Research & Writing Assignment:
Insulation provides resistance to heat flow. You can expect lower heating and cooling costs the more heat flow resistant the insulation provides. He will naturally flow for more space to cooler space. A properly insulated home will do a cruise this heat flow by providing an effective resistance to the flow of heat.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Housewrap is a permeable membrane that inhibits liquid water intrusion into the home but allows water vapor to escape from the homes interior. The product is only good if installed properly. If not installed properly with overlapping seams and sufficiently taped, it may cause more damage than what it was intended to prevent.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Insulation installed in attics should cover the tops of all floor joists. Insulation between joist/studs does not restrict the heat flow through those joists/studs. The heat flow is called Purnell bridging. The overall all R-value of the wall may be different from the R-value of the installation itself.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Moisture intrusion into a house can be very detrimental to the structural integrity of a house and should be controlled for this reason. Moisture can enter a house from several points or can be generated from inside the house. It can be in the form of water as in rain through leaks in the roof or in the siding and windows. It can be in form humidity from the hot steamy bathroom or boiling water in the kitchen. Indications of these could be peeling paint in the bathroom or kitchen. It could be a stain on the ceiling indicating a leak in the roof or a plumbing leak. All of these should be investigated and addressed as soon they are noticed to avoid damage to the home and costly repairs.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The deck off the back of the house has a few problems. As the picture shows, it does not have adequate railing protecting someone from falling. Any floor, decking, landing surfaces located more than 30 inches above the floor or ground should have guards. Also the railing that is up is not considered safe. The railing should not be able to allow passage of a 4 inch sphere. And ideally should run vertically instead of horizontally. Horizontal railings may allow someone to easily climb on the guards. The picture also shows that the wood decking has not been treated very well with protective staining. This could easily lead to dryrot to the point where the guards may not be able to pass maximum weight capacity of resisting a 200 pound load concentrated at any point in any direction of the handrail or the top of the guard.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The item that I retrieved out of my inspection archives was some incorrect supporting of joist and beams. The picture shows a joist and beam replacement shimmed up with uneven boards. This most likely was done by a homeowner. This flooring system had several deficiencies.
Research & Writing Assignment:
The essay for this section was based on adjustable screw jacks or lally columns. These columns are used thru out north America in basements. The older columns are usually found in poor condition due to corrosion. The newer adjustable columns are manufactured with a build rust inhibitive paint. This upgrade will help extend the life of these columns .
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Master bedroom sliding glass door shows moisture between the panes. It appears that the seals on this window/door have failed. This door faces the west which allows it to be hit by direct sunlight in the afternoon. At night and during cool or cold times of the day the gas or air between the panes cools and contracts. As the temperature rises and or sunlight hits this door it causes the gas or air between the panes to rise causing thermal pumping. Over time it causes the seals to fail. I recommend this door be replaced.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Crawl space insulation and vapor barrier:
The crawl space of a home is on of the most neglected areas that has the potential to cause the greatest energy loss and decrease the IAQ of a home. The improper application of missing vapor barrier in a crawl space leaves soils exposed, clear pathways for gasses such as radon to enter the conditioned space and moisture issues that can lead to biological growth such as mold and mildew.
Damaged or missing insulation and ground vapor barrier should be noted as a defect and recommend that a professional contractor make appropriate repairs or replacement.
Research & Writing Assignment:
HVAC components in unconditioned spaces:
HVAC components such as air handlers, duct work and furnaces that are installed in unconditioned spaces like attics and crawl spaces require extra attention for service and maintenance. Poorly installed equipment or damaged duct work cause energy loss and have the potential of bringing in moisture and pollutants from these areas.
The inspector should give extra time and attention when these conditions exist making note of any defect or damage to the equipment, ducting and electrical components of these assemblies.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
I inspected the bathroom exhaust fan from the switch and visually. The exhaust fan is covered in dust and isn’t operating. Due to the condition of the exhaust fan, it will need to be further evaluated by a licensed contractor.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Window Moisture
When inspecting windows, note that the seals may be eroded and silica exhausted/filled, therefore observing windows with fog contained within or on them helps to identify to a client that the windows likely need replacement. Generally, a severely fogged window between glazing cannot be adequately resolved without replacement, as the glazing and interior mechanisms/components are prone to degradation.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Interior Doors
Inspecting interior doors is important even if there aren’t as many references to general building codes. As a safety consideration, glass and other interior doors cause a significant number of injuries each year. In order to assess whether a door operates, a fair sampling of doors need to be checked during the inspection, as well as its condition.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Minimizing air flow from areas like the attic and exterior doors can impact the efficiency of a home. The picture attached, shows an attic access that is not completely closed. Air flow can cause energy loss and movement of moisture which is advisable to avoid.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Moisture control in a home is an important aspect of home ownership and maintenance. Moisture can travel through diffusion, heat transfer, but mostly through the air. Finding and sealing air gaps and cracks in one’s home could prevent loss or damage from moisture.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This is a photo of a crawlspace showing three different issues concerning the heat loss of this home. First, the copper pipe is part of the radiant baseboard heating system and is not insulated, allowing significant loss of heat in the system to the crawl space. Second, the rim joist of the perimeter of the house is not insulated, and third, the floor between the unheated crawlspace and the conditioned space of the house above is not insulated. Insulating all three of these components would reduce the energy needs of this home.
Research & Writing Assignment:
The article ‘Residential Foundation Insulation’ describes the need to insulate either the walls of a crawlspace or the floor above it. Insulating the floor does the best job of reducing the overall heated space of the building but it is important to make sure any pipes in that space are well insulated to prevent their freezing in winter.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This attic has blown in fiberglass insulation, this house is in zone 5, there is 18 inches blown in with a R factor of 2.5 per inch of insulation. Zone 5 requires a R factor of 49 in the attic, 18"X 2.5 will give you a R factor of 45. this is a bit under the standard. I would suggest further evaluation from a licensed insulation contractor.
Research & Writing Assignment:
I learned in the colder climates it is necessary to put your moisture barrier on the interior side of a concrete wall because you need the wall to dry towards the inside, if you put a barrier on the concrete side of the wall it will not have the ability to dry and will hold moisture. This could cause structural issues and promote microbial growth.
