Came across this today, probed around did not see and sign of fire damage. Could there have been a mold issue which required painting/sealing? New roof put on 2011.
Poor man’s radiant barrier?
Or perhaps a fire!
You could always ask why it was painted and see what the response is, it was painted for a reason???
Take your pick. Fire or mold.
I would say IMPO that was from a mold issue. But it may of been done by a non qualified professional and they may not of corrected the issue that caused the microbial growth in the 1st place.
I would be asking for documentation pertaining to the painted attic structure. If it was professionally done there should been some documentation.
Some of us (not mentioning names here; I’m too polite for that) paint our attics in order to help protect the wood from those little flying insects that California tells home inspectors to call “wood-destroying pests and organisms.” Works out nicely when the pest control inspector finds no evidence of what s/he calls termites and compliments the home inspector, I mean, seller, for being proactive in keeping those little critters from setting up home in the home.
Don’t take this as an attack, but as advice…
As shown (or not) in your pics the lack of proper ventilation would lead me to suspect an Organic Growth situation. The microbial paint shield will eventually lose it’s effectiveness, and the situation will return if the ventilation problem is not corrected. How do I know? The signs are all there if you know what to look for. If you don’t see or understand the signs, take this as your clue to get some quality training on environmental concerns. Even if you don’t “test for mold”, you still owe it to every client to recognize the signs and conditions conducive of it, and advise them accordingly.
JMO