This photo is of the stucco around a the exterior power meter housing. The stucco is beginning to fail. Small parts of the stucco are coming apart and cracking. This is a penetration point of rain water. Water can enter this area causing further damage to the wall and power meter enclosure. I’d recommend repairs of this area from a qualified stucco company.
Gutters are the the most common roof drainage system. Gutters help divert water from a roof to the ground away from the homies foundation. Improper discharge of water to close to a home can over saturate soil sometimes causing serous structural problems. There are many typed of gutter materials. Vinyl gutters tend to be fragile, Galvanized steel gutters are more common and found all over North America, Copper gutters generally last longer then vinyl and galvanized gutters. Metal gutters are subject to corrosion especially if water and debris are allowed to accumulate. Be especially careful no to probe gutters that appear to be corroded as you might poke holes in the gutters.
Downspouts
Downspouts are designed to to drain water away from the foundation. A splash block or downspout extension are used to help carry run off away from the home. Pay close attention to the areas around the downspouts. Pooling, Foundation erosion and settlement can happen if water is not diverted from a home. Make sure that downspouts are free of debris and connected to the gutters properly.
The Photo above is of a damaged downspout. From the looks of it up close it seems to be from it being clogged at one point in time and freezing. The downspout also only redirects water from the roof only about 3 feet. This is not enough to help prevent water from settling next to the foundation, it should drain roughly 6 feet away from the foundation. It also appears to have been set on a brick but is not any longer.
I also noticed that the grade is sloping toward the foundation under the downspout and along the joining wall. This causes water that should be drained away back up against the foundation. This could cause saturation into the foundation as well as settling and cracking issues which would cause further water penetration into the living space.
The two articles that I read were 10 ways to save energy in the home, and basic waterproofing for basements. The first article had good ideas for any homeowner to save energy in their home with simple fixes. Such as rope calk around windows, installing storm windows on top of single pane windows, using LED or CFL light bulbs instead of incandescent. It also talked about alternative lighting solutions such as light tubes and shelf lighting.
The second article about waterproofing the basement talked about the necessity of keeping water draining away from the foundation, as well as maintaining the water removal system. It also touched on filling any large or small cracks that are found in the area. Afterward a sodium-silicate formula can be added to help insure that no water or gasses from the ground soil can leach into the house.
The attached picture is of a concrete window well that is damaged. From the cracks and breaks in the outside corners and in the middle of the slab, this is not new damage. There are no cracks in the bricks or mortar on this side of the house. The damage is localized to this window well. The yard to the left in the picture has a slight rise before it slopes away from the house toward the fence. The roof on this house has a 1:12 slope and originally didn’t have a rain gutter. The damage appears to be due to inadequate rainwater runoff, which resulted in expansive soil putting hydraulic pressure on the window well. Also, the addition of frost heaving in the winter resulted in the continued pressure over several season to the outer side of the concrete well and damaging the integrity of the concrete. The recommended correction of this issue is to install a rain gutter system, regrade the side yard to provide for at a minimum of 6" slope over 10’ away from the house and repair broken concrete by a professional.
Two Articles:
Inspecting Residential Lot Drainage in Areas with Expansive Soils - Expansive soils contain minerals that allow the soil the ability to more readily absorb water. The effect of this ability results in the expansion and contraction of soils by as much as 10 to 25%. Combine that with areas in the country where the zone of influence by expansive soils can exceed 10 to 20 feet, it can be a challenge to properly design and construct sound footings and foundations. There are websites, like the USGS, that can provide information on the type and characteristic of soils in the geographical area of concern. Standing water is not only a structural concern but is also a health concern due to the viruses (West Nile & Zika) that are carried by mosquitoes. Standing water and high moisture areas under a house or in a crawl space is also a mold concern. Due to the high liability of correctly determining drainage, slope and runoff, some states require Home Inspectors to carry liability insurance. Home Inspectors need to perform their due diligence, which may require the use of an expert in hydrology.
Concrete Admixtures - The mixture or components of concrete are very basic and work well most of the time, but there may be times or circumstances when the set-time, or workability, or curing time needs adjusted. These circumstances may be due to ambient air temperature (high or low), humidity, or large volume of a pour. The admixtures can accelerate, or decelerate the set-time, increase the fluidity of the mix and/or reduce the water content. But like most changes to any mixture there are also negative side-effects that if not correctly compensated for can weaken the final product. For this reason an expert should be consulted to ensure the exact recipe is used.
This is my inspection, written and photo entry for Inspect the Exterior Course
In my inspection of the exterior I noticed the driveway at the home had drainage issues. I followed driveway along the edges noticing a good amount of sinking. I included a photo here. With one of the larger depressions i noticed a noticeable slope towards the home. I used a level in the photo to show amount of lean the driveway had. I recommend a land/soil engineer access the situation for proper drainage.
This is a picture from doing an inspection on a garage door. The red door stop was pulled to test the door manually. After the automatic opener was engaged, it grabbed the stop on the way back up and re connected itself. The door was fully operational including the electronic eye and reverse safety features.
This is from the article “A garage inspection.” When inspecting a garage, there are several key components to inspect. Make sure the garage does not lead directly into a sleeping area. Inspect the garage door for functionality and all safety features are working properly. Inspect the entrance door to ensure it is fire rated. All outlets should be GFCI protected and you should insure the firewall is in place and installed properly.
This my entry for the two Reading & Writing Assignment for inspection library of articles for “How to Inspect the Exterior” Course
Aerogel by Nick Gromicko
This is a great product that is very much needed in every industry that involves a need for fire safety. That fact that most home owner doesn’t know of its existence is my job to mention in right situations to educate to help them protect their homes.
