Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample
Thank you so much for your business. Chuck Shaughnessy | Principal 1st Insight Inspections 602-625-6644 | call or text [email protected] Home buyers please activate your 90-Day Warranty Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - SampleTable of Contents HOW TO VIDEOS & ARTICLES (Website) ................................................ 10 Videos by Category (website) .............................................................. 11 Articles by Category (website) ............................................................. 11 GENERAL STRUCTURE OF A HOUSE - eBook ............................................. 12 Foundation .......................................................................................... 12 Sub-flooring ........................................................................................ 13 Exterior and Interior Walls................................................................... 13 The Roof.............................................................................................. 13 FOUNDATIONS ....................................................................................... 14 Slab Foundation................................................................................... 15 Laying a slab-on-grade foundation.......................................................... 15 A different method ............................................................................... 15 Pros and Cons of Slab Foundations ......................................................... 16 Basement Foundations......................................................................... 17 Building a basement foundation ............................................................. 18 Adding a slab ...................................................................................... 18 Pros and Cons of Basement Foundations.................................................. 19 Pier and Post Foundation ..................................................................... 19 Advantages and Disadvantages of Pier and Post Foundations ...................... 20 All About Crawl Spaces ........................................................................ 22 Common problems with crawl spaces ...................................................... 23 Solutions for vented crawl spaces ........................................................... 23 Building a proper crawl space ................................................................ 23 Insulation ........................................................................................... 24 Proper Grading to Protect Your Foundation .......................................... 25 Different types of grading...................................................................... 26 Correct faulty grade ............................................................................. 26 FRAMING ............................................................................................... 28 Platform Framing................................................................................. 28 How it’s constructed ............................................................................. 28 Key features of platform framing ............................................................ 29 Balloon Framing .................................................................................. 30 Page 1 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - SampleFeatures of balloon framing ................................................................... 30 Sub-Flooring........................................................................................ 31 Floor joists.......................................................................................... 31 Underlayment ..................................................................................... 31 Types of sub-flooring............................................................................ 32 EXTERIOR .............................................................................................. 34 Exterior Walls ...................................................................................... 34 The typical residential wall .................................................................... 35 The exterior finishes ............................................................................. 36 Fiber Cement Siding............................................................................. 36 Wood Composite Siding ....................................................................... 37 Wood Siding ........................................................................................ 38 Aluminum Siding ................................................................................. 39 Pros and Cons of Aluminum Siding.......................................................... 39 Vinyl Siding ......................................................................................... 40 Pros and cons of Vinyl Siding ................................................................. 41 Stucco Siding....................................................................................... 41 Application of Stucco ............................................................................ 42 Pros and Cons of Stucco........................................................................ 43 Synthetic Stucco/ Exterior Insulation Finishing System........................ 45 Features of synthetic stucco .................................................................. 45 Pros and Cons of Synthetic Stucco .......................................................... 46 Maintaining Exterior Walls ................................................................... 47 ROOF TRUSSES AND RAFTERS................................................................. 48 Trusses ............................................................................................... 48 Advantages of using truss systems ......................................................... 49 Types of roof trusses ............................................................................ 50 Roof truss terms .................................................................................. 51 Advantages of roof trusses .................................................................... 51 Rafters ................................................................................................ 52 Features of rafters ............................................................................... 52 Advantages of using rafters ................................................................... 53 Choosing between Trusses and Rafters ................................................ 53 Page 2 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - SampleCost .................................................................................................. 53 ROOF COVERINGS .................................................................................. 56 Asphalt Composition Shingles .............................................................. 56 Architectural shingles ........................................................................... 57 Three-tab shingles ............................................................................... 57 Pros and Cons of composition shingles .................................................... 57 Maintaining composition shingles............................................................ 58 Wood Shingles..................................................................................... 58 Features of wood shingles ..................................................................... 59 Pros and cons of wood shingles .............................................................. 60 Maintaining wood shingles ..................................................................... 60 Rolled Roofing ..................................................................................... 