Downspouts should prevent rainwater from washing soil away from dwelling’s foundation or building up around and increasing ground water pressure on basement walls. Ground surface also should be graded so as to drain surface water away from the foundation walls. Not in this case .
Roof drainage, roofing gutters should slope down towards the downspouts at a rate of 1/16 inc per foo, or 1/4 in per 5 to 10 foot. An angle less than this won’t allow water to move effectively, too much of an angle will cause the water too move fast and potentially and resulting in overflow over end cups and corners.
IN this picture you can see there is no drip edge. It is good practice to have drip edge installed at the gutterline. you can see the underlayment is intact beneath the 3 tab shingles, but no drip edge. furthermore, there is some flaking paint at the top of the gutter board. The decking is 1x lumber.
Regarding the asphalt shingle nailing diagram. It is important to know how shingles were nailed because it could tell why shingles have become loose and detached. Example 1 is a properly nailed shingle, the nail is driven in straight, it is not too high or low. A high nail or a crooked nail will poke through the back of the shingle above it and wear a hole through causing an entry point for water. A nail that is driven in too far as well as a crooked nail could damage the shingle to the point that the shingle could pull through the nail causing it to become detached from the roof. A detached shingle will provide an entry point for water. Shingles should be nailed properly.
I observed this gutter from grade, and from the roof. The gutter system serves two roof planes; one from a recent addition, with a metal roof, and the other from a large surface, covered with asphalt shingles. The gutter system was recently upgraded from 4" to 6", to handle the amount of water coming down both roof planes, particularly with the addition of the newer metal roof. Water was previously coming down the valley and over shooting the gutter. The larger gutter, and raising it slightly on the soffit, now prevents this overflow, and handles the water flow adequately. The addition of the metal roof increased the water flow exponentially, from the prior ‘asphalt roof plane only’, and necessitated the use of a larger gutter system.
I chose the article entitled “Rainwater Catchment Systems” to review. The article illustrated that Catchment Systems could reduce the water bill, conserve water resources, and allow for self-reliance, through uses such as consumption, irrigation, flushing toilets, and washing clothes. It described how such systems could range from very simple to very sophisticated, and advantages and disadvantages of implementing such systems.
In review, I would suggest that locale plays the largest factor in implementing such a system, as well as the abundance or scarcity of water in a particular region. I could also see an advantage to using collected water for not-potable purposes such as washing clothes, flushing toilets, and irrigation, in almost any region. These uses would not require the filtering and pumping to the extent that would be required if the water was being used for drinking. Areas where water is very scarce, and expensive, may well benefit from these catchment systems, much more impacting the conservation of this natural resource.
Shingles are 3-tab asphalt. One section (approximately 5" x 3") on the back middle portion of the roof has been patched. The repair appears to have been sub-standard and possible presents a risk of roof leakage. Recommend evaluation by a qualified roofing contractor.
The article I selection was titles “Inspecting Aluminum Wiring”. I was personally unaware that aluminum wiring had ever been used in homes, but that it was used extensively in homes built between 1965 and 1973. Since the year a home was built is public record and will be known prior to the inspection, this taught me that this is something that I will need to be aware of going in and pay close attention to the type of wiring used. I also learned of the negative issues and even dangers posed by the use of aluminum wiring in homes.
See photo of small moisture damaged area of roof decking located at front left edge of roof over garage. In my opinion this water penetration and moisture damage has occurred due to no drip edge flashing was used. I recommend getting an opinion and a quote from a licensed reputable roofer on correcting moisture damaged edge of roof decking and installing a drip edge flashing to keep water out and to ensure roof is water tight and properly flashed.
I read the article on carbon monoxide poisoning and detectors. I learned that carbon monoxide detectors need to be placed within 10 feet of every bedroom door and at least one detector on each level of the house. There is one crucial bit of information that I did not find in the article; that carbon monoxide is heavier than oxygen and collects at the floor first. These detectors need to be placed closer to the floor for this reason.
A rain cap is installed to protect the inside of the chimney flue from both weather and wildlife intrusion. It is also not uncommon to see a rain cap acting as a damper for a traditional fireplace.Rain caps are always manufactured out of metal. The best-quality ones are made from stainless steel or copper. This also helps keep out wild life.
chimney deterioration
Wind and other elements may cause an already weakened chimney to collapse. An elderly man in Britain was crushed by a wind-toppled chimney as it fell from the roof of the managed-care facility where he lived. This case is, unfortunately, fairly unremarkable, as such accidents occur often for a variety of reasons like from weathering and wind, to falling tree limbs and poor design. Chimneys that are not looked at closely can be a danger on the property.
In this photo of a chimney, you can see that the mortar has started to deteriorate in between the bricks. This is caused by exposure to the elements, and can lead to the chimney collapsing. The chimney is in need of repointing.
Walking on roofs can be quite dangerous. The first step in determining whether or not to walk a roof is to look at the slope and the type of roof covering. Asphalt roofs are generally less slippery than wood roofs, which in turn are generally less slippery than metal roofs.
Ready to do this!
This picture is from a previous inspection I did. It shows the defect of poor flashing and in adequate flashing. The roofing shingles are starting to curl up from age and sunlight. The water is backing up and damaging the wood exterior siding. With proper flashing the exterior would have been protected from the moisture and the wood would not decay.
I have chosen the gallery chimney heights and clearances. This has really help me understand and learn the basics terminology and specifications. T feel these galleries help with the learning progress. The pictures are sometimes much better interpretation than writing.
As seen in the attached photo, the shingles showed signs of significant granule loss and have exposed fiberglass in many areas. These issues were prevalent throughout the whole roof and indicate that the roof is at the end of its lifespan. Replacement of the roof covering by a licensed roofer is needed.
I found the photo showing all the components of a headwall flashing to be very informative. From the photo I am able to get a good understanding of how a properly installed headwall flashing should look. Images like these make the learning process much easier.
Roof/Flashing
Architectural asphalt shingles judging on the condition I would estimate the age to be 5-7 years old. Chimney has apron flashing along the front edge that is overlapped by the step flashing extending up the sides/slope of the roof. From my angle and positioning I was unable to determine if the was a cricket or flashing on the high side of the chimney. Overall the flashing looks in good condition.
