This is a pic of what appears to be a water stain on a ceiling where it adjoins to a wall. It has been the worst winter in February here in Cleveland, Ohio. There was so much ice on the roof from snow heating & freezing, that ice built up underneath the shingles & water could not drain off the roof during a thaw. At first it was suspected that there was a leak from the plumbing from the upstairs bathroom. However, after crawling up in the attic, it was discovered the water actually was coming from under the shingles.
Hello Everyone,
After a inspection of a home using the Attic,Insulation and Ventilation outline;I noticed in the attic that the insulation was blown in fiberglass averaging 12" throughout area except for area above the front door entry (area appeared hard to reach),the out side vertical walls where insulated with foam board-none present on ceiling or roof underside,hallway restroom had a ventilation fan but was not properly vented through the roof and the master bedroom bathroom did not have a a ventilation fan. Garage door appeared to have water stains located where the door meets with driveway surface and approximately 24" from the of the driveway surface.
Franklin Carlton.
I read bump keys. I found it very interesting the working of the tumbler key mechanism and how easily the safety of such a system could easily be overcome by the use of a bump key and a little practice.
I inspected a home where the basement had been finished but the interior of the closet was not finished. The closet interior should also be finished for fire retardation.
For the assigned article I read about insulation. Cellulose and rock wool look alike so be careful not to get those two confused. Cellulose is made out of organic products while rock wool is made out of rock and steel by products.
inadequate tread depth
The picture I took was of the toilet in our apartment we just recently moved into. What the picture shows is missing and detached calk around the base of the toilet. What it doesn’t show is how loose the entire toilet is. If this were an actual inspection, this is something I would notify the potential buyers of and also recommend the wax ring to be replaced. Thanks to this assignment, I was able to discover this issue which I will now document so we don’t get blamed for it when we move out.
I had the opportunity to inspect the home we just recently moved out of, which we had resided in for the past five years. We had this home built, so it wasn’t much of a surprise that I didn’t find many things to question. The insulation and vents in the attic looked to be to code and in good shape, no vents terminating within the attic area. The ceiling, flooring, electrical, heating, and crawl space all looked fine as well. The windows were all the required height above the floor and clear of moisture indicating a bad seal. The only real thing that stood out to me was a bit of material of an organic nature (mold) on the wall behind a bed. The wall materials appear to be adequate and to code, perhaps because the bed was pushed so close to the wall it trapped moisture in that particular spot easier.
As per the instructions for the course titled “How to Inspect the Attic, Insulation, Ventilation and Interior” here are some images from an inspection of the interior of a basement.
The home owner had a leaking tub above this area, upon removal of the drywall there was evidence of prolonged leaking and mold growth, which has since been removed. The removed drywall shows that the wall does have batt type insulation of 2 inches thick (R-6.4),. and no vapor barrior on the in side or out side of the wall.
As per the assignment for the course “How to Inspect the Attic, Insulation, Ventilation and Interior” here is my experience with an inspection of an attic (not a full report)
12 inches of blown Rock Wool insulation were present (R-33.6). The insulation was obstructing the soffit vents at points. Simple clearing of the area and retaining to the insulation was suggested to client.
Ridge and soffit vents were present and appeared to be providing proper ventilation. No signs of water.
Kitchen hood fan and bathroom fan both terminated outside.
As per the additional readings part of the course-
Bathroom Ventilation Ducts and Fans
The most common problem for fans is that they often terminate inside the attic, not outside as they should, creating moisture inside the attic that can lead to mold. The ducts should be smooth and take the shortest rout possible to the outside, otherwise condensation can for inside the duct and fall back in. Ducts in non conditioned areas should also be insulated to prevent heat loss and creation of condensation prior to air leaving the duct.
Condensation Inspection
In older homes or in homes with less than substantial vapor barriers “sweating” pipes or condensation on pipes can occur. The simple fix is to insulate them BUT you must not confuse a leaking pipe for condensation.