61 Features of rolled roofing ...................................................................... 61 Pros and cons of rolled roofing ............................................................... 62 Maintaining a rolled roof ....................................................................... 62 Concrete Roof Coverings ...................................................................... 63 Features of Concrete Roofs .................................................................... 63 Features of Concrete Tiles ........................................................................ 63 Pros and Cons of Concrete Roof Coverings ............................................... 64 Clay Roof Covering............................................................................... 65 Features of clay roof tiles ...................................................................... 65 Slate Roofs .......................................................................................... 67 Features of slate roofs .......................................................................... 67 Pros and Cons of Slate Roofing............................................................... 68 Membrane Roofing............................................................................... 69 Types of membrane roofing ................................................................... 69 Pros and cons of membrane roofing ........................................................ 71 Maintaining membrane roofing ............................................................... 71 Rubber Roof Covering .......................................................................... 72 Pros and cons of rubber roofing.............................................................. 72 Maintenance of rubber roof coverings ...................................................... 73 Spray Polyurethane Foam Roofs........................................................... 74 Page 3 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - SamplePros and cons of SPF roofs .................................................................... 74 Maintaining SPF roofs ........................................................................... 75 Metal Roof Coverings ........................................................................... 76 Features of metal roofs ......................................................................... 76 Types of metal roof coverings ................................................................ 76 Pros and cons of metal roofing ............................................................... 76 Maintaining metal roofs......................................................................... 77 GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUTS.................................................................. 78 Installing gutters ................................................................................. 78 Owner installed gutters ......................................................................... 78 Seamless gutters ................................................................................. 79 Downspouts ........................................................................................ 79 Pros and Cons of gutters and downspouts ................................................ 79 WINDOW WELLS .................................................................................... 80 What are they? .................................................................................... 80 How do you install them? ...................................................................... 80 Maintaining your window well ................................................................ 81 Replacing your window well ................................................................... 81 WINDOWS.............................................................................................. 82 Picture | Fixed Windows ...................................................................... 82 Types of picture windows ...................................................................... 82 Pros and Cons of Picture Windows .......................................................... 83 Maintaining picture windows .................................................................. 83 Single Hung Windows .......................................................................... 84 Double Hung Windows ......................................................................... 85 Pros and cons of double hung windows .................................................... 85 Maintaining single and double hung windows ............................................ 86 Sliding Windows .................................................................................. 86 Features of sliding windows ................................................................... 87 Pros and cons of sliding windows ............................................................ 87 Maintaining sliding windows................................................................... 88 Casement Windows ............................................................................. 88 Features of casement windows............................................................... 89 Page 4 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - SamplePros and Cons of Casement Windows ...................................................... 90 Maintaining casement windows .............................................................. 90 Features of awning windows .................................................................. 91 Pros and Cons of Awning Windows.......................................................... 92 Maintaining awning windows.................................................................. 92 ELECTRICAL SERVICE SUPPLY................................................................. 93 Overhead Electrical Service.................................................................. 93 Pros and Cons of overhead electrical service............................................. 93 Underground Electrical Service ............................................................ 94 Pros and Cons of underground electrical service ........................................ 94 MAIN ELECTRICAL SERVICE PANEL ......................................................... 95 Main switch, breakers, fuses..................................................................... 95 Main breaker panel .............................................................................. 96 The main breaker................................................................................. 96 Circuit breakers ................................................................................... 96 Fuses................................................................................................. 97 Electrical Grounding ............................................................................ 97 Electrical Flow ..................................................................................... 97 What causes short circuits? ................................................................... 97 How electrical grounding works .............................................................. 98 Grounding Systems.............................................................................. 