Research & Writing Assignment:
Moisture intrusion can be cause of building defects and health aliments for residents.Some of the common moisture caused problems are wood decay,high indoor humidity ,corrosion of metal,ice dams in cold climates and mold growth.It is very important to keep moisture out of the house .Roof and exterior building envelope leaks ,wet basements and crawlspaces, failed flashings ,poor insulation and air penetrations all contributes to presence of moisture in the house.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Water intrusion 101. When I inspected this flipped home, the vent pipe did not look right from the ground. the black shingles made it difficult to see if there was a penetration boot. The photo was taken from the scuttle hole, making it very easy to see that the vent pipe was installed with out any sealing. Additional evidence was the wet fiberglass attic insulation at the base of the pipe. Moisture intrusion is everywhere in home inspections.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
When inspecting under the lavatory in the hall bathroom it was noted that the P trap had a drop of water on the bottom of it. After filling the lavatory bowl and draining I could not find any water leak at this location.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Barn inspection is 100% common since. If barns are part of an inspection they most likely would be the most difficult part of the inspection. Barns are never kept as clean or organized as the inside of a home. Other cautions are barn snakes and bats.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Note to home owner: When inspecting the lavatory off the master bedroom I inspected the P trap for the lavatory. While inspecting the are I noted that an access had been cut to gain access to the plumbing for the bathtub on the opposite wall in hall bathroom.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Potential water entry point located at door trim near lock. This seems to have been caused by forced entry of garage service door. This can lead to potential water damage of stucco and wall framing underneath. We recommend a stucco professional further evaluate to determine repair recommendations.
Research & Writing Assignment:
I read an article called Basic Waterproofing for basements. It hilights the importance why and how Home owners can protect their basements from water damage. Monitoring down spouts, managing vegetarian, maintenance of grading and epoxy filling foundation cracks are just antes of the methods ive learned in the waterproofing basements article.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This picture shows evidence of moisture intrusion likely due to a roof leak. This needs to be mitigated immediately to prevent further damage. The hazards caused by this water leak will not go away on their own if left alone.
Research & Writing Assignment:
The article I chose to write about was about moisture intrusion. The most common cause of moisture intrusion is due to air infiltration. Air is capable of holding a large amount of moisture, therefore it is important to recognize this and to mitigate that risk.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This is a flashing on a roof. It is improperly sealed around the edges and therefore could allow moisture intrusion to occur. This would damage the underlying building materials. Also there is no sealing for the nails. All nails on roofs should be sealed properly with a UV resistant sealer to prevent moisture intrusion.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Moisture can penetrate a house through air infiltration, diffusion through building materials, and/or leaks in roofs, plumbing, etc. Moisture can cause severe deterioration to building materials, and common entry points should be properly sealed to protect the home. 98% of water vapor movement happens through air filtration.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This is a picture of an overflow pan beneath a furnace/air handler and the condensate drain line where it enters a plumbing drain line. The installation appears to be correct and there are no signs of moisture intrusion at this time.
Research & Writing Assignment:
The photo I submitted was of drainage pipes from the furnace that had been leaking weeks before the inspection. after repair I came back and measured the moisture content and found the moisture in the immediate area of the pipes to be negligible. I explained to the owners how important is was to periodically check pipes and areas I specified might become moisture problems in the future. They were very happy with my advice.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This house was in good condition and the pvc pipes going into the wall had recently been re-sealed so on my second walk through I re-inspected the pipes and did not find any moisture on them. The pipes had been re-sealed going into the wall two weeks earlier and had been leaking prior to them being fixed. I explained to the owners how important it was for them to check pipes periodically for moisture build up and contact the proper repair individuals and address that problem as soon as possible. They were very thank full for the help.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The gutters located at the home are full of debris. I recommend having the gutters cleaned out immediately to avoid the backup of water flow through the gutter system which could possibly cause moisture problems. Possibly installing gutter guards could stop this issue from happening again in the future.
Research & Writing Assignment:
I’ve learned that installing a tank-less water heater over a regular water heater saves money on energy costs. That changing out your showerheads and toilets can help save money on your water bill. Also that appliances and electronics account for such a high percentage of a household’s energy electric bill.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The lower vent and boot shown here were reported as being added for the furnace that was installed in the garage several years after the garage addition was built. The newer sheet metal material appeared to be inserted into the soffit to closeout the air gap between the exiting lower vent exiting the lower garage roof, and was aligned through the soffit with the vent pipe exiting the roof of the house above the overhang. It is unknown if the vent pipe is open within the soffit, but must be inspected and repaired by a licensed HVAC professional. Also, the soffit material around the vent pipe was not closed out and could be an entry point to the attic for animals. This was noted and reported as needing correction.
Research & Writing Assignment:
I find that many houses do not keep fire alarms in working order. I believe that it is simply because of the need to test and replace batteries. They can be temperamental at times, or require a few minutes of attention every now and again, but it is a very very small price to pay for the security and piece of mind that they provide.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The image above is of an A/C duct that is not properly secured at a connection. The insulation does not cover the ducting all the way to that connection. this can cause moisture problems in a non-conditioned space. It may also cause your A/C unit to run less efficiently, because the cool air in the duct is escaping through this void.
Research & Writing Assignment:
The article of moisture intrusion goes a little bit more in depth with the ways moisture can affect every day homes. Moisture can cause serious issues in your home such as wood decay or mold. The conditions may also affect a persons health especially people with respiratory issues.
