holes in sheathing gable end

[sss]

Considering buying a house but just went through inspection and saw weird holes in the sheathing + house wrap on the gable end of the attic. Sheathing looks to be very thin like cardboard. Any ideas what could cause these holes? animals? Doc with pics attached

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[Marc]

There's some hardboard products that were used for gable sheathing long ago. It's moisture intolerant and some insects like to eat it.

In any case, it's damaged. Looks like you have a good excuse to rip it all out and replace it with something better.

Marc

[John Kogel]

Squirrells have been chewing on the particle board. I think your inspector forgot to add a sentence to your report. []

[tim5055]

The house we just sold in Northern VA has the same or very similar sheathing. When we pulled the metal siding off to put the Hardi up the contractor discovered it on about 75% of the house.

I was never able to figure out how it was laid out that 5/8 ply went in some areas and the rest was this wood fiber product.

[Bill Kibbel]

1980s through late 1990s. Plywood was only used at the corners. Fiberboard was installed everywhere else only as a backer to the siding. Pieces that got busted up were set aside and then installed at the gable ends. When wrb (Housewrap) was installed, it was often omitted from the gable ends.

[sss]

Thank you for all of the input. I don't yet know how much of the rest of the house has this sheathing, will have a contractor take a look tomorrow. Seems simple to fix the gable part but is this material something I should worry about?

[tim5055]

1980s through late 1990s. Plywood was only used at the corners. Fiberboard was installed everywhere else only as a backer to the siding. Pieces that got busted up were set aside and then installed at the gable ends. When wrb (Housewrap) was installed, it was often omitted from the gable ends.

Your explanation explains most of the ply in my old house, but there were several sheets not at corners. I has been several year (and a few adult beverages) so I can't remember the pattern.

[mjr6550]

That looks like misc. damage, but holes like the one at the top are often make so a lifting strap can be wrapped around the gabled end when it is set by a crane.

[John Kogel]

Thank you for all of the input. I don't yet know how much of the rest of the house has this sheathing, will have a contractor take a look tomorrow. Seems simple to fix the gable part but is this material something I should worry about?

It is only a worry if it is water-soaked or badly damaged somehow. If it is dry it will last a long time.

I think your inspector should have given you more to go on, such as old damage from the build versus recent damage, manmade or animal, stuff like that.