Inspection & Writing Assignment:
These bricks are located under porch and show deteriorated mortar joints. This was probably caused by water leaks over time unto bricks due to faulty flashing. Freezing condition of water in mortar or bricks is a common reason for the said condition. The freezing causes mortar or bricks to spall, leading to condition noted in picture.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Avoiding lawsuits in home inspection is crucial to long-term success as an inspector. Being respectful of clientele, communicate clearly, be honest, and firm, but be likable. Positing yourself to be an expert is a pitfall every inspector should avoid, remember we are generalists. Problems uncovered during inspections should be referred to specialists, even if you are an expert, avoid giving expert advice to your own uncovering as that generally removes conflict of interest. Finally, walk away from clients or realtors you do not trust.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
After observing this area of the foundation inspection. The stucco had a crack that was in a horizontal line that extended from an area with high differentiation. The cracked stopped when the sunlight stopped hitting it. it possibly had moisture behind and wasn’t cured right.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Masonry walls exposed to fire will resist damage in proportion to their thickness. Examine the texture and color of the masonry units and probe their mortar. If they are intact and their basic color is unchanged, they can be considered serviceable.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Although all houses foundations are not the same, therefore inpsecting the result of the movement itself will help identify the cause of the movement. The main event that will contribute to these types of movements will be weather exchange and moisture.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Although walls and foundations is and important part of the homes structure and is the main reason for masonry is on the exterior the homes walls. Most homes from other materials show clear signs of bulging and bowing. These homes have structurally been moved by its supporting foundation which cause these issues.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The image shown is a brick veneer wall that has a broken brick. The problem most likely to be encountered here is moisture intrusion that could cause further damage to both the exterior and interior wall. I would recommend the damage be repaired by a licensed masonry contractor.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Concrete Exterior Walls
Currently in the United States concrete homes account for approximately one-sixth of all new home construction. They are particularly favored in areas that see a lot of hurricanes or tornadoes. Strength and longevity are one of the main features that concrete homes bring. Concrete homes can withstand much of the wind damage caused by debris thrown by hurricanes and tornadoes as well as standing up to the forces of the wind. This reduces overall damage to the home should one of these events occur.
They also have better heat retention qualities and require smaller HVAC equipment to maintain temperatures inside the home. Studies have shown up to a 50% decrease in HVAC equipment is required. Concrete homes also have a better outcome in the event of fire as insulated concrete foundation walls can generally sustain up to four hours of extreme fire exposure. The same cannot be said for the traditional wood frame walls which generally cannot withstand one hour fire exposure. Concrete walls are do not provide fuel for fires and thus are not a contributor to fire spreading.
Concrete walls also provide better sound insulation. In order for wood framed walls to provide the same sound protection, added layers or thicker gypsum as well as resilient channels or acoustic insulation must be added.
The greatest attribute to having a concrete home is not in the energy savings, rather it is in the structural integrity and the homes ability to withstand severe environmental hazards.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Attached is an image of a field stone foundation. This type of foundation is most often seen with very old homes sometime over 100 years old. These foundations can be found in good shape, however an example of deteriorating stone is the existence of sand and dust from the breakdown of the stone itself.
Research & Writing Assignment:
For this essay I chose a diagram that demonstrated the proper drainage of a foundation wall. Particularly the diagram shows the correct slope of surface ground from the foundation. The ground should slope a minimum of 6 inches in the first 10 feet away from the foundation.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Poured Concrete Basement: Picture of a poured concrete unfinished basement. The floors are a great condition being that the house was built in 2017. The floors do not have any cracking. The walls are insulated with a vapor barrier to prevent moisture from intruding in the basement.
Research & Writing Assignment:
How to Inspect the Refrigerator: According to NACHI standards, an inspector is not required to inspector any home appliance. An inspector can look over normal operating controls and the basic proper conditions of the refrigerator. Some other things the inspector can report as deficient include: inoperative unit, unusual sounds, and excessive frost.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Inspecting foundation damage from expansive soils. Special consideration needs to be considered when building on such soil. You can use piers to build on or sacrificial void forms or floating plates. Expansive soil can cause damage to foundations and concrete floors from uplift to lateral expansion.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This is a picture of horizontal cracking. Also known as sweeping and it can lead to serious problems. Foundation walls are supporting the load of the structure and it indicates its damaged or broken. This can be caused by a few things such as improper backfilling, freezing or water saturated soil to name a few.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Things i learned from the image are what to look for as an inspector but also that there are remedies. Such as sometimes it is possible to push the wall back threw careful jacking and reinforcing it or by pressure injecting it with a concrete epoxy. But as an inspector i would simply recommend a structural engineer.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The picture shows a post and beam system in a crawl space supporting floors and walls above. Above the beam that is not plum the floor dramatically sinks though it is not readily apparent from below. The posts were supporting weight, but the footing may have settled causing the beam to twist and drop over time.
Research & Writing Assignment:
The picture shows a post and beam system in a crawl space supporting floors and walls above. Above the beam that is not plum the floor dramatically sinks though it is not readily apparent from below. The posts were supporting weight, but the footing may have settled causing the beam to twist and drop over time.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This home was moved from it’s original location back in 1970 to allow for the construction of a major interstate highway. When the home was relocated the house was placed on a poured concrete foundation and temporary screw type posts were used to support the main beams in the basement. These posts were set directly onto the poured concrete slab and were never set or secured to a footing. Today these temporary posts are still in use as seen in the photo and no significant movement or settlement is visible to the homes interior walls, doors or windows. Because these posts are for temporary use we recommend that they be replaced with permanent steel lally columns filled with concrete and anchored to proper footings to better secure and support the home.
Research & Writing Assignment:
This course has taught me that locating and properly identifying the different types of foundation cracks during an inspection is an important way to help determine the overall condition of the foundation and identify any potential movement or settlement that maybe happening inside the home.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Insulating concrete forms (ICFs) are rigid, plastic foam forms that hold concrete in place during curing, and they remain in place afterward to serve as thermal insulation for concrete walls.
The foam sections are lightweight and result in energy-efficient, durable construction.
ICFs consist of insulating foam, expanded polystyrene (EPS), and extruded polystyrene (XPS).ICFs can be used to form various structural configurations, such as a standard wall, post and beam, or grid.
Insulation values of ICF walls vary depending on the material and its thickness. Typical insulation values range from R-17 to R-26.
