Home Inspections

Flat Roof Deck failure and the Story of Repeated Deck Replacements

Home inspections Salem Oregon, Mold, Roofing, Structure, Leave a comment

The coolness factor of a deck/patio that you can walk out onto and having living space underneath cannot be denied.  When houses are built on/in hills it can be a very efficient way to maximize the usable space while minimizing concrete.

These deck/patio areas are considered “flat roofs.” Everyone hears the word “level” when I say flat and that is not true.  Flat roofs are any roof with a less than 4-12 pitch.  They all have slope, some more than others.  The tricky thing about flat roofs is that they don’t really get to take advantage of gravity to bring the moisture down and away.  The water is flowing down the slope of the surface just much slower and if there are any low areas of areas of ponding water will sit and work on any vulnerable areas until there is a leak.  

Case in point:

With this decking system we can look into the past a little and see that as the contractors installed the framing and sheathing everything was nice and sloped and smooth.  Then the roofing was installed and part of the roofing at the lowest edge a 90° edge metal was installed.  This created a little high area, right alond the edge that wouldn’t let water drain effectively but over all it was sloped and the standing water could be managed.  Almost done right?  Oh, wait!  We still need a railing!

If the rail has not been thought about until this point in the deck’s construction it is screwed (in more ways than one!).  There is no good way to install deck posts that won’t damage or hamper another part of the roof surface.  With the deck surface needing a rail and a nice (mostly flat) roof surface to the edge the contractor chose to go right through the surface of the roof with fasteners.  This is a terrible installation for structural stability (toe-nailed fasteners are not very reliable against lateral/horizontal forces).

Now, right at the edge of the roof slope, where remember we had those areas of ponding, the roofing membrane was filled full of holes to mount the wooden posts.  The poor home owners tried to caulk this post-to-roofing transition, but it was too late.  

Inside the thermal camera did not see any smoking guns (sometimes it can be hard when temperature inside and outside is very close to the same), the moisture meter was able to confirm current ongoing leakage in this system under the edges and especially where the rail posts where installed.

The top sides of the windows are always a good place to check for leakage.  Even if it is not active the tannins in the water from soaking through wood framing alow you to see the “tea” colored stains.

By failing to plan for the finishes and rail this deck was doomed to fail.  These decks can be done much better, but it takes an experienced contractor who knows what the issues are going to be 5 steps ahead!

As always if you have any questions or would like some help diagnosing an issue just give me a call or email:

Jim Allhiser 503.508.4321

Jallhiser@PerfectionInspetionInc.com

Your favorite Salem Home Inspector.

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Lets settle this crack issue

General, , , , , Leave a comment

One thing that comes up often during home inspections is foundation cracks.

Most people have heard about someone who had a terrible foundation crack that cost them thousands! Unfortunately, these stories can be true but let’s unpack the term foundation and take a better look at those dreaded cracks.

The term foundation refers to the structure that transfers the weight/load of the house to the soil.

The most conventional modern foundation in Salem, Oregon is a poured concrete continuous perimeter foundation. This type of foundation is made with poured concrete (obviously) and will have a crawlspace most of the time but can have a basement. We don’t see to many basements in this part of Oregon due to the lack of frost. In colder climates the depth of the footing must be below the frost depth or how deep the ground freezes, to prevent heaving. That is why you see basements in cold climate areas. This perimeter foundation can also be made with concrete/masonry block (this was popular in the 1960’s in the Salem area).

Foundations can also be slabs. The entire footprint of the house is a concrete slab with a thicker section around the perimeter to act as a footing. We don’t see very many slab foundations in the Salem, Oregon area. Continuous perimeter foundations are more common because they are less expensive (they use less concrete than a slab) and a crawlspace is a great area to run pipes and wires after the house is built.

On very old houses, 100 years+, we can still see post and beam houses. Some real estate pros will state that because the house does not have a “continuous perimeter” foundation that these houses don’t have a foundation. This is not true as the definition of foundation is the transfer of weight to the soil. Although unconventional by today’s standards these houses are still transferring the weight/load of the house to the soil. These posts and beams can be huge timbers 16″x16″x30′. They typically have issues with wood destroying insects but that is more about moisture management issues than anything else.

Now that we have a pretty good idea about foundations and what they are let’s look at the cracks that can occur in continuous perimeter foundations.

