Covered Soffit Vents

Your thoughts on disturbing attic insulation.
Did an inspection on a older remodeled 1950’s rambler. Soffits were aluminum vented panels. I noticed severe ice dams on roof eaves and upon inspecting attic, I discovered the soffits were missing air chutes (baffles) and the insulation was packed tight at wall line. I recommended pulling back insulation and adding chutes to better improve air flow. I did not touch or remove insulation (vermiculite). Just received a phone call from owner. Her contractor told her the soffits were covered with wood in the attic. I’m assuming he meant the remodeler’s never removed the old wood soffit. Now she thinks I should have caught this and shes mad. Does anyone actually pull back insulation. According to our SOP we are not required to. I am on my way back to the home to see exactly what the contractor told her.

It would be unwise to disturb and suspected ACM during an inspection.

The defect(non ventilated soffits) was not observable under the condition present at the time of the inspection.

You deferred the observed problem(lack of ventilation chutes) to the appropriate tradesman.

I would explain why you do not move ACM and remind her that the problem she has now could not be found by a visual inspection only.

I assume some of the ventilated soffit panels had to be removed to discover the lack of holes into the attic space.

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After re-visiting the home and removing insulation at the eaves, an air space to the ventilated soffit was present. Contractor did not bother crawling in attic verify if panels were covered or not. Client extremely happy with me know!

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