At Smith & Smith Home Inspections of Murfreesboro, TN, we know the importance of thoroughly inspecting an attic. In this blog post, I will focus on some of the main defects and problem areas to look for, and where to look for them. Due to the tons of videos posted online of homeowners falling through drywall and ceiling tiles, we recommend attic inspections preformed by state licensed and InterNACHI certified home inspectors. If you live in the Greater Middle Tennessee area, Smith & Smith Home Inspections has the best professional home inspector to hire for your home buyer and home seller home inspection needs.

The best time to inspect an attic is during a heavy rain downpour. This will be the easiest time to observe active leaks. The majority of leaks occur at or around roof penetrations, such as plumbing vents, dryer vents, bathroom vents, attic ventilation areas, air handler exhausts, kitchen hood exhausts, and under the electrical service mast entry point. Another area to look for moisture intrusion, is at the fascia boards. These are the boards at the eave that usually have gutters attached to them. The moisture intrusion likely happens due to an abundance of debris in the gutters and/or gutters that are sagging or sloped improperly.

Another important aspect of an attic to inspect is the insulation. Insulation provides resistance to heat flow. The more heat-flow resistance the insulation provides, the lower the heating and cooling costs. Heat flows from a warmer space to a cooler space. In the cold winter, heat flows directly from all heated living spaces to adjacent unheated spaces, such as attics, garages, basements, crawl spaces, and to the outdoors. Wherever there is a difference in temperature, heat flow can move indirectly, such as through interior ceilings, walls and floors. During cooler months, heat flows from the exterior to the interior of a building. Insulation’s resistance to heat flow is measured by its thermal resistance, also known as its R-value. The R-value needed in your house will depend on its climate, type of heating and cooling system, and the particular part of the house where the insulation is installed. If there isn’t any insulation in the attic space, then insulation should be installed between the joists. If the insulation does not cover the tops of the ceiling joists, then a good practice is to install new batts perpendicular to the existing ones.  This will reduce thermal bridging through the framing members. Thermal bridging occurs when poorly insulating material allows a pathway for heat flow across a thermal barrier, causing heat/energy loss. When installing batt insulation with a paper side. The paper side should face towards the inside of the home. The paper acts as a vapor barrier. If it is installed improperly, the paper moisture barrier could trap moisture in-between the paper and the sub-flooring, which could cause microbial growth.

The attic access hatch or door should also be insulated. During cold months, heat loss and air leakage through uninsulated and non-weatherstripped ceiling openings is a major source of energy loss, which results in a higher electric bill. The attic access opening can also be covered with an insulated cover box. Attic access openings should exceed 30 square feet and have a vertical height of 30 inches or more. The rough-framed opening should be at least 22 inches by 30 inches. When plumbing and/or electrical systems and/or mechanical equipment is in the attic space, then the attic should be accessible for inspection, service and removal. The passageway beyond the opening should be at least 30 inches high, at least 22 inches wide, and not more than 20 feet in length when measured along the centerline of the passageway from the opening to the appliance. A light fixture should be installed to illuminate the passageway and the attic appliance. Plus, an electrical outlet should be installed near the appliance to permit safe and convenient maintenance and servicing of the appliance.

During a home inspection, the attic should be checked for damaged, cut or altered trusses or rafters, which could jeopardize the home’s structural integrity. A structural engineer should always be consulted on how to repair damaged trusses, because trusses are specifically engineered components. Your home inspector should also look for spliced wires that are not in covered junction boxes. Anywhere you have wires spliced together, you need a junction box, because contact between wires can cause a spark.

These are just a handful of the items and areas that should be inspected during a home inspection in an attic. Through time, I will expand on this blog entry to include more important aspects of an attic inspection. When buying a home or an investment property, you want your home inspector to be experienced in building and construction, InterNACHI certified, and licensed by the state of Tennessee. I am that home inspector. At Smith & Smith Home Inspections, we inspect every square foot of the house, from the foundation to the roof, and always include thermal imaging and gas leak detection, all at an honest, flat rate price. We provide home inspections and radon testing throughout Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Lebanon, Shelbyville, Manchester, McMinnville, La Vergne, Winchester, Woodbury, Columbia, Nashville & The Greater Middle Tennessee Area. Call/text/email to schedule your inspection today!