The most common types of cracks are small (less than 1/4″ and mostly vertical). This type of cracks indicates shrinkage. Concrete cures or hardens as a chemical reaction and I have heard people say that it hardens for 100 years! As it is hardening it is also shrinking. As it shrinks is needs to take up less space and it cracks. These cracks do not affect the ability of the concrete to transfer load to the soil and are very normal.

small, vertical= shrinkage= not a concern

Now we can start looking at cracks that are of concern. In general, any crack that is bigger than 1/4″ should be further investigated, but the shapes of cracks can also indicate the type of movement.

Diagonal cracks. Diagonal cracks are an indicator of movement. Typically, there is a soil/water issue that is affecting the ability of the soil to carry the weight of the house.

“V” shaped cracks are also movement indicators.

Horizontal cracks are another type of crack to watch for.

That covers the most common types of cracks that we see during inspections. As always, if you have any questions about a crack in your life feel free to shoot me a call or email!

The Return of the Rains

Roofing, Thermal Imaging/ Infrared, , , One comment

The return of the winter rains have occurred in Salem, Oregon.    Although our wonderful indian summer was enjoyable, it prolonged my inability to find leaks effectively.

Now that a sufficient soaking rain has occurred I can once again find leaks that are not readily visible.

Check out this skylight I inspected recently:

Visual inspection of a leaking skylight on a Salem Oregon Home inspection

Looks good right?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The visible surface of the drywall appeared to be just fine with no stains or bubbles or any tell tale signs of problems.  Thank goodness I have a highly advanced thermal camera:

Thermal image showing skylight roof leakage on a Salem Oregon home Inspection

Those blue areas are current moisture

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am sad to see the sunshine go away but my effectiveness as a home inspector just went up a few notches!

Multi-Layer Roofs

Home inspections Salem Oregon, Roofing, , View all 7 comments

Multi- Layer roofs are roofs that have had an additional layer of roofing added over the top of a layer that has reached the end of its useful life.

Multi-layer roofs are the goto solution for house “flippers” and people that need a new roof surface but would like to do it as inexpensively as possible.

Salem, Oregon home inspection showing a multi layer roof

The edge of the roof is the best location to determine if you have a multi-layer roof.

There are some benefits and some problems with this situation:
The main upside to going over the top of an existing layer of shingles is cost. The labor that it takes to remove the old roof and the dump costs can be directly subtracted from the cost of the new roof. In general this savings equals around 10 to 20 percent of the cost of the new roof. If you are planing to move in the near future this saving may seem like a good deal.

Now lets look at the downsides. Wear and tear: Multi layer roofs are usually not warranted by the shingle manufactures and they will not last as long. How much shorter the new shingle’s life will be depends on many variables but two thirds to three quarters the life is a safe bet. Also multi-layer roofs will have more issues with nail pops, or fasteners that poke through the surface of the new shingles. This condition is due to the fasteners not being long enough to penetrate through the old shingles and in to the wood sheathing properly.

As a local Salem, Oregon home inspector I see these type roofs often and it is important my client understands what a multi-layer roof actually means. Most shingles are at least 20 year products (if they are installed correctly!) so even on a multi-layer roof you should have at least 12-15 years of relatively trouble free roofing.

How can I Buy Agent Referrals? Or Why I don’t give out Chocolates and Pens.

General, Home inspections Salem Oregon, , , View all 5 comments

A few years ago the Construction Contractor’s Board did some revising to one section of their “Standards of Practice for Home Inspections.”  The section referred to gifts or rewards for the purposes of referrals.  It was always a little ambiguous and in order to clear up some confusion they posted 4 pages worth of, “what the rule really means.”

If you would like to read the post in its entirety it is here: http://ccbed.ccb.state.or.us/WebPDF/CCB/Publications/HI_FAQs.pdf

Here are the highlights as I see it:

2. May a home inspector advertise on a website

containing listings for homes for sale? In general, the

answer is yes. However, if the website is maintained by a

real estate agent and the home inspector buys the

advertisement to induce the real estate agent to refer

business to the home inspector, the practice is prohibited.

3. May a home inspector advertise on a real estate agent’s

website if the home inspector did not pay for the

advertisement? Yes, so long as the home inspector did not

pay the real estate agent nor give the real estate agent

anything of value.

10. May a home inspector share the cost of joint

advertising with a real estate agent? No. The real estate

agent would receive the benefit of the reduced cost of

advertising. Joint advertising likely implies a recommendation

of the home inspector by the real estate agent.

