Inspection & Writing Assignment:
In this photo it shows batt insulation inside an exterior wall with the paper toward the interior of the home forming a vapor barrier from the outside. Notice how the insulation is tucked into the crevices not stufffed The paper is the attached to the studs with staples.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Lack of insulation in the walls can lead to energy loss and could be very costly for the homeowner.I would recommend hiring a professional installer to evaluate the insulation due to the age of the house and the building codes restrictions on insulation installed around electrical.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Read the article Installing Attic Insulation in this article it goes over the importance of of having a well insulated attic with proper airflow. Most people may not be aware the the proper airflow is just as important as the insulation. The use of soffits to bring in fresh air to the vents and ridges getting rid of the warm air. So before insulating the attic make sur you have good ventilation in the attic.
Research & Writing Assignment:
The article on evaluating structural framing illustrates the importance of inspecting each house equally and recommending the proper improvement or repair.The structure is a important component so choose your words wisely and stick to the internachi SOP.The structural framing should inspected diligently because it affects all the other components of the house.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
In this inspection photo, I observed a few things. the type of insulation is blown cellulose. It has decent depth but the insulation has been removed around the bathroom vent. The light shining through shows how much of an air leak area this is. This hurts the effectiveness of any of the insulation.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
this picture of an attic was taken right over the garage. Rafters and trusses look in good condition and roof deck does not show sign of any water intrusion. Rodents were observed, it is recommended that the owner seeks the services of a pest control professional.
Research & Writing Assignment:
from the illustration gallery, the illustration of Attic Eave Loose-fill Insulation shows how the loose-fill insulation should hold short from the soffit vents. There, a rigid foam insulation and the sheathing hold the loose-fill insulation in place allowing airflow from the soffits up through rafter baffles and into the attic area.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
This sliding door operates smoothing opening and closing fully. The closing latch fully engages and holds the door securely closed. All weather stripping and door seals are in place. There are no signs of water or air intrusion. The screen is also in good repair.
Research & Writing Assignment:
I chose the image titles inspector attire for this assignment. The picture shows an inspector dressed in a suit and tie. This seems like very inappropriate clothing choice for an inspector who is expected to crawl round in potentially very dirty environments.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The above photo is of an attic where there has been absolutely no insulation installed. This should for sure be noted in the report for the customer, the correct type and correct depth of insulation is to be installed in the attic.
Research & Writing Assignment:
The proper installation of insulation is an important component of the home. Energy star states that the correct installation of insulation and sealing the home can cut home heating and cooling costs by up to 20 percent. Plastic baffles are also a good thing to install for better ventilation.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
The attached picture is that of an attic during a recent inspection. The picture shows the attic a truss system with plywood decking. The insulation is cellulose of around 8-10 inches. The recommendation would be to add insulation to around 16-18 inches because of the residence being in region 5. The picture also shows a section of flexible duct which is insulated as it should be.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Attic insulation is original R-19 insulation from the early 1980’s and has lost it’s thickness. The storage of materials in the attic has disturbed the placement of the insulation and many joist bays are lacking insulation. The original heat ducts appear to have lost the air tight seal to the plenum and registers. The attic access door does not have a gasket and is not insulted. There is great energy loss in this attic that can be improved on by adding insulation, sealing all penetrations into the attic and sealing the heat ducts along with a general clean up…
Research & Writing Assignment:
The article studied pertaining to this section is titled attic pull down ladders. The article discusses defects with the installation of attic ladders. Defects range from improper fasteners, damaged firewalls, altered structural supports and improper ladder heights. All these defects can cause injury to any user of the system.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Minimal insulation is present near the eaves of this home. Many voids are also present within other locations of the home. Over time frosting and melting have stained much of the perimeter of ceiling of this home with a few locations possibly having mold formation. Recommended that a mold professional examine the damaged ceiling locations and repair as necessary. In addition, a insulator will need to upgrade the insulation value to prevent further damage upon repair/correction of interior ceiling issues.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Installing Attic Insulation
A well insulated attic can save you as much as 20% in energy costs. The goal is keep the attic space the same temperature as the outdoors in both summer and winter. This would entail proper roof venting via soffit and roof spaces, a sealed vapour barrier and a well insulated attic. Canadian insulation values of a minimum of R40 are recommended, with new energy code requirements on new builds of R60 being required.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
In the attached image, one can observe a well insulated attic access in great condition. The access space cover, when removed, reveals well insulated inner coverage. Upon inspection of this attic access, there was no recommended service nor correction. This was ideal.
Research & Writing Assignment:
https://www.nachi.org/gallery/?level=picture&id=2110
From the above link pulled from the interNACHI gallery, we see an illustration of ideal central ventilation.
The flow of air is routed properly from the intake at properly installed positioning and navigates accordingly with the design to infiltrate and vent through the exhaust air outlet drawn by the central exhaust fan.
Inspection & Writing Assignment:
Under the stairs to the basement, the wall adjoining the office was studded up with a bottom plate that is in direct contact with the concrete basement floor. This bottom plate should be pressure treated to prevent moisture intrusion and it is not. Further investigation of the basement wall bottom plates is warranted.
Research & Writing Assignment:
Optimum conditions for mold growth in attic. The most common reason is inadequate ventilation. Attics are best ventilated when there is both soffit and ridge or soffit and gable vents, If there is insufficient venting then moisture will condense on roof sheathing, air will be drawn up from living space due to negative pressure and all of this produces moisture in stagnant air spaces and eventually ideal conditions for mold growth. The inspector must assess the attic ventilation adequacy carefully.
