Research & Writing Assignment:
When in a crawl space inspecting under a bathroom there are some key places to check for moisture. Under the toilet is a usual suspect for moisture. The wax seal can leak and the homeowner may never see it because it travels down under the house only. Also under a shower can have the same result. The shower pan can leak and not show any signs inside the house.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
In this image we see water marks after a couple of days of past rain on the window framing. After further inspection, with a moisture meter, I found moisture intrusion inside the envelope of the home. The water was running down the framing of the home inside the dry wall and landing on the baseboard. The theory of how water was intruding the home through the window was due to poor overhang from the roof and therefore water could land on the window and penetrated through the window gap. Enough water was coming through that hole that it was going through the glazing of the window and making its way all the way down onto the baseboard of the floor.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The photo taken was a view while inspecting for any moisture intrusion or moisture problems. The weep holes were clean and free of debris. The gutters were clean and sloped properly. The downspouts were attached properly and diverted water away from the house and foundation. The plumbing vents appeared to be sealed properly. I did not observe any leaks or cracks. The windows were sealed properly. The roof appeared to be in good condition and I did not observe any leaks or moisture issues.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Attached is a photo of penetrations through a crawlspace wall. These were made at two separate times to accommodate new HVAC units. In each case, the hole was filled with foam, and in each case the foam has failed to seal the opening after years of weathering. These openings are an invitation for rodents and a pathway for moisture intrusion. It also appears that the smaller units electrical disconnect has overheated at some point.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
I observed the subject properties dining room ceiling, upon inspection I witnessed 1 large water spot and deformed ceiling tiles around the main water-logged area. I observed 4 screws with washers holding the section up due to over saturation.
Recommendation: Hire roofing contractor to further investigate and correct leaking issue before further damages occur.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Moisture Meters for Inspectors
Moisture meters are an essential tool for home inspectors. They help to locate moisture that could pose several hazards, such as mold, rot, or decay. While useful on the job, they are also useful outside of inspections. These meters can be used to test flooded homes to see if moisture levels are safe for occupancy. They can also help determine if wood is dry enough to be installed as well as painted.
Research & Writing Assignment:
A simple addition of the InterNachis standard of Practice to your website might prove to be a useful addition in the future if a client ever wants to sue you later on down the road.
At least 95% of complaints against home inspectors arise from customers not understanding the limited scope of the inspection. Some homeowners think that you are there to warranty the house, meaning that absolutely nothing will happen in the future.
The InterNachi agreement makes it clear that you will conduct your inspections in accordance with the standards set forth by InterNachi. The agreement even includes a link to the standard operating practices so the customer cannot later claim they did not understand the limited scope of the inspection.
Make sure to include this simple link on your website, it will save you and your business a lot of headache down the road and your lawyers will appreciate you in the process.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This mold, is the product of the bad flashing, I wrote about a couple screens ago. The bad flashing that, gave no ventilation, also had a crack in it that leaked into the closet, below. Now they have a mold problem, it is black mold, which should be tested, or as I explained. After the ventilation and leak , have been fixed, by a Professional, they could repair this, by them selves. They must wear an N95 face mask , tear out the old , moldy drywall and replace, with new.
Research & Writing Assignment:
A garage inspection can be quite hard, they are usually, full and hard to see anything. But they may have the Electrical Main, in them or even the HVAC. So, it is a must that they get inspected, especially if attached, this presents a whole host of other , potential , problems.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Observed the homes under floor crawl space to have excessive standing water and faulty grading. Inspection of the crawl space area was limited do to level of moisture and standing water combined with live high voltage romex wiring which was exposed at the crawl space area.
Research & Writing Assignment:
For my essay, I chose the illustration titled Roof Penetrations and Flashing. Water penetration and intrusion is commonly associated with penetrations in the roof, at eaves, or where walls and roof intersect. Inspectors should pay special attention to these areas such as chimneys, vent pipes, skylights, exhaust vents, etc. To avoid leaking and moisture intrusion, these areas should have appropriate flashing details and be properly sealed.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Inspecting the homes garage fire containment system is easily overlooked. Develop a system that may help you ensure all items are covered and nothing can be missing. The fire containment inspection should consist of the doors, walls and ceilings, ducts, and floors. The inspection of the fire containment is simple and should be explained to the client in a way that shows you really care for the buyer and their family safety.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
For this writing assignment I am going to write an essay on a photograph showing water penetration that has occurred through a leak in the roof of a house where the water has penetrated and seeped through the ceiling causing a yellowish brownish stain on the roof. A leak can start out small and slowly cause a lot of damage if a warning sign is ignored.
