First, check the exhaust ducting or tubing; it should be insulated, straight and vented to the outside. There should be a minimum of bends for proper air flow. If there is no insulation around the duct, the problem could be condensation in the cold duct. Adding insulation around the duct may solve the problem.
The fan’s damper can also get stuck in the open position, allowing hot air into the cool duct and creating condensation. Check the small damper at the fan. It should open when the fan is on and close when the fan turns off. This damper responds to fan pressure and gravity. Most vent connectors through the roof or sidewall should also have a damper to keep cold air out, and it should open and close with fan operation.
For many years, contractors installed bath fan vent ducting incorrectly, creating a bend or low loop to catch condensation. This just allows water to accumulate and may cause a large leak when the water lets go.
]]>In the basement, find the main warm-air supply duct, which originates directly above the furnace. Often this is a rectangular duct running down the center of the basement. It may branch off into smaller circular ducts serving individual room registers.
Where the round duct attaches to the rectangular main, look for evidence of a duct damper: a wing nut around the end of a quarter-inch threaded rod. At the end of the rod, you'll see a screwdriver slot.
If this slot is perpendicular to the small round duct, the damper is closed. If the slot is parallel to the duct, the damper is open. You can loosen the wing nut and change the position of the damper. Then secure it by re-tightening the wing nut.
If opening the damper solves the problem, great. If the room is still cold, you may need to partially close other dampers to direct more air to the cold room. Often, dampers fit loosely, and even when fully closed, they can leak lots of air.
By Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It
Copyright by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. | misterfix-it.com | htoyh.com
Helping you operate and maintain your home
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If you’ve ever inspected a 100-year-old home with radiators, you have seen 4- to 6-inch pipes snaking through the basement; the large pipes are reduced to smaller ones that rise through the floor and connect to cast-iron radiators. A two-story home has large riser pipes that reach the second floor. You will also find an expansion tank in the attic. Most of these systems have been upgraded to new boilers with circulating pumps.
The original gravity hydronic heating systems depended on hot water rising and cool water dropping from radiators (illustration H071C).
Heat radiated into the room from air convection over the warm cast iron. The water cooled and naturally dropped through the return piping – there was no need for a circulation pump (illustration H072). When designed properly, these were very comfortable systems.
Eventually, as boilers were replaced, so were the gravity systems. The new boilers were much smaller and used smaller pipe fittings and circulating pumps (photo – Hydronic Boiler with Large to Small Piping). The pump forced water through the system at a much faster rate, moving much more energy. This allowed the use of smaller pipes and smaller boilers.
When inspecting one of these converted systems, you will see the original large piping necked down to smaller piping (photo – Close-up of Large to Small Hydronic Piping). The photo shows newer 1-inch black iron piping connected to the original 3- or 4-inch piping. This type of system would have been installed about 1980. After 1980, even smaller copper piping connected to the large piping. Modern systems may use special PEX piping.
In most cases, the large old steel piping performs well, but look for leaks. Point out to the buyer that the piping system is original to the home and may need ongoing repair. Do your normal boiler inspection; fire the boiler with the normal operating control. Check the type of fuel, visible burner, pump, zone valves, water fill with backflow preventer, expansion tank, and heat sources in every room. If you see any leaks, burn marks, rust, or maintenance issues, suggest that the boiler heating system be evaluated by a specialist.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com, he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
]]>During a winter inspection, you notice an ice dam—a thick, solid ridge of ice that built up along the eaves. Should you report it as a visual defect? What causes this, and what does it mean to the buyer?
You should report a visible ice dam and recommend further investigation. In one case (Photo 1), I noted possible damage to gutters and roofing. Ice dams can cause water damage to overhangs as well as inside the home.
You’ll see a heavy buildup of ice at the cold edge of the roof (Photo 2). The snow in back of the ice dam has melted, so it looks thinner. This area of thin snow is just above the interior wall of the home.
The simple answer: heat. Heat builds up in an attic and melts snow on the roof (Illustration R002). The snowmelt/slush slides to the edge of the cold overhang, where it re-freezes and creates a dam along the roof’s edge. When more snowmelt occurs above the ice dam, water builds up and can leak into the structure of the home. Asphalt shingles are not designed to be buried in water—they will leak.
Certainly, lack of insulation and ventilation allow an attic to get too warm. Then trace this process back one step and you’ll likely find air leaks from the heated envelope into the attic.
Yes. In my typical investigation of interior leaks due to ice dams, I often find a significant air leak near the ice dam. I found one ice dam caused by lack of air sealing around a masonry chimney. There was a 6-inch opening around the chimney that led all the way down to the basement.
In another case, a new home addition with great insulation and ventilation was experiencing ice dams. The remodeling project included installation of two ceiling can lights over a built-in window seat. Warm air was leaking around the ceiling lights (Illustration R021). These insulated contact (IC) -rated fixtures created excessive heat in the small attic area over the window. The rest of the attic had no ice dams. Although an IC rating means it’s safe for insulation to directly contact the light fixture, that doesn’t mean it’s airtight. If the housing has holes in it, air can leak in.
Report ice dams and recommend further evaluation. You must also report lack of ventilation and improper insulation. Also, keep an eye out for can lights and air gaps from the heated space beneath the dam.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © 2020 by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission. To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters.
By Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. | HowToOperateYourHome.com
Many moisture issues are related to the dew point temperature of the air. Dew point confuses some people, but it’s just basic science. If the outdoor air temperature drops below the dew point temperature, condensation occurs as rain. You’ve seen how it rains when a cold front moves in. If the temperature of a hard surface is below the dew point temperature of the air in contact with that surface, water condenses on the surface.
Invisible water vapor is always present in the air. When that air contacts a surface below the dew point temperature, the invisible vapor condenses as visible moisture. If you see moisture forming on a surface, think: “The temperature of the surface is below the dew point temperature of the air.” That’s all you need to remember.
What does dew point mean to home inspectors? We need a basic understanding of the dew point to understand several issues. For instance, think of a drafty old house in a cold climate. Air leaking in from the outdoors made the interior of this house cool and dry – and kids had great fun shuffling their feet on the rug to create shocks from static electricity.
Illustration M054 shows that when we take typical outside air at 30 degrees F and 80% relative humidity and heat it to 70 degrees F indoors, the relative humidity drops to 20% but the dew point stays at 25 degrees F. That cold outside air moves into a home and really dries it out. There is no condensation on interior surfaces, because the indoor temperature is above the dew point of 25 F.
Think about a bath fan with dripping around the housing or below the discharge (illustration V007). When the damper sticks open, warm air moves up into the cold duct or cold air drops into the duct. The duct is below the dew point temperature of the air, and moisture forms.
Another example is condensation on windows (illustration D090). Window glass is often the coldest surface in the home. Cold air drops along the glass to the sill. The glass, cooled by the outdoor temperature, is below the dew point temperature of the air, and condensation forms. If the temperature is below 32 degrees F, ice will form. In a warm climate, condensation will form on the outside of the glass because the glass is cooled by the air conditioning below the dew point of the outside air.
What should you tell customers with window condensation problems? “The temperature of the glass is below the dew point temperature.” There are two ways to remedy this: raise the temperature of the glass, or reduce the moisture in the air.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com, he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors boost their business. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
]]>By Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc., HowToOperateYourHome.com
Many home inspectors who work in cold climates have seen signs of moisture and condensation in attics. These signs include water stains on roof framing and the roof deck, and organic substances or other materials that create black stains. But have you ever seen “rain” in an attic?
I’m not talking about a roof leak. I mean excessive ice and frost that suddenly melts during a thaw to create what seems like rain in the attic. During the winter of 2017-2018, Wisconsin experienced a two-week cold spell with temperatures at 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, one weekend, temperatures quickly warmed to 55 degrees and stayed there for several days. I’m a moisture consultant, and my phone rang and rang with calls from homeowners: “Water is leaking into my home!”
I fielded these calls and investigated several serious incidents. Each of them involved excessive air leaks into the attic from heated sections of the home. The leaks carried warm air and lots of moisture into the attic (Photo 1). Because the attic temperature was below freezing (and below the dew point), moisture turned to ice on the roof deck and framing. When the outdoor temperature warmed to 55 degrees, this ice melted, and it “rained” in the attic.
One large condominium complex had quite an interesting situation, although “interesting” probably wasn’t how the owners viewed it (Photo 2). These ranch condos had leaks into overhangs, bath fans, range hoods and skylights. One area of ceiling that was just below improperly vented fan ducts was so wet that it collapsed. Water had collected on the plastic vapor barrier because of improper venting of bath fans, dryers and ranges. The condos also lacked proper attic ventilation.
