Tag Archives: attic

TREAD LIGHTLY IN YOUR ATTIC TO HELP LESSEN UTILITY BILLS

If you are looking to save some money on utilities, a wise place to start is with insulation. A properly insulated home can save you coin and keep you warmer during the winter and cooler during the summer. 

All of my inspections included poking around in crawl spaces and attics to check insulation levels. During a recent inspection of a home in Freeland, I came across a house that had adequate insulation levels in the attic, but portions of it were compressed (likely from someone walking on it). 

I recommended my clients insulate these areas for improved thermal efficiency because compressed insulation can reduce the “R” value of insulation (lessening its effectiveness). 

If you have questions or comments about insulation, tweet me (@AIHomeInspect).

READY FOR THE ‘BIG ONE’ TO HIT? THIS HOME IS—FROM TOP TO BOTTOM

You know that big earthquake we are supposed to have? Unfortunately, many homes will probably not fare too well during the big shake. 

However, I recently came across a home in Whatcom County that should do all right because of its unique, industrial-grade structural elements. The home featured steel truss construction and steel framing in the attic, which I don’t see very often in residential buildings.

Down below, the crawl space also featured steel framing for the floor joists and steel support columns. As I say in the video, the house is “built like a tank.”

If you have questions or comments about home inspections in general, tweet us (@AIHomeInspect).

LOOKS LIKE THE TAPE MEASURER WAS BROKEN?

Almost there isn’t quite good enough for this ladder.

I recently discovered this unique version of an attic access hatch during a recent home inspection in Mount Vernon. The pull-down ladder in the garage was undersized and did not fully extend to the concrete slab below; furthermore, the pull-down ladder hatch did not close fully, which was a safety issue as the garage ceiling is considered a fire separation barrier between the garage and the home. 

In the home inspection, we have a very technical term for this: double trouble!

Questions or comments about attics or home inspections in general? Go “All” in and let us know at @AIHomeInspect

Moldlike Growth in Attic

At a recent home inspection on Orcas Island, I discovered plywood sheathing in the attic that was stained with a mold-like growth. This typically, almost always, indicates an insufficient ventilation or elevated moisture issue within the attic. Vents could be restricted, vent ducts may be discharging into the attic, or the interface between the main home and attic may need to be better sealed. In any event, a contractor needs to first resolve the underlying cause of elevated moisture and make necessary repairs. The mold-like growth is then typically remediated with a mildicide and then painted with mildicide paint to encapsulate historic mold growth. I recommend tinting the paint TAN because white or black mold growth will be obvious if it returns (e.g., you’ll see it on tan paint). If the attic is forever tan, you know the issue has been addressed satisfactorily. Because most home buyers want this issue addressed prior to closing, and remediation can be expensive, I recommend peeking into your attic on an annual basis and dealing with any apparent mold-like growth sooner than later if noted.

VIDEO: Moldlike growth in attic!

At a recent home inspection in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, I discovered plywood sheathing in the attic that was stained with a mold-like growth. This typically, almost always, indicates an insufficient ventilation or elevated moisture issue within the attic. Vents could be restricted, vent ducts may be discharging into the attic, or the interface between the main home and attic may need to be better sealed. In any event, a contractor needs to first resolve the underlying cause of elevated moisture and make necessary repairs. The mold-like growth is then typically remediated with a mildicide and then painted with mildicide paint to encapsulate historic mold growth. I recommend tinting the paint TAN because white or black mold growth will be obvious if it returns (e.g., you’ll see it on tan paint). If the attic is forever tan, you know the issue has been addressed satisfactorily. Because most home buyers want this issue addressed prior to closing, and remediation can be expensive, I recommend peeking into your attic on an annual basis and dealing with any apparent mold-like growth sooner than later if noted.

VIDEO: OLD Oil Lines in Attic, Possible Old Underground Oil Tank Too?

I discovered what appear to be abandoned oil supply and return lines in the attic of a recent home inspection in Anacortes on Fidalgo Island. This suggests there was an oil fired appliance in the home, historically, likely an oil furnace, subsequently removed. Typically, when oil tanks and appliances are removed, so too are the oil supply and return lines. In this case, while I didn’t see any visible evidence of an underground historic oil tank on the property- originally constructed in 1957- I recommended verifying that the previous oil tank had been properly removed and/or decommissioned. Decommissioning oil tanks, especially if underground storage tanks, can be costly, so it was important to follow up on this detail for my clients.

ELEPHANT TRUNK IN THE ATTIC?  HMMMM…IT’S NOT THAT HARD TO EXTEND FAN DUCTING TO THE EXTERIOR; PLUS YOU’LL AVOID LIKELY MOLD!

If a bathroom vent fan funnels into your attic, moist air from your hot, damp bathroom can eventually (and likely) form mold and mildew on attic rafters and sheathing —and even your attic insulation.  A recent home inspection in Anacortes revealed this very issue.

Good news: There are a few different options for routing the venting to the outside of your home. A one-minute video by Today’s Homeowner with Danny Lipford does an excellent job of explaining why this is so important, and what your corrective options are.

Do you have questions or comments about home inspections in general? Go “All” in and tweet us (@AIHomeInspect).

Water intrusion in attics

One of the reasons it’s important to inspect attics is to look for signs of water intrusion.  Here you can clearly see water intrusion from a roof leak in the attic.  Nothing was (yet) presenting at the interior finishes within the home, but it’s a matter of time before the roof leak worsens and leads to roof structural damage and leaks to the interior.  I always advise my inspection clients to have someone take a peek into their attic and crawl space on an annual basis looking for signs of water intrusion; if you find it sooner than later, the repairs are much less expensive.  Water is the enemy to homes in the Pacific Northwest!  This was discovered at a recent home inspection in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.

Bathroom vent FAIL

Close, but not close enough!  Bathroom vent ducting shouldn’t discharge into the attic.  Instead, it needs to be routed all the way to the exterior to help prevent elevated moisture conditions in the attic area that can lead to mold growth.  I also recommend insulating vent ducting in the unconditioned (unheated) attic area to help prevent condensation within the ducting itself.  This was discovered at a recent home inspection in Anacortes on Fidalgo Island.

Handyman Roof Rafters in Attic

Handyman framing practices, rafters heavily shimmed at their bases, was noted in the attic of a recent home inspection in Anacortes on Fidalgo Island. While there weren’t any visible issues presenting within the home at the time of inspection, this really should be corrected by a qualified framing contractor to ensure the roof’s structural integrity is maintained over time.