With the pier and beam foundation system, anchors are driven into the ground to hold your home down against wind forces. The anchors go into the ground first and then steel straps are attached. The straps connect the anchors to a main I-beam on your homes steel frame. Those I-beams are connected using cross-members which add stability to the foundation. After that, outriggers are welded to the steel I-beams for additional strength and support. The base of the pier and beam system can also be made with concrete or ABS Plastic Pads. These are pads under the I-Beams of the home that bear all the weight of the house along with specific weight bearing marriage line points per home.
The crawl space foundation designed for manufactured homes is made of an excavated floor and is typically built using poured concrete footers that go into the soil and anchor the home down. The manufactured home frame rests on a perimeter wall and is supported by piers strategically placed for support points, which are customized per each home.
Sometimes, Block Crawl Space Perimeter Enclosures are also used to meet building requirements. For this foundation, a pier and beam set with concrete pads and a concrete perimeter is created for the footers. After the home is set up on the piers, blocks are installed around the outside that comes up under the lip of the vinyl siding but does not touch the sill plate.
Proper water diversion from a homes foundation is vital to keeping water from entering a basement or crawlspace and causing damage. Water can be diverted away from the foundation in many ways, some of those ways are by assuring the structure has proper grading away from the foundation, proper roof drainage water management, and a swale might be needed to divert water from an uphill slope near the home.
I read about ceramic and stone tile inspections. Ceramic and stone tiles are very good flooring materials provided a little care and maintenance is followed. Tiles out of level possibly indicate that the installer improperly set the tiles into the mortar base, cracked tiles could indicate physical damage, improper installation, shifting of the underlayment or expansion/contraction during freeze/thaw cycles. Natural stone is a good choice for flooring but must be sealed to protect its finish, removal of shoes while walking around the floor is recommended to prevent surface scratching which removes the shine and reflection. A good quality stone soap should be used to maintain the appearance of the stone flooring.
During the foundation inspection of this home it was noted that the mortar joints are badly deteriorated and would allow water and insect intrusion into the crawlspace of the home. It is recommended that the client contact a masonry contractor and see about having the foundation further evaluated and the affected mortar joints repointed.
A shrinkage crack is observed in non load bearing concrete section. The functionality of the section is maintained. The defect is mainly cosmetic, however the crack appears to be completely through the section. A concrete specialist may be required for further assessment and to remedy the situation.
I live in a house that is built on a turn-down slab-on-grade, so there are no foundation walls. However, I have inspected many foundation walls and piers for commercial construction. The crawlspace picture shows what appears to be concrete foundation walls. They have been painted with what I assumed is a water sealer type paint. There do not appear to be any water marks, but the paint might be hiding something. I would want to know if the work was original or done as a means to correct a moisture issue.
Aerogel was invented in 1931. It’s been used for years in Scientific applications. It holds 15 material property world records. Namely, it’s the lowest-density solid on the planet. It’s cost has been a prohibitive factor for general construction use. The future brings lower manufacturing costs of Aerogel. As it’s cost lowers and its properties become widely known it may become more prevalent in general building practices.
I read “Concrete for Exterior and Structural Walls.” I am very familiar with concrete due to my experience in commercial construction. Living in Florida, I know the importance of hurricane resilience and concrete and masonry homes are far more structurally sound than wood frame. While the added cost of concrete may deter some home builders/buyers, one should consider the geographic location and cost to rebuild.
The article I chose to study was Residential Foundation Insulation. In this article I have learned that there are specific types of applications for different foundation types. Not only does insulating properly reduce heating costs, it greatly reduces the possibility for condensation and mold to grow.
esta es una grieta vertical causada por el asentamiento de la fundacion debido a un mal drenaje de las aguas o la rotura de una tuberia de agua el cual se recomienda una inspeccion por un ingeniero estructural o experto calificado con licencia
Concrete cracks are a common sight in old concrete found outdoors which has been subjected to years of freeze thaw cycles and weather. Indoors, concrete is protected from the elements, but not from poor installation, which can cause concrete to crack. In general, the two leading causes of concrete cracking are the elements, and improper installation.
PWF foundations seem like an interesting idea, but having all of my construction and building experience in the Pacific Northwest- one of the wettest regions in the US. I hope to never come across one here. I question their ability to work here as a long term permanent foundation.
These systems seem to be common area of improper installations. Most commonly seen is to be vented directly into an attic space of older homes or where home-owners have done installation/repairs. Other common errors made, are laying the duct so as to vent through a vented bird block or by placing ductwork directly under a roof vent.
A foundation wall provides support for the entire structure you are building. Foundation walls should be planned and constructed carefully as they are probably the most important part of the structure. When foundation walls are not built correctly, cracks might appear and settling of the structure can also occur. Cracks may occur due to the foundation being backfilled before the concrete has achieved the required strength or because the necessary amount of steel was not placed accordingly. Foundation walls shall be designed to withstand erosion, fast-moving water, and other factors affecting those types of wall. The first two reasons restrict or limit the use of foundation walls in coastal areas. Main elements that should be considered when building foundation walls include:
Embedment
Height
Materials
Bracing or lateral support
Flood openings
Grade Elevation
The article I selected was Structural Design of Foundations for the Home Inspector by Nick Gromicko and Ben Gromicko
This very detailed article covered the various types of foundations used in construction. Materials, strengths, advancements made, forces etc. The basic function of a foundation is to transfer the load of a structure to the ground and resists loads forced upon it by the earth. Residential foundation construction may consist of a footing, wall, slab, pier, pile, or a combination of these elements. The inspection training article, further discussed the following foundation types:
crawlspace;
basement;
slab-on-grade with stem wall;
monolithic slab;
piles;
piers; and
alternative methods.
It was noted that concrete masonry (i.e., concrete block) and cast-in-place concrete is the most common residential foundation materials used. Preservative-treated wood, precast concrete, and other methods are also be used. Different regions tend to use different foundation types. In the Southeast concrete slab on grade is most popular. The East and Midwest regions uses basements. Crawlspaces are common in the Northwest and Southeast. Pile foundations are commonly used in coastal flood zones to elevate structures above flood levels, in weak or expansive soils to reach a stable stratum, and on steeply sloped sites.
The following picture shows a crack that is consistent with that of shrinkage or differential settlment. The crack has occurred in the middle two thirds of the wall and it travels in a diagnol, upward pattern. The appears to be “old” and does not appear to have exhibited any recent movement.
I read the article about bathroom fan ventilation. Each fan must vent to outside of the home. The ducting can’t terminate in the attic. The most common and serious problem from an improper ventilated fan is the potential for mold growth.
Vapor Barriers:
Dirt crawlspace with out a vapor barrier.
Vapor barriers are important because they help reduce the chances of moisture, radon gasses and mold to generate within the home.
Typically a barrier is comprised of 4-6 mil poly sheets laid down with overlapping of six inches on each run. The poly should be wrapped up the sidewalls at least six inches and affixed by tape or being tack to strapping.
Inspecting a Beam End Resting on a Poured Concrete Foundation
When inspecting a beam resting on a foundation wall the inspector should look for an air space around the end of the beam to allow for air circulation and which helps reduce the potential of rot.
There should be at least 3.5 inches of beam resting on the foundation and there should be probing of the beam for rot at the beginning of the beams resting point the entire width of the beam