One brand-new $600,000 condo had leaks so severe that they soaked ceilings, opened drywall joints, rained out of light fixtures and shorted out the garage door operator. In this case, the excessive use of insulation contact air-sealed (ICAT) can lights was the likely culprit, along with a lack of attic ventilation. The can light, properly installed with a gasket to the drywall, still had a large visible gap around the fixture (Photo 3). “Sealed” can lights are not really sealed—notice how light shines through the gap around the fixture.
During your inspection, always report signs of moisture that, in your professional judgment, are significantly deficient. This would include excessive stains, organic growth, improper fan venting and improper attic venting. You don’t need to determine a fix—just recommend further evaluation.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com, he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
]]>by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc.
We all know attics must be vented to remove heat and moisture. Intense heat buildup in an attic makes a home uncomfortable and forces the HVAC system to work harder, wasting energy. In the winter, proper ventilation reduces moisture levels; this, too, enhances comfort in the living spaces. Controlling attic heat and humidity can even help spare the roof shingles from damage.At times we encounter powered ventilation fans that draw air out of an attic. Are they a good solution? What might go wrong?
For many years we understood that attics must be evenly ventilated. About half of the static vent openings were evenly spaced near the ridge of the roof and the other half evenly spaced near the soffits or overhangs. These created a balanced flow of air throughout the attic.
In those days, upper vents – can vents, static vents and box vents – were placed high, near the ridge of the roof. Lately these have been replaced with a ridge vent: an opening in the ridge of the roof covered with a mesh or plastic frame and shingles (illustration V005).
In static vent systems, wind or rising heat in the attic pushes air from lower vents to upper vents, removing heat and moisture. This worked well with simple roof designs. Older homes often had gable end vents, too, which worked in combination with soffit vents.
As homes were built with more complicated roof designs and tight envelopes that traps moisture, attic ventilation became an issue. The need to “cool” the attic to supplement air conditioning also became a concern. Solution: the powered attic ventilator, a fan that sucks air from the attic (illustration V004). The fan responds to levels of heat and humidity.
This is a great solution, but most of these fans were installed wrong. (illustration V024) When a powered attic ventilator is installed, all the upper vents in a roof must be closed. Yes, all the upper vents must be closed! The fan pictured here (photo: Attic Fan with Ridge Vent) sucks air only from the adjacent ridge vent opening, which means the attic still is not ventilated.
Whenever a home has roof vents or gable end vents, they also must be closed to allow an attic fan to vent an attic properly. A lower vent at the overhang will enable complete ventilation.
During your inspection, note powered attic ventilators and check the installation; you may find an issue to be recorded. In many cases, the attic fan is incorrectly combined with upper vents. If the ventilation system is performing well, with no moisture issues, the best recommendation may be to turn the fan off – but that’s not your call.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
]]>By Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. - HowToOperateYourHome.com
We have all inspected attics and noticed large gaps in the insulation covering the ceiling of the living space. Or maybe they were just small areas of uneven insulation. We make a note in our inspection report about gaps in insulation, but how did they get there?
Many homes are constructed with dropped soffits over the kitchen and bath. These dropped soffits filled in gaps above cabinets.
At some point, an insulation contractor or carpenter spread a plastic Visqueen vapor barrier over the rough framing of the ceiling and exterior walls to stop airflow from the heated space. As they covered the ceiling, that dropped soffit framing was in the way. So what did they do? Who knows? (Illustration I011)
It’s very common to see this faulty installation: the dropped soffit is not blocked at the attic floor and not covered by the vapor barrier. These gaps in attic insulation create a huge potential problem, since heated air contains lots of moisture. (See Picture – Insulation Gap at Dropped Soffit)
When you notice gaps or disturbances in the insulation, lack of blocking to support the insulation, or lack of a continuous vapor barrier, check the roof sheathing for signs of condensation and moisture. Look at the insulation for black stains that result from filtering dirt out of the air flow.
Air gaps are required at chimneys for fire safety but as we tighten homes the large gap and air leaks can cause ice dams and attic moisture issues. Today when insulation is added to any attic, proper fire- resistant air sealing must be completed around all penetrations from the heated space, including the chimney. In the picture, note the insulation and the black stains. The fiberglass insulation is a great dirt filter for the air flow from the basement to the attic. Talk about stack pressure!
When peering into an attic, keep in mind that gaps in the insulation could indicate the existence of a dropped soffit or a stairway. Watch for moisture issues. Making a report notation for gaps in the insulation, and the vapor barrier and proper air sealing. And if you ever crawl around an attic, remember: these gaps can be quite large, and there may be no framing to support you.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com, he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors boost their business. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
]]>By Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc., HowToOperateYourHome.com
Central air conditioning often keeps the upper floor much warmer than the first floor. Why does this happen, and what can you do about it during your inspection?
Modern forced air systems provide heating and air conditioning (Illustration A029C). These systems include properly designed and installed supply and return ducts.
For these homes, we should look at three basic issues: hot air rises; attics can heat the upper level (sun load); and the system might not be balanced. The upper level may be warmer because of poor design, fan control issues, or imbalanced air flow. Many of these systems can be balanced/repaired to operate correctly with changes to the ductwork and fans.
Prior to 1950, most forced air heating systems were designed for heating only (Illustration A040C). The upper level was warmed by hot air rising, a warm attic, and a little squirt of heat from the central system. Adding air conditioning to these old systems creates problems. This setup will never properly cool the upper level.
In early central heating systems, ductwork enabled air flow without a fan (Illustration H089). The furnace and supply duct were placed in the center of the home because hot air rose naturally. Returns were placed near windows to capture cold air, which dropped through ducts near the outer wall.
About 1920 (Illustration H090), improved design provided more supply and return ducts, but the system still relied on air flow with no fan. Although fans were later added to these systems, it took many more years for the ductwork design and installation to be changed accordingly. (Yes, even way back then, contractors were saying, “We-’ve always done it this way.”)
When we add central air conditioning to old systems, we need to modify ductwork, add ductwork, increase duct size, change the fan – in short, we must design a balanced system. This is rarely done correctly, and the upper levels of these homes will never be cooled properly.
You must understand the changes made over time in forced air heating systems and duct design. If you inspect an old home with no upper air returns, small ducts, limited supply ducts and poor duct design, you should tell your customers there may be an issue with the air conditioning that should be evaluated further.
***
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality books and marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@htoyh.com.
]]>Home inspectors see the signs of wood shrinkage every day. Some shrinkage can create serious defects, so it’s helpful to know how and why this happens.
Wood shrinks across the grain
Wood shrinks in all directions, but most shrinkage is across the grain or across the width of the wood. Our home construction practices have adapted to this movement to limit its effect on building components.
Wood doors shrink
Let’s look at a wood panel door. In this photo, I’m pointing to white lines along the panel. The door was stained and finished while the wood was still damp. As the door dried and shrank, unfinished wood was exposed as a white gap.
Why is the gap on the side of the wood panel and not below it? Because wood shrinks across the grain or across its width. The horizontal frame across the width of the door shrank much less than the panel, so the side of the panel was exposed. Normally, this problem is avoided by allowing doors to dry before a finishing coat of paint or stain is applied.
Wood framing shrinks
Illustration I075 shows how framing shrinks across the width of the wood. In this case, a significant gap has developed at the top framing of the wall. A gap behind the vapor barrier creates a direct path that allows moist, heated air into an attic.
To see this problem identified during an inspection, look at Photo 2, which shows the attic of a house in a cold climate. The home, about 5 years old, had an attic moisture problem. Lifting the insulation reveals black stains on the fiberglass where air flows into the attic. The dark areas align with gaps, while the clean areas align with solid wood framing.
How much does framing shrink?
Shrinkage varies according to the type of wood and its moisture content. Under typical conditions, a two-story home will shrink about ¾ inch in height during the first year of occupancy (Illustration S138). Most shrinkage occurs across the width of the dimensional lumber. Builders adapt for this by movement by leaving slight gaps around windows and doors.
Many of the drywall cracks that occur during the first year of occupancy are due to shrinkage of the framing – not structural defects and movement.
The takeaway
Wood shrinkage is normal and natural. Drying lumber before use limits the shrinkage as the framing adapts to ambient conditions. Good carpenters leave gaps for shrinkage and movement.
