Odor from sheathing? Roof?
Hi all!
I have a dilemma in my detached garage trying to figure out an odor issue. In a never ending hunt I’ve done just about all I can to get rid of the odor including all new drywall, new insulation, concrete was cleaned and sealed and new carpet was placed.
the smell is still there. It’s an odd almost body odor mixed with tar like smell. When I smell the interior side of the roof I get a musty maple syrup and maybe tar smell. The asphalt shingles are about 20 years old and the cedar shakes are probably over 60 years old. Is it possible for this stuff to be stinking? My hair even takes on the odor within a few minutes of being in the garage. We’ve lived here for about 8 months now. Even had a solar vent installed yet no help. Photo attached of the under/interior side of the roof which is the only “ceiling” in the space
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Replies
That looks like the underside of a shake roof. Are your shingles installed directly over shakes? You might have some rot hiding in there. Try poking some random shakes with a nail or piece of coat hanger wire and see if any are soft. If you've replaced all the other building materials, and the roof seems to be the source of the smell, then I'd suspect wet and rotting roofing materials.
Bill
Yup the asphalt shingles are directly nailed to the cedar shakes. I poked a couple of the shakes and they are definitely brittle and soft.
20 years of shingles on top of shakes? Sounds like it might be time for a new roof.
I hate to say it but I agree