Research & Writing Assignment:
Storing asphalt shingles Improper, causing aesthetic or problems that Shorten the life of these roofing materials, called cosmetic issues. either manufacturing process or human errors . from being stored & stack to high will cause staining .
manufacture process issues such as tobacco juicing.
these are all manufacture and storing issues.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This is a steel girder at the basement foundation wall on the exterior of the house that supports the span of the floor. If I could of added an additional picture it would show the span in the finished basement where it supports the floor.
Research & Writing Assignment:
During study of garage doors and openers has opened my eyes to simple maintenance for safety concerns. I read an article about how approximately 20,000 emergencies occur each year and due to unsafe garage doors. Results-pinched fingers or even death to children. Check the safety mechanisms. Check the springs. Annually
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
“my essay” There are man types of exterior doors. Some older doors are solid wood with just a peep hole. Newer doors are made mostly of steel some solid but most hollow with insulation within the door itself. Some exterior doors are made of fiberglass which by experience needs allot of maintenance through the years to help from drying out.
Research & Writing Assignment:
“My Essay” Residential foundation insulation. Heat loss from a uninsulated basement causes %50 of the homes heat loss. Basements need insulations because they are still connected to the rest of the house. It is also recommended to have a waterproofing instead of damp proofing on the exterior wall.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This picture shows a condition found during the progress inspection of a renovation project. The windows on the first floor were missing lintels. As installed, the concrete masonry units (CMUs) above the rough opening are not properly supported from below and are relying on the grout above to stay in place. Grout is not intended to be used in tension. Proper repair consisted of ensuring two cells of the CMU on each side of the rough opening was slushed solid with concrete and the installation of steel angle iron spanning the rough opening to support the CMU across the top.
Research & Writing Assignment:
The “Differential settlement crack” illustration was reviewed as part of this assignment. Differential settlement occurs when the soil supporting the footing of one part of the structure has a different soil bearing capacity than a section adjacent to it. Prior to placing any foundation in the ground, the soil bearing capacity of the area should be determined. Once this has been determined, the minimum required footer width and height can be can be calculated. If the soil has a low bearing capacity, a wider footer will be required so as to distribute the building load over a larger area. Often times, local contractors use their experience with the native soils and use a typical footer design for residential buildings with no ill effects. Under severe circumstances, piers will have to be installed down to bedrock to support large buildings.
Research & Writing Assignment:
According to Healthy Homes, Part 6: Housing Structure Course, large amounts of water vapor enter the interior space through breathing, bathing, washing clothes, cooking, etc. The vapor barrier when placed correctly, e.g. on the heated side in California, damage from moisture can be avoided.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The 2nd story wall/roof structure was observed being built backwards on the Southside. This condition poses risk to good construction practice, e.g. plumbing/aligning the walls and cutting/attaching the bird mouths on the rafters. Either of which may result in misaligned walls and/or improperly supported roof loads without special attention. A qualified specialist, e.g. licensed structural engineer/general
contractor is recommended for prompt attention, investigation and corrective repair as needed.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Recently I inspected a home that was a flip, well, partial flip. Most of the work completed was in proper order, however, the gas range was installed against the wall. Well, if you haven’t seen what a gas range will do to a wall during normal use, just google it. Some houses have burned down because of such install. Of all the things allowed by the building inspector to pass, why was something so obvious let go? Much like many other items that could become a health and safety risk, such as handrails and guardrails being too short, spindles separation being more than four inches, smoke detectors missing, exposed charged electrical, gas ranges against walls are to a health and safety risk as well. My recommendation was to have the range swapped with the refrigerator, which was in the middle of the kitchen. I inspected this home two weeks ago, and I am returning tomorrow for a new agent and client lol. We shall see if anything was repaired or corrected.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Okay, as an experienced inspector, I know that there will be times that something is either missed during an inspection, or missed while typing my report. Such an occasion finally happened. A few months back I verbally called out several items wrong with the hand / guardrails for a town home built in 1988. To begin with, the height did not meet safety standards for the date of construction, and, the ballasts were too far apart and not uniformed in space. Plus, rails were missing for some of the upper section that over looked the foyer. All of these items I called out at the inspection, and spoke with the client about, but did not enter into my report. Well, thankfully the solution did not end up costing as much as anybody had thought, however, it is ultimately costing the company I work for time and money to correct this omission anyway. Had I reviewed my report a little more diligently, this miss would not have happened. I know we are in an age were we are trying to get the reports out as fast as possible, but let me tell you, taking your time is way more important that how fast you can turn around a report. Ladies and Gentlemen, make sure, for the sake of safety for your clients, that you do your best to provide the best inspection and information to your clients. Though I am lucky that this correction is minimal in cost, and that I work for a firm that will cover such mistakes, others are not. Some mistakes can be costly enough to put you out of business. Had the client not contacted me, that very well could’ve been the future case. Be diligent, be honest, and be there for your clients when you mess up, cause it could end up costing you more than your inspection fee and a bed review.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
During an inspection, I always take a little extra time to inspect all visible and accessible structural components. Structural integrity is of the utmost importance. I check for cracks, bows, and flaking of the concrete. I look for rotting and decaying wood. And most importantly, I pay close attention to water/moisture intrusion.
Research & Writing Assignment:
The foundation is a key part of any inspection. I make it a point to enter all the crawl spaces that are readily accessible because that’s where a lot of foundation issues can be found. I always note whether moisture barrier is present, as well as proper ventilation.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Photo of French Door taken from inside of home with curtains closed. Photo was taken before trim was put on to check for daylight shining through. As you can see, no daylight is showing. Door was properly installed and in good working order.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Exterior doors come in 4 primary categories:wood, fiberglass, steel and composites. 3 types of wood doors are:Batten, boards nailed together in different ways, Solid flush which are usually flat on both sides and Hollow-core doors, which are like solid doors, which can be made from any kind of wood.