Have you ever seen a stone sill on top of a brick veneer wall crushed by the siding and tipping into the wall structure? Maybe the gap did not allow for the wall shrinking.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@htoyh.com.
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Basement leaks can be caused by improper installation of siding, brick and flashings. Let’s look at a typical example.
Basement leaks high on the wall
Water stains begin high on the foundation wall below a bay. At times, water runs down the wall and puddles on the floor. The owner stated that this 19-year-old home has always leaked. The original builder corrected the leaks with exterior caulk, but the wall still leaks with wind-driven rain. This area has a small roof overhang. and the bay faces the direction of most wind-driven rain.
What’s going on outside?
Outside the bay, the finishes are in good shape and well-maintained. But let’s look closely at flashing details.
At the top of the brick, the veneer cap has no or very little slope away from the building. The vertical trim extends behind the brick with no flashing over the brick. The small flashing below the wood siding is caulked to the siding. All of these improper details allow water to penetrate behind the brick.
Down at ground level
I dug out some soil to examine the joint atop the basement block/brick veneer and the weep hole/rope. There is no visible flashing at the bottom of the brick veneer. The weep should be at the bottom of the brick. Note that builders commonly bury the lower veneer flashing in the mortar joint so it will not be visible. I think that’s a mistake.
Flashing done right
When flashing is properly installed, it should direct water over the top of the brick. While there may not be flashing over the full length of the veneer as shown here, there must be flashing at the base of the veneer with a weep at the bottom of the brick to drain water.
In this case, we don’t know whether a moisture-resistant barrier was placed on the wall and layered properly with flashing. We do know that skimpy overhangs and exposure to the rain from most rainstorms, combined with poor construction details, cause the leak in this basement.
Your takeaway as a home inspector
Always note missing horizontal flashing, improperly caulked flashing, and stains or leaks on basement walls. The note may say “potential for leaks – suggest further evaluation” or “signs of extensive leaks – requires further evaluation.” A visual inspection does not include digging into the soil or exposing moisture-resistant barriers.
Keep in mind that all siding leaks, so flashing must be used to protect the wall assembly. Remember that signs of leaks in siding and bricks can appear in the basement.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@htoyh.com.
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Stains and growth on a roof are often due to fungus or algae discoloration. I use the term fungus as a generic reference to all types of growth, including mildew, algae, moss and lichens.
Fungus grows on a roof when there is a food supply (dirt), moisture, and moderate temperatures. A lack of direct sunlight, mostly damp conditions, and debris on the roof also promote growth.
Once fungus develops, the areas under and around it stay damp, which promotes further growth.
Flashing can stop fungus
Most fungus can be eliminated by installing metal flashing on the roof. Oxidation, a form of metal corrosion, occurs as water runs over the flashing. As an example, leaching of the metal strips prevents fungus from developing around and below this roof dormer.
On this hip roof , light stripes appear below the roof vents and the metal base of the antenna. Again, metal oxidation runs down the roof and prevents growth. The dark stains around the lighter streaks are probably due to black algae or dead algae. This algae often moves from roof to roof in a neighborhood when the wind blows.
Zinc strips also stop growth
Zinc strips placed high on the roof can help prevent fungus on shingles below. The zinc reacts with water and oxygen to form zinc oxide that prevents fungus growth. Strips made of copper or galvanized metal would also work.
Shingle manufacturers now offer asphalt shingles that have granules with a metal component to inhibit growth.
What you should do
Make notes and inform your customer of visible growth on the roof. Cases of dark stains with no visible “clumps” of growth usually won’t affect the life of the shingle, but your customers may not be happy with the roof’s appearance once they close on the home. Clumps of growth or debris need further evaluation, as this condition can damage asphalt, wood and other types of shingles.
Routine maintenance should include removal of debris on a roof. You could recommend cleaning and maintenance by a professional. I would never suggest that a homeowner try to clean a roof, though. I see far too many do-it-yourself articles on the internet about cleaning a roof with water, bleach and detergent. All we need is a customer climbing on a pitched wood or asphalt shingle roof covered with slippery cleaning solution. Brushing or pressure-washing a roof can also risk safety and roof damage. Leave all types of roof treatment to professionals.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@htoyh.com.
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During your inspections, it’s important to determine the roof slope. If the home has a low-slope roof, you must mention it in your report and determine whether appropriate materials and precautions are in place.
Proper material varies with roof slope
The type of roofing material required will vary with the slope of the roof (Illustration R013). A flat roof requires a special covering, such as rubber membrane, built-up (hot tar and gravel) or single-ply roll, while a standard slope between 4/12 and 12/12 can be covered with asphalt shingles. But “low-slope” roofs in the middle of this continuum can develop problems – and get you into trouble if you don’t recognize and report them.
Shingles might be at risk
The shingle manufacturer’s instructions require special precautions under the shingles on a low-slope roof – typically, several layers of roofing paper with large overlaps and sealed joints. You won’t be able to see whether the installation was done correctly. If it wasn’t, the asphalt shingles will leak (Illustration R069).
Most manufacturers require special underlayment at slopes less than 3½/12. This special underlayment is not a bituminous membrane such as W.R. Grace Ice and Water Shield®.
Check the slope during inspections
I always visually check the slope. Sometimes it’s fairly obvious in contrast to a roof with normal slope. In one case (Photo 1), the dormer toward the back looks like it has a low-slope roof. Whenever I suspect a low slope, I measure with a 4-foot level.
Two ways to measure
The standard measurement uses a 4-foot level (Photo 2). In this case, the roof drops about 6½ inches over 4 feet; for simplicity, let’s call it 6 inches. Over 12 feet, the roof drops 18 inches, which means the slope of the roof is 1½ ft/12 ft. You can’t use asphalt shingles on this roof, so the shingles as installed are a major defect.
Today you can use an excellent smartphone app called Pitch Gauge to measure the slope of the roof from the ground or from the roof. You simply line up your phone with the slope of the roof and take a picture to document the measurement. The app shows the slope in the picture.
What you must do
Understand that different types of roofing material are required based on the slope of the roof. If you find a low-slope roof, you should identify this in your report and note that you can’t see the underlayment. Also, since this situation requires special installation, note that the homeowner and their contractor must confirm the actual installation. And remember: asphalt shingles can’t be used on a slope under 2/12.
Take some time to read the installation instructions on manufacturers’ websites. Print them and carry them with you as a reference. The instructions vary, and they may be different for the climate in your area.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@htoyh.com.
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Twenty years ago, few people had ever heard the term “kickout flashing,” but things have changed. Old homes leaked so much air that walls always dried out. Today’s homes are much tighter, and walls hold moisture. Walls, siding and OSB will rot if water enters the wall. Kickout flashing has become essential.
Here’s a great example
In one case I investigated, routine inspection of a window interior doesn’t hint at any damage (photo: Questionable Window Trim). A home inspector would never suspect an issue, and in fact there is no visible issue to report. But the owner showed me ground-up wood on the windowsill. She explained that when it rained, water dripped from the upper trim. The “ground-up wood” looked like carpenter ant frass (droppings).
We lifted the upper window casing/trim and discovered rotted wood – and dark frass from carpenter ants (photo: Wet Mess Beneath Trim.) This major issue would be invisible during a normal home inspection.
So what else was going on?
On the outside, the wood siding and trim of this 20-year-old home seemed to be in good condition. Three – yes, three – contractors had examined the leaky window. They applied liquid flashing (caulk) at the step flashing and sealed the cap flashing at the window.
Whenever I see window leaks, I always suspect missing flashing or improper layering of the weather-resistant barrier under the siding. Sure enough, when I looked at this window from the outside, the problem was obvious: the gutter terminated at a sidewall with no kickout flashing (photo: Missing Kickout Flashing).
A preventable problem
Properly installed, kickout flashing should channel water down the outside wall assembly and into the gutter (illustration R016). Compounding this particular water problem was a gable roof and a downspout directing rainwater to the roof above the end of the gutter.
The fresh caulk which the contractors applied between the siding and the top of the window cap flashing may have worsened the problem. Horizontal flashing or cap flashing should never be caulked. Because all types of siding leak, the cap flashing should be installed underneath the weather-resistant barrier to capture water and route it out of the wall assembly over the window.
The solution here: remove the siding above and around the window. Check the weather-resistant barrier and install kickout flashing. Replace rotted materials. And finally, route the upper roof drainage away from the area.