99 Wiring ................................................................................................100 110 voltage versus 220 voltage wiring ...................................................101 Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters ..............................................................102 How is an arc formed? .........................................................................103 How does an AFCI work?......................................................................103 When is an AFCI not recommended? ......................................................103 Types of Arc fault circuit interrupters......................................................104 Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter – GFCI.....................................................105 WATER SUPPLY – Municipality and Private Well .....................................106 Municipality water supply ........................................................................106 Safety of municipal drinking water .........................................................106 Private Wells ......................................................................................107 Page 5 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - SampleSewer Systems ...................................................................................108 How sewer systems work .....................................................................108 Septic Systems ...................................................................................109 How it works ......................................................................................109 Drainage, Waste and Vent Systems .....................................................110 How the system works.........................................................................110 PIPING AND VALVES .............................................................................112 Piping.................................................................................................112 Valves ................................................................................................112 Gate valves........................................................................................113 Globe valves ......................................................................................113 Ball valves .........................................................................................114 Check valve .......................................................................................114 Hose Bibs / Exterior Hose Faucets ......................................................114 Traditional hose bibs ...........................................................................115 Frost proof hose bibs ...........................................................................115 WATER HEATERS ...................................................................................116 Gas Water Heaters..............................................................................116 How it works ......................................................................................116 Electric Water Heater..........................................................................117 How it works ......................................................................................118 Solar Water Heaters ...........................................................................119 How they work ...................................................................................119 Tank-less Water Heaters.....................................................................120 How they work ...................................................................................121 Pros and Cons of Tankless Heaters ........................................................121 Recirculating Pumps for Water Heaters ...............................................122 Types of recirculating pumps ................................................................122 GARBAGE DISPOSALS ............................................................................124 Problems with garbage disposals ...........................................................125 WATER SOFTENERS & PURIFYING SYSTEMS...........................................127 Water Softeners .................................................................................127 The water softener solution ..................................................................128 Page 6 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - SampleWater Purifiers ...................................................................................128 Walter purifying/filtration solution..........................................................128 Sediment Filters .................................................................................128 HEATING OIL, NATURAL GAS AND PROPANE ..........................................129 The BTU..............................................................................................129 The Efficiency.....................................................................................129 Additional costs and factors to consider ..................................................130 HEATING & COOLING DISTRIBUTION ....................................................131 Radiant Systems .................................................................................131 Potential problems ..............................................................................131 Gravity Systems..................................................................................131 Forced Air Systems .............................................................................132 How they work ...................................................................................132 Oil Furnaces .......................................................................................132 Gas Furnaces ......................................................................................133 Routine homeowner maintenance checks ................................................134 Routine forced air furnace maintenance for professionals...........................135 All About Central Air Conditioning .......................................................137 Temperature control............................................................................138 Cooling .............................................................................................138 Air circulation .....................................................................................139 Possible problems with central air conditioning ........................................139 Routine Central Air Conditioning maintenance list for homeowners..............140 Professional Needed Repairs .................................................................141 Heat Pumps ........................................................................................143 Components of a heat pump .................................................................144 How heat pumps work .........................................................................145 Common problems with heat pumps ......................................................146 Routine heat pump maintenance for professionals ....................................147 Zoning Systems for HVAC Systems ......................................................148 How Do They Work?............................................................................148 Hydronic Heating Systems ..................................................................150 How hydronic heating works .................................................................150 Page 7 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - SampleComponents of a hydronic system .........................................................150 Advantages of the hydronic heating system.............................................151 Homeowner maintenance of the hydronic heating system ..........................151 Professional maintenance of a hydronic heating system.............................152 Humidifiers.........................................................................................153 Types of humidifiers ............................................................................154 Homeowner maintenance for humidifiers ................................................155 Maintaining your humidifier ..................................................................155 Professional maintenance of different humidifiers .....................................157 CHIMNEYS & FIREPLACES......................................................................159 