Wood destroying insects in shakes?

[fyrmnk]

Hi all. Inspected this 6 y/o home today with shakes. Numerous ridge and a few field shingles were noted with this damage. It appears to be WDI but I can't tell for sure (definitely not termites).

I know a couple beetles will attack cedar and I'm kind of leaning towards them being in the shakes before installation, but found no bugs in the shakes. When one flaked off, it appeared there were tunnels inside and frass/excrement packed in the galleries. I'm recommending repair and treatment.

Attic side revealed no insect deamage or problems. Any ideas. Thanks in advance.

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[Neal Lewis]

Looks like bird droppings to me.

[fyrmnk]

Originally posted by Neal Lewis

Looks like bird droppings to me.

Yeah, me too. I assume that was a joke.[:-bigmout

I'm referring to the damaged shingles in the pics.

[Darren]

Kevin,

It looks like old beetle damage (possibly Old House Borer). The oval exit holes is what I'm basing it on.

With the extended holes (gaps and damage) I'm thinking the wood was milled with the damage.

Darren

[Bill Kibbel]

Probably the cedar tree borer - semantus ligneus (or something like that). The larva bore into the tree and tunnel out as adults. Rustic cedar furniture makers pay a premium for stock that has been attacked.

[fyrmnk]

Thanks for the quick replies. I was assuming beetles and glad for some confirmation.

I will note it as replacing damaged shakes and treating as needed if additional are found.

[Steven Hockstein]

Shame on the installer for using some of those shingles in the first place! I also see some rusted staples, large knot holes, and warped shingles. If you didn't say it was a six year old house I would have guessed that the shingles were 30 years old!

[fyrmnk]

Originally posted by Steven Hockstein

Shame on the installer for using some of those shingles in the first place! I also some some rusted staples, large knot holes, and warped shingles. If you didn't say it was a six year old house I would have guessed that the shingles were 30 years old!

Yeah I know. I told the clients it may end up being cheaper to re-roof then try to replace all the split, curled shingles that were present in addition to the WDI affected ones.

[Chad Fabry]

It looks like #2 white cedar to me. Both the #2 part and the white part aren't suitable for roofing. If I was writing the report, I'd call for replacement.

That, compounded with the fact that a bunch of shingles are face nailed, proves the roofer was either really cheap and stupid or just stupid.

[Les]

Kevin, you know this is going to be YOUR fault! You had no business being on the roof and being picky about a bunch of little holes.

[kurt]

I'm thinkin' Chad has it right; that's a piece of crap roof for only being 6 years old. Someone should check w/ the roofer to see what he used.

[Garcha]

One more reason to climb a ladder.... Damn!

[chrisprickett]

I'd guess the damage was "pre-mill" also. No self-respecting beetle (except maybe Ringo)would eat that POS roof. Find the roofer and kill him! COB JOB!!!

[fyrmnk]

Originally posted by hausdok

Hi,

The borer holes look like they are pre-milling and I wouldn't be concerned with them, except to point out that they should have been discarded by the roofer during install.

A better grade of shingle could have been used but is not necessarily required. These almost look like undercoursing shingles. The face nailing with staples is a joke. They have to be blind-nailed with aluminum or stainless steel staples and they have to be long enough to penetrate at least 3/4 inch into the skip or completely through battens into a solid deck.

The cupping is curious. There's gotta be moisture trapped under that surface to be causing that much curling and cupping in a roof only 6 years old. fyrmnk, is this over skip with felt interlaced between each course? If not, was it a solid deck with horizontally applied nailers?

Contact Tony Bonura at the Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau (http://www.cedarbureau.com)631-643-7839 (tony@cedarbureau.com)and shoot him an email with those photos and he'll be able to give you answers from the horse's mouth.

You can download install manuals at the URL above.

Good Luck!

ONE TEAM - ONE FIGHT!!!

Mike

Thanks for the info Mike. It was on open slats with felt interlay. No moisture issues or any other problems were found in the attic, and I had full access to all of it. I will send an email to Tony Bonura, thanks for the link!

Les, you're right. I bet the listing agent feels "oh, a roofer can just seal those right up... happens all the time..."

Thanks to all for the responses. I'm really glad I climbed that one.