Child safety for stairs. Several factors are important for kids to remain safe. Stair guards should have a maximum spacing to allow no more than a 4 3/8" sphere to pass through. Gap located in open risers should not allow more than a 4" sphere to pass through. Lastly, no larger than a 6" sphere should be allowed to pass through the triangle area of the riser, guard and tread.
This is an example of a non-circular handgrip. It is located at least 1.5" from the wall. Its perimeter falls between the required 4"-6 1/4" range and its cross-section doesn’t measure more than 2 1/4". This handrail will provide the user with an appropriate grip strength to help prevent a fall.
This is a picture of a bathroom exhaust fan. The fan was operational and it vents to the outside of the roof. The plastic cover for the exhaust fan was free of dust and pet dander, so the air flow should not be obstructed.
Backslider door has cracks around seam these cracks can cause moisture, and air leaks which can lead to higher energy costs and possible mold growth recommendations are #1 an evaluation by a qualified carpenter or #2 calk around the seam of the door to reduce the air and moisture intrusion.
After reading the article titled “A Garage Inspection”, I learned that improper alterations can create serious structural and safety issues. It showed that the trusses had been modified and stated that modifications of a truss should only be made by a structural engineer. It also described how trusses should only bear weight on exterior walls, yet the picture in the article shows that the two trusses to the left of the photo are on top of an interior wall. It also indicated that a truss should bear directly on wall framing, but the trusses in the picture were fastened through drywall with gold deck screws.
Inspection of the required egress of the residence has revealed that the width of the exterior door meets the required 36 inch opening with a 5 inch step to the exterior and has an acceptable clear path travel distance of 36 inches.
Inspection of the residence attic area has revealed that the attic access pull down stairs are in sound and acceptable condition with proper opening widths. All required fasteners are in place and in sound condition with a light switch located at the top of stairs.
Federal law states that residential garage door openers manufactured after 1992 must be equipped with photo - electric eyes or some other safety - reverse feature that meets UL 325 standards. The vertical distance between the photo - eye beam and the floor should be no more than 6 inches.
The attic access panel located in the west hallway is undersized based on current building standards. A minimum opening of 22" X 30" is required. This opening measures 22"X 23". The access is made of a sheet of plywood supported by wood casing trim. A separate attic access was provided in the garage that meets the current requirements. We recommend this hallway access be weather stripped and properly insulated to prevent energy loss.
Metals used to make metal roofing panels and tiles are often mixed alloys. The manufacturers goal is to provide durability and strength while also protecting the product from its most common enemy,corrosion. The best products achieve this with little problem using science to provide the correct alloys.
If a basement will only be insulated and not finished,a fire rated foam panel or similar fire rated covering needs to used. Because the above grade portions of the basement wall can dry to the outside,fire rated insulation on these surfaces may be of an impermeable type.
Attic insulation was improperly installed. The insulation batting was
laid over existing insulation. The original insulation had the vapor
barrier facing the wrong way (toward the roof). The vapor barrier can
trap moisture inside the attic, creating conditions for mold growth.
The new insulation was added with an additional vapor barrier,
increasing the risk of moisture being trapped in the attic.
The aim of attic insulation is to insulate the living space, while maintaining the attic temperature the same as the outside. INstall baffles to allow free flow of air from the soffit vents, and be certain the vapor barrier faces the conditioned air space.
This pictures show a set of outside stairs that have several safety issues. They do not have a consistent riser measurements. There is more than 3/8" difference between each step. The hand rails are also loose and splintered. The balusters are greater than 4’ apart. The top stair tread has a lot of give to it. It felt like it was going to break when I stood on it. The cause is either the wood is old and rotting or the lack of a center stair stringer.
Photo of scuttle hatch cover for attic. Temperature outside: -30c. Temperature inside home: 23c. Rh: 48%. Weather stripping had not been replaced in many years and had shifted allowing air leakage from inside the home to escape and condense though gaps at the attic hatch opening. As well, moisture has accumulated on rafters, exposed nails, and air vents directly above in the form of frost over 1" thick.
I read the article on bathroom ventilation and ducts. This article is important to me because I’m about to install and fan in my upstairs bathroom. One thing I did learn from the article is type of exhaust duct I should use. A smooth PVC or metal duct should be used no the flexible plastic corrugated tube they provided with the fan.
‘Inspecting Aluminum Wiring’
With many homes on the market being built between 1965 and 1973 it is important for a home inspector to be able to identify aluminum wiring for the safety of the new homeowner and for the appropriate insurance coverage if ever there should be an incident.
This is a photograph showing the average depth of blown cellulose insulation in this home’s attic is approximately 5 to 6 inches . This home is located in climate zone 5, and should have attic insulation rated at R49. The insulative value of this attic insulation is approximately R18 to R22. It would be advisable for the homeowner to add more attic insulation to this home.
I chose the article on attic pulldown ladders. I learned from this article that there are a number of important things to look at when inspecting these types of attic access. The inspector should look closely at the attic structure to make sure no alteration of ceiling trusses occurred during installation. Also, the inspector should look closely at all ladder hinges, connecting hardware, and hanging hardware to make sure the ladder is safe to operate and use.
Wood decay happens when wood comes in contact with fungi and the environment the wood is in is damp and between 77 and 90 degrees . The damp conditions allow the fungi to grow with the wood cells as its source of food. Various woods can decay diffrently