**Moisture intrusion, essay:
**Attached is a picture of a water softener system in a utility room. These systems have connections that can leak and lead to moisture damage. Homeowners should make sure to periodically check for loose connections and leakage.
This is a photo of a house with a down spout that is missing the 4-6 foot extension that directs water from the foundation. This is particularly detrimental to the foundation in this case as the water has eroded a big hole against the foundation and pours down the hole when it rains or the snow melts. This can cause water problems with water or moisture infiltration inside the basement and cause spalling against the foundation.
**Waterproofing basements, library essay:
**Waterproofing a basement is essential in preventing moisture damage that can lead to costly repairs and structural damage. One important method of keeping water out of a basement is to make sure water runoff from the roof is diverted away from the foundation. InterNACHI recommends that all gutters and downspouts should route rainwater away from a building by 10 feet. Finished grade should be sloped at least 10-15 feet away and low points should be leveled to prevent pooling. Swales should be dug out when the house faces an upward slope.
Moisture intrusion is probably biggest enemy of any house. It can come in through the roof as a leak, or through a hole in the siding, through the basement as capillary action, through humidity in the air and through the everyday activities inside the house such as breathing and cooking. When inspecting a house there are many signs to watch for moisture infiltration, such as mold, efflorescence, stains and damage.
For this course, I chose to read “Shrinkage Cracks in Concrete,” by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard. Normal cracks in concrete are due to tensile stresses caused by differences in temperature and moisture content as concrete dries. Where installers are able to determine or estimate where cracks will occur, they often install control joints – grooves pressed into the concrete during the finishing process. The Portland Cement Association advises the most common cause of normal concrete cracking is restraint to shrinkage, which is inherent in continuously-poured concrete slabs. Shrinkage cracks occur when the water evaporates between particles, and the particles move closer together. There are three primary factors that determine the location of cracks: temperature difference during curing, migrating water during the curing process, and excess moisture in the lower depths of the concrete mixture.
This is done for the pre licensing class.
This is a picture of a water mark in the ceiling where the bath tub on the second story developed a leak and started dripping water. After inspecting the area from the attic, I was able to determine that the leak was coming from the spigot as it had a dry rotted seal. Water was then pooling below the tub and falling into a cavity that was the ceiling below. It took some time to isolate where the leak was coming from, however, it was finally stopped.
This is done for the pre licensing class
After reading the article on bathroom ventilation duct work, I went outside to look for my vent stacks. I noticed that the boot around one of the pipes was splitting and upon further investigation, it was leaking into my attic. These vents provide an entry point for water to get into the ceiling if the seals aren’t fresh. The rubber becomes brittle after being hit by the sun for years, and finally gives way. I would recommend checking these as they can ruin spots in your roof and ceiling with moisture entry.
Starting now.
The following is beyond the scope of a home inspectors visual inspection but the photos show the effect of water intrusion on wood roof structure. Signs that there was damage include a spongy roof deck and water damage to the drywall interior. The shingles appeared to be in good condition and a self adhering bitumen membrane was used, but the heavy snow loads and the low pitch of the “crown” of the geodesic dome house permitted water to find a way into the structure of this home. Remediation efforts included replacing rotten/damaged roofing members. Also the top of the roof was added onto to aid in the shedding of water off the roof and to also promote ventilation of the upper structure.
I chose to to cover the basement insulation as a system to cover. As you can see from this photo a section of the wall has been removed for some reason. Now this is a walkout basement and as I was walking around on a very windy day, I noticed the movement of air inside increase as I heard the gust of wind out side picking up. I found this area which is the mechanical room and immediately noticed the webbing that occurs with air movement. Upon further inspection I found the copper piping running through the wall to the outside of the house that had not been properly sealed or insulated. You can feel the airflow coming in from outside. This is my grandfathers house and he is looking to sell it and this is one of the many intrusions that need attention prior to the home being put on the market.
For my research assignment I read articles regarding Brochures and Websites as marketing tools.The first point I took out of these articles is that if this is not a strong skill of yours, you should seek out professional help in designing and implementing them. Something which belonging to InterNACHI is helpful with since they will help with design services. I’m torn as to how effective a brochure is since in both articles it is mentioned on how somewhat ineffective they can be and quickly end up in the trash. I believe a website would be a better investment since it is essentially a permanent brochure that can also be more comprehensive and help direct the client into choosing to hire you. But having said that I have had a few people in the business tell me that a website isn’t worth it. I would tend to disagree since having a website listed with InterNACHI I believe will get you more leads directed your way as to just having an email address.
