browsing the insect intrusion i am reminded when i was in the north east that most of the time when we have seen wood over cement or concrete many many times there were always traces of termites or ants, so often we would replace wooden floors that were damaged by this, the solution was to use pressure treated materials where direct contact on cement floors with bare wood was seen.
Segmental retaining walls consist of a facing system and a lateral tieback system. The facing systems usually consist of modular concrete blocks that interlock with each other and with the lateral restraining members. The lateral tiebacks are usually geog-rids that are buried in the stable area of the back-fill. In addition to supporting the wall, the geog-rids also stabilize the soil behind the wall. These two factors allow higher and steeper walls to be constructed.
Segmental retaining walls consist of a facing system and a lateral tieback system. The facing systems usually consist of modular concrete blocks that interlock with each other and with the lateral restraining members. The lateral tiebacks are usually geog rids that are buried in the stable area of the back fill. In addition to supporting the wall, the geog rids also stabilize the soil behind the wall. These two factors allow higher and steeper walls to be constructed.
This an image of a slab on grade foundation you can see that their is some soil erosion under the slab. From my visual inspection I noticed that their are no gutters are downspouts on the house to divert rain water away from the house. I recommend having a gutter system installed to prevent future soil erosion.
This is about dryer vents. Whether the dryer is gas are electric it should be vented properly to the exterior of the house. The exhaust duct should be properly connected to the dryer outlet. The exhaust duct should not be restricted in any way. When drying clothes the exhaust stream carries lint any restrictions in the duct can cause a fire.
This is an image of spalling. Spalling is caused by excessive moisture penetration and subsequent freezing. The damage cannot be repaired, but replacing the bricks and having the mortar pointed can fix the problem. When repointing, the new mortar needs to be of the same composition as the existing mortar or additional damage can occur.
Sinkholes are ground-surface depressions that result when a subterranean void weakens support of the overlying earth. Sinkholes are a concern for inspectors because: they threaten water supplies, they kill and injure people and they cause structural damage. Natural sinkholes are formed when sub-surface rock dissolves to create underground cavities. Human-induced sinkholes are a result of land-use practices, especially water-pumping and construction.
( Photo acquired through the internet.)
In this image ICF forms are being used to construct a foundation wall that extends well below the frost line. This technic of forming concrete walls is very popular due to it's workability or ease use and time saving applications. It's modular component's are manufactured to fit and lock together by design and don,t require any on-sight fabrication. These forms are designed with a dual purpose. They not only serve as forms for curating concrete, but they are left in place to serve as an efficient insulation. In addition, some ICF wall forms are designed to act against moisture intrusion by allowing water or moister to filter and drain away from the structure.
I chose the article entitled ‘Polybutylene for Inspectors’ by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard.
I learned , in reading this article, the importance of identifying a home that utilize polybutylene piping (PB2110), and how doing so will help me to educate the home owners of it’s inherent weaknesses. It isn’t prohibited for use in all jurisdictions, but in any case it’s use should be restricted to cold water supply applications. These polybutylene pipes have been known to crack and split from the inside as a result of a chemical reaction between the piping and certain disinfectants. The fact that the splitting occurs from the inside the is no warning of a pending disaster, so as a home inspector I would strongly suggest that any of this type of piping be replaced.
Well a Tightly fit ashlar stone is a good example, where commonly used ledge-stone is not. Regular generally means the pattern in which block or stone is laid. When considering stone, joints should be regular, opposed to random and rough
Material picked for retaining walls follow similar principles to other walls. when buildings on the site have a masonry faade, similar to the materials on retaining wall could be considered. Masonry piers that are intergral to fencing should follow the same design consideration as with landscape walls.
A foundation wall provides support for the entire structure being built. Foundation walls should be planned and carefully constructed because they are the most important part of the structure. When foundation walls are not built correctly cracks might appear and uneven settling of the structure can also occur.
I chose to read an article about inspecting foreclosed homes. It is important to get a home inspection when purchasing a foreclosed home because the previous owners are not around to ask questions and there is almost no way to know how the home was cared for.
I learned in Inspecting Visible Masonry, by Nick Gromicko, that when youre inspecting the masonry of a home, it can be helpful to look at certain conditions around the building to really understand what might be happening. Climate, environmental concerns (like acid rain or busy roads close by that cause excessive vibration), and terrain and vegetation (such as the type of soil or ivy growing on walls) can all be used to help determine the cause of damage to masonry, foundational, and other elements of a home.
There are signs of moisture intrusion on this concrete masonry unit foundation wall (on the block in the bottom, left corner of the picture, and along the bottom of the visible wall), located in a crawlspace. The moisture barrier was not properly attached to the wall and has been pulled back. Also, the cleanout on the sanitary drainage line shown in this picture appears to be leaking.
Foundation Damage and Settling
The attached photo is indicating that there may be an issue with the foundation bed and the proper materials were possibly not use, such as Solid rock, sand, or gravel. There may be an issue with the soil compaction.
Permanent Wood Foundations: Article
by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard
There are several indicators that need to be checked in a wood basement walls that need to be inspected if they are experiencing problems. The inspector should check for dampness, exterior and interior wood decay, lack of a moisture barrier, and bowing of the foundation walls.
I chose the article on shrinkage cracks in concrete. Shrinkage cracks develop from stress differences and from moisture content that develops in the drying process. Shrinkage cracks are not continuous and are surface cracks. They are different from vertical displacement cracks which are caused by soil settlement and are identified by the different heights of the concrete on different sides of the cracks.
I chose a picture of an out of plumb foundation pier. The foundation is a major part of the building structure and should be inspected closely. In masonry foundation walls and piers you should look for cracks, loose bricks, mortar missing, and if the wall or pier is plumb. If there is damage it could be from soil settlement or from moisture, and a certified contractor should be recommended.
This essay pertains to the photo of the lower part (Under a window) brick wall. First there is spalling and brick deterioration under the window. It’s not clear why there is more deterioration here unless the downspout located nearby is overflowing and directing water over the window header and sill. Second, the brick veneer sits on the block foundation which in this case is below the current grade. This can be an issue since any water that gets behind the brick wall won’t be able to drain out the surrounding grade. In addition, there are no weep holes which this case makes sense because the foundation is below grade. Lastly, the grading can’t be lowered to below the foundation height because the grading around the structure is also higher than the top of the foundation wall.