You must catch this obvious defect
Inspecting only the window and the wall from the inside would never reveal the source of the problem, so you must always identify the lack of kickout flashing. A contractor smart enough to notice the missing flashing would say, “The home inspector should have seen this defect.” Don’t let them say that about you.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@htoyh.com.
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Inspecting a roof covering gets complicated because of access issues, snow, rain, and an unlimited variety of roof and shingle designs. One thing a smart inspector should do is check the underside of the roof in the attic if it is accessible. In the attic, inspect the roof deck – the boards, plywood or oriented strand board (OSB) supporting the asphalt shingle assembly. We can’t see the roof deck from the outside, because the deck is covered (illustration R067).
Most installation instructions for new asphalt shingles use some version of this statement: “Roof deck – The deck surface must be clean, bare, gap-free and flat.” Most manufacturers assume the use of a plywood or OSB deck. But what happens with older homes?
When you’ll encounter spaced boards
In older homes, asphalt shingle roofing is usually installed over OSB (photo – Roof Deck Boards Plus OSB). From the attic side, you can often see the underside of the OSB placed over the spaced roof boards.
You will also find plywood placed over the spaced boards (Photo – Roof Deck Boards Plus Plywood). In the case of OSB and plywood decking, decking should be nailed to roof rafters at the edges, and there should be no gaps larger than 1/8 inch between the sheets.
What if you see black roof felt between boards?
When black roof felt or a synthetic underlayment is visible through the spaced roof deck board, this may indicate a serious problem (photo – Roof Deck Large Gap, Roof Felt). Try to reach the space between the roof boards; push on the felt to check for a roof deck of plywood or OSB. If there is no roof deck, you found a problem. You may also see the shingle, felt and nails pushing into the attic through the gap because there is no proper roof deck.
In the old days, some gaps were tolerated
Twenty years ago, gaps of up to ¾ inch between boards were often ignored, and the asphalt shingle assembly was installed over the spaced boards. At that time, these smaller gaps seemed to cause no issues, but now the rules have changed. New asphalt shingles must have a roof deck that is “clean, bare, gap-free and flat.”
What should you note?
If you see excessive gaps and a relatively new asphalt shingle, note this in your inspection report as a defect requiring further evaluation. Gaps over ¾ inch are always an issue.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@htoyh.com.
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During a home inspection, we check structural elements and consider basic standards. We look for movement, cracks, displacement, sags, pinched doors and windows, and sloped floors. While some roof sags are normal or “typical for age,” let’s look at a sagging roof that an inspector missed.
For most ranch style homes, it is pretty easy to walk the lower slope roof or to look at the roof from the edge with a ladder. I prefer to walk it. While standing on the roof of this ranch home, I saw a potential sag (Photo 1). You can get a similar view from the ground, looking along the plane of the roof to the ridge. You will see a roof sag in the ridge, but you might not see the sag in the valley.
A closer view from the roof confirms the sag (Photo 2). You can see the dip at the top of the metal valley. The shingles look displaced and don’t align horizontally. There is also a visible dip in the roof adjacent to the valley.
Remembering where the sag is located, let’s look in the attic. Wow! Some homeowner made a creative attempt at structural repair (Photo 3). The jack, supported by a plank on the ceiling joists, lifts the framing along the valley. Someone sistered a 2 by 4 to the framing, but it provides very little structural support for the large, visible crack in the framing.
Maybe the hydraulic jack was forgotten in the attic, or maybe jack was “designed” as part of the structural repair?
The garage below the jack has a drywall-finished ceiling (Photo 4). Joints in the ceiling are opening up. In fact, it looks like the drywall joints were patched and painted, and then they cracked again.
The garage ceiling framing was designed to support the drywall. The jack lifting the roof structure sag has displaced the garage ceiling – the framing was not designed to lift the roof.
How did the original inspector miss this visual defect? I assume it’s due to completely ignoring the attic. The cracks in the garage ceiling drywall might be typical for a 1970’s ranch. The sag in the roof is a little hard to see. But the hydraulic jack in the attic and the amateur repairs – these are easy to see, and definitely a defect to be reported.
Always look for roof sags. Follow any significant sags to the framing and the attic below. If the sag is minor, it just might be typical for the age of construction.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@htoyh.com.
]]>By Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. | HowToOperateYourHome.com
We have all inspected attics and noticed large gaps in the insulation covering the ceiling of the living space. Or maybe they were just small areas of uneven insulation. We make a note in our inspection report about gaps in insulation, but how did they get there?
Many homes are constructed with dropped soffits over the kitchen and bath. These dropped soffits filled in gaps above cabinets.
At some point, an insulation contractor or carpenter spread a plastic Visqueen vapor barrier over the rough framing of the ceiling and exterior walls to stop airflow from the heated space. As they covered the ceiling, that dropped soffit framing was in the way. So what did they do? Who knows? (Illustration I011)
It’s very common to see this faulty installation: the dropped soffit is not blocked at the attic floor and not covered by the vapor barrier. These gaps in attic insulation create a huge potential problem, since heated air contains lots of moisture. (See Picture – Insulation Gap at Dropped Soffit)
When you notice gaps or disturbances in the insulation, lack of blocking to support the insulation, or lack of a continuous vapor barrier, check the roof sheathing for signs of condensation and moisture. Look at the insulation for black stains that result from filtering dirt out of the air flow.
Air gaps are required at chimneys for fire safety but as we tighten homes the large gap and air leaks can cause ice dams and attic moisture issues. Today when insulation is added to any attic, proper fire- resistant air sealing must be completed around all penetrations from the heated space, including the chimney. In the picture, note the insulation and the black stains. The fiberglass insulation is a great dirt filter for the air flow from the basement to the attic. Talk about stack pressure!
When peering into an attic, keep in mind that gaps in the insulation could indicate the existence of a dropped soffit or a stairway. Watch for moisture issues. Making a report notation for gaps in the insulation, and the vapor barrier and proper air sealing. And if you ever crawl around an attic, remember: these gaps can be quite large, and there may be no framing to support you.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com, he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors boost their business. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
]]>By Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc., HowToOperateYourHome.com
Siding manufacturers specify a clearance to asphalt shingles and flat roofs to avoid moisture damage. Why did they establish this requirement?
First, here are basics to look for with roof/siding clearance (Illustration R075). In all cases, there must be some clearance between asphalt shingles and the siding and trim on a vertical wall abutting the shingles. The clearance allows water to drain out of the siding assembly and freely run down the roof. The clearance requirement varies with the type of material and manufacturer.
Normally, vinyl requires a minimum of ½ inch from the “J” channel to the shingles. Most manufactured wood composite siding and trim requires a minimum of 1 inch, and fiber-cement products require 2 inches. Most adhered stone and synthetic stucco finishes also require 2 inches.
Over time, water buildup eventually damages all materials. Clearance allows drainage of water and helps the material assembly to dry.
Capillary action can also draw water up into materials. The minimum gap/clearance to stop capillary action is 3/8 inch. Manufacturers want a larger gap, and they know they can’t rely on contractors to strictly adhere to a bare minimum, so they increase the necessary clearance.
Take a look at the fiber-cement siding and wood trim in Photo 1. This siding is about 10 years old. Edges near the shingles are falling apart, the finish has failed, and mold is growing at the tight joint.
The fiber-cement siding in Photo 2 lacks clearance to the shingles. The paint finish is failing and the siding is crumbling. The wood trim with no clearance also traps water against the wall and the siding.
In this case (Photo 3), the home inspector noted the lack of flashing over the trim and no clearance. The trim should be 1 inch above the shingles, and there should be cap flashing over the trim and up/behind the siding and water barrier.
Remove the trim and we can see the siding damage (Photo 4). Is the step flashing is really up/under the water barrier? And where is the kick-out flashing?
It all makes you wonder: why do contractors install siding and trim tight to asphalt shingles? Because it looks better? Because they don’t read instructions?
During your inspection, you should always look for clearance between siding and adjacent asphalt shingles and all roofing materials. Identify lack of clearance and any visible damage. Siding manufacturers set their own clearance requirements, so be aware of products used in your area.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality books and marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom will present [topic to be determined] at ASHI Inspection World 2023. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event - contact him at Tom@htoyh.com.
Photos, Illustrations, Captions
Photo 1. Siding Damage – No Clearance
Photo 2. Rotted Siding
Photo 3. Just Cover It Up
Photo 4. Under the Trim
Illustration R075 Roof Siding Clearance
By Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. - htoyh.com - tom@htoyh.com
Roofs never leak – only roof penetrations and flashings leak, right? We check masonry chimneys and their flashings as part of an overall inspection, but flashing can be tricky.