For the past five years, as owner of Smith & Smith Home Inspections of Murfreesboro TN, houses I’ve observed that have had their gutter and downspout systems in disrepair for many years have foundation and crawl space issues, that could have easily been avoided. When it comes to maintaining your home’s condition, making sure rainwater sheds away from your home’s foundation is of the most importance. Improperly sloped and clogged gutters can also cause separation from and water damage to fascia boards, and water damage to eaves and rafter ends.

These are some of the important factors I consider when inspecting your home:

• is the guttering system adequately sized to prevent runoff;
• are the gutters free of rust, cracks and holes in order to prevent leaking; and
• do the downspouts divert water 4 to 6 feet away from the home’s foundation.

A few inches of rain falling on the roof of a house can produce several thousand gallons of water runoff. This runoff must be directed away from the home’s foundation. Otherwise, the excess water can quickly saturate the soil surrounding the building, and seep through the foundation to the interior. Once inside, this moisture can lead to a variety of problems, including mold and wood rot. Excess moisture can also cause indoor air quality problems.

Gutter System Basics

Gutter systems consist of two parts: 1) gutter channels that run horizontally along the roof edge to collect runoff; and 2) the downspouts that carry the collected water to grade level. Roofing gutters should slope down toward the downspout at the rate of 1/16-inch per foot, or 1/4-inch per 5 to 10 feet. An angle less than this won’t allow water to move effectively, and much more of an angle will cause the water to move at too great a speed, potentially resulting in overflow over end caps and corners.

As a homeowner, in judging adequate gutter slope, look for signs of standing water in portions of the gutter away from the downspout, and eyeball the margin against the fascia.

Gutter channels are typically available in 4, 5, and 6-inch sizes. They are referred to by their shape: there are K-style gutters (also known as “ogee” because the shape resembles this molding type); and U-style gutters (or half-round). The style differences are principally aesthetic; there is no substantial difference in performance. Larger sizes conduct more water at a faster rate, provided that there are enough downspouts to drain the gutter channels without overflowing

Downspout Basics

Most downspouts are made of the same material as the gutter system, so they tend to suffer from similar problems, but with a few twists, especially in the area of mechanical damage from proximity to high-traffic areas.

Downspouts should be inspected for:

• the connection between the downspout and the gutter;
• proper attachment of the downspout to the structure;
• leakage in joints (sometimes they will have been installed upside-down);
• impact damage from doors of vehicles parked nearby; and
• downspouts that terminate onto another roof surface.

Climate

The following are some climate-specific considerations for different types of gutter systems:

• Hot-Dry and Mixed-Dry Climates:  Gutters are not required in all dry climates. However, a wide roof overhang will keep occasional runoff away from the home.  As with any structure, the grade at the foundation should slope away from the building.  Metal, rather than vinyl, gutters and downspouts are safer in areas susceptible to wildfires.
• Hot-Humid and Mixed-Humid Climates:  In areas with heavy rainfall, the gutter and rain leader capacity should be increased. Kickout and diverter flashing will prevent high water volume from spilling over the gutters and running down the exterior walls of the home.
• Marine Climate:  In areas that experience high winds and heavy rains, the gutter and rain leader capacities should be increased, especially for large roofs.
• Cold and Very Cold Climates:  Depending on the building codes for the jurisdiction, it may be wise to avoid the use of gutters in areas that receive high snow loads.  If gutters are installed, ice buildup inside the gutters during freezing and below-freezing temperatures can lead to ice damming, which can cause moisture intrusion through the roof’s sheathing and any unsealed openings.  There are products available at building supply stores that will help prevent ice dams from forming.

Tips for Homeowners

If you insist on doing the job yourself, following these tips can help you properly and safely maintain your home’s gutter system:

• Observe common-sense safety precautions (and enlist a spotter, if available) when using a ladder to reach the gutter system.  Always maintain three-point contact, and don’t over-reach; move the ladder instead.
• If mounting the roof, wear footwear with gripping treads to prevent slipping. In my personal experience, I’ve discovered that skateboarding shoes have great grips for traversing roofs.
• Wear gloves to protect hands and arms from sharp debris, as well as from animals and insects that may be hiding in the gutters.
• A gutter scoop is a convenient tool for removing leaves and other debris.
• Cleaning gutters can take a substanial amount of water. Place a garden hose in the gutters and downspouts to flush them out, making sure that the water is directed away from the home via the downspouts. This will help reduce the chances of saturating the soil around the foundation.
• Covered gutter systems may be effective in preventing excessive debris buildup, but these are not maintenance-free.
• Homeowners can install a rainwater harvesting system (if allowed in their jurisdiction) that includes a drainage mechanism to handle overflow.