11. May a home inspector hand out to the general public

pens, notepads, magnets, coffee mugs, calendars,

candies or similar items with the home inspector’s

name? Yes. The rules do not prohibit home inspectors from

providing items of nominal or actual value to the general

public or to potential or actual customers.

12. May a home inspector deliver to a realty agent pens,

notepads, magnets, coffee mugs, calendars, candies or

similar items with the home inspector’s name? No.

Since the items are likely to be used or consumed by the

realty agent, the implicit purpose is to encourage a referral.

The conduct is prohibited. It does not matter that the items

may have only a nominal or small value. The rule does not

distinguish on the basis of the value of the items.

20. May a home inspector with a booth at a realty agent

trade show offer a (relatively modest) door prize torealty agents?

No. Since the door prize is intended for

realty agents, to obtain business referrals, the conduct is

prohibited.

21. May a home inspector with a booth at a realty agent

trade show offer chocolate candies to the realty

agents? No. Since the chocolate candies are intended for

realty agents, to obtain business referrals, the conduct is

prohibited. The new rule does not distinguish on the basis of

the value of the item provided.

22. May a home inspection company that operates on a

national or regional basis hold a contest or drawing,

open both to the general public and to realty agents,

and give out randomly won prizes? Yes. Presumably,

there is no distinction between entrants, be they realty agents

or other members of the general public. (There may be other

government regulations that restrict contests or drawings.

Our answer does not address those laws.)

These rules and definitions come from a good place.  There is no good that comes from buying referrals.  Inspectors that do not precisly understand that they are contracted to protect the client’s interest may have feelings that they are there to help the referring agent.  This only creates bad feelings and distrust throughout the entire realestate process.

My main referral source is the great agents that recommend me to their clients.  The only reason these wonderful agents recommend me is because I protect their clients and, indirectly, their good name and real estate license.  These agents realize that even though deals may fall apart by the time I am done it is because of the home’s condition and the inability of the buyer and seller to come together.  For better or for worse their clients should know as much as possible about their home before the deal closes.

I have Moss all over my Roof! Now what?

Home Maintenance, Roofing, Sellers, , , , , View all 2 comments

Moss is very common in this area. Moss and algae grow mostly in areas of low light and high moisture. Low light and high moisture pretty well describes most of the western Pacific Northwest and the wintertime.  Some of the most common ways to treat and maintain your roof are listed below.

One of the areas that moss is a concern on homes in this area our roofs. Depending on the roof’s exposure moss can grow most of the year.  If sections of your home’s roof are shaded throughout the day and stay moist these are likely areas to grow moss.

Over time moss can damage your shingles if left un-checked. As the moss develops into a larger and larger colony more and more moisture is held against your roof. The colonies will also develop root systems that will dig into the surface fibers on your shingles. As the colonies grow larger, they can actually lift the edges of the shingles. This can leave the shingles vulnerable to wind damage.

There are lots of ways to kill moss. Most of the good techniques involve some sort of the heavy metal application usually copper or zinc. Some really bad ideas involve laundry detergent and or power washers…

In general, the more trees you have around your house in the steeper your roof the more applications of moss killer you’ll need.

1.  The best way to control moss is with an annual or biannual application of a powdered or liquid name brand moss killer designed for roofs. For steep roofs I have found the liquid anti-moss chemicals and a hose end attached shrub and tree sprayer to be a handy tool.

Moss out for roofs Moss killing powder

2. Another option for continuous moss control are some new shingles that are actually impregnated with copper granules. I have only seen the shingles used on several roofs and the major issue with these is the fact that the ridge shingles did not appear to be impregnated and still need to be treated for moss/algae growth.

https://www.certainteed.com/residential-roofing/certainteeds-streakfighter-algae-resistant-technology/

3. Mechanically removing the moss is also an option. This option is really only for the very worst conditions.

It involves a paint scraper, screwdriver, putty knife or something similar and trekking across your roof slope and very carefully

removing the moss growth. This technique is very prone to damage of the asphalt. composition shingles and should be used as a last resort.