I inspected this great-looking newer chimney on a windy, rainy day (photo – Wet Masonry Chimney).
The chimney cap looked great; it hung over the brick chimney with a drip edge. There was a saddle behind the chimney at the upper roof. The clay tiles were capped with a stainless steel rain cap. The masonry was newer, and the mortar joints were tight. The chimney was wet on one side from the wind and rain.
The flashing on the lower roof was typical (photo – Wet Masonry Chimney Flashing).
Where the chimney penetrated the lower roof, counterflashing was visible but step flashing was not. Counterflashing was set against the masonry and caulked to the brick and mortar – this is typical in my area, though not ideal. Counterflashing should be cut into the masonry (illustration R081) to keep water from flowing through the porous surfaces.
Without the cut or “reglet” into the masonry joint or masonry, water can move behind the flashing through the porous masonry. This can cause a leak below.
Significant, active leaks appeared in the unheated sun-room below the chimney (photo – Masonry Chimney Interior Leak). Water ran down the masonry surface. I never would have seen this if it was not raining and windy outside during my inspection.
Always look below the chimney exterior surface and around the wood framing near the chimney. In an older home, you’ll often notice stains. You should note these as indications of a potential issue. In many cases, a small leak around a chimney just evaporates, leaving no real damage.
If counterflashing is not cut into the masonry (reglet), my inspection report includes a standard note that this detail of poor construction will require maintenance and will be prone to leaks. The sealant or caulk will need routine maintenance and the joint may leak.
Always check ceilings and other interior finishes adjacent to the chimney. Water stains, or patching and fresh paint that might be hiding stains, should be noted for further evaluation. And obviously, extensive stains, ceiling damage, buckets and plastic sheeting around a chimney are red flags of a serious issue that needs further evaluation.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com, he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
Illustrations:
R081 – Flashing – Fastening to Masonry Options
Photo – Wet Masonry Chimney
Photo – Wet Masonry Chimney Flashing
Photo – Masonry Chimney Interior Leak
By Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc., HowToOperateYourHome.com
You pull up to inspect a house. From a distance, it looks great (Photo 1). There’s fresh paint on the trim and siding. Most people would guess that the exterior finishes and cladding don’t have any major problems. But as a smart inspector, you know better.
You notice problems right away during your exterior inspection (Photo 2).
There’s wood rot at the window sill, brick molding and trim (Photo 3). In fact, part of the wood was removed and patched; the new wood is not a good match, and caulk and fresh paint fill the gaps. You imagine that the painter and the homeowner might be deliberately hiding major damage.
Looking even closer at the lower edge of the window, you push lightly on the surface, and it flexes. You resist the temptation to probe further with your finger or a screwdriver, which would cause additional damage.
You can see the outer edge of the cap or “Z” flashing from the ground, but you want to see the top of the flashing, too. You set up your ladder. At the top of the window, the siding is caulked to the cap flashing, and the flashing tips back into the wall (Photo 4). This may have worsened the problem of water getting trapped behind the siding and trim.
Cap flashing should be installed behind the siding and the water barrier, then over the top of windows and horizontal trim. This directs water to the outside, but only if the joint is not caulked (Illustration D112 Cap Flashing Details #2).
This home has major defects that need further evaluation: rotted windows, rotted trim and improper flashing.
Major rot and water issues can hide beneath a great-looking surface; all it takes is a tube of caulk and a few chunks of wood. Train yourself to be skeptical. What’s going on behind the fresh paint and caulk? Always take your time to get a good look at finishes.
The back side of windows in the garage are visible if the walls haven’t been finished. This shows whether there’s house wrap and flashing, and whether leaks are occurring behind the windows.
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Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@HTOYH.com.
Photo 1. Home looks good.
Photo 2. Window rot patched and painted.
Photo 3. Paint over window trim rot.
Photo 4. Cap flashing caulked.
Illustration D112. Cap Flashing Details #2 (Optional)
By Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc., HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com)
It’s important to understand water softening systems and include basic information in your home inspections. The units must be set up and maintained, and the regeneration discharge must be handled properly. Most standards exclude water softeners but your customers need basic information when they operate their home.
The majority – 85% – of homes have “hard water,” the common term for water with excess minerals. Hard water creates a buildup of deposits that can corrode piping and various fixtures. It leaves spots on dishes, makes surfaces hard to clean, and interferes with laundry detergent and shampoo.
A water softener removes the offending minerals (magnesium and calcium) and adds a small amount of sodium. Softeners can also remove a small concentration of iron. The softener is often located near the water main (Illustration P051). Normally it is connected to pipes for hot water and bathroom fixtures. It is not routinely connected to tap water in the kitchen because of the slight amount of sodium added to the water. Also, the softener is not connected to exterior hose bibs.
In the illustration, note the bypass piping, as well as the drain line to the laundry sink, which provides an air gap. It is important that the drain line does not create a cross-connection to potable water. The drain line should discharge above the rim of the sink or above an open “P” trap.
Illustration P089 shows a softener with two tanks: a salt (brine) tank and a resin tank.
Illustration P090 shows a softener with a resin tank inside the larger salt brine tank. Both use the same principle; they’re just different tank arrangements. In each case, salt placed in the brine tank soaks in water, forming a salt water solution called brine.
The brine is flushed through the resin on a routine basis, based on a time clock or water usage meter. Salt ions attach to the resin. As hard water flows through the resin tank, elements such as magnesium and calcium precipitate onto the resin surface. In the process, a small amount of salt is added to the water.
When the resin is loaded with minerals, the system recycles with salt brine, removing the minerals and flushing them away with rinse water. To maintain the system, the homeowner must keep an adequate amount of salt in the brine tank. The homeowner must also set the time-clock so the regeneration occurs as water is used. A metered system automatically recycles as needed and there is no time-clock. The system recycles when no one in the household is using water – usually sometime after midnight – another setting.
Every softening system has a bypass setup for use during maintenance and repair. Illustration P029 shows a system that uses three valves in the supply and discharge piping.
Illustration P091 shows a special valve/system in which access to the bypass lies behind the control panel.
A basic understanding of water softeners helps you describe the systems to your customers. If they’re unfamiliar with softener operation, a specialist should evaluate their water usage and set up the system accordingly. Homeowners also need to add the correct type and amount of softener salt and periodically monitor the system’s operation. They should understand that the system cycles periodically at night and discharges a significant amount of water when recharging.
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Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com) he provides high-quality books and marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © 2022 by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@htoyh.com.
Tom will give presentations on Water, Vapor and Dew Point for Home Inspectors and Basement Inspections at ASHI Inspection World 2023.
]]>Why do we inspect attic ventilation? Because it’s designed to protect a home. Ventilation keeps the attic cooler in the summer, which protects roof shingles and the home’s basic structure, and it limits heat movement into the living space. During the winter, attic ventilation keeps the attic drier, which limits condensation (photo: Stains on Roof Deck) and helps remove winter heat from the attic, preventing ice dams and leaks.
Whenever possible, attics should have ventilation openings high on the roof and low on the roof. Rising warm air moves from the soffits to the ridge. Wind pushing against a home also creates areas of higher pressure (soffit) and lower pressure (ridge).
Too often, explanations of attic ventilation get complicated with too much detail on gable end vents, turbine vents and power attic ventilators – so let’s forget about them for now.
Building codes and generally accepted data suggest that an attic should have 1 sq ft of ventilation for every 150 sq ft of attic space (1/150). If there is a low-perm vapor barrier, the ventilation requirement is reduced to 1/300, because we assume that less vapor (moisture) will move into the attic from the heated space.
Simple math allows you to calculate the need for attic ventilation (illustration V042). Determine the square footage of the attic and check whether there is a vapor barrier. Divide the square footage by 150 or 300 and you have the required net free area (NFA) for venting. Of this venting, 50% should be at the ridge and 50% at the soffit.
Next, you need to identify the type of vents. They will all be NFA-rated. For a typical can vent, the screen and cover limit the actual NFA area of the vent opening by 50% (illustration V027). Ridge vents and continuous soffit vents are rated by manufacturers for NFA per lineal foot. You can find details at the manufacturers’ websites.
During your inspection of the attic, always note excessive stains, organic growth, improper bath and kitchen fan venting, de-laminating plywood, excessive rust, and improper attic venting (photo: Rusty Attic Nails, De-lamination, Stains). Look for blocked vents, restricted openings below ridge vents, and an inadequate number of vents. You don’t need to determine how to fix these shortcomings; just recommend further evaluation.
