JOURNAL
Welcome to the journal page of the web site. This area allows me to share some of the conditions I've encountered over the years while performing inspections. The entries can range from discussing mundane maintenance issues, to showcasing some of the most bizarre situations found in my travels. Hopefully you'll find this section informative, or at least entertaining. As always, feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you may have. Enjoy!
May 2008
Floor Level Basement Insulation
I sometimes get clients who are quite proud of the fact that the insulation in their basement is installed right down to the floor. I'm then forced to break the news that this is not an ideal situation for most basements. Poured concrete, and concrete block foundations are porous by nature. As a result some moisture can be expected to migrate through these materials where they are installed below grade. If the wall insulation, and accompanying moisture and vapor barriers, are installed down to the floor, this migrating moisture will build up behind the vapor barrier, ultimately causing deteriorated insulation, rotted wood, etc. Basement wall insulation should be installed one to two feet from the floor slab, and vapor barriers should be kept relatively loose at their bottom edge.
In addition to deterring moisture trapping, having insulation raised off the floor slab will allow some heat to escape to the foundation's footings, giving them added protection against freezing in the event of an extreme cold snap.
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April 2008
Obstructed Electrical Receptacle
Once again, this installment is intended purely to display one of the odd situations I've come across in the field.
The only lesson to be learned here is if the end result of your work looks like this, you're probably in the wrong line of business.
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March 2008
Drainage Piping Obstruction
There is an accepted idea in construction - particularly in our region - that if you dig a hole in the ground it will fill with water. In order to address this buildings are required to, in modern construction, have drainage piping (formerly known as weeping tile) installed around the perimeter of a foundation's footings. The objective is to collect this ground water and empty it into municipal storm sewers, or into sump pits.
In order to get the full life span out of this drainage piping, good surface drainage practices should be taken (grading, eavestroughing downspout extensions, etc.). Also, trees, and even medium size bushes should be kept well away from foundation walls. Root systems from vegetation can easily infiltrate drainage piping and cause blockages.
Depicted here is a section of drainage piping which has been excavated after becoming clogged with roots and silt. The cost for repairs was approximately $17,000.
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February 2008
Hot Tub Mounting
This installment is purely an excuse to feature one of the more bizarre conditions I've come across in the field. There's really no profound lesson to be learned here, other then when installing hot tubs in a home, manufacturer's specifications should be strictly adhered to - barring this, just use some common sense.
Depicted here is the underside of a hot tub which had been installed at floor level, so that it passed through into the crawl space below. The tub, with a filled weight of approximately 2000 lbs. had been suspended from the floor joists with four hooks normally used for hanging bicycles. The owner of the house was wondering why cracks were forming in the edges of the tub. Considering the support for this tub, he's fortunate there were any edges left at all.
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January 2008
Recognizing Aging Roofs
A very common question I get asked is "How do I know when I need a new roof cover". There's a variety of characteristics to look for, depending on what type of roof cover is present. Here we'll take a look at the most common type (in this region) - asphalt shingles. Depicted is two attached houses - one with new shingles and the other without (you probably don't need an inspector to tell you which is which).
As an asphalt shingle ages it will shrink, creating an inverted "V" pattern between shingle sections. The stone embedded in the shingle will also wash out, exposing its tar and felt interior. Although asphalt shingles come with a variety of life span ratings, there are numerous variables which will affect how long they will actually last. Typically about 18 to 20 years can be expected. As an aside, this picture shows a poor way to deal with installing a new roof on adjoining properties. Ideally the old and new covers should be interwoven, so as not to create a straight seam which will be prone to water entry. Most localities will allow a home owner to cross over onto an adjoining property so that this can be achieved.
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December 2007
Ladder Mounting
As this is the first installment in this section of the site, I thought it would be nice to start off featuring a condition that can lead to horrible injury or death. During an inspection several years back I had observed an exterior roof ladder attached to the side of a commercial building. The bolts & anchors had been installed directly to the brick veneer, rather then to the interior framing of the building. As a result, years of erosion effects had gradually loosened the mountings (as depicted in this photograph).
Before I had a chance to document this defect in my report, a strong gust of wind peeled the ladder from the face of the building. Fortunately, the only victim in the incident was the hood of the white car you see in this photograph; however, it was a dramatic reminder to any person needing to use these ladders to check their condition first - also to owners to routinely examine their property for deficiencies affecting safety.
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