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Here you can see the roof from the second floor window it is a gambrel so it is un walkable except for the upper part which is on a less of a pitch but you need a tall ladder to reach. the roof material is a dimensional asphalt shingle looks to be in good shape. pipes coming through the roof has a lead boot that is covered with shingles on the up side as the rest of the boot is out on bottom side covering the shingles. All looks to be in good shape
Ghosting is refers to discoloration that appears on a home. ghosting is a result from particles attaching to a surface. dust particles, animal dander cooking grease residue, soot from fireplaces and candles all can be a source for ghosting. particles that are attracted to a surface and making contact is called plating out.
Lock boxes are compartments where you can store house keys that if you know the code you can retrieve them. they are often stored on door knobs, fences, railings. they are pros and cons to having to having a lock box. they do make a lock box that is called a supra lock box that works with an infrared signal an there pros and cons to those also.
The roof examined was located on a town home and the age of roof cover is unknown. The roof edge was examined and it appears to be one layer of roof cover. There is a tree hanging over a small section of roof near the eave and this area has some moss and soil build-up at the edges. The more sun-exposed areas are starting to experience some minor granule loss. The roof is in fair condition overall and no areas of significant damage were noted. Examination of the attic area below gave no indications of roof leaks - past or present. I would recommend that moss killing products be utilized or gentle, hand removal methods be used in the upcoming summer months.
Two articles read:
Ceiling Fans
FHA loans
My climate does not necessarily make outdoor / porch ceiling fans a common site. I have seen a few and this article confirmed what I intuitively knew - there are fans rated for indoor use, damp use and outdoor use. The outdoor ones I have seen have drooping blades and I suspect the motors will rust-out quickly in this damp northwest environment. Also, I re-learned the importance of specifically rated junction boxes which will support the weight of a ceiling fan. It is more common to see ceiling fans which utilize remote controls and this can be an issue in an inspection when a fan may be functional, but the remote control batteries are “dead” or the remote cannot be found without rummaging through someone’s nightstand. The anatomy of the fan was described and methods for correcting “wobbles” were noted. Additionally, heights above floors and rotation direction were addressed.
FHA allows low down payments and has a mortgage insurance pool to guard against foreclosure and to protect the lenders. This has the advantages of allowing cash-poor buyers to get into a home. Loan amounts have limits and are based on geographical region, but still do not cover the upper ends of the pricing spectrum. The homes should meet certain criteria for condition and this is intended to keep the new, cash-poor buyer from having to pay for repairs for the home shortly after buying it. Like all low-down payment loans it runs the risk of having borrowers walk away from the property if economic conditions cause home values to drop significantly or if personal hardships occur.
This is an three tab asphalt shingle roof that is showing some aging. There is a shingle that has been detached from its fasteners near the rake edge. This could have been caused by wind or possibly poor installation. There are other damaged shingles in the area so it could also have been caused by a tree branch falling on the area. This roof also has many curling shingles with detached adhesive strips. I would recommend this roof be replaced. ATTACH][ATTACH]
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I just finished reading Mastering Roof Inspections, Part 51. This section is about wind damage. The most important component in preventing tab uplift is a fully bonded adhesive strip. Shingles are more wind resistant when the wind is blowing straight at the eave or 90 degree angle to the length of the shingle. The shingles at the rake edge are the most vulnerable.
Reasons for poor bonding of the sealing strip include cold temps. during and after installation, dust blowing under the shingle, shaded areas or overly reflective granule coatings.
I took a picture at a part of the shingle roof of a friends home. The overall condition of the shingles are good, but there are some areas with a leaving black streaks running down an asphalt shingle roof.
Is possible that this black stain may be an indication of a defective roofing product, or black algae stain.
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This roof appears to have been installed using a non-standard method. The water is not properly directed away from the ridge cap and the ridge cap appears to not be sealed appropriately. Additional evidence of dirt and debris under the ridge cap indicates possible moisture penetration. Recommendation is to have a licensed professional roofing contractor to review this area and make the necessary corrections.