Basically, whenever you see signs of poor ventilation, recognize that you should report this as a problem.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality books and marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@htoyh.com. Tom is also a guest speaker at ASHI Inspection World.
]]>Ever hear of a two- or three-ton central air conditioner? Does this mean a two-ton air conditioner weighs 4,000 pounds? Or is it a random term that tech folks use to impress us?
A “ton” is a unit of refrigeration/cooling capacity. A ton of cooling is equivalent to transferring 12,000 Btu of energy per hour. So this means a ton of air conditioning cools a home by removing 12,000 Btu from the air in one hour. Likewise, a 4-ton unit removes 48,000 Btu.
On the nameplate of an exterior condenser/compressor AC unit, the rated tons of cooling is coded in the model number. It also might be listed on the tag.
Btu stands for British thermal unit, the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree. A reasonable equivalent is the energy you get from completely burning one kitchen match (Illustration H099).
Way back when engineer Joe Cool (and what a great coincidence that “Cool” was his last name) developed the standards for measuring mechanical cooling, ice was commonly used for cooling. You know: in the old days before air conditioning, food was stored in the icebox. So Joe decided that the cooling capacity measurement should relate to ice (Illustration A047C).
A standard was set equating one “ton” of cooling to the amount of energy needed to melt one ton (2,000 lbs.) of ice over a 24-hour period. With the change of phase from ice to water, 144 Btu of latent energy is required; 2000 pounds times 144 Btu/lb. = 288,000 Btu. Therefore, 288,000 Btu over 24 hours = 12,000 Btu/hour.
In a refrigeration cycle, two coils, a compressor and a control/metering device mechanically transfer heat (Illustration A032).
The refrigerant is compressed and then cooled/condensed into a liquid. The liquid evaporates/boils in the A coil (Photo 1) with the energy from the warm air circulated over the coil. The warm air is cooled as it passes through the A coil and back into the home.
When the name-tag designates an AC unit as 3-ton, you know that’s equivalent to melting 3 tons of ice in 24 hours, or 36,000 Btu per hour. Use this to impress your clients so you both understand the “tons” of cooling for their home.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality books and marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@htoyh.com. Tom is also a guest speaker at ASHI Inspection World.
]]>I had inspected a home near Milwaukee in the summer about 10 years ago. My client called recently, clearly upset. “We’re having some painting done in the rear bedroom. I’m sure the ceiling was dry when the painter started. He claims it got wet while he was painting. I’ve talked to insulation and roofing contractors about this, but they’re no help. I don’t know who else to call. Contractors always try to sell me something!”
I talked the owner through a series of questions and tried to calm her down. It sounded like an unusual case of leaks, or condensation, or both that had nothing to do with the condition of the home when I’d inspected this property (photo: Exterior of Home).
Naturally, leaks or water intrusion with no logical explanation make homeowners uneasy. I checked my old report – it was a well-maintained mid-century ranch – and talked with the owner in greater depth about what was going on.
As the painter had finished applying latex paint to the walls and ceiling, water and paint began dripping in two places where the ceiling met the exterior wall. It wasn’t raining that day, nor had it rained in the past few days. In fact, the home never had leaks related to rain.
Our autumn weather that year had been quite damp, even foggy. As usual, evenings were cooler.
The home’s roof and gutters were relatively new, and 17 inches of fiberglass insulation was added in the attic a few years previously. Windows were recently replaced with vinyl sash / thermally insulated glass, and the homeowner said they’d had no condensation on the glass, or anywhere else in the home, for that matter.
This sounded to me like condensation on a cool surface. (One of many free articles at my website, HowToOperateYourHome.com, discusses window condensation problems.) I told the homeowner to run a fan in the room and turn on the furnace to a reasonable 72-degree setting. Also, I said it might help to open the windows whenever the outdoor air was dry. I assured her she could call me if the problem continued.
When the homeowner called again, her household was still off-kilter. The painting wasn’t finished because condensation still occurred at times. The family’s plans to go up north during deer-hunting season were on hold. They needed an answer so they could finish painting and put the house back together.
We scheduled an early morning visit. I wanted to catch the home when the outdoor temperature was below 30 degrees. But we continued to have an unseasonably warm fall, and when I visited the second time, the overnight low had been about 50 degrees.
The exterior of the small ranch home was well maintained. The wide overhangs had aluminum trim and vented soffits. The “leaks” were occurring near the vents in the soffits (photo: Vents in Overhang). The roof looked fine, with no roof penetrations or flashing issues above the areas of the leaks.
The home had recently undergone an energy audit, blower door test and infrared camera inspection. Following the audit recommendations, the homeowners had cellulose insulation blown into all exterior wall cavities. We discussed the newer windows and the recently insulated attic. They were really tightening up their home.
About 10 years previously, their old 60% naturally drafted furnace was replaced with a 90%+ furnace that vented through two plastic pipes.
I observed small water spots on the ceiling of the bedroom near the exterior wall. The owner told me water was dripping along the outside wall, ruining the fresh paint before it could dry. There were no leaks when I was there (photo – Water Spots on Ceiling).
I measured the interior relative humidity (RH) at 47% to 51% in the kitchen and 55% to 57% in the problem bedroom. The interior temperature was about 65 degrees F. I always test with three electronic meters, and each one gives a little different RH reading. (I gave up on my sling psychrometer years ago because it took too much time to get an RH reading, but this is an impressive tool to use.)
The problem walls, ceilings and visible stains tested dry with a moisture meter. The edges of the exterior walls and the stained areas measured 61 to 64 degrees F. The exterior temperature was about 50 degrees F and 50% relative humidity.
Using a Wohler brand IR Hygrotemp 24, I determined that the problem wall areas were just 10 degrees F above the dew point temperature. The Wohler meter reads relative humidity, dew point temperature, and surface temperature, and then determines the temperature difference between the dew point and the surface temperature. Other manufacturers, including Protimeter, offer similar instruments.
The owner set the interior temperature at 63 degrees while away at work and 68 degrees while at home. The owner loved to open windows to ventilate the home, even when the outdoors was humid and the temperature was below 60 degrees.
Throughout the attic, I saw relatively new fiberglass insulation that was about 20 inches thick – providing insulation value of about R50. There were no signs of condensation, and the attic was well ventilated with soffit and roof vents.
Air baffles were in place to keep ventilation airflow above the insulation. With the lights off, it was easy to see light in the soffits through the air baffles (photo: White and Blue Air Baffles and Insulation).
The white air baffles were correctly installed against the roof deck, allowing ventilation air to flow past the insulation (photo: White Air Baffle Gap).
The blue air baffles looked a little strange. They were stapled on the lower edge of the roof joists, creating a large space for ventilation air. In fact, two blue air baffles (double-wide) were stapled to the rafters (photo: Blue Air Baffle Large Gap).
Spare blue baffles were stored in the attic, and it appeared they should have been split in two and installed tight to the roof deck, not on the lower edge of the roof rafters (photo: Spare Blue Air Baffles).
I narrowed everything down to the relevant facts:
The low interior temperature of 63 degrees allowed exterior wall surfaces to cool. Because the blue baffles were installed incorrectly, there wasn’t enough insulation along the exterior wall.
Increased air flow and lower exterior temperatures cooled the outer edge of the drywall ceiling.
Once the homeowners took measures to decrease air movement in and out of the house, indoor humidity greatly increased. The newly applied paint added even more moisture to the bedroom air and raised the air’s dew point temperature.
Autumn brought cooler temperatures, so that the drywall’s temperature dropped below the interior dew point temperature. Water condensed only on the coolest area of drywall in the bedroom, where water in the paint caused condensation. The rest of the drywall and windows were still above the dew point temperature.
Remove the air baffles with a very large gap and place the baffles on the roof deck. Thicken the insulation below the baffles to the ceiling. The best step would be to use closed-cell expanding foam from the lower edge of the baffle to the ceiling; this would stop air movement into the insulation and provide excellent insulation value.
Remember, when you see water stains or even water droplets forming on a surface, think about the dew point. Always remember that if water is condensing on a surface, the surface temperature must be below the dew point temperature. And then go from there.