At Smith & Smith Home Inspections, we inspect the entire house, from the foundation to the roof, and include thermal imaging and gas leak detection, all at a reasonable, flat rate price. We provide home inspections and radon testing throughout Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Lebanon, Shelbyville, Manchester, McMinnville, La Vergne, Winchester, Woodbury, Columbia, Nashville & The Greater Middle Tennessee Area. Call/text/email to schedule your inspection today!

Here at Smith & Smith Home Inspections, our home inspector performs complete home inspections that cover the Grounds, Roof, Exterior, Garage, Bedrooms, Bathrooms, Kitchen, Laundry Room, Interior Components, Basement, Crawl Space, Attic, HVAC System, Plumbing, and Electrical. When inspecting home electrical systems, there are common electrical defects/problems discovered by checking electrical outlets and removing the dead front covers from main and/or sub panels. In this blog post, I’ll focus on electrical outlets with open grounds, electrical outlets with reversed polarity, and double tapped neutrals.

An open ground is when a three-prong receptacle is not connected to an equipment grounding conductor or the home’s grounding system. This is unsafe because if a fault were to happen, the surge could damage equipment or people rather than routing to the ground. One main reason for open grounds is that there is not a grounding wire present, likely due to an older home’s electrical wiring not being fully updated with newer grounded wiring. In newer homes, open grounds are most often caused by a break in the grounding connection due to a loose or broken wire.

As an InterNACHI Certified Electrical Inspector, another common electrical defect I find during home inspections are outlets with reversed polarity. This is when the neutral wire is connected to where the hot wire is supposed to be. This causes electricity to continuously flow out of an outlet, even if an appliance is supposed to be off. In most cases, reversed polarity is due to amateur workers or DIY projects, but sometimes it is from an electrician accidentally mixing the wires up.

As a professional home inspector, it is common practice for me to remove dead front covers from electrical panels. In houses built before 2002, it is not uncommon for I to find double tapped neutrals. A ‘double tapped neutral’ is a slang term for one screw on the neutral bus bar to have more than one neutral wire feeding into it. Putting more than one neutral wire under the same lug in a electrical panel was a common practice by electricians’ for many years up until 2002, when the National Electric Code (NEC) specifically stated that neutral wires must be isolated individually under their own lug on the bus bar. Double tapped neutrals can be both minor and major issues. When neutral wires are double tapped, they can come loose from their connection. When a loose connection occurs, overheating and/or arcing can result, which can be a fire hazard.

These three common electrical defects can cause risk or harm to people and/or property, and should be corrected as soon as possible. At Smith & Smith Home Inspections, I provide due diligence in finding and informing my clients of all electrical problems observed, whether big or small. Smith & Smith Home Inspections provides home buyer inspections throughout Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Lebanon, Shelbyville, Manchester, McMinnville, La Vergne, Winchester, Woodbury, Columbia, Nashville & The Greater Middle Tennessee Area. Contact us today to schedule your inspection!

Detecting moisture intrusion problems is one of the main applications for Smith & Smith Home Inspections Murfreesboro using thermal imaging or infrared (IR) cameras.  Moisture intrusion may be identified through a basic visual inspection if it has lead to obvious defects, such as staining or mold growth.  By the time visible evidence is noticeable, however, significant damage may have already been done.  In many cases, moisture or water intrusion may have been developing for a while before obvious signs become apparent.  By employing thermal imaging and a moisture meter, our home inspector can locate moisture issues before they become large problems and lead to serious damage, as well as gather details in cases where moisture intrusion has already become obvious.

Advantage for Home Inspectors, Home Buyers and Home Sellers

• It allows examination of areas that are not visible to the naked eye.
• It allows examination of areas that are difficult to access, such as tall ceilings.
• It allows for larger areas to be examined.
• It helps locate sources of moisture intrusion.
• It helps determine the extent of moisture intrusion.
• It allows the home inspector to trace moisture intrusions through other affected areas.
• It provides visual documentation of moisture intrusion.

