Unexplained hole in attic roof decking
Attic roof decking holes can stem from structural damage, previous installation cutouts, moisture rot, or wildlife chewing through the wood. Without identifying the exact cause and severity, homeowners risk leaving active leaks or structural weaknesses unaddressed until they require expensive professional repairs.
What the numbers show
Counted from the threads quoted below. How we count
- The most recent one is from October 2026.
- This comes up 42.3× more often in r/Roofing than across the site as a whole.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1asking online forums for diagnostic opinionsDid this help you?
- 2hiring a roofer to inspect the damageDid this help you?
- 3checking for leaks during rainDid this help you?
- 4adding an extra layer of decking over planks during future roof replacementsDid this help you?
- 5asking roofers or online communities to verify photosDid this help you?
- 6Applying 100% silicone directly into the hole until it is level with the outer layer of the shingle.Did this help you?
- 7Using a magnet in the gutters or on the ground to locate the object that caused the puncture.Did this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Should I do anything to reinforce them? Or should I be calling the roofer and asking for assistance?”source ↗
“Old Landmark Shingle roof and this appears to be the source of a leak. What caused this? Bullet?”source ↗
“The only one of these (out of 5 or 6 across a 23 year career) that I've seen that wasn't a bullet was from an arrow.”source ↗
“I have the exact same thing on my new roof and brought up that concern with my roofer who assured me that there wasn't really anything to worry about with that and it shouldn't leak.”source ↗
“My brother was concerned that maybe snow would cause concentrated sagging in the areas with holes.”source ↗
“Curious about the gaps on this one. With old construction like that I'm always concerned about the gaps between the planks because if it's too much then we have a different issue to worry about.”source ↗
“Looks like the bullet holes I've found! Some still with lead in em.”source ↗
“Bullet. I found one my first year of roofing”source ↗
“May have accidentally punched one of these through when installing an alarm system one time with one of those long flexible bits😅”source ↗
“I was looking around my attic and noticed this fairly large, irregular hole/opening in the wood underneath the roof. I’m not sure how long it has been there or what caused it.”source ↗
“Recently purchased home and went to check attic for leaks. Noticed this substance, any idea what this hose is for or what the substance is?”source ↗