AFCI Testers by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard
AFCI are now a standard in most home in Florida. I come across them all the time and the need for a good reliable tester and how to use it is every important to a successful home inspection. Sometimes a simple AFCI teester is best for the job which is what I prefer.
For the reading assignment, I chose to read the two articles entitled Mudjacking and Wood Siding Inspection
Mudjacking
Mudjacking is an economical way to address settlement issues of concrete slabs in many locations of the home. Sidewalks, garage slabs, patios, and basement floors are all good candidates for mudjacking. There are advantages to using mudjacking over replacement. Mudjacking can be economical and the job can often be finished in much less time.
Wood Siding Inspection
Wood siding has both advantages and disadvantages to the home buyer and owner. Their appealing appearance can replicate many historic architectural styles. The maintenance of the wood requires more time and expense than many of the modern types of siding. The original purchase cost of wood siding is among the highest of the many choices available to the home buyer. The material itself is environmentally friendly and uses significantly less energy to manufacturer that brick.
This exterior outlet is protected by a GFCI circuit breaker in the main electrical panel. The cover shows some signs of surface corrosion due to age, but the seals work properly and keep water and dirt out of the duplex outlet. Cleaning the corrosion off of the metal cover is considered a cosmetic or aesthetic concern and would be at the discretion of the home owner.
These pictures show excessive ice buildup in the gutters on the north facing side
of the roof. Since this buildup is only in the gutters, this does not appear to be related to an issue with the roof insulation where excessive heat would be causing ice to form on the roof.
This buildup was present after several weeks of consistently cold temperatures below freezing, and so the likely cause of this is the water freezing as it hits the cold metal gutter before it can drain out.
There are two fundamental concerns with this buildup. The first is that water is dripping directly onto the house and door. The second is that the gutters are not designed or constructed to support this much weight and thus they could break away from the roof.
This has to be addressed immediately to remove this extra weight. As a longer term solution, heat tape could be applied to the bottom of the gutters to minimize the ice buildup.
Hard Water
I’ve personally dealt with hard water issues over several residences that I have lived in, both with municipal or city water as well as being on a private well. The map showing the hard water zones was interesting, and I’ve also found that water hardness can vary quite significantly.
Inspectors should make their clients aware if they spot evidence of hard water and recommend to get it tested for hardness level, as well as recommend installation of a water softening system.
House Moving
Moving a house is no small matter, but it may make sense in certain situations. Several reasons why a house may be moved include:
the owners wish to move to a different or better location (for example, they love the house, but they want to live on more acreage)
it may be less expensive to move a house rather than have it demolished and rebuild
owners may be forced to move per eminent domain or road expansion
There are many aspects that should be considered when moving a house, and a qualified house moving company can assist with making an educated decision. An InterNACHI inspector could be used to ensure the house complies with local requirements after moving.
For my assignment i have chosen to inspect the exterior railing of the entry stairs to this home. The railing meets the requirements for safety, a 4inch sphere is not able to fit through the spindles. There are no signs of deterioration or rotting because the material of construction is vinyl which is rot resistant. The hand rails are properly secured to the columns and at a proper height.
I chose this article since i am new to home inspection and wanted to learn about the different tools of the trade that can help me perform my inspections to the highest level possible. Having a background in construction has provided me with several of the tools covered in the article but there were a few that jumped out as being very handy to the home inspector such as a telescoping magnet for dropped panel screws. I now have a better idea of the tools i will be looking at purchasing to insure that i inspect for my customers to the highest level possible
#2 Moisture Meters
One of the tools discussed in the last article led me to choose an article on moisture meters. It is a very hand tool to have as a home inspector as water damage is a huge cause of not only structural damage but can also lead to severe health issues caused by the growth of mold. I will most likely have to do a lot more research before purchasing the type of meter i will usebut from this article i will be leaning toward a pin type meter.
Water pressure: As always, when inspecting a house I like to know what the water pressure is at the outside spigot. At this location, it was over 140 psi, which is too high. The normal range should be around 60 to 80 psi. I recommended to the prospective buyer to make sure a water regulator (this house did not have one) was installed and to have the water re-checked/adjusted to get the water pressure correct. This can prevent pipes from busting due to being under undue pressure.
There are several things to look for when inspecting ceramic tile and stone. When inspecting tile, the first is to look for is uneven tiles. If this exists, chances are the tile was not set correctly and will need to be redone. Another thing to check is to see if there are any cracks or loose tile. If this exists, it could also be from poor installation, expansion or contraction, or abuse. Crazing is a spider web looking series of cracks that happen if the tile was cooled too quickly. Also, grout can degrade or discolor and could need to be redone.
Electrical Service Panels:
Electrical panels are one of the most important aspects of an inspection. If it has problems, it can present a serious safety hazard to the occupant. Some of the more glaring problems that can occur are insufficient clearance, aluminum branch wiring, oxidation, water entry, rodent damage, improper bonding, not making a good connection, and if they are manufactured by Zinsco or Federal Pacific Electric. Any of these conditions should be noted and brought to the attention of your client.
Article read was on condensation in dual pane windows
The article was useful and information learned easy to apply in all my inspections. I don’t use thermal imagery and rely on visual inspections to identify condensing windows and used to have difficultly recommending a remedy. Recently inspected vinyl windows with many windows having moisture trapped between the panes. I now learned this may have been a defective batch and will consider this a possibility in future inspections. Whether to recommend window repair or replacement is always difficult, but are now clearer after learning about what repair options are available for different condensing scenarios. Lastly knowing what repairs may not be effective gives me the confidence to advise my clients and puts the right information in their hands to get the right repair for their money.
Patrick