Chimneys ...........................................................................................159 Types of chimneys ..............................................................................160 Wood Burning Fireplaces ....................................................................161 Masonry fireplace................................................................................161 Pros and cons of a masonry fireplace .....................................................162 Maintaining a masonry fireplace ............................................................162 Free standing wood stove.....................................................................162 Pros and cons of a free-standing masonry fireplace ..................................162 Fireplace insert...................................................................................163 Pros and cons of a fireplace insert .........................................................163 Gas Fireplaces ....................................................................................164 Features of gas fireplaces.....................................................................164 Types of gas fireplaces ........................................................................165 Pros and Cons of gas fireplaces .............................................................166 Maintaining a gas fireplace ...................................................................166 Electric Fireplaces...............................................................................167 Features of electric fireplaces................................................................167 Pros and Cons of Electric fireplaces ........................................................167 Maintaining electric fireplaces ...............................................................168 TERMITES .............................................................................................169 Indicators of termite infestation ...............................................................169 Preventative measures for new homes ...................................................169 Preventative measures for existing homes ..............................................170 Page 8 of 177 Table of Contents
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS...................................................................171 Radon.................................................................................................171 Detecting radon in the home.................................................................171 Effects of radon exposure .....................................................................171 Getting rid of radon from the home........................................................172 Asbestos.............................................................................................172 How asbestos harms you......................................................................173 Detecting asbestos in the home.............................................................174 LEAD .....................................................................................................175 Important facts about lead ...................................................................175 How does lead affect you? ....................................................................176 How can we tell whether a house has a lead hazard? ................................176 Getting rid of lead in the home..............................................................176 Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Page 9 of 177 Table of Contents
HOW TO VIDEOS & ARTICLES (Website) INSPECTION-FINDINGS-SOLUTIONS.COM Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Page 10 of 177 Table of Contents
Videos by Category (website) Articles by Category (website) Doors Any Project – Starting & Options Electrical Appliances Exterior Doors Foundation Electrical HVAC -Heating & Air Exterior Interior Foundation Plumbing Garage Pools HVAC – Heating & Air Roof Interior Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - SamplePlumbing Irrigation Pools Remodeling Roof Safety Ventilation Insulation Windows Page 11 of 177 Table of Contents
Non-load bearing walls These walls have no beam at the bottom or a foundation. They won't affect the structure of the home if interfered with. These are just a few basic things about the structure of a house. They help you understand a little more about your house and how it is constructed. FOUNDATIONS The type of a house foundation depends on the area where you live. Considerations such as climate, the soil type, extremes of weather experienced in the area, are all taken into account. Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Page 14 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Basement Foundations House foundations are of different types. They primarily exist to support the structure of the house. Basement foundations are multi-functional. They offer strong support to the structure of your house. In addition to this you have additional living space for you and your family. Your home will also not be as cold as it would have been with a slab foundation. Page 17 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - SampleBuilding a basement foundation Soil assessment and house perimeter When a basement is constructed, the first step is to assess the soil. Sandy soils, bedrock, chalk, and loam soil (this soil typically has a mix of organic material, sand and clay), are considered the better grounds to construct a building on. Clay is not an ideal soil for foundations. It expands when it absorbs water causing shifting and cracking of the foundation. But the use of a post tension slab really helps mitigate problems caused by clay soils. When your ground is solid rock, a basement may not be the practical solution. Areas where footers lie are dug deeper than the other areas of the foundation. Footers Building codes specify how deep footers should be in the ground. In some places the footing should be at least 24 inches from the final grade. For colder places such as Maine, the footing must go below the frost depth. The specified depth is at least four feet. Add to this; an additional four feet for the recommended basement height. After achieving the correct footing depth, the concrete is poured into them. Walls Concrete blocks, and poured concrete are recommended for the foundation walls. In some places building codes specifically prohibit the use of cinder blocks in house walls. This is because they are not as strong and durable as concrete blocks. They may thus not withstand the pressure of the building’s weight. After constructing the walls, hopefully a moisture resistant sealer was used. This will protect the walls from any moisture around them. Adding a slab Today many homebuilders are building a slab foundation for their basements. A moisture barrier is first placed on the floor of the foundation and then the concrete mix is poured in. When the concrete has cured, another moisture barrier is placed on top of the concrete and against the interior walls of the basement. This provides additional protection for the walls and concrete against moisture. Some areas, such as the Southwest, moisture barriers are not needed. Once all this is done, plumbing installations are then added and the rest of the home is built. Page 18 of 177 Table of Contents
Pros and Cons of Basement Foundations Basement foundation pros • Basements provide additional living and storage space for the homeowner. • They don’t allow cool air into the house during winter. • They are a sensible choice when you keep the slope away from the foundation. Basement foundation cons • The first disadvantage is the cost. Basements are costly to construct. They cost goes even more if you plot of ground is on rock. Pier and Post Foundation Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample For those living in coastal areas or areas prone to flooding, the post and pier foundation is a sensible choice. This foundation type elevates the home so that should floods occur the water does not damage the home. Page 19 of 177 Table of Contents