Required Practice Inspection:
I inspected the attic, insulation, ventilation & interior of my father’s home (he rents). I found a number of issues. First, the attic, which was probably the best preserved part of the house, was accessible only through a closet hatch of sufficient access dimensions. It was covered with both blown cellulose insulation as well as fiberglass batt insulation on top, and was about 12 inches in thickness.
The fiberglass batts were not installed all the way in the corners. It was layered with only a thin layer of cellulose. The walls not insulated but were made of asphalt-impregnated sheathing. The roof had no insulation.
Since there was only one piece of ply wood attached to the floor joists, the span of my attic inspection was limited. I was unable to inspect 75% or more of the attic.
The cross vents were present, but were attached to rotted, weathered wood framing with large gaps & holes. Theses spaces would allow any type of bird or animal to easily access the attic. Additionally, the vents will eventually fall out due to deterioration.
The basement showed indications of water damage, which was evident by the water stained & damaged dry wall in the basement as well as rotted wood framing around windows. This was addressed when the basement was waterproofed, yet damage is still present. The cinder blocked walls at the top where it meets the ceiling were chipping away. There were gaps where the ceiling & walls meet as well. Insulation was not inspected.
The stairs leading to the upstairs bedrooms were adequate, but the stairway leading to the basement was only 27 inches, nine inches short of what it should be, and had no railing. Additionally, there was a tripping hazard because tiles were pealing away.
Windows were new, so there were no issues there. However, doors were showing problems in their framing in that the surrounding wooden frame appeared to also be splintering & shipping away. The front door did not close properly, as there were gaps on the top & bottom of the end of the latch, indicating a problem with the door &/or frame. The garage door was powered by a electric opener, was only a year old & functioned flawlessly.
Finally, There were several cracks in the ceiling in one of the upstairs bedrooms.
I have attached some of the pictures I included from the inspection.
![IMG_0857[1].jpg](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/3X/8/d/8dcfc0d94352e7368ce7f9480cdae16ddfa3de8e.jpeg)
![IMG_0855[1].jpg](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/3X/3/8/38f99b50fcf021b9c0712fa20f250f32c8f1a7dc.jpeg)
![IMG_0874[1].jpg](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/3X/3/7/375ac84a3ffb1bcbcaeb1e8aea3248511614b71a.jpeg)
![IMG_0861[1].jpg](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/3X/3/4/3409b86951c984debf6c650511fca6381a00130f.jpeg)
Additional Article: “Sauna Inspections” by Nick Gromicko
I chose this article because I was curious as to what some of the specifications would be in what an inspector would look for when inspecting a sauna. The most important thing an inspector should look for, as stated by the article, is proper ventilation. Without proper ventilation, mildew & wood decay can occur which can not only destroy the sauna, but can also become a health hazard.
Hello, the photo shows a crack in the tile on a concrete slab foundation about 10 ft long. Crack could be caused by foundation settlement or shrinkage. Recommend monitoring and sealing, not a tripping hazard at this time.
For additional reading required for this course I choose Bathroom Ventilation, Ducts and Fans.
Bathrooms should have exhaust fans vented to the outside to remove excess moisture while showering. The duct should be smooth rigid type, straight and as short as possible to avoid condensation collecting inside. The termination should be on the exterior with an approved vent type, not terminating in the attic or interior. Main reason for ventilation is to decrease moisture which can lead to mold and insect problems.
Required Practice Inspection (not a full report)
Attic inspection was limited at access panel located in second floor bathroom.
Bathroom exhaust fan terminated at ridge vent and flexible duct was used. Recommend exhausting bathroom fan to the exterior with smooth rigid duct to prevent excessive moisture in attic which could promote mold growth and condensation dripping back to fan.
Evidence of rusting roof nails. Recommend increasing attic ventilation.
Attic insulation is fiberglass batts and appears satisfactory.
Roof sheathing has an area that appears darkened, possible mold, recommend a qualified mold inspector to evaluate.
Typical blown-in insulation. This appears to be at the proper thickness. Looks like the rafters were also covered to avoid conduction.
I read “Bathroom Ventilation Ducts and Fans”. I wonder actually how many newer home out there have been built (past 40 years) and have not been duct-ed to the exterior? I know personally I have ran across many.
just starting now