[GAPossum]

We are in a house built in the 1970s.
We are removing the old nasty carpet and fixing to put down laminate flooring.
There is some rotten subfloor around this AC register.
It is a little swollen and crumbles easily.
There was also some mold spots on the wall that were treated with bleach solution and mold killing primer.

I am wondering what to do about the subfloor.
It only appears rotten for a couple inches on all sides.
I'm not sure what the subfloor is but it looks like particle board. Definitely not OSB or plywood.

Underneath is the crawlspace. I have not been down there but the home inspector said the HVAC installers did a good job and spray foamed around all the boots. The HVAC work is only 4-5 years old.

I am wondering:
1. If I SHOULD remove this rotten floor,
2. If I do how far out should I go,
3. and what is the best type of material to replace it.
I have a small car and have no need for a 4x8 sheet so would probably buy a partial sheet at the big box store.
4. I don't know if there is anything underneath. Should I expect another layer of flooring or be right to the joists?
5. If I remove it can I re-seal around the AC register from the top without going into the crawlspace?

I am happy to provide further answers or pictures,
Thank you

 

[gregzoll]

Not much you can do with that pressed sawdust crap that they used during that time period, other than cut it up and replace with Plywood. You would need a Compact Circular saw to cut that crap up. Actually it sits on top of a Plywood sub-floor. At the time that builders used Pressed Sawdust. It was under the idea that it would help silence walking noise, along with help to insulate the floor from cold underneath if over a Basement or Crawl Space.

 

[CarpetPros]

You probably want to replace that pressed wood with a good subfloor. We see it all the time with installing carpet and cleaning it as well. I would just have it pulled up, and ready for someone or yourself just put down durable plywood for the subfloor which will save you money in the long run. At __________, that is what we recommend typically when we have to replace carpets.

 

[rusty baker]

Your biggest concern should be, why are the vents sweating? If they continue to sweat it will ruin any laminate that you install.