I am posting a reply on the ACFI circuit breaker which is part of my reading requirement for this course.
This electrical device is a system that we have looked at adding to our city code and in adding it to the rental inspection portion of the inspection process. I was aware of the test button on the circuit breaker, like the GFCI receptacle, however I was not aware that it would also need to be tested by a portable AFCI indicator. According to the acticle in order to properly test this device, both test must be performed to insure proper functioning of the breaker or receptacle.
Good information to have…
This bath fan was dripping water after the room was filled with steam. The fan was vented into the soffit and the vent hose was laying flat on top of the insulation. During winter, condensation formed in the low lying area of the hose and froze. When the fan was operated hot air high in humidity was pumped into the line thawing the frozen moisture which ran back into the bathroom.
To rectify this, the vent should be run flat under the attic insulation and exit the house with a vent hood not in the soffit. If the vent can not be run flat to the exterior wall, then it should run straight up to vent out the roof. A vent should not have any dips or low lying areas to create a sump to collect condensation.
Vents terminating in the soffit can cause moist air to back up into the attic area forming condensation on the underside of the roof deck.
This attic inspection was part of a pre-list inspection. The home is in upstate NY. The home was built in 1970. This was a well built home, well maintained, and pretty much left original.
There were very little defects until I entered the attics. The fist attic above the garage was in great shape. Good ventilation, no signs of rusty nails, mold, and sheathing looked almost new.
The attic above the livable side of the house was a different story. It was apparent right away that the entire attic was full of mold. There was at least one visibly wet rafter from a leak, likely from melting snow on the roof. The entire attic, sheathing, rafters, and insulation were covered dark black. Unfortunately the roof leak had gone on undetected for some time. There was very good ventilation from the gable and soffit vents. The air blowing through it almost took my hat off. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough movement to stop mold growth. I noted this as a safety issue. I noted the roof leak, and mold-like substance in the attic, and recommended a roofing contractor evaluate and repair roof as necessary. And for a mold specialist to do the same.
How to Inspect for Moisture Intrusion Course – Inspection, picture and writing assignment.
I performed an inspection on a composition shingle roof. The roof has many layers of old shingles. Cracks in the composition shingles and missing shingles leave the home vulnerable to moisture intrusion. The roof also has old bundles of shingles stacked upon it which can cause water to back up under the shingles above the bundles, much in the same way an ice dam can cause water to back up and leak into the homes interior.
Years of neglect and improper installation of additional layers of shingles have caused a leak to develop into the homes dining room and a hole has opened up through the ceiling. When it rains, rainwater is allowed to drip into a container on the floor of the dining room adding to increased moisture in the homes interior.
It is recommended that a qualified roofing contractor be called to remove all of the existing roofing material, including all material stacked on the roof. Roof sheathing and flashings need to be repaired or replaced and a new roof installed.
Following the roof replacement, the presence of mold needs to be investigated and any mold treated and removed. New insulation needs to be installed to replace the insulation damaged by the water leak in the roof and any damaged sheetrock repaired or replaced.
This is a gutter that was full of debris and has caused water to spill out and enter the home causing damage. You cant see from this angle but there was also an inadequate drip edge. The drip edge didn’t extend far enough out to keep it flowing into the gutter. possibly needing additional flashing.
I read the articles Moisture intrusion and Moisture meters. Understanding where when and how moisture can enter a home will help me understand and properly find problem areas of the home that might have moisture intrusion. No inspection is complete without backing up my claims of moisture intrusion without a reading from my moisture meter.
Inspected under the bathroom sink, no visible signs of moisture, no water staining, hot and cold water shut off valves are installed, no signs of leaks on drain line. Only thing I see that needs correction is the drain line penetration into the wall needs to be caulked.
How to inspect for moisture intrusion has to be one of the most important sections in my training. I know understand efflorescence, porous materials and capillary action. Moisture intrusion can lead to many structural and health problems. Having the knowledge and being able to identify potential problems can keep many of these problems from occurring.
In the attachment is a picture of a downspout that is properly placed for water drainage. Roof gutters, downspouts, leaders, or diverters form the components for a drainage system for the building and site. You must make sure that the gutters and downspouts are properly sized and sloped for proper drainage away from the building or site. You should avoid discharging water inside the buildings corners.
Carpeted bathrooms are bathrooms that have carpet flooring instead of tile, vinyl or any other traditional floor surfaces. The advantages of carpet in bathrooms is to make it warm and inviting, its softer than tile, slip hazards are reduced, and is easier on the bare foot. Some disadvantages of carpet in bathrooms are: it can foster mold, bacteria, and can cause sub-floor decay because of the moisture presence in the padding do to water spillage. It is against code to install carpet in commercial buildings.
