Roof space, ceilings and garage: where leaks start in a Pakenham East rental
Water getting in from above can fail the structural soundness and mould and damp standards together. What we look for in the roof space and ceilings of a Pakenham East home.
Fully licensed & accredited
-
Building & Plumbing Commission -
Australian Society of Building Consultants -
Strata Community Association -
Building Dispute Practitioners Society
In short: Leaks from the roof often show first as a stain on the ceiling lining or mould on truss timbers, long before they reach a room. A look into the roof space, where it is safe, catches them before a renter does.
Weatherproof is part of structural soundness
A rental must be structurally sound and weatherproof. Water coming through the roof, a flashing or a window head is recorded against that standard, even when the structure itself is fine.
What the roof space shows
From the hatch we look for water stains on the back of the ceiling lining, wet or mouldy insulation, mould on truss timbers and exhaust ducts that end in the roof space instead of outside. Each one points to where the water comes from.
Garage ceilings are worth a look
Pakenham East homes often have a garage under the main roof. Mould spreading across a garage ceiling is easy to miss in a vacant house and usually means damp that has been building for a while.
Mould from the building, not the renter
The mould and damp standard covers mould caused by or related to the building. A roof leak or a fan ducted into the roof space is the building's cause, which is why the report records it with the likely source.
When access is not possible
If the hatch is blocked or the roof space is unsafe to enter, the report says so. We do not walk on roofs that are unsafe or cut into ceilings.
Written by our local inspection team from work carried out in Pakenham East. Licensed building practitioners.
