This is a picture of the hood vent system above the kitchen stove and it is in good working condition, also it has the recommended head or hight clearance by the manufacturers instructions of 30" above the kitchen stove and the recommended filters installed.
I learned from the image of Hearth Extensions than a fire place opening equal to or greater than 6 sqft should have a heart extension of 12 inches to the sides and no minimum than 20 inches to the front, and if the fire place opening is less than 6 sqft, the heart extension should be no less than 8 inches to the sides and no less than 16 inches to the front
This fireplace is in very good condition. There is no cracks in the firebox. The flue and damper are operating correctly, although the flue is in need of cleaning as there is some buildup inside the chimney. Recommend calling a chimney sweep to clean the chimney.
I reviewed the counter flashing image of a chimney. The step flashing steps with the asphalt shingles. The counter flashing is recessed into the chimney and overlaps the step flashing to reduce the chance of moisture intrusion which eliminates damage to drywall and other damage.
This a prefabricated, wood burning fireplace that has been converted to gas log fireplace. The hearth measures 24 inches put from the firebox and is comprised of brick. The oak mantel is 12 inches above the lintel. The unit has a manually controlled flue damper that is in good condition. In addition, the fireplace has a fully functional damper, on the right, to allow and control the introduction of fresh air from the outside of the house. The gas line inlet is well sealed and none of the panels within the firebox show signs of deterioration. However, the homeowner does have combustible material within 3 feet of the fireplace opening which would be considered a hazard.
Firestops:
Firestops are essential to slow or prevent the spread of fire within walls, between dwelling spaces and other unseen areas that can act as plenums for flames. Common materials used to create firestops are sheet metal, fire-rated drywall and firestop mortar. While inspecting a single or multi-dwelling residence one should look for missing, damaged or improperly installed firestops. An improperly installed firestop may be as simple as firestop mortar being applied too thinly or a hole in a fire-rated sheetrock.
How to Inspect an AC Return.How to increase HVAC system return air to increase heating or cool air output by improving the flow of return air to the air handler. This article describes problems with return air inlet size, location, and ductwork.
Inadequate return air seriously limits both air flow rates and also the degree to which building air is cooled (or heated) by the HVAC system. The photograph above shows a return air inlet grille for a commercial office space after the air conditioning return register and ducts were increased in size as part of improvements in the building cooling system.
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How to inspect Stairway.Facts and Figures
1,638 people died from falls on steps and stairs in the United States in 2004. This figure is greater than the combined number of swimming pool and bathtub drownings for the same year, according to the National Safety Council. The actual number of stairway accidents is probably much higher, as many people who sustain injuries don’t know why they fell, and others are too embarrassed to admit they fell, so these incidents go unreported.
Elderly occupants are at particular risk of falling down stairs, mostly due to impairment.
Here in this inspection is a minor foundation crack leadinhg from the bottom corner of the window down to the footer. These types of cracks are common and a result of foundation settlement. Also the sump pump discharg was located in close proximity to foundation .
Chimneys are among the heaviest and most structurally vulnerable of all exterior components of a building. Accidents caused by their collapse can lead to death. A collapse can also cause structural damage that is costly to the building and its surroundings. Inspection, maintenance and preparedness are important safeguards against chimney collapse.
Hi, Konrad. That is a great essay and inspection image. Thank you for contributing to this student forum. Keep up the good work.
Essay fireplace inspection: It is in perfect condition. The smoke shelf is located behind the damper. A fireplace works well if the smoke shelf is deep. Some smoke shelves are curved. Smoke would enter the room without a smoke chamber.
Essay fireplace inspection: It is in perfect condition. The smoke shelf is located behind the damper. A fireplace works well if the smoke shelf is deep. Some smoke shelves are curved. Smoke would enter the room without a smoke chamber.
This is drywall from a friends place. It appears that there is no barrier between the base of the drywall and the earth below it. This is in a room that is cut into the hillside. The damage looks like its most likely caused by capillary action due to nothing placed below to block the moisture from wicking up the drywall
Here we have a chimney that has a very large and unsafe ammount of cresote buildup. I as a home inspector would definatly reccomend that the home owner have the chimney cleaned and then reinspected to see what really lies beneath the build up on the cresote.
It is important to thouroughly inspect the chimney and fire apparatus for a home. After all the fireplace could be used for the homes main source of heat. This course taught me to always be very investigative of a chimney system. Failure on a chimney system could cause a catastrophic event in an unsafe fireplace system.
During inspection of a utility closet I noted a 10 lb ABC fire extinguisher. This model had a pressure gauge and an a inspection tag. The gauge was in the operating zone and the inspection tag was within the 12 month certification.
This is a my direct vent fireplace it is a prepiped gas unit with an electric switch. The venting is directly behind the unit at the exterior of the structure. There is the word hot stamped on the vent hood and no combustibles are stored near it.
Bats infestation, this article hits home because the first home I bought was infested with bats and being in my early 20s I did not have the home inspected. There were 5 garbage bags full of bat droppings and ruined insulation. The problem was remedied by a Wildlife professional but it was a $1200 dollar lesson.
the main way to tell the difference between ants and termites for me is the antennae. By reading the article about ants I also learned that you can you can spot the difference in the wings and the shape of the body. Both ants and termites can do a considerable amount of damage to a home. Being able to spot an infestation and reporting it is key.