• The house is less likely to experience rot and mildew damage as there is good air circulation. • It is an excellent solution to areas experiencing subsidence (the gradual caving in or sinking of an area of land) as other foundation types would be prone to cracking. Pier and post foundations are an affordable and long-lasting choice for many people. They offer protection for the house against pests, insects, flood waters and other dangers. They are also easy to repair and provide comfortable floors. Disadvantages of Pier and Post Foundations • The weight of the house is not evenly distributed as in other types of foundations. • When one post shifts or rots, the area of the home that it supports will begin to sag and may crack. • Although the house may not experience rot and mildew, the ground underneath may, especially if it is not properly drained. Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Page 21 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample All About Crawl Spaces House foundations are comprised of various types. They can be basement foundations, crawl spaces or slab foundations. Historically we have almost always built our houses with basements. These basements were formerly used for food storage. However, today’s homeowner may not require a basement, or cost prohibitive. We now have refrigerators, pantries and other alternatives to store our food. We also have other conveniences that have raised our standard of living. This has created a need to cut costs wherever we can. One of the ways that homeowners do this is by eliminating a basement altogether. This has led to people building homes with crawl spaces. Page 22 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Proper Grading to Protect Your Foundation Why do we grade the land? Water is a serious enemy to your foundation. It must be kept away from the foundation. When rainwater collects along your foundation, it can seep into the foundation wall, and basement causing water damage. Sometimes this may result in cracks in the concrete. Page 25 of 177 Table of Contents
FRAMING Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample This is the fitting together of components to give a structure support and its shape. The framing materials which are usually used, are wood, engineered wood, and even structural steel. Platform Framing This is a framing option normally used in residential constructions. This comes into use for what is commonly known as light frame constructions. It is the most prevalent framing method in use for homes in America today. The basic concept of platform framed houses is that their construction is block upon block. You’ll have the ground floor built upon the foundation and then the next block will be the first floor. How it’s constructed The first platform The construction begins with the platform or base of the house. This platform starts with the rim joists. They form a frame along the foundation. Girder beams are then put in place. These beams provide a good support system for the platform. The girder beam supports the intermediate joists that run from the Page 28 of 177 Table of Contents
Sub-floors also help to keep the joists underneath from lateral movements. Types of sub-flooring Traditional plank subflooring Before plywood came into use as a sub-flooring material, wood planks served as the sub-flooring material. These planks made use of softwood with 1” x 6” inch dimensions. They were attached to the floor joists with nails. One challenge of these sub-floors was that the nails often came loose resulting in squeaky floors. Plywood From the mid-20th century plywood began replacing the wood plank sub-flooring. Today tongue and groove plywood of ¾” is the preferred material. The design has edges that interlock causing it to stay firmly in place. As a result, you have steady floors that resist movement. Plywood sub-flooring is attached to the floor joists with glue and special screws. The thickness of the plywood depends on the finish that you’ll place over it. Hardwood floors require thicker sub-flooring while vinyl and carpet floors work well on thinner plywood. Concrete sub-flooring For houses with concrete slab, this forms an excellent sub-flooring material. It is smooth, solid and lasts long. Concrete sub-flooring requires a moisture barrier when laying vinyl or hardwood finishes on it. Installation of stone and tile floors is directly onto the concrete slab. Oriented Strand Board (OSB Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Page 32 of 177 Table of Contents
EXTERIOR Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Exterior Walls Exterior walls serve various purposes. These walls are part of the support structure of the home. As part of the structural support, they carry the weight of the roof down to the foundation. They also provide an aesthetic appeal as they are finished with the siding of your choice. Exterior walls also provide much needed insulation to the house. With all these functions you’ll rarely find walls that are made up of only one layer. There are different layers serving different purposes. For the ideal home the following layers can be expected. Page 34 of 177 Table of Contents
In addition to this, take care of the water that comes down from your roof when it rains. Installing gutters and a downspout will enable you to direct water away from the foundation. That way it won’t spatter on the ground and soak the walls. Have the land around your home sloping away from the foundation. This way water won’t accumulate or saturate the soil around your foundation. Stucco experience You’ll find that stucco homes add a touch of class to your home. Stucco can be done on any type of home. It just needs an experienced professional to apply it. You’ll have a wide variety of finishes to choose from as well as a diverse color range. With this type of siding you can never really go wrong. Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Page 44 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample ROOF TRUSSES AND RAFTERS These are the two types of framing structures for roofs used throughout America. While trusses have been taking over from rafters, you'll still find many houses being built with rafter roofs for various reasons. Some of these include the aesthetic appeal and the need for room in the attic. Below is a description of both of these roofing structures. Trusses These are A-shaped frame structures used to provide firm support for the roof. Unlike rafters and beams that were used previously, these structures are built Page 48 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Rafters These are sloping boards made from 2” x 8” or 2” x 10” lumber to support the roof of a building. They are the traditional form of roofing that still makes up a large part of the US houses to date. Rafters must be cut and put up by experienced professionals. They are attached on one end to the ridge board or the top of the roof and on the other end to the exterior walls. Features of rafters There are a few things that you’ll want to know or be familiar with when choosing rafters. These include: Page 52 of 177 Table of Contents
Table of Contents Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Page 54 of 177
Table of Contents Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Page 55 of 177
ROOF COVERINGS Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Asphalt Composition Shingles Fiberglass shingles are a type of asphalt shingle. Their exterior is made from asphalt, but their base is made from fiberglass mat. These shingles can last up to 25 years and more. Some 12 to 15 years, a lot depends on regional climate and maintenance. These shingles came into use in the 1970’s. Prior to them, asphalt shingles made use of felt in their layers. They were composed of a few layers including an asphalt base, heavy tar paper, another asphalt layer and finally a granulated rock layer. This organic asphalt shingle lasted about 15 years. When new technology introduced the fiberglass layer, the lifespan of the shingle was increased. The glass layer replaced the organic felt layer which was mostly heavy tar paper. Cost of fiberglass shingles The cost of these shingles depends on how large your roof is, the pitch as well as the slope. In addition to this there’ll also be the price you’ll pay for the contractor. Generally, you’ll spend anywhere between $3.25 - $4.50 per sq.ft. There are basically two types of these shingles. These are: Page 56 of 177 Table of Contents
