I found the Moisture Production From Domestic Activities illustration helpful. Many clients do not think through the amount of things they do in their home that might contribute to a mold problem. This would be useful as a handout for clients, especially first time home buyers.
This course was very informational and useful out in the field. The related picture shows mold forming within an interior wall do to a leaking sink cold water line. The interior wall was removed and disposed of in accordance with SOP.
This picture shows mold growth in a basement. The water source was poor drainage/lack of downspouts at the front of the house. The water intruded through the basement walls and was wicked up through the interior house wall material. Moisture problem was corrected by correcting the grade of the soil meeting the foundation and installment of downspouts.
As seen is this Photo cabinet of this unit has what appears to be microbial growth. The suspected growth should be tested and the unit should be cleaned and serviced regularly.
The importance of moister protection for building materials can not be stressed enough. This image shows the use of some of the materials used on the foundation walls to protect building materials from moister. Using the correct materials are only half the battle. Correct Installation is paramount!
The attached image is from a property that had been sold. The area in question is a basement storage space that had been closed for 2-3 weeks during the escrow process. The new owners came to complete the final walk through prior to escrow closing only to find significant growth in the basement.
The sellers called me in to provide an estimate for the remediation. I explained to them to properly handle the remediation, the source of moisture intrusion needed to be addressed. The response from the seller, “Let the buyer deal with that, I just need the cost to remediate the mold based on your visual inspection. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Moral to the story…Make sure you have a COMPLETE home inspection prior to the purchase of a new property.
The exterior grade of the property was deficient in that a hill sloped toward the sidewalk next to the home. The concrete sloped toward the exterior wall of the basement.
I never heard back from either the seller or the buyer.
I selected the article on “Moisture Meters for Home Inspectors”.
My other business is an emergency services restoration company…Water, Fire, Mold damage restoration so my moisture meters are a critical tool in my tool box.
The information provided in the article was spot on ESPECIALLY the paragraph regarding metal in the wall creating a “water” like presence.
A client of mine who was in the process of selling his home called me in for a second opinion after a home inspector called out moisture in area of the wall around a dormer window due to “no flashing at the dormer, roof junction”.
The client shared the photo from the inspection where the inspector had placed his non-invasive moisture meter right at the corner of the dormer. The reading indicated a moisture level of 28%MC. I know from experience that the dry standard for the home was 10%MC.
Immediately I noticed that the corner of the sheet rock was a perfect 90 degree outside corner. I informed my client that the inspector had placed his meter on a metal corner bead and that was causing the high moisture reading.
The client also called a roofer to confirm if flashing was present…The roofer confirmed flashing was present and installed properly.
The inspector never climbed onto the rooftop, his “inspection” was completed by standing on a ladder and zooming in to the area he thought the flashing was missing. His photo was taken looking “up” so you couldn’t see the edge of the asphalt shingles to confirm if flashing was present or not.
While it is impressive to have a “fancy” expensive tool, if you don’t know how to use it properly, you might as well leave it in your tool belt.
How to Perform Mold Inspections Photo and Essay
Water intrusion can be very damaging. Lack of maintenance and/or repair can lead to far costlier hidden problems compared to normal upkeep. This sub floor buckled in-under the flooring material after a prolonged water leak, caused by a faulty window header flashing, propagated enough into the living space for the owner to initiate corrective measures to repair. Some mold had even deteriorated some of the wet sub-floor at the perimeter where water was present for longer periods of time. The damaged sub-floor and molded materials were removed then replaced with new materials and the outside window flashing corrected to prevent future water intrusion and mold.
How to Perform Mold Inspections Essay
“Moisture Intrusion”
by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard
This article does a good job identifying potential moisture problem areas and relating concerns of mold damage and health concerns. Both exterior and interior sources of possible water intrusions are discussed. I liked how the writer covered both building defects and health ailments together related to water damage and mold.
This is my essay for the mold course:
When inspecting homes with hot water heaters, TPR valves often leak causing water to pool on flooring. If the TPR valve is not repaired, water can feed mold growth and we have seen significant organic growth in homes that end up causing costly repairs. When we observe a leaking TPR valve we always remind clients to consult with a qualified plumber to have a repair made to help prevent excessive organic growth.
Thank you,
Tim Evans
Traverse City Home Inspections LLC
231-499-3256
water leaking from tpr valve.pdf (90.7 KB)
I read abrasive blasting of mold.
Prior to removing mold, water should be removed from the home as this helps feed mold spores. A major benefit of abrasive blasting is the ability of removing mold in hard to reach places. Another advantage of abrasive blasting is time savings. In my hometown my locatal mold contractors use dry-ice blasting (from liquid CO-2) to remove mold in hard to reach places. We have seen this technique used in attics and crawlspaces.
Sincerely,
Tim Evans
Traverse City Home Inspections LLC
231-499-3256
“Advantages of Solar Energy”
Converting a home to solar energy has several attractive advantages when compared to the typical sources of energy homes use today. The big highlights for solar energy are the low maintenance qualities of the system. There is no requirement to have a utility company, but it’s possible to be credited with extra power produced from solar panels and returned back to the power grid. Another neat thing about solar energy is that it does not involve poisonous emissions like other popular sources of home energy. Not only is thing always a safety concern when inspecting a typical gas HVAC unit or water heater, but it helps the environment as well. It’s reliable, quiet, and economical in the long term for a large investment.
I Took this photo at an inspection. The photo is a in ground holding tank made from brick and mortar. The well on the property filled this holding tank and then pumped to the house as needed. I have never seen this before and I recommended that the buyers have the system updated to today’s standards and also have the water tested for presence of bacteria.
I chose and essay on adjustable steel columns. They provide structural support and are commonly used in basements. They should be mechanically connected to the top and bottom. They are generally 3" in diameter and should have a rust inhabiting coating.
Observed signs of moisture from leaking bathroom pipe and apparent mold. Recommend repairing leak and cleaning area with appropriate detergent. Continue to monitor area for future issues.
Moisture can enter a building in a number of different ways. High levels of moisture can cause building defects and health ailments. One of the best quotes I’ve heard when it come to inspecting for moisture issues is “Think like a raindrop”
Make sure that bathroom exhaust fans vent to the outdoors. Venting moist air into the attic can lead to issues such as mold, condensation, insulation and structural damage. With mold liking dark, damp places, the issue can be widespread and damaging before it is uncovered.
In our part of Florida, we don’t have many crawlspaces except on older homes (about 10% of the total.) When inspecting we always see lack of vapor barrier and concern for moisture/water accumulating below. In addition, our inspectors will look at leaks from subfloor penetrations that can lead to mold and damage. Another location to consider upon becoming IAC2 certified to look for and test for mold.
As this course mentioned, not all things that look like mold is mold. On the deck of the picture that I download, the dark strain looks like mold. But in fact is a sugar stain from a leaky hummingbird feeder. But a sample should be taking to verify the hypothesi
s.
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Sprinkler over spray and earth in contact with the siding at the exterior garage wall. Staining noted at the wall paper on the inside of the garage wall. Elevated moisture readings noted with a moisture meter. Recommend further evaluation and remediation by a licensed restoration company.