The article “Part 26” describes the importance of the proper placement of fasteners to make sure the shingles seal properly therefore providing good protection to water penetration and failure due to wind damage.
In article “Part 27” describes the importance of testing the bong of shingles being carefule not to break the bond of shingles properly bonded. If the inspector does break the bond s/he must make sure to hand seal the affected areas.
starting course now
This roof is fairly new, within a year since installation. You can see a little uplift at the eve, probably from the wind gusts they experience on the water. The methane exhaust pipe has a shingle under it that seems to not have bonded properly, or it has lifted up. ultimately, the roof covering is in good condition, with proper flashing fitted correctly.
Carpet mold is a decreasing problem with rise in other flooring materials. Here in the sandy soil of florida, laminate or tile is usually the go to choice. But with that sandy soil come high humidity and lots of rainfall, increasing the chances of mold appearance. While curative treatments may be the last resort to rid your home of mold, preventative would be the first choice. Try to keep the indoor humidity around 40%, this is an acceptable number. Don’t install carpet in areas that are prone to get wet, like bathrooms, kitchens and garage floors. Make sure there is no standing water, and try to obtain some high quality padding that can be mold resistant.
They say a picture tells a thousand words. I’ll refrain and spare us the rest of the day.
3 tab shingles were observed with discoloration caused by zinc-oxide loaded water she’d from the galvanized chimney flashing. Chimney flashing was not installed in a workman like manner. Shingles demonstrated severe degradation. Further investigation showed 3 layers of shingles.
This photo is of an archetectural style asphalt shingle in the first third of its life span. On the left you can see the improper chimney flashing (not step flashed or grooved). This roof appeared to be properly installed and in good condition.
Kickout flashing is an angled piece of flashing installed at eave where a roof intersects a wall. Its purpose is to divert water away from the wall to prevent it from intruding into the home. Inspectors should check that kickout flashing is present and installed correctly where applicable.
The attached image is of an asphalt roof inspection. The image shows an area of the roof where there was damage to some shingles. Falling/wind driven limbs seem to be the culprit here.
In the article, Mastering Roof Inspections: Asphalt Composition Shingles, Part32
Making shingles waterproof depend highly on the asphalt. In addition to waterproofing, it provides thickness, weight and durability to shingles. If a shingle has a thicker asphalt layer, they will last longer than those similar with a thinner layer. Volatiles are chemical compounds with a low boiling point that are added to the asphalt mix to help keep shingles waterproof and flexible. a loss of volatiles will cause the asphalt to dry, shrink and crack. Heat will speed the process because it increases the rate at which volatiles evaporate but keeping shingles cool will slow down this process. This loss of volatiles can cause craze cracking, which is considered a sign of aging, unless the cracking appears prematurely. If the premature cracking continues through the mat and the shingles are not that old it is a sign of a weak mat and a low-quality shingle.
Essay
The photo depicts wind damage to a roof. This home was built in 2005 and this is the original roof system. As you can see, the asphalt shingles were fastened to the roof in a vertical orientation rather than horizontally as is recommended. Also, the staples were placed high on the shingle. Once the adhesion-strip failed, the poorly fastened staples tore through the shingle. There is also wind damage to the asphalt underlayment. The entire area should be replaced with a secondary asphalt underlayment and matching 3-tab shingles. I performed aa shingle lift test throughout the remainder of the roof and found no other failures of the adhesive stripe.
Essay
Brownfields and Redevelopment
Although they are thought to be safe, Brownfield redevelopment sites may have pollutants, chemicals and other hazards such as buried tanks and construction debris that could be hazardous to anyone digging a hole or planting a vegetable garden after redevelopment hides the previous condition of the property. There is also a threat of ground water contamination and soil gassing. When called upon to inspect a home in a Brownfield redevelopment, it may be prudent to recommend soil, air quality and water testing.
This is a mansard roof. With extremely steep pitch. I checked the bond on several areas. It all seemed good. I’m sure the 12 years in the South Florida sun have helped.