Roof leaks are a problem in any weather, but a roof that starts to leak during a heavy rainstorm can quickly turn into a major emergency. Unfortunately, rainy weather is when a roof leak is most likely to happen and when roofers become inundated with calls from panicked homeowners. Congested gutters may cause leaks on the roof. Leaks damage the paint, furniture, appliances and may cause electrical problems. This may also cause some cracks on the walls and the foundation of the whole house. Accidents may happen if there is water on the floor coming from the leak on the roof.
Leaks caused by improper installation can include the roof membrane, roof flashing, roof vents or chimney, although these can be punctured by various things. The most common problem with these areas are poor installation of materials. Falling limbs or trees, hail or other objects can cause major damage to a roof, attic and ceiling damage. The initial dangers of a roof leak are damage to the attic area and items stored there. Affected ceiling paint will darken and ceiling plaster may bubble and expand. The leaking water also will damage paint and plaster on nearby walls.
Fortunately, for the water penetration in this photograph the leak was not severe enough nor was the rain continuous or heavy enough to cause continued water penetration for the leak to seep through the ceiling and onto the carpet in this house.
Research & Writing Assignment:
For this writing assignment I am going to write an essay on what I learned from the article entitled, Bidets. According to this article common in much of Europe and Asia, bidets are toilet-like plumbing fixtures designed to promote posterior hygiene. Although bidet prevalence in certain regions represents a humorous cultural distinction from American-style paper wiping, bidets do sport considerable convenience and comfort advantages.
According to this article and which is also very true based on my experiences bidets are becoming increasingly common in North America and it is important that first-timers and home inspectors understand how they operate. Bidets are used to wash the anus, inner buttocks, and genitalia, usually after the user has defecated into an adjacent toilet.
Bidets, like toilets, are typically made from porcelain and contain a deep recess within a wide rim. They emit an arc of clean water from a nozzle that can either be beneath the rear of the rim or deep within the fixture cavity. Some bidets come with built-in air dryers that can be used to dry wet areas. Toilet paper can be used for this purpose if no dryer is available. The bidet can be rinsed after use to keep it clean.
According to the article the key benefit of a bidet are for people who suffer from hemorrhoids, irritable bowel syndrome, or have recently had rectal surgery can find relief from painful paper wiping with the more gentle water flow of a bidet.
According to the article, although bidet is a French term, the fixture is more common in other European countries such as Italy and Portugal. All in all I enjoyed reading this very informative article on bidets and I found it extremely interesting to know that it is more common in Italy and Portugal than in France.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
crawlspace was found to be dry with mostly dirt and gravel for flooring with no apparent 6 mil vapor barrier. Recommend install of vapor barrier under manufactured home on foundation grade to prevent moisture penetration from the soil into the crawlspace.
Research & Writing Assignment:
For this essay I found an illustration entitled grade. This illustration is an example of how important it is to properly grade a property to allow for proper shedding of water out and around the home to prevent flooding and possible foundation problems.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Kick out flashing is missing where the roof and wall surfaces meet. This can create the potential for water to damage the exterior wall and sub surfaces. Recommend installing kick out flashing to prevent damages and related costs from moisture intrusion.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Moisture intrusion into the home can happen via a number of avenues. The most common avenue that people think of is from a leak, such as a roof leak or a plumbing leak. Another less common avenue for moisture to enter the home is from air infiltration. This actually accounts for 98% of all water vapor movement into a structure. Other avenues are evaporation from water usage in the home and by diffusion. All avenues of moisture intrusion should be considered when inspecting a home.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The exterior section of this home lacks a proper down spout; a “rain chain” can be seen hanging from where a downspout used to be.
The grade below the rain chain does not properly drain the water away from the homes exterior.
This situation will lead to potential water intrusion into the foundation.
Further evaluation by a gutter contractor is recommended.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Moisture Meters for Inspectors
Moisture intrusion can greatly impact the lifespan of a home.
A moisture meter is a helpful tool in which home inspectors can use to detect moisture.
A moisture meter is used by inserting the 2 prongs of the tool into a surface; a reading above 20% indicates a potential for mold and rot.
A Search Mode meter can also be used. This type of moisture meter relies on the use of electromagnetic waves bouncing off a surface to detect the presence of water.
