member deleted Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 Does this look like previous fire damage or moisture damage. The rafters look scorched to me, but the sellers insist that there has not been a fire. They did state that the roof collapsed in 2000 and a new roof was installed. You can see from the pictures that new sheathing was placed on the existing (1918) roof structure. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Kevin Download Attachment: jpg1.jpg 257.16 KB Download Attachment: jpg2.jpg 238.08 KB Download Attachment: jpg3.jpg 260.56 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian G Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 Kevin, I've seen very dark framing like that in old houses before (rough-cut heart pine). I'm not sure what the cause is, but I don't believe it's fire. I've never found any "alligatoring" or other definitive tell-tale fire signs myself. For what it's worth. Brian G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad Fabry Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 There's tons of mold in that there attic.The pine does darken as it ages, the resins in the wood oxidize and change the color. That and the fact that it's probably had more than a couple leaks in the last 90 years or so. Doesn't look burnt to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Amaral Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 My view of these pix is dark. However, did you scrape this wood? Looks burned to me, man.. Pyrolized from this vantage point... seen it many times... But the pix are difficult for me to determine this. Scrape it, smell it... charcoal is charcoal... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Thomas Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 It sure looks like charcoal to me. The gator skin gives it away. It's skip sheathing for shakes or slate. The attic fire didn't burn long enough to get into the rafters as deeply as the sheathing. Rob is right you have to scrape it to be sure. In any case add ventelation to reduce the mold. Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence McCann Posted September 7, 2004 Report Share Posted September 7, 2004 Doesn't look burnt from what I can make out but check as Rob stated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurt Posted September 8, 2004 Report Share Posted September 8, 2004 I'm coming in the "not burnt" side. I see stuff like this a lot; initially it looks like a fire, but it's just POS old framing. But, charcoal is charcoal; give it the sniff test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
member deleted Posted September 8, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2004 Thanks for all your replies! Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisprickett Posted September 8, 2004 Report Share Posted September 8, 2004 I vote water damage/mold. There's a rusted piece of a bracket or something, that would likely be scorched had there been a fire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hausdok Posted September 8, 2004 Report Share Posted September 8, 2004 Yeah, I'm seeing wood rot. Those framing members that "look" still healthy are probably full of incipient rot. All it needs is some wintertime moisture condensing on the underside of that deck and it'll begin to propagate again. Won't be long before it begins to cave again. OT - OF!!! M. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terence McCann Posted September 8, 2004 Report Share Posted September 8, 2004 Taken from one of your boiler pics. I'm sure the ventilation wasn't to good to begin with but blocking vents doesn't help matters as noted in the attached picture. I wonder if they had problems with freezing water pipes in the attic?? Download Attachment: attic.jpg 67.65 KB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
member deleted Posted September 9, 2004 Author Report Share Posted September 9, 2004 Terence, Thanks for the input. Yes, I wrote that up as well as many other items. It took me about 4 hours to complete this report. Great learning experience for me!! Thanks, Kevin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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