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Like this information? Catch Tom Feiza’s new presentation on dew point and moisture science at an ASHI meeting near you.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com, he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors boost their business. Copyright © 2017 by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
Visit HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com) for more information about building science, books, articles, marketing, and illustrations for home inspectors. E-mail Tom (Tom@misterfix-it.com) with questions and comments, or phone (262) 303-4884
]]>Home inspectors visually inspect and report on residential air conditioning systems. We operate the systems and check for water leaks, and may also measure the temperature drop across the evaporator coil. But we don’t get a chance to see several components.
Visible components of the AC system are shown in Illustration A032: compressor, condenser coil, expansion device and an expansion “A” coil.
We can see the exterior of the furnace or fan coil unit (Photo 1).
Outside the house (Photo 2), we see the exterior of the condenser coil and maybe the fan.
But which parts of the system can’t you see?
Compressors are buried inside the condensing coil within a metal housing (Illustration A039). Older compressors use a piston and crank shaft system, just like a small lawnmower engine. The piston moves back and forth in a cylinder to compress the refrigerant gas. This type of system is more sensitive to liquid refrigerant.
Many modern systems use a scroll compressor. This compresses the refrigerant gas with a rotation scroll that spins inside a similar-shaped scroll. In general, this is more efficient and durable than a reciprocating piston.
Photo 3 shows a typical evaporator or “A” coil that’s buried in the ductwork near the blower fan. Normally there is no access panel to this coil.
Liquid refrigerant enters the coil through the small copper line. Refrigerant passes through a metering device that maintains proper flow by using a temperature-sensing bulb.
The liquid refrigerant is “boiled” in the coil with heat transfer from the air blown through the fins. Gas (vapor) refrigerant returns from the top of the A coil through the larger insulated copper tube to the compressor outside.
Because the humid home air is cooled below its dew point, water condenses on the coil and drips into the black plastic pan below. The water (condensate) is drained through a tube or pipe; the drain line and the plugged secondary drain line are visible here. All pans have a higher drain connection that is normally plugged.
You should understand the components and operation of an air conditioning system. While you don’t need to report on components you can’t see, you must report signs of failure. Signs of water leaks at the evaporator coil mean that you must recommend further evaluation. You should check for an air temperature drop of 14 to 22 degrees Fahrenheit across the evaporator. Outside, the coil should be clean, with a clear path for air flow. The exterior unit should be level.
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Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality books and marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © 2022 by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@htoyh.com.
Photos, Illustrations, Captions
Photo 1. AC Coil Connections at Furnace
Photo 2. AC Exterior Units
Photo 3. Air Conditioning A Coil
Illustration A032 Refrigeration Cycle – Residential AC
Illustration A039 AC Compressor Types
A “cantilevered” deck or balcony is hung on the side of a building with no support posts. Typically, the home’s framing joists are extended beyond the envelope to support the deck.
Always take a careful and critical look at cantilevered decks and balconies. They’re subject to serious issues with flashing, water intrusion and structural elements.
Here’s what to look for with deck flashing (Illustration X039). Deck boards must be spaced to allow drainage near the wall. Flashing above the deck must originate behind the siding and extend to allow drainage over or around the deck boards.
Also, two-part flashing must be placed around the joist and lapped over the moisture-resistant wall covering below.
Note that the structural deck joist is an extension of the home’s wood joist framing. This is common in residential construction.
From above, this deck looks fine (Photo 1) – or at least the fresh paint and caulk look good. But maybe the paint is a clue that someone’s trying to hide something.
As we look for deck flashing near the rule, we can’t see any flashing through the caulk (Photo 2), but we can see a deck board tucked into/under siding and pitched into siding (the ruler shows the pitch discrepancy). The deck board directs water into the wall and over the top of painted brick veneer.
Sistered joists are visible beneath this deck (Photo 3), but the sisters are not supported at the ends and provide no structural support. Maybe they’re just a fresh nailing surface.
Viewing from the opposite direction confirms our suspicion: improperly sistered joists (Photo 4). There’s a new corner support post but no structural beam over the post.
We can also see more clearly that the deck board actually extends over the top of brick veneer, allowing water to drain into the wall. Luckily, the deck is protected by a wide overhang, so water exposure is limited, but I would still check the brick veneer and the home’s interior for water intrusion damage.
Cantilevered decks and balconies always raise concerns regarding improper flashing and control of water. You must watch for serious rot, water intrusion and structural issues. Always identify these, and consider recommending further evaluation.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © 2020 by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@htoyh.com.
Photo 1. Cantilevered Deck
Photo 2. Deck Flashing
Photo 3. Sistered Joists
Photo 4. Sisters, Flashing and Post
Illustration X039 Cantilevered Deck Flashing
by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc., HowToOperateYourHome.com (www.htoyh.com)
Bath fans are essential to a properly functioning home. Fans capture excessive moisture and exhaust it to the outside. This helps prevent condensation and mold that can damage the home’s structure.
All bathroom fans should duct to the outside. Illustration V019 shows correct ducting through the attic and the roof. The duct runs are smooth and short, with limited bends. A large diameter (4- to 6-inch) duct allows better flow. The roof vent connector has a damper, and the duct is insulated to prevent condensation.
Illustration V018 shows a bath fan ducted through an attic sidewall. The vent connector has a damper, and the ductwork is insulated. A similar method would be used between the floors of a home.
Routing a bath exhaust into or through a soffit is questionable because moisture could be drawn back into the attic through the soffit vents.
Bath exhaust ducting is rarely done correctly. Often it seems to be an afterthought during home construction. Many older homes have fans ducted directly into the attic, which always creates problems nowadays. It worked pre-1960 when we did not insulate and seal the building envelope, and attics were warm and leaky.
Photo 1 shows a classic example of a dip purposefully placed in the exhaust duct. Old-time contractors thought this was a good way to trap air flow – and it is. But restricting air flow gives condensed moisture a good place to collect, drip and freeze, and that’s exactly the opposite of what should be happening.
Photo 2 shows a large-diameter flex duct vented near a roof vent. This should be a shorter run, and a vent connector that goes through the roof should directly connect to the flex duct.
In Photo 3 we see a spaghetti-like view of numerous flex ducts with tight bends and restrictions. It appears three flex ducts are connected to some type of metal box through the roof. These duct runs are too long, and the sharp bends will restrict flow.
An amateurish attempt to insulate two exhaust ducts appears in Photo 4. It would have been much easier to use an insulated duct. The two ducts are joined with a “T” at one roof vent connector, which is barely visible in this view. This “T” connector allows one fan to push air toward the other fan, and the vent connector is too small to handle the flow of two fans.
Inspect visible portions of a bath fan duct system, and confirm that the fans operate. The duct will be visible only in the attic, crawl space or basement ceiling. Duct runs should be short, with limited/gradual bends. The duct must exhaust outside the home. Rigid metal ducts are preferred; large 4- to 6-inch ducts are ideal. In cold climates, the duct should be insulated.
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Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com), he provides high-quality books and marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © 2022 by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at tom@misterfix-it.com.
]]>The Science Behind Your Inspection
by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc.
www.htoyh.com
Air Conditioning Basic Systems and Inspection Standards:
Home Inspectors should follow national standards when visually inspecting a residential air conditioning system. Most standards require opening readily accessible panels or panels that a typical home owner would open. Standards require inspection of central and permanently installed cooling equipment and distribution systems. Standards also require a description of the energy source and cooling systems.
While the standards are pretty open to the level and type of inspection required, all home inspectors will do a better inspection if they understand the science behind a typical residential air conditioning system. I will focus on explaining a typical air conditioning system combined with a forced air furnace distribution (fan coil) as shown in Illustration A001.
Refrigeration System Basics and What is a Ton of Cooling?
Ever hear of a two- or three-ton central air conditioner? Does that mean a two-ton air conditioner weighs 4,000 pounds? Is the term related to cooling capacity, or is it a random term that tech folks use to impress us? We all know the answers – right?
A two Ton AC Unit does not weight 4,000 pounds
A Ton is a unit of refrigeration/cooling capacity used in the US. A ton of cooling is the equivalent to transferring 12,000 Btu of energy per hour. So, a ton of air conditioning removes 12,000 Btu from the air of a home in one hour – cooling the air. A 4-ton unit removes 48,000 Btu.
You might know how to look at the nameplate of the exterior condenser/compressor AC unit and read the rated tons of cooling coded in the model number. The tag may also list the tons of cooling capacity.
Where did “Ton” originate?
When engineer Joe Cool (at least I think “cool” was part of his name) developed the standards for measuring mechanical cooling, ice was commonly used for cooling. You know, in the old days, food was stored in the ice cooler, and there was no air conditioning. Ice was delivered to homes for the “ice box”. So, Joe decided that the cooling capacity measurement should relate to ice.
