Can this be fire repair?

Ran across this today. Only other time I’ve seen the attic painted like this was in a house I inspected a while back which had caught on fire. I made sure to poke around the rafters I was able to get to and they seemed solid. Any other reason why an attic would be painted like this other than fire? Home was built in 1962. Nothing in county records regarding a fire.

To me, it doesn’t look like fire/smoke sealer…maybe recycled wood?

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Some people think painting a attic helps kill/prevent mold.

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Mold remediators paint the sheathing when they’re done (sometimes)

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I agree with Jr. I’ve see many attics treated by painting for mold.

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On this forum I’ve seen some attics in Florida painted like that. But I’m still tipsy from surgery today maybe that was some bird house forum or something.

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Hope the surgery went well for you.

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Thanks Junior. I had strabismus, exotropia surgery I’m tying so I think I’m doing alright!:blush:

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It looks like a fireman cut through the roof with a chain saw to vent the roof?

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Possibly. :slight_smile:

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I see it differently, though with the same disadvantage of not actually being there. I’ve never seen a chain saw with a 1/8" kerf. That hole was probably cut with a circular saw. look at the straight cuts, and clean edges. A chain saw won’t cut like that. Also, I see no evidence of fire damage. The wood under the peeling paint is not charred.

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This is typical solution for smoke damage from past fire in house. It also could be for mold prevention after cleaning and correcting cause. My best guess smoke damage from house fire, speaking from first hand experience.

I just inspected a habitat for humanity home built in 2012 that had this exact color paint on everything (roof decking, ceiling, can lights ect.) There was also blown fiberglass and 2x4 truss system.

I think the post on here so far are correct. Smoke or mold is likely. I do not see soffit baffles, so attic ventilation intake should be considered.

As far as the report comment, you can direct the buyer back to the seller for more information such as historical smoke or mold remediation efforts.

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The hole was cut after the paint was applied, otherwise the edges of the hole would have been painted as well. I agree with Bert, as a retired firefighter, you will never get a smooth straight cut like that from a chain saw during roof ventilation. A vent saw with a circular blade could have been used but the corners are too precise for that as well. Most likely from mold prevention and cleaning.

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I’m pretty sure Scott was joking about the chainsaw. I think he was implying it was a hack job.

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Welcome back to our forum, Jim!..Enjoy! :smile:

One other possibility: it may be just a normal latex paint with a ceramic type of radiant barrier material that has been added. One brand name was “Insul-Ad”. we actually installed this in a few homes probably back in about the mid-90s. put under a microscope the product was very tiny hollow ceramic beads. It did work keep attic temperatures lower. You can also use it to mix with any color of paint for interior or exterior walls it did have a slight rough appearance.

there was approximately a 1 gallon jug of the dry ceramic beads that you could mix with 5 gallons of paint. You could either roll and or spray the material. It was sort of hard on the spray equipment as it would score the pumps piston and damage the seals. You also had the use a very large spray tip.

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Anjali, I did the construction management, while making my own living, for 10 years. We covered 4 counties and built 6 to 8 houses a year.

Anyway, did you know that those houses are held down, to the foundation, by the amount of nails those busy, kind and eager volunteers pound into the houses, just to look busy? JK LOL!

I agree with those above… I have seen this a few times, all from previous fire damage. Typically Kilz to seal in any of the odors that may still be in the wood.
But again, that could also be the same reason for Kilz paint, if it had previous mold issues.