Case Study - Water Damage and Wood Rot: When Ignorance is Not Bliss
     By Caroline Amport, My Handyman

The Problem

John and his family had recently moved from California into an 18th century farm house in Epping. The previous owners had built a large deck along one side of the house. Just prior to sale, the house had been painted and the painters had removed the gutters. Unfortunately, the second story gutters above the deck had never been replaced.

Several red flags appeared when My Handyman went out to repair the rotted siding. The deck was nestled in the corner of the house, just below a roof valley that channeled water from half the roof to the ground. With no gutters, thousands of gallons of water had been splashing back against the siding and running into the corner of the house. The deck had been installed by the previous homeowner and they had failed to flash between the ledger board (the faceplate that secures the deck to the house, see graphic below) and the house.

"In California, all the houses are stucco. Gutters are a optional and the only consequence of not having them is that you get wet when you come out your front door. Wood rot is a totally new concept to us," laments the homeowner.

The combination of increased water flow over the deck and the absence of flashing meant big trouble. After removing the rotted clapboard siding, the extent of the water damage became clear. Not only had the clapboards rotted, so had the plywood sheating and the sill plate. A relatively mirror siding replacement project had grown into a five-day project that would include cutting out a six foot section of the sill plate.

The Research

The integrity of this home had been impacted by the poor choices of the previous homeowner. This is a common tale for many homeowners and knowing what to look for can help avoid larger issues later.

Unlike John's experience in California, gutters in New England are not about convenience. Wood rot is a persistant problem in this region and the first step in winning the war on rot is to channel as much water away from your house and the foundation as possible. STAT ON WATER VOLUME COMING OFF AVERAGE ROOF. Installing gutters over walkways, stoops, and decks can help minimize splash back and the potential for rot.

Decks are popular additions to homes. They increase living area and create a great transition from inside to outside. Done properly, they can increase the value of your home. Installed improperly, decks can cause costly damage.

Proper flashing is an essential element for any exterior joint. Whether around doors, windows, roof vents or decks, flashing provides a watertight seal. Typically copper or aluminum sheet metal, flashing combined with caulking creates an impervious water barrier.

The sill beam makes the transition from the foundation (in this case, granite blocks) to the framing of the house. In homes older built before 1830, the sill plate is often a 8" x 8" in beam hardwood. Modern homes typically use pressure treated 2x4 or 2x6 lumber for the sill. Because of their tremendous size and importance in supporting the weight of the house in an antique home, a rotted sill can mean sagging floors, cracked plaster walls or larger structural issues.

House wrap, such as Tyvek, is a synthetic, weather-resistant barrier that adds another layer of protection against wood rot and other moisture related problems, such as mold and insects. It sheds outside water while allowing inside moisture to escape and can be added during the construction phase, or when siding is replaced on an older homes.

The Solution

Phase 1: The most immediate need was to replace the sill plate in the corner of the house that had been severely compromised by wood rot, replace the rotted plywood sheathing, install flashing behind the ledger board and apply a layer of house wrap and replace the rotted clapboard siding.

So Much More Than Your Average Handyman

The repairs required at John's house were significantly more costly than what the homeowner had originally predicted. My Handyman works with each of our customers to arrive at the best solution that fits the requirements of the project and the customer's budget. In the case of this project, My Handyman worked with John to develop a material list and had the homeowner purchase supplies directly in order to keep costs down after the scope of the job increased.

My Handyman's technicians had the expertise to both diagnose and fix the problems associated with a project of this scale. Understanding the principals of good design and construction as well as having the experience and skill set to perform a sill replacement is just one of the reason why My Handyman is so much more than your average handyman.