Maintaining composition shingles Cleaning This entails removing any material that has collected on the surface of the roof. This could be twigs and leaves from nearby trees and other debris. You’ll also want to clean areas where mold has grown by washing them. If you’re hosing down the roof, ensure that you use low pressure water so that the shingles don’t get damaged. Replacing loose and damaged shingles Inspecting your shingles regularly enables you to note any damaged or loose shingles. You’ll then re-attach loose ones using roofing cement and replace any damaged ones before your house begins to leak. Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Wood Shingles Wood shingles have been in use for a long time in America. They were once largely used because they were one of the few alternatives available to homeowners. In today’s market the options for roofing have improved. There are inexpensive options such as asphalt and rubber roofing. Wood shingles fall in the category of premium roofing products. Page 58 of 177 Table of Contents
Carefully maintained wood shingles last about 30 years. This is in contrast to the more expensive slate roofing or clay roofing. The main reason homeowners go for wood shingles is their aesthetic appeal. Features of wood shingles Wood shingles are mainly made from the Thuja Plicata (western red cedar) species. Other species such as the redwood and the cypress have similar properties but are not in large supply. These trees offer exceptional properties that contribute to the long life of the shingle. Among these are: • Dimensional stability • Low density • Water resistance • Resistance to decay • A straight grain that is defect-free Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Difference between shingles and shakes Wood shingles are always sawn. Wood shakes on the other hand are sometimes sawn, other times split and then sawn, or even simply split. Page 59 of 177 Table of Contents
Concrete roof coverings can be either the roof itself - made of concrete or covered in concrete tile. These roofs are expensive to construct but last a long time. The tiles are a much cheaper option that works well in any environment. Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Clay Roof Covering Clay roof coverings are in the form of tiles. They are attractive and come in various designs. These tiles are a choice for many because of the numerous benefits that they offer. Chief among these benefits is the curb appeal. There aren’t many roof coverings that can match up to a clay roof. Features of clay roof tiles The manufacture of these tiles is like other pottery items. The clay is first molded before the baking process begins. The manufacturer will achieve different densities of the clay by altering the temperature and amount of time spent in the kiln. Manufacturers offer these tiles in different colors. The choice of color is not limited to earth tones though these are the most frequently occurring. To achieve a wider color range, tiles are sprayed with enamels before baking them. As a result the color is permanently fixed to the tile to keep it from peeling. Page 65 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - SamplePros and Cons of Clay Tiles Pros of clay tiles Long lasting These roof coverings can last up to a hundred years. They even surpass concrete tiles which last about half a century. When you invest in these tiles, you are making a lifetime investment. However, hail, and freezing will damage these tiles. Aesthetic appeal Clay tiles are also very aesthetically appealing. The homes with this type of roofs stand out among the rest. This roof tile enhances the curb appeal and increases the value of the home. No matter how much other tiles try and imitate the Terra-Cotta look, having the actual clay tile trumps them all. Roof coverings of this type virtually retain their color forever. This is because baking of the tiles is at very high temperatures to bond the color to the clay. It thus doesn’t change no matter the environmental conditions that it experiences. Friendly to the environment Clay tiles are also environmentally friendly as they are recyclable. Clay tiles are also environmentally friendly as they are recyclable. Manufactured from natural materials these tiles do not harm the environment. Fire and wind resistance Clay tiles are fire resistant and thus having them may help you get lower insurance premiums. These roof coverings when properly installed, can resist hurricane force winds. They are thus an excellent choice for people living in areas experiencing strong and damaging winds. Maintenance In addition to all these, clay tiles require little maintenance over their lifetime. Cons of clay tiles Clay tiles are quite expensive. On average a square foot of clay tile costs anywhere between $ 11 and $18. More elaborate designs cost upwards of $20 per square foot. Making these roof coverings are among the most expensive coverings in the market. These tiles are not suitable for cold areas which experience freezing and thawing cycles. These changed cause the tiles to crack and sometimes break apart. Page 66 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Modified bitumen membrane These roofing membranes otherwise known as torch down roofs are a combination of asphalt and other materials. Combining asphalt with other materials helps to reinforce it. to join the seams together the builder uses a flaming torch to melt the asphalt. While these roofing membranes are an improvement on the asphalt membrane, they are not that far removed. Thus you’ll still be dealing with leaks at some point. Thermoset roofing membranes When these materials set, they form a united roof that has no seams. It runs from one end of the roof to another. This is excellent for eliminating leaks. In this type of membrane, the materials crosslink so that they form a single membrane. The membranes in this category have varying thickness ranging between 30 and 60 mils. Thermoset roofs are able to endure UV rays quite well and last many years. There are various roofing membranes in this category. These include: • The EPDM (Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer) or rubber roof • CSPE which is a reinforced rubber product also known as Hypalon • ECR and CR membranes Page 70 of 177 Table of Contents
Maintaining single and double hung windows • The side jambs of the windows need to be cleaned with a silicon spray. Use a clean soft cloth and spray the silicon cleaner onto it before using it to wipe the side jambs. • Use a normal window cleaner and a clean piece of cloth to clean the windows on both the inside and outside. Dry them completely after this. • Clean your window screens with a wet cloth after removing them. Use a soft cloth to clean removable grills while they are detached and placed on a flat surface. • Change weather strips that have cracks and tares that are affecting the performance of the windows. • Take off the hardware and use a recommended cleaner for the hardware. Different types of hardware materials require different cleaning products. Chrome hardware requires a specific polish as do brass finishes. Ensure that you dry the hardware before re-installing it. Single or double hung? The choice between these two depends on where you want the windows to be placed, the budget you have and the amount of air circulation you need. If choosing single hung, ensure that they are placed on the lowest floor so that it is easier to clean them. Sliding Windows Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Sliding windows are elegant and give a clean and expensive look to your home. They are well suited to wide spaces where the panels have room to slide from side Page 86 of 177 Table of Contents
