St. Louis Real Estate – Attic Ventilation

Filed under: Building Inspection News, First Time Home Buyer

St. Louis First Time Home Buyers need to read this before buying a home.

ATTIC VENTILATION

Attic ventilation is an important part of your home’s design and construction but is seldom noticed when home buyer’s are looking at their dream home. In the summer attic ventilation can help prevent heat build up, which will make your living areas cooler and more comfortable, help reduce air conditioning costs and help prevent premature roof shingle deterioration. The major shingle manufacturers require attic ventilation to validate the shingle warranty. In the winter attic ventilation can help prevent moisture buildup, which will help prevent wood rot, mold, mildew, and poor indoor air quality. Good attic ventilation, along with proper attic insulation can help prevent the uneven freeze/thaw cycle associated with snow on your roof that often leads to ice dams which can backup water under shingles causing roof deck and interior sheathing damage.

Did you know that the average family of four generates 2-4 gallons of water vapor a day through activities such as cooking, cleaning, showering, laundry and breathing? Some of this water vapor rises into your attic. Good ventilation helps remove this moisture before it causes problems such as wood decay, wet insulation, mold and mildew.

So, what does your inspector look for and how does he report on acceptable or marginal attic ventilation. Your inspector knows that the best way to ventilate the attic is with a balanced system. Ventilation must be low and high, or in other words, vents at the soffits or edge vents for intake and ridge vents at the peaks for exhaust. The best part of ridge vent installations is that the component is installed along the entire peak and ventilates the entire underside of the roof deck.

Your inspector will document conditions inside the attic and on the roof with photos and review with you all the conditions that are present at the time of the inspection to ensure that you understand all the important aspects of attic ventilation.

Good house hunting, and leave all the important structural and mechanical details to your ASHI inspector.

Harry Morrell
Allied Building Inspections, LLC
Inspector

Posted by Harry Morrell   |   Read More   |   Your Comments Are Welcome!   |   08.06.2009

St. Louis Real Estate Voice – Up on the Roof

Filed under: Building Inspection News, First Time Home Buyer, For Buyers, Relocation Buyer

LOW SLOPE ROOF SYSYEMS 

A client called for an inspection last week and was concerned because the house did not have a roof. Actually the house did have a roof and the reason the client was not able to see the roofing on the roof structure was because the house had a low slope roof. This system is also commonly referred to as a flat roof. 

It is critical during the inspection process of a flat roof to actually achieve access to properly determine the condition of the roofing. This can be challenging if the inspector does not have the proper equipment or if there is not interior access to multi-family two or three story buildings. Good inspectors will contract with a boom truck to gain access. Sometimes multiple ladders may be needed to go from roof to roof or rear deck to roof to gain access. No matter how challenging it is, the inspector must gain access to properly report on the conditions of the roofing for the client. 

Even though these roofs are sometimes referred to as flat roofs, there should always be a minimum amount of slope directed towards a means of roof drainage to prevent water intrusion to the interior spaces. This is true even though low slope roofs use water tight membranes as opposed to the asphalt composition shingles used on steep pitched roofs that shed the water. If there is no slope or drainage system, it is highly likely that this roof will always leak. 

The materials used on today’s low sloped roofs have changed and improved over the years, but the concept is still the same. The system generally starts with either metal or wood decking, topped with a rigid layer of foam insulation or a base sheet that is attached to the roof deck. Roll roofing, Built up roofing, Modified Bitumen roofing, and Sprayed Polyurethane Foam are some of the most common type roofing materials that you will typically see on these type roofs. Your inspector will be able to advise you on the advantages and service life on these type materials. 

The inspector will typically report on blisters or bubbles, splits in the membrane, inadequate seals around roof penetrations, cracks or (alligatoring) in the membrane, and signs of water ponding. If a roof or sections of roofing have been repaired repeatedly, there is a good chance that there is a leakage problem that is either still active or will be again. 

Generally speaking low sloped roofing does not have as long a service life as pitched roofs with composition roofing shingles. Ask your inspector to take as many photos as needed to confirm his findings. Buyers do not want to install new roofing one week after closing. 

Harry O. Morrell

ASHI Certified Inspector

Posted by Harry Morrell   |   Read More   |   Your Comments Are Welcome!   |   03.19.2009

St. Louis Real Estate-Building Inspection-Crawl Space Inspections

Filed under: Building Inspection News, First Time Home Buyer, For Buyers

No Basement, No Sweat. . .but you better pay attention to this!

A crawl space is an area or portion of a space in a building or house, without a basement, between the surface of the ground and the bottom of the first floor. This space is usually less than normal headroom. This space is designed to permit access to components such as ductwork, wiring, and pipe fittings.

“This sounds like a great idea”, says Mr. and Mrs. Home Buyer, “Besides, we don’t need a basement for storage and we don’t care what our crawl space looks like, we will never go down there”

You may not want to go through a crawl space, but you better know the condition your crawl space is in. There are three concerns every buyer should be aware of when it comes to crawl spaces.

1) BUGS & CRITTERS – Dirt crawl spaces are a great place to live, thrive, and reproduce if you are a bug. There is even temperature, moisture, damp wood, and shelter. Spiders, beetles, centipedes, termites, and all kinds of other insects are found in dirt crawl spaces. Animals such as mice, (dead or alive) are commonly found in dirt crawl spaces. In some cases even rats, snakes, and small animals have been found in crawl spaces.

2) CONDENSATION – Because of the high humidity level in dirt crawl spaces, cool surfaces such as the earth at 55 degrees, concrete, and metal surfaces will sweat with water vapor condensing out of the air. This can result in rot, odor, and is a water source for critters.