There are few disadvantages associated with using infrared imaging to locate sources of moisture intrusion.  Your Smith & Smith Home Inspections home inspector is adept at accurately reading images and utilizing the equipment to its fullest capabilities.

We know the importance of using a moisture meter in conjunction with a thermal imaging camera to identify moisture intrusion problems.  Once a potential trouble spot is located through thermal imaging, the problem can be verified with the moisture meter.

Applications for Finding Moisture

Since infrared technology provides so many advantages for inspecting for moisture intrusion, it is applicable in many situations.  Home inspectors benefit by using an IR camera in the following scenarios:

• during a home inspection, thermal imaging makes apparent any areas of moisture intrusion and/or air leaks in the building envelope;
• after a water-damage event, such as a flood or pipe rupture, thermal imaging can help document the scope of the damage, as well as find affected areas that may not be immediately obvious;
• behind finished basement walls, inspectors can view inside for moisture in a non-intrusive way;
• if an in-slab water supply or waste line is suspected of leaking;
• when windows, doors or other openings are suspected as points of moisture and/or air intrusion, thermal imaging can help confirm such suspicions;
• to help identify wet spots in insulation;
• to locate hidden leaks under resilient flooring; and
• to find wet areas in inaccessible spots, such as a narrow crawlspace and inside ductwork.

Home Inspections with Infrared Cameras and Moisture Meters

At the beginning of a Smith & Smith Home Inspection, getting oriented with the interior to be inspected is immediately helpful.  Knowing the general layout of the house can help determine where to start inspecting.  Exterior walls should be noted in relation to shared walls, as well as areas of the floor above.  Is the bottom of a basement wall above or below grade?  Is there a deck above the room being inspected?  Is there a roof above the room being inspected?  Is there another room above the room being inspected?  What part of the room being inspected is a likely point for moisture intrusion?  Taking such factors into account can help determine the obvious areas to start inspecting with a thermal camera.

After identifying the areas that are most at-risk for moisture intrusion, along with any visual evidence, such as staining, discoloration,  and/or apparent wet spots, the surfaces can be scanned with a thermal camera to locate the source of problems.  Since the apparent temperature of wet spots will be lower than that of building materials, moisture will be visible through thermal imaging as dark areas.  After a potential problem is located, it can be confirmed with a moisture meter.  An issue can then be documented by saving an infrared image alongside a digital photo to include with a description of the problem in the home inspection report.

Our home inspector keeps in mind that a house is a dynamic system, made up of many components that are all interconnected and interactive.  Leakage or moisture intrusion at one point will likely affect other areas as it moves or grows.  Smith & Smith Home Inspections pays attention to what other areas are at risk downstream from the point of a moisture intrusion.  For example, if an upstairs toilet is found to be leaking, the ceiling area in the room below it should be examined.  Using thermal imaging, all the areas affected by leaks or moisture at a specific location can often be traced down the line and documented, giving a fuller picture of the nature and extent of the issue.

Important Areas Smith & Smith Home Inspectors Check

• in the kitchen around the sink, under the dishwasher, behind the refrigerator, and under the cooking range, as well as around vents and exhaust fans;
• in bathrooms around plumbing fixtures and outlets, shower and bathtub enclosures, fixtures and vents, the toilet and bidet, and windows;
• the HVAC system;
• the water heater;
• in the attic, including roof pass-throughs and penetrations, connecting walls, vents and fans, and recessed lights;
• in the basement, including walls, ductwork and crawlspaces;
• in the laundry area around the washer and dryer hookups, drip pans and exhaust vents, as well as utility sinks.

Using a thermal camera in conjunction with a moisture meter allows problem areas to be located and documented easily in our home inspection reports.  Thermal imaging can also help determine if insulation is lacking or deficient, help determine if electrical systems are overloaded or overheating, help determine if there are leaks or defects with the roof, and help determine defects with the HVAC system.

Call/Text/Email Smith & Smith Home Inspections for detailed professional inspections and the most accurate radon monitoring in Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Lebanon, Mt. Juliet, Shelbyville, Manchester, McMinnville, Columbia, Nashville & the Greater Middle Tennessee Area.