a minimum. Remove a panel or two if allowed. They are trashed anyhow, but I know banks don't like people to inspect the foreclosures very closely. I have stopped inspecting them because they never have the utilities when they said they would.

[Jerry Peck]

WDO = Wood Destroying Organism (includes fungi)

WDI = Wood Destroying Insects (excludes fungi)

I used to be a Florida Certified Pest Control Operator years ago (before I retired), Florida calls it WDO.

Some states and areas only address WDI, I thought Oregon was one of those, but the licensing refers to WDO ... which is good.

Always, always, always get a WDO/WDI (as applicable for the area).