3) MOLD & STRUCTURAL DAMAGE  – Mold spores, the seeds of mold, are everywhere. All they need to grow is organic material, such as wood, the right temperature range, and moisture. Dirt crawl spaces have the high humidity levels necessary for mold to grow. Humidity levels from 50%-90% are easily found in dirt crawl spaces even when they have never flooded. Mold can grow on dirt, insulation, framing, and even under your carpet on the first floor. Mold can reproduce by producing millions of floating airborne spores, which some people are very sensitive to. Spores even can be dormant for many years waiting for the right conditions to grow.

I hope I have the attention of all the buyers out there on the importance of knowing the conditions of a house with a crawl space. The good news is there are many solutions and improvements that can be recommended by your home inspector after the conditions are evaluated. Don’t panic, many of these solutions and improvements are not that pricey. If you truly love the house, you will make these improvements. Take your time, talk with your inspector, and make intelligent decisions for the safety and well being of your family.

Harry Morrell
ASHI Certified Inspector

Posted by Harry Morrell   |   Read More   |   Your Comments Are Welcome!   |   01.14.2009

St. Louis Real Estate – Mold and Moisture Intrusion

Filed under: Building Inspection News, First Time Home Buyer, For Buyers, For Sellers, Relocation Buyer, Unrepresented Seller(FSBO)

The State of Missouri and the surrounding areas have had record rainfall for the year of 2008. It appears that everything has dried out and water levels have receded. The big concern for home owners and potential home buyers is if the home has had any excessive water/moisture intrusion into the interior spaces of the home. If water/moisture intrusion has occurred mold could be manifesting in your home without your knowledge. 

Neither the State of Missouri nor any federal agencies currently have any regulations regarding investigation, evaluation, or remediation of mold. The front runners in the development of mold regulations include the states of New York, California, Minnesota, and Texas. 

A general home inspection during a real estate transaction typically includes looking for mold, and water/moisture intrusion. This is significant during the inspection of the interior.  Every home inspector should be aware of the legal consequences of mold in homes. In fact, mold litigation has been the chief reason for mold awareness in homes. Health issues and the affects mold has on adults and children have been debatable. However, the mere thought of going through trials and litigation over mold, health concerns, and law suits make the whole mold issue significant. 

A careful visual inspection for mold and water/moisture intrusion can eliminate 80% of the concern and responsibility of mold being in the home. The 20% of what is going on in between the walls that can’t be seen will always be there. Most good home inspectors will do a virtual photo scan of the entire house to document what the conditions were at the time of the inspection. However, all parties should be aware that lawsuits and litigation can raise its ugly head even when everyone has made a good faith effort to disclose and carefully inspect the property before the real estate transaction has closed. 

During the inspection the inspector will typically look for stains and/or mold and then try to determine the source of the stains. Mold does not appear out of the blue by itself. Sources are typically an interior water leak, or water/moisture intrusion from the exterior to the interior spaces or lack of or improper ventilation. If there is an unusual odor or musty smell, air monitoring should be considered. If mold is found, the inspector may also suggest taking a sample to determine and identify exactly what type mold is present in the home, toxic or allergenic. Both these procedures are separate fees from the whole house building inspection. 

Take time and talk with your inspector over all these variables and more concerning mold. You can’t afford not to know about mold in your home. And make sure your inspector is ASHI certified! 

Harry Morrell
ASHI Certified Inspector

Posted by Harry Morrell   |   Read More   |   Your Comments Are Welcome!   |   11.10.2008

St. Louis Real Estate Voice – Building Inspection – Fireplaces

Filed under: Building Inspection News

Are you going to use your fireplace this heating season. . .you better read this!

Cooler weather is right around the corner and homeowners should consider getting their fireplaces ready for service for those cold winter nights. Home buyers who are purchasing a home with a wood burning fireplace should ensure that the homeowner has properly maintained this appliance. A standard ASHI inspection will address most concerns a buyer may have during the real estate transaction inspection. The inspector will know when conditions require further evaluation.

The National Fire Protection Association, (NFPA) has addressed the minimum chimney inspection standards and classified three levels of inspection.

A level one inspection includes the readily accessible portions of the chimney exterior, the interior fireplace, and portions of the chimney connections that are accessible. The inspector should be looking for the basic soundness of the chimney structure and flue as well as the basic appliance installation and connections. The inspector should also verify if the chimney is free of obstruction and there is proper clearance with combustibles in accessible locations including basements, attics, and crawl spaces. Level one inspections should be included in your report, in the fireplace section, at the time of the real estate transaction.

Level two inspections includes inspecting everything listed in a level one inspection with the addition of video scanning equipment to examine and positively determine if the internal surfaces and joints of all flue liners incorporated within the chimney are performing as intended. No removal or destruction of permanently attached portions of the chimney or building structure is required by a level two inspection.

When a level one or two inspection suggests a hidden hazard and the inspection cannot be performed without special tools to access concealed areas of the chimney or flue, a level three inspection is highly recommended. Removal or destruction, as necessary, of permanently attached portions of the chimney or building structure will be required to positively determine if safety hazards or conditions exist.

Your home inspector will be able to advise you of the appropriate level of inspection needed for your particular house. In addition, regular yearly inspections are recommended for all chimneys, fireplaces, and vents. Each year unsafe chimneys cause significant numbers of injuries and deaths, and account for more than $200 million in property losses. Don’t become a statistic, get an inspection.

Posted by Harry Morrell   |   Read More   |   1 Comment »   |   10.07.2008