P.S you have one very small typo in the Website article under the Don’t offer to Ship paragraph the Tip line please change the “do” to a well “to” small I know but takes a second to figure it out otherwise.
I chose to read the article on crawlspaces and while I am familiar with most of it I feel that the average homeowners doesn’t think about it twice. Other than the fact they know it is a dark, damp, nasty place where they have no intention of ever going. Since I have lived in Michigan I have seen more basements and crawlspaces or Michigan cellars than I have ever dreamed of. All of these places tend to be less then desirable, especially if the basement isn’t finished. Back on the educating homeowners kicks, all of these space should be maintained. You protect your home from the ground up, but a lot of times these places are neglected or completely forgot about. Besides the bugs, rodents, and mold due to the moisture, these spaces are where a lot of issues begin or at least end up if something above them breaks, floods or etc. Checking for standing water after rain around your foundation is important, if its there it probably in your crawl space which will lead to mold and decay of the structure. Also, look for cracks or openings, these are doorways to all kinds of pest. Once they are under your home its only a matter of time until they are inside or inside the walls. Both of the above issues can lead to problems for homeowners and ones that can get pretty expensive. At the end of the day it is always cheaper in the long run to conduct preventative maintenance on your largest investment.
How to Inspect forMoisture Intrusion Course
**While performing aninspection in a garage. There was signsof water damage in the ceiling. Irecommended having a licensed, professional plumber investigate further for thecause of the leak. **
Choosing a Domain Name
It’s understandable that choosing a Domain name could beconfusing. The article makes how tochoose one clear and precise. Itexplains the benefits of having a domain name tied to Search Engine searches aswell as to the branding of your company name.
The grading on the left side of the house slopes toward the foundation. This can surface and subsurface water to intrude through the foundation wall. This can cause moisture accumulation in the crawlspace. Grading should be corrected to slope 6 inches down 10 feet away from the house. If this is not possible, additional drainage and other measures should be taken to reduce the risk of moisture intrusion.
In the article, “Moisture Intrusion”, I was reminded that moisture can cause defects and negatively impact the health of residents. Moisture gets in the house mainly through air flow. Many household activities and fixtures, as well as humans, release large amounts of moisture into the air. Moisture can enter as water through roof and exterior defects. Moisture can also enter through the foundation or rise through soil under the home. Moisture is one of the most damaging factors affecting homes and a central component of a home inspection.
Brick failure due to the presence of moisture. Efflorescence is the white, chalky substance on exposed brick or concrete faces. One cause of efflorescence is the movement of groundwater into building foundations by capillary action upwards into the material. Where soil conditions contain water soluble salts, precaution should be taken to stop the passage of this water to the structure. The best way to protect against ground water caused efflorescence is to provide a physical barrier to the movement of water. Additionally, properly sized gravel, low water-cement ratio, good compaction and proper curing practices will produce concrete of maximum density and low water absorption. The damage to bricks is caused by the migration of soluble salt through them. These salts in the brick or mortar dissolve in rainwater that wicks through the brick. The water evaporates in the building’s interior, and the salt left behind crystalizes and splits the surface layer off the brick, exposing the interior. In climates where sub-freezing conditions occur, these salts can hold moisture which can freeze, expand and then split the surface layer off the brick.
For this section, I decided to take a look at my dryer vent, I noticed lint was building up on the exterior where the vent penetrates to the outside of the house. I removed the panel and found a build up of lint caked around the perimeter of the tubing. I removed the tubing from the inside where it enters the wall and cleaned it. Much to my surprise it was very clogged. This is a potential fire hazard and most likely affected the operation and efficiency of the dryer unit itself. Once cleaned, I attached the vent back and ran the machine. It seemed to dry the cloths better. This is something I will certainly pay attention to as I conduct my inspections in the future.
For this exercise I chose to pick a topic from the gallery of Inspection topics. I focused in on the picture of an inspector conducting a receptacle inspection. For this it is important to check all GFCI for operations, as well as a representative number of regular outlets. I noticed in the picture that the inspector is kneeling down, using one hand, has inserted a three wire receptacle tester into the outlet to verify correct wiring and presence of power. The inspector has good posture and has his identification displayed appropriately. It is important to test all receptacles in this manner to ensure safe behavior and demonstrate professionalism. This picture speaks volumes on the way an inspector should conduct this portion of the home inspection. I will do my best to maintain the integrity of the profession by following suit.