Maintaining sliding windows • To maintain your sliding windows, you'll need to first assemble your tools. These include water, a suitable cleaning agent, a putty knife or a flat screwdriver, and gloves. • The next thing is to slide the window open completely. Then unlock it at the end and lift it up and out from the track. It should come off without a problem. • Clean out the window track of the dust and debris that may have accumulated there. To do this you'll lift out the track using a putty knife or a flat screw to pry it out. Then clean out the groove before replacing it. To replace it you'll just tilt it away from you and then press it back in. • Now clean the sash with the piece of cloth and water on both sides. Then replace it in the track by place the bottom end in, pressing it down and pushing it in at the top. • A sliding window has a weep hole that allows moisture to flow out. This weep hole requires cleaning from time to time. Remove the weep hole cover first and then clean the weep hole with a pipe cleaner. Next inspect the cover to see whether it works properly. If it doesn’t, you'll need to replace it. Sliding windows are easy to maintain. They are an aesthetically appealing addition to your home. These windows provide a clear unobstructed view of the environment while allowing lots of light in. Casement Windows Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Page 88 of 177 Table of Contents
Awning Windows Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Awning windows are one of the popular window designs we have in America today. You may have seen them used mostly as bathroom windows in the past. Today many homeowners add them for their aesthetic appeal and their unique features and advantages. Features of awning windows Awning windows open up, and outwards. They are hinged at the top and when you open them, they slide outwards. This allows light and ventilation into the home while keeping out rain and wind. These windows are frequently found in bathrooms though today they feature as an excellent design addition in other areas of the home. They are placed higher up on walls than other windows to bring in light and ventilation while providing a great deal of privacy. Many homes having these types of windows have them in varying sizes. They may be smaller cut for bathrooms and larger for living rooms. The size really depends on the area you want to place them in. Materials used The materials used for awning windows include vinyl, fiberglass, metal, wood and acrylic. Vinyl is ideal for warmer areas as it resists UV rays. It is also a good material for areas with high levels of humidity. Fiberglass windows are a lighter choice and they come molded with color. They tend to crack with time though. Acrylic is a good choice for those experiencing high humidity and looking for an eco-friendly alternative. Wood was commonly used in the past. This material though aesthetically appealing increases your fire hazard and also requires more maintenance than other materials. Page 91 of 177 Table of Contents
It also has a lot of costs attached to it especially because of property restoration after the power lines are in place. Your utility company will advise you on what is viable for your home. Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample MAIN ELECTRICAL SERVICE PANEL Main switch, breakers, fuses Electricity flows into your home through a system designed to function efficiently and safely. This system consists of wires and other components which help distribute power to different rooms and appliances. Page 95 of 177 Table of Contents
Faulty appliances – sometimes the appliances that you use in the home may be faulty resulting in short circuits. For old appliances wires may become worn out with age. Old appliances that are giving you shocks when you use them should be checked on by a professional. Connections coming loose – loose connections may also result in short circuits when they enable the neutral and hot wires to come into contact. How electrical grounding works Electrical grounding wires are placed alongside the hot and neutral wires throughout our home. They are designed to provide a path of least resistance whenever electricity escapes from the hot and neutral wires. When insulation becomes worn out and electricity flows out, it is captured by the ground wire and channeled out. The ground wire is normally bare and is thus easily distinguished from the other wires. In many cases it comes together with the hot and neutral as they leave the circuit and go into your home. The ground is connected to a grounding bar at the service panel. This grounding bar is in turn connected to the grounding rod outside your home. Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Page 98 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Grounding Systems Electrical earthing or grounding occurs in different ways. These include: Plate earthing – galvanized iron or copper plates are buried vertically in the ground at least 10 feet from the ground level. Pipe earthing – this system which is the makes use of a perforated pipe and galvanized steel. These are placed vertically in wet soil. The pipe is placed at a depth of about 15 feet. Around the pipe are alternate layers of charcoal and salt or coke and salt. Rod earthing – this method works the same way as pipe earthing. In this case a copper rod or galvanized iron rod are buried in the earth. The length should be at Page 99 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters These are devices that prevent fires by detecting arcing faults and de-energizing the circuit when this happens. It simply shuts off the circuit when it detects an electric arc. Many house fires are linked to electrical problems. A study carried out in the 90s by the National Fire Protection Association reported that arcing was responsible for 82% of all electrical fires within the study period. That is why arc fault circuit interrupters are recommended over the circuits in your home. Page 102 of 177 Table of Contents
Types of Arc fault circuit interrupters There are various types of ACFIs. These include: Portable AFCI – this is plugged into an outlet and provides protection to anything connected on an extension cord. Cord AFCI – this protects the extension cord or power cord connected to it. Branch ACFI – it gives protection to the branch or feeder wiring. Outlet circuit AFCI – this not only protects the branch circuit wiring, but also other power cords connected on it. Arc fault circuit interrupters are designed to detect arcs and prevent fires in your home. They are a necessary part of your power system and should be tested once a month to ensure that they are working properly. Remember that they detect arcs and trip the system. You’ll have to do the investigating afterwards to know why the system is malfunctioning. Unless you are professionally trained, always call in a qualified electrician to find out what could be causing the problem. Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Page 104 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter – GFCI In the USA, 200 people die of accidental ground fault electrocution each year. A ground fault occurs when electricity runs where it’s not supposed to – outside the confines of wiring within an appliance, outlet, or tool. If electricity runs through a person, the results can be burns, heart attacks, or even death. A ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) is a safety device that’s been used in many homes since the early 1970s. A GFCI monitors differences in current flowing in and out of an appliance, light, or tool – and most of the time, that’s all it does. Within milliseconds of detecting that electrical current is flowing or leaking where it’s not supposed to (such as through a person or through water), the the GFCI shuts off the electrical circuit to prevent electrocution or electrical fire. Page 105 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - SampleGFCIs are required in new construction where they are installed in interior wet areas like bathrooms, laundry rooms or kitchens, in crawlspaces, garages, and in most exterior applications. In older homes, GFCIs are often retrofitted in wet areas, but are less commonly seen in garages, outbuildings, crawlspaces, unfinished basements, or attics. WATER SUPPLY – Municipality and Private Well Municipality water supply Majority of the population in the US, and Canada has their water supplied by the municipality. Public water systems are classified as either community or non- community. Non-community water is that which you get when you visit a gas station, a restaurant or a park. This is called a transient water supply system. You could also get non-community water when you attend school, at your workplace or in a hospital. These are referred to as non-transient water supply systems. Community water is water that is provided to the same people all year round. It is the water that comes through your municipality to your taps. Safety of municipal drinking water There are many things that threaten the water that is supplied to the community: • Naturally occurring substances • Pesticides • Chemicals that have not been disposed of properly • Animal wastes • Human threats • Wastes that have been injected underground • Improperly maintained water distribution system Previously treatment of water was the main protection mechanism enforced by the act. However, after the 1996 amendments other measures were emphasized. These included: • Water protection at source • Training of water operators Page 106 of 177 Table of Contents
There are various types of valves used in piping systems. Some of these are described below: Gate valves These valves start and stop the flow of a fluid in a system. In this case the valve consists of a gate-like disc which moves up to allow fluid to flow and down to shut it off. They are excellent as isolating mechanisms for systems requiring full or no flow. Depending on the disc that is used they may be classified as parallel disks, solid wedge, split wedge or flexible wedge. Globe valves These valves allow the liquid flow to change direction two times. It works by moving towards or away from the disk seat using a threaded system. It is an ideal valve to use for regulating the flow of fluid. This valve however has the disadvantage of poor performance when there is high fluid pressure. Globe valves come as a ball disk, composition disk or a plug disk. They are ideal for regulating the flow of fluids, shutting off flow and starting up flow. Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Page 113 of 177 Table of Contents
Ball valves This valve comes with a ball shaped disk that has a hole that allows flow when on and stops flow when shut. The hole is bored through the valve to make a passage in it. This passage is aligned with the direction of flow when the valve is on to allow fluid flow. When the valve is off, the hole is set at right angles to the direction of flow causing fluid to cease flowing. A lever is used to turn the valve on or shut it off. It is also operated using an automatic actuator. This valve does not require internal lubrication. Check valve This is a valve used to prevent fluid from flowing back in the system. It is used together with a gate valve. When fluid flows through the piping system the pressure from it pushes the valve open. Should the flow be reversed, the weight of the valve will cause it to close. These are just a few of the valves that may be in use in the home. It is a good idea to understand the piping system of your home. Take time and know the piping systems supplying water and heat and those leading out of your home. This knowledge will help you should there be a break down in a system. You can quickly get to a valve and turn it off or on as the situation requires. Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Hose Bibs / Exterior Hose Faucets A hose bib is an exterior faucet that is located on an outside wall of your house. It is that faucet where you connect your hose when watering your plants or cleaning your car. The hose bib is designed to allow a hose to be easily attached on it, and t will in most cases be threaded. The size of the hose bib may differ depending on the kind of water pressure desired. In many houses it matches the size of the water pipes used in the house. Page 114 of 177 Table of Contents
There is also a temperature pressure relief valve that senses when the pressure rises above the prescribed limit. When this happens, the valve opens to allow the pressure to leave. Without this safety mechanism, the tank could blow up when water pressure becomes too much. Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Electric Water Heater There are various types, but they operate on the same principal. The water is heated by use of two heating elements inside the water tank. Temperatures are normally preset and when they are reached, the elements then go off. Page 117 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample How it works If the pipes on the tank are normally made of galvanized steel. These pipes are connected to the homes copper plumbing using a dielectric union. This keeps the water pipes from electrolytic corrosion. Page 118 of 177 Table of Contents
Just like in the gas water heater, a dip tube connected to the cold-water pipe transports the water to the bottom of the tank. The electric water heater has two elements located in the middle and the bottom of the tank. A thermostat will allow control of each of these elements. The elements come on one at a time and they work in cycles. The number of cycles will depend on how much warm water is in use in your home. The cycles will thus be more frequent for larger households. During maintenance, the elements should be tested. It is important to have a continuous flow of electricity from the thermostat to the elements. If this is not the case, the element should be replaced. Solar Water Heaters These types of water heaters are suited for mild, warm and hot temperature regions. They make use of heat from the sun. They can cut your energy bills drastically though they may be quite expensive to install. Those who have them will also have a secondary source of hot water for the cold days. How they work In a closed system, anti-freeze solution is heated by the thermal collector and then sent to your water tank. Here it flows through a series of coils as it heats up the water in the tank. After this the now cooler fluid flows back to the collector. Another way these systems work is by directly heating the water in tubes within the collector. This heated water then flows into the tank awaiting your use. Solar water heaters are best suited to mild climates. They also work efficiently where the collector and the water tank are located close to one another. Their main setback is the high costs of installation which may not be recouped over the life of the system. Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Page 119 of 177 Table of Contents
Inspection-Findings-Solutions-Understanding Your Home - Sample Tank-less Water Heaters As the name suggests these are systems that heat water at the point of use. They are also referred to as demand water heaters as they provide hot water on demand. They don’t require tanks to be able to function. In many countries around the world you’ll find these heaters at the point of use. This would be at shower heads and kitchen faucets. However, in America they’re mostly installed at a central point. Tankless water heaters avoid heat loss that is experienced when water is heated in tanks. Tanks normally lose heat through their walls. They also waste energy as sometimes not all the water heated in the tank is used. This is a problem you’ll never experience with tank less water heaters. You only heat what you’re using. Page 120 of 177 Table of Contents
Search