Article: Carpet Beetles
Carpet beetles are household pest that are capable of destroying and consuming wool, fur, cashmere, feather, bone,synthetic and cellulose-based fibers. Beetle larvae can be found under basedboards, unholstered furniture, air ducts, stuffed animals and even in stored cerial boxes. Carpet beetles can be treated with chemicals and non-chemical treatments. Carpet beetles are a common source of damaged houshold items, and steps should be taken to prevent infestation.
Water Damage and EIFS/ Grinder Pumps. reading/ writing assignment.
EIFS is quite common in my area, whether is it the main finish or just a small section. Recent repairs I was doing on a friends house with the main entrance was EIFS, I found that the builder did not correctly fasten the base system and the outer wall was separating from the studs. Wish I would have taken pictures of it. The other article about grinder pumps is becoming a more common occurrence as new homes are being built in rocky rural areas where sand mound systems are being used for sewage drainage platforms instead of traditional septic systems.
Here is a hot water heater that has the pressure relief valve as well as a loose element leaking out on the floor. You can see where a paint can was rusting over time.
Unusually low indoor air pressure can cause fuel fired appliances that use indoor air for combustion to backdraft. Flue gasses that can be very harmful and deadly can flow back into habitable spaces of the home. Because homes today are built to be air tight as possible, appliances like dryers, bath and kitchen fans mechanically draw in indoor air and vent it outside, causing the indoor air pressure to drop. Clogged and poorly installed flues can also be a possibility for back drafting to occur. Using sealed combustion appliances can be used to stop any possibility of back draft, due to their ability to draw in air from outside for combustion.
These photos are from the recent inspection of a commercial property.
The road and sidewalk in front of the property were sloped toward the building, essentially funneling ground water toward the front door of the property. This condition had already led to damage to the front door sill, door and wooden framing of the structure. Upon inspecting the basement, I observed cracks in the foundation wall on the front on the building which had led to moisture intrusion. The moisture had wicked up through the framing for the floor and moisture was observed in the plywood subflloor and in mortar between slate flooring. I recommend the front of the property be regraded to redirect ground water, that the exterior of the foundation wall be sealed or otherwise repaired to prevent moisture intrusion, and that any significant cracks in the wall be sealed. Fortunately, the town is doing a major rebuild of the road in front of the builidng and the drainage problem may be addressed and the exterior of the foundation wall may be exposed in the process so the repairs can be accomplished.
Second essay: Moisture intrusion
Moisture intrusion and some of the related problems are, wood decay, raised humidity levels in a home with resulting condensation, Ice dams and mold to name a few. Moisture can enter a home by air leaks, diffusion, leaky pipes or a roof or everyday human activities like cooking, bathing or by the act of breathing. Which ever way it may be it should be addresses immediately to prevent costly damage to the house or an occupants health.
I read the online articles on moisture meters and moisture intrusion as part of the requirements for this online course. The article on moisture meters was very basic, but did describe the types of meters avaialbe and the pros and cons of each. The articel on moisture intrusion provided a good overview of the problems caused by mositure intrusion, how moisture can get into a house, and what inspectors should look for during an inspection to spot possbile moisture intrusion problems.
Roof valley of addition on front of home terminates into roof overhang of high sloped cathedral ceiling/roof assembly. No cricket, kick out flashing or other means of diversion are installed, resulting in water running down the valley against the side of the house and adjoining roof. Homeowner has installed flashing on the inside of the unfinished addition to direct water leaks into a plastic storage tote.
In addition, the rigid foam insulation in the room is required to be covered by a fire resistant covering, such as drywall.
This article discusses the use of central humidifiers in homes. While they can ease some health conditions and reduce damage to household items and furniture due to dry air, they can also cause health problems and create other damage from the moisture they release into the air. The use of one should be examined thoroughly, before actual use as many homes are being built tighter than before and older homes are being sealed with weatherization type programs that will hold/trap moisture in the homes.
Moisture Intrusion:
This article covers much of the material of this course in terms of house components/systems and where moisture can enter/exit. It is geared towards homeowners and outlines where to look and what the moisture can do and why any excessive moisture should be corrected.
These are pictures of water damage to the overhang and siding. The first picture is overhang, fascia and gutter damaged do to water build up and overflow of the gutter system. The second picture is siding of the house that was damaged due to the water draining onto the deck and splashing on the siding causing water damage and rott.