A standard was set equating one “ton” of cooling to the amount of energy needed to melt one ton (2,000 lbs.) of ice over a 24-hour period. With the change of phase from ICE to WATER, 144 Btu of latent energy is required. 2000 pounds times 144 Btu/lb. = 288,000 Btu. 288,000 Btu over 24 hours is 12,000 Btu/hour – or a one “TON” rating.
Btu-British Thermal Unit: (See Illustration H099)
So, what is a btu? It stands for British thermal unit, the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit at standard temperature and pressure. A reasonable equivalent is the energy you get from completely burning one kitchen match. So, a “ton” of cooling (or heating) transfers 288,000 btu - equivalent to about 288,000 kitchen matches of energy
OK? What transfers the “Ton” of energy in Air Conditioning?
For residential air conditioning, two coils, a compressor and a control/metering device is used to mechanically transfer heat. (See Illustration A032) The refrigerant vapor is compressed and then cooled/condensed into a liquid in the outside unit. The liquid evaporates/boils in the “A” coil in the interior ductwork with the energy from the warm air circulated over the coil. The interior warm air is cooled as it passes through the “A” coil and back into the home.
Outside A Home – Compressor and Condenser: (Photo 1, Illustration A039 and A032)
Outside you are familiar with what we call the compressor and or condenser unit (Picture 1, Illustration A001). This unit is manufactured with a copper fin coil wrapped around a refrigerant compressor. A fan is mounted on the top of the unit. The compressor is only visible if you look inside through the grill.
Photo 1 shows two compressor/condensers. The one on the left is for the typical air conditioning system we are discussing here. The white unit on the right is for a direct expansion unit that can have multiple coils/fans mounted in several rooms. (See illustration A032)
Refrigerant vapor (R12, R22, R134) flows from the A coil inside the home to the external compressor. The compressor may be a piston type just like a piston and crank shaft on a single cylinder lawn mower engine. Newer units often use a scroll compressor (Illustration A039) which is more like a centrifugal compressor. The compressor changes the low pressure refrigerant vapor into high pressure refrigerant vapor and moves it into the exterior condenser coil.
The exterior coil with fins, remove heat from the high pressure refrigerant and “condense” the vapor back into a liquid refrigerant. The fan moves a large quantity of exterior air over the coil to transfer the heat from the refrigerant to the exterior air.
The cooling or refrigeration system is a sealed system and when operating properly it should never lose refrigerant. Today all units are moving away from the old Freon (R12, R22) type of hydrocarbon refrigerant because of potential damage to the ozone in the atmosphere.
Inside a Home – Meter and “A” Coil: (Photo 2, Illustration A001, A032)
The liquid refrigerant now moves from the exterior to the forced air furnace and a metering device just before the “A” coil – refer to Illustration A032. The “A” coil is depicted in the illustrations and an actual coil is shown in Photo 2. Home inspector rarely sees an actual A coil because they are hidden in metal duct-work.
The forced air furnace or fan-coil system has a carefully engineered metering device, specific blower fan capacity, specific coil capacity and a duct system designed to deliver just the right amount of refrigerant and air to cause the refrigerant to “boil” in the A-coil.
As the refrigerant “boils” in the A-coil, warm home air is pushed across the coil and is cooled. Typically, the temperature of the inside air drops 14 to 22 degrees Fahrenheit moving across the coil. Some home inspectors measure this air temperature before and after the A-coil to determine the “delta T” or temperature drop across the coil. If the air flow is reduced, say with a plugged air filter, the coil could freeze up.
Inside Condensation – Water Issues:
The home air is typically cooled below the dew point temperature and condensation occurs on the A-coil. This condensation is caught in a pan below the coil and drained by gravity outside the furnace/duct-work. Every air conditioning system has a condensate drain. You can see the black plastic pan below the coil in Photo 2. The drain connections on the lower left of the pan. Normally only the low drain connection is used.
Your Inspection Inside:
For the inspection, you should always note any water leaks or signs of water leaks below the A-coil. Any signs of leaks at the furnace/duct-work require further investigation. Leaks cause extensive damage to electronic components of the furnace. Check the drain lines to be sure they are draining properly to a suitable floor drain. You may want to measure the temperature drop across the coil.
When the evaporator coil / furnace/ fan system is located in an attic above a living space (Illustration A010C) leaks can be a huge issue. This type of system should have a secondary pan below the unit with a separate drain. A water alarm system in the pan is also a good idea. Leaks from this type of system can be very damaging to the structure and drywall in a home.
Your Inspection Outside:
The compressor/condenser outside should be level and clean as shown in Photo 1. Often the compressor and pad tips over time and can put tension on the refrigeration lines. If the unit is not level, this can also cause a lubrication issue.
There should be at least 12 inches of clearance around the coils and 3-feet of clearance at the fan discharge. Take a close look at the fins/coils – they should be clean. At times a bright flashlight helps inspect the fine fins on the coils behind the grills. Fins are often blocked with lint and dirt.
I have included Photo 3 showing how the exterior coil and fins can be damaged. Do you think they have a large dog at this home?
Outside (Photo 1) there should be an exterior electrical disconnect for servicing the unit. Some inspectors will also check the amp rating of the unit and check to make sure the overload breaker or fuse is sized correctly. The breaker may be in the exterior disconnect or in the main electrical panel of the home and it will always be 240 volt.
The Takeaway:
Inspectors should understand the basic science and engineering behind a residential air conditioning system. I have explained the basics – but there are many variables with different types of systems. If you understand a basic refrigeration cycle, you are good. Note: a modern refrigerator has all the same components.
When you identify an AC unit as 3 Ton from the name-tag designation, you know the equivalent is melting 3 tons of ice in 24 hours or 36,000 Btu per hour. Use this to impress your clients and so you both understand that “Ton” of cooling.
Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com, he provides high-quality marketing materials, books for homeowners, and illustrations that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © 2022 by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
Visit www.htoyh.com for more information about building science, books, articles, marketing, and illustrations for home inspectors. E-mail Tom (tom@htoyh.com) with questions and comments, or phone (262) 303-4884.
]]>Never, ever, ever miss issues with steps during your inspection. People fall on stairways and get hurt!
Photo 1 shows a precast concrete stairway at an entrance. Apart from rust stains where the railing meets the concrete, this looks pretty good, right? Upon closer examination, though, you’ll see variations in the rise of the steps – and does that handrail have a proper gripping surface?
The closer look in Photo 2 shows a height variation of at least 1 inch from one riser to another. This is a safety issue that should always be documented. You need to protect the buyer and yourself.
In Photo 3, I am measuring the rise of about 10 inches in an entrance stairway. Look closely at the sidewalk in the foreground. There’s a horizontal line of concrete debris just above the sidewalk. That is where the walk was originally poured. The entrance stoop rests on a footing and has not moved over time – but the sidewalk, resting on soil, has moved. This is an important safety item to note in your report, along with a similar photo.
Photo 4 shows a set of stairs I call “all bad.” The rise is not uniform. Handrails are missing. The cuts in the stringer are too deep, and the stringer is showing a crack. The fresh coat of paint on the treads creates a slippery surface.
Walk the steps and use the handrail. You will automatically notice any variation in the rise, inadequate depth of treads, and a loose handrail or one with an improper gripping surface.
Illustration M087 shows basic requirements for stairs. You should also know the specific requirements in your area. Most municipalities require the variation in the rise to be less than 3/8 inch; a specific rise and run; and a handrail at a specific height with an easily graspable surface.
Look at Photo 5 and you will understand why the owner and their insurance company were sued. The rise is not consistent. The railings are short of the bottom step and lack a proper handrail gripping surface. What you can’t see is that the railings are loose, swaying from side to side due to rust. An amateurish patch has been applied to one post. When I looked at this for the insurance company, I didn’t even need to prepare a report. I just told their attorney to bring out the checkbook.
Steps are one of the most dangerous areas of a home. People can fall even on perfectly designed and installed steps, so don’t ever miss an issue with steps that aren’t perfect. This could present a huge liability, and many issues are difficult and expensive to correct.
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Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com (htoyh.com) he provides high-quality books and marketing materials that help professional home inspectors educate their customers. Copyright © 2022 by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
To learn more, attend Tom’s technical presentations at educational sessions for ASHI chapters and local groups. Tom can also provide his knowledge for your educational event; contact him at Tom@htoyh.com.
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