The attached image shows major signs of flooding/water intrusion in a basement. Any materials that have become wet should immediately be removed. This type of intrusion would required that the homeowner consult with a building professional to advise them of solutions. This reminds me of an older home I lived in, that had a fieldstone basement, that was located at the bottom of a very large hill. The home was poorly located, and the site allowed water to sheet down towards the home, and into the basement. At its worst, there was two feet of water there. The sump pump had stopped working, furthering the issue.
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There are one or more planters, either above grade or at grade level, that are located adjacent to the structure. Although routinely seen by inspectors, they can trap and pond water. This can lead to moisture intrusion, mold growth and damage to the foundation in some cases. Note: further evaluation by a foundation contractor is recommended to rule out any moisture intrusion issues in visually inaccessible areas (e.g. slab foundation and crawl space areas at or near these planters).
There are one or more planters, either above grade or at grade level, that are located adjacent to the structure. Although routinely seen by inspectors, they can trap and pond water. This can lead to moisture intrusion, mold growth and damage to the foundation in some cases. Note: further evaluation by a foundation contractor is recommended to rule out any moisture intrusion issues in visually inaccessible areas (e.g. slab foundation and crawl space areas at or near these planters).
Here is a photo of typical water intrusion inside a residential basement. Inspecting for moisture intrusion in the basement is key because problems found there can often lead to crucial discoveries in other parts of the home. Inspectors should looks for stains and water trails and then find the causes of these issues.
After reading “Mold, Moisture and Your Home” I learned that mold is a very serious threat to a homeowner’s health. The key to controlling and stopping the growth of mold is effective moisture control. If there is a water-related mishap, it is very important to dry the area within 24 to 48 hours in order to prevent mold growth.
The purpose of my essay is to speak on the value of thermal imaging relating to moisture intrusion / detection. Water damage can often elude inspectors using only their eyes for inspection. This image shows water inside a wall and on the floor surrounding a shower pan on a new construction home. Very easy to miss this if you are not using thermal imaging in your inspection.
The photo I viewed shows a breaker in an electrical panel reading 169 degrees. Clearly above the normal temperature for normal operation. This is a defective breaker most likely. His would have been missed on inspection had the inspector not been using a thermal imager. Nice work.
This is the wood under the protective plastic of a patio door. I saw the plastic was lifted up. With my finger I pushed down on the wood and water squirted up. I then took a plyer to see if the wood was rotted or not. With no effort I was able to push the plyer right through.
on inspecting for water intrusion, noticed that around fire chimney on roof, there was no kick out flashing to divert water away from side of chimney. water could seep down and into structure and after time wood could rot or mold could start forming.
moisture intrusion is a key element in a house’s ability to breath, all homes building’s will always have water in the air, so homes that breath, letting moisture in and out will function properly, those that don’t will not let moisture out, will most likely end up with moisture problems.
In this photo there is a residential structure that is newly built. The structure is stucco glad with a metal roof. When a closer look is taken at the flashing you will not that the metal flashing has damage in the center. This damage could easily lead to moisture intrusion in the structure and should be repaired.
Grading of landscape away from the structure is very important in prevention of moisture intrusion. Improperly graded ground covering can lead to moisture pooling or even draining directly into the structure. Special care should be given to grade away from the foundation.
On inspection of a gutter system of this building I’ve noticed that although it is draining out and away from the building, the pavement is still rather wet, even though the rest of the concrete is dry. The rain had stopped several hours earlier. So I feel that the drained area should be dry and it would be in the best interest to have a professional gutter installer come out and check for clogs or leveling issues.I would also suggest that the owner extend the gutter with a 6 foot extension on the end to direct the drainage further away from the building.
This is a picture of exterior wall at a property in Orlando, FL. The wall have obvious sign of water intrusion,as you can see the paint is expanded and became bubbly. If checked on top,you can see the water entry point,where the paint was scratched and peeled.
Basement concrete block walls have recently been painted, there appears to be some type of microbial growth, also the sheet rocked walls in finished area are moist and peeling. Recommend a further evaluation by a qualified mold testing and remediation professional.
For this essay I read an article about Meth Labs. It’s important to know about their existence and what kind of damage they can produce in the building that have been a former meth lab. Inspector should always look for odd burn marks on floor and walls,and recommend a further evaluation by qualified contractor to check the nature of those marks
Basic Waterproofing for Basements: by Nick Gromicko
Typically basements are most at risk for water, moisture intrusion do to the fact that they are below grade and surrounded in soil. There are ways to protect your basement. A gutter system professionally installed and properly maintained is a great start. You also need a properly graded build site that slopes water away from your home. In some cases this can’t be done such as when the home sits with one or more sides facing an uphill slope. A swale,( a shallow ditch running 10 to 15 feet in length) should be used to direct the water around the house and into another swale away from the house. Fixing all cracks found on the exterior walls with the proper sealants should keep water intrusion out as well.
Although not in the scope of a home inspection I noticed that a water softener was improperly connected to the sewer drain. The 1/2" drain lines were drilled and tapped into the 4" PVC drain. There should be a trap to prevent sewer gases and contaminated water from possibly entering the potable water system.
