From day one of my construction career I was told, Water is the homes enemy.
This statement holds true with my transition into home inspection as moisture problems are amongst the most frequent problems encountered in homes. As we inspect the homes systems and components, its important to understand good building practices and their effectiveness against moisture intrusion.
The area that Id like to focus in the assignment is the foundation. Per the article Moisture Intrusion by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard, it mentions that the foundation requires damp-proofing. Damp-proofing a foundation is a type of moisture control applied to the foundations walls to prevent moisture from passing into the homes basement or crawlspace interior. There are four methods used to damp-proof the foundation walls:
Bituminous Coating is an excellent protective coating and waterproofing agent, especially on surfaces such as concrete foundations. Bituminous coating is also known as asphalt coating.
Acrylic Modified Cement is a combination of a liquid acrylic resin and cement mixture noted for water resistance
Surface-bonding Cement is a water resistant, fiber reinforced cement based coating for concrete block and masonry walls.
Any material permitted for water-proofing.
Overall, damp-proofing is not the only thing to protect the foundation from moisture intrusion, but it is an important factor in protecting it from damage.
Because we often use the area under our kitchen sinks as storage, a water leak can remain hidden behind various household items until it becomes too severe to miss. Often times when a homeowner notices a leak under the kitchen sink, it has already caused some degree of water damage to the cabinet and the area might even have mold growing around it.
https://www.nachi.org/gallery/?level=picture&id=296
If youve noticed damage to your roof, ceilings or attic, especially around your chimney, you probably have a water leak due to defective or worn chimney flashing. Moisture in your homes chimney system can lead to costly problems like wood rot, deteriorating bricks and mortar, and mold growth.
Chimney flashing is made from galvanized or stainless steel, lead, copper or lead-coated copper. The type of material used depends on where you live, typical weather conditions, your homes roofing material, and the shape and size of your homes chimney.
When installed properly, chimney flashing keeps water from getting in at places where the chimney and roof meet.
On this inspection I encountered nails which were hammered through the shingles in several areas of the roof covering. These areas are potential water intrusion points of entry. I mentioned theses areas in the report and advised the buyer to seek further evaluation by a licensed roofing contractor to determine how to best repair this issue.
I read the article “IR Cameras: Inspecting for Moisture Intrusion” by Nick Gromicko and Ethan Ward
IR cameras have become a very useful tool for the home inspector. You can make several determinations by using one that you can’t with the naked eye. Their are many applications the IR can aid in finding moisture and used properly will make your clients very happy.
this bathroom appears to have mold growing in the ceiling corner opposite the showerhead. inspection of the attic space above shows that the exhaust fan is properly vented to the outside and is insulated. this suggests that the fan may not be strong enough to properly vent the bathroom.
bathroom exhaust fans must be properly sized to the cubic volume of the room to insure that it will be adequately vent the moist or contaminated air to the outside of the building. this may require having a larger or more powerful fan installed.
This photo is an example of poor management of water on the exterior of this home. The siding is approximately 2 in from finish grade level. This is a slab on grade Construction. As well as the downspout located in this area is discharging on the ground. The finished grade in this area of the yard has a negative pitch toward the dwelling. As well as a landscape and sidewalk retention. Suggest downspout discharge away from the home. Grade to accommodate water drainage away from the home. Recommend corrective action to alleviate any water infiltration to the interior of the dwelling.
Ice damning
In many parts of the country ice damming is an issue with moisture infiltration in the envelope of a dwelling. This occurs due to inadequate insulation above the perimeter wall at the lowest level of the roof assembly. Ice damming occurs when water draining from the roof surface comes in contact with warm air and refreezes. As the ice melts gravity allows the water enter the under the roof covering. The still may occur and not show signs of water damage on the underside of the roof sheathing. Due to the proper installation of underlayment under the primary roof covering.
moisture can cause lots of problems in the home, one of them is wood rot sue to excess moisture, this rot looks white like powder on the beans or wood, sometimes the rot can look dark brown as well. in craw spaces access moisture can ruin the entire base area of the home.
i observed a picture of stucco layers, if the layers aren’t properly applied water or moisture can get under the skin or siding and cause severe damage to the home. Some moisture intrusion can be caused by rising moisture form the ground, this happens mostly in humid climates.
The windows on this home did not have a drip flashing installed above them. When drip flashing’s are installed above window’s it greatly reduces the chance of leaks above the windows. Without this flashing, caulk and paint must be maintained or water can enter the wall structure and cause rot and possible structural damage. I always recommend installing drip or Z flashing’s above windows, doors and horizontal trim boards.
Moisture intrusion may be identified through basic visual inspection if it has lead to obvious defects, such as staining or mold growth. However, by the time visible evidence has presented itself, significant damage may have already been done. By employing thermal imaging and a moisture meter, inspectors can locate moisture issues before they become large problems and lead to serious damage.
Along the north wall, in a room adjacent to the main basement, approximately 10 ’ from the northwest corner there is seepage at floor level near what appears to be a pilaster. This area is under the front porch and is inaccessible. Recommend an appropriate contractor evaluate , determine a scope-of-work and cost estimate(s) to correct the issue.
One way to minimize, if not eliminate many instances of moisture intrusion into basements is to ensure proper grading. Many times either paving or landscaping will be level or even sloping toward the foundation instead of away. Slope is recommended to be a minimum of 6" in the first 10’for landscaping or 2% for paving.
This is a picture of a downspout that became detached. After further inspection I found that it had been letting water in through the siding for some time. I took some infrared images on the inside wall and used a moisture meter and found that the wall was saturated.
I read the article Moisture Meters for Inspectors. I have a non probe moisture meter and think that it dose a very good job, but after reading this I am considering getting another one with the probes and using them both.
The inspector noted some surface draining system issues in the house corner: no slope ground away, permeable topsoil, and missing downspout. It will cause moisture intrusion to the foundation and exterior wall. It needed to be improved. Suggest consulting a licensed contractor.
This picture shows a basement wall that is in desperate need of correction as the current state shows massive signs of moisture damage. Efflorescence is seen on the wall surface indicating moisture intrusion that brings salts to the surface of the foundation material. Worst yet is the actual water that is present on the floor and coming through the wall.
