posting for another section.
Hello Classmates
Here is a picture of a crawl space. Where to begin. Crawlspace vapour barrier is missing and needs to be installed. Insulation between floor joists is not visible ,electrical wiring in crawlspace is secured.
Inspector Safety Equipment
I witnessed a friend of mine go into his crawlspace to look at his water pipes (there was an ugly liquid seeping from under his house) with nothing on but a t-shirt, jean shorts and tennis shoes with no socks. I asked him if he knew what he was doing and if he needed any help…I was kinda concerned for him but it was like watching those “redneck” videos you see that start out “hey watch this”. So he went in and came out all muddy and cut up. He was grunting and groaning coming out and said that he didn’t know that it was that small down thar. He had a few cuts and scrapes but nothing major. About a week later one of the cuts on his ankle got infected and had to go to the doctor to get it looked at…seems that the leak was from a sewer pipe and the cut got infected by the sewage getting into it. EWE. :vomit: It wasnt a huge leak but it was enough to get him in the hospital.
Attics are one of the great mysteries out there. You never know what to expect and you will always be amazed by what you find.
The inspection may have a rare Insulation type called Aerogel which is very good but more expensive than alternatives.Aerogel is a class of porous, solid materials that exhibits an impressive array of extreme properties. Invented in 1931 and used for decades in scientific applications, aerogel is becoming increasingly feasible as a building insulation, largely due to a decrease in the price of the material.
Aerogel is still prohibitively costly for most homeowners, and the few who can afford it probably don’t know what it is. At expensive properties with environmentally friendly features, however, inspectors should be prepared to encounter the material. Also, the prevalence of aerogel is likely to increase in the coming years as it becomes more affordable and widely known.
I hope the price comes down for this insulation so it can be a more viable option in the future.
Hi Everyone,
This is the wall of a house being refurbished, the walls had defective drywall (known as Chinese drywall) which had to be removed and as a result all the insulation had to be replaced before the new drywall was installed.
Hi Everone,
I have seen Attics where lots of large items are stored without proper flooring. These items are sometimes placed on the insulation compressing it and reducing the R-Value. Where this practice is observed it should be pointed out to the client.
In regards to the Attic there are many advantages to understaninding how insulation and ventilation work to obtain energy efficiency. Since insulation reduces air movement only within that space it occupies it’s important to have proper sealing and adequate insulation of air leakage.
So I was inspecting a townhouse that was built in 1986. While i was in the attic I noticed that there didn’t seem to be a fire break. I know I can’t completely confirm that with out going into the other attic space to see. But my question is when was it code to have a fire break in attic’s?
To be honest I find it rather annoying to have to post on the form to be able to pass off the training and move on.
This is a doorway in an older home and as you can see the floor is not even passing from the bedroom to the hallway. There is a 2" step when you leave the bedroom and enter the hallway. This is a danger of tripping and would recommend in need of correction.
Jerry Johnson
I inspected the attic and insulation in the attic which was 6" of loose-fill fiberglass. Ventilation system in attic in good shape. Ventilation in Basement and foundation appeared to be working properly.
I inspected the mechanical exhaust systems in the kitchen, bathroom and laundry area. All systems appeared to be working properly.
I inspected a representative number of doors and windows by opening and closing them. Floors, walls, ceilings, stairs, steps, landings, stairways, railings, guards and handrails. All appeared to be in proper working order.
Jerry Johnson
I read the article on pull down ladders. It gave a good list of things to look for such as: cut bottom cord of structural trusses, wrong nails or screws, missing nails or screws, not cut to length properly, no insulation, loose fasteners, compromised fire barrier and cracked steps just to name a few.
Jerry Johnson
some thing to be wary of in attics are rats, snakes, racoons and exposed knob and tube
personal experience can be costly and time consuming so anytime you have a ready source of info to draw from, such as internachi forum, its to your advantage to use it
Above is a picture of the attic in my condo. Notice that the exhaust for the hot water heater is vented straight up through the roof and the breach is properly sealed to prevent unwanted air exchange.
Kevin