Moss on a Salem, Oregon home

4. Zinc or Copper Strips- These may be ok for preventing algae growth but moss looks at the little strips and laughs. You may have noticed some homes around town that have clear/clean sections of shingles under the metal roof vents. What is going on here is the zinc from the galvanized steel roof vents is leaching onto the roof surface and running down every time it rains. This has lead people to believe that sections of copper wire or small strips of zinc could be an effective way to kill moss. In the wet PNW this is not an effective technique. The difference is all about surface-area. The galvanized roof vents have a good amount of metal exposed and therefore a pretty good amount of zinc washes down the roof surface. Compare that surface to the 2″ wide strip of zinc and you can see there will be far less leaching occurring off the little zinc strips. The strips usually are effective for 2 to 3 feet down the slope. I have seen the strips added every 2 feet down an entire roof slope. This installation appeared to be effective, but it was weird looking and I have only seen that once on the top of a three-story apartment building.

5.  Power washing, scraping with brooms, or laundry detergent. Unfortunately, I see the aftermath of these steps to control roof moss on far too many Salem area home inspections. If you are reading this post you probably have educated yourself enough to know that blasting or scraping the surface off of your asphalt composite roof is a bad idea.

-There may be some contractors who use power washers to clean roofs, but these individuals are licensed, bonded (and most importantly insured) and have the experience to know which nozzle to use and how far to hold it away from the roof surface. Even with this experience and expertise roof life is blasted away. It is probably the last 5-10 year of roof life, so you may not see issues for a while. Power washing should be strictly limited to the driveway and walkways surfaces around your home.

-Brooms and other mechanical abrasives are also techniques that should either be left on the ground or for qualified professional contractors. The removal of the surface granules on the asphalt shingle removes the ultraviolet resistance of the shingles.

-Laundry detergent, although will kill moss on your roof, is full of degreasers. An asphalt based composite shingle is a petroleum-based grease compound. Do not put degreasers on your greasy roof! (Thanks Joe Ocilia for educating me on this fact!)

Those are my 2¢ on how to control moss. Being a Salem, Oregon home inspector, I get the chance to see various maintenance techniques. By far the best one to use is the first one, which is a chemical, powdered or liquid, commercially available moss killer applied at annually or biannually.

Aluminum Wiring

Electrical, Fire Safety, , , , , One comment
Written by:  Jim Allhiser President/Inspector
When I trained to become a home inspector I went to a national school and learned about all sorts of things that good home inspectors should be aware of when inspecting homes.  Over the years of doing inspections in Salem, Oregon I have noticed real patterns in building materials that were not reflected by the home inspector schooling.
Bricks for one thing are very popular in other parts of the country.  My schooling spent hours on the issues that can be noted with brick siding.  We have brick siding here, but at a very small percentage compared to the east and the south.  Most of this difference has to do with the shale that composes bricks.  We do not have shale mines on the Pacific coast and so if you want brick it has to be shipped in from the south or east.

Recently Chinese Drywall has received quite a bit of media attention.  That stuff is bad news but for all of the newly built homes that I am inspecting, none of the associated issues have manifested.  I have been looking for it and well educated home buyers have been asking about it but it seems that  our area did not receive the supply of drywall from those particular problem vendors.
Aluminum wiring was also a large topic of education at the home inspector training.  It is also another material that, for whatever the reason, we North-westerners largely managed to escape.  From the mid 60s to the early 70s aluminum was widely used for the smaller (15 and 20 amp) branch circuits in homes.  Problems occurred when the small aluminum wires were used with devices that had connections specifically designed for copper.  Aluminum also tends to expand and contract more than copper (which can cause loose connections) and it can corrode (which is an insulator), all bad things when consistent conduction is desired.  These issues lead to house fires and if your wiring is a fire hazard it is a very big deal!  I have seen and heard of small aluminum branch circuits in manufactured homes in this area but I have only seen one stick built home that had aluminum wires in 5 years!
The more experience I gain the more specific my inspections become, relating to the issues with Salem, Oregon homes.  Still, I can’t forget about those nationally recognized issues.  A great home inspector not only needs to know about homes in this area but also about building products that are not generally used in this area.


Jim Allhiser President/Inspector
http://SalemOregonHomeInspections.com
503.508.4321         jallhiser@perfectioninspectioninc.com

“Always on the cutting edge”

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Dryer ducts- The “Forgotten About” Fire Hazard

Fire Safety, Home Maintenance, Leave a comment
Written by:  Jim Allhiser  President/Inspector


The consumer product safety commission estimated that in 1998 clothes dryers were associated with 15,600 fires, which resulted in 20 deaths and 370 injuries!
A vast majority of these fires could have been prevented with a little home owner style maintenance.
The duct work that exhausts all of that warm dryer air is usually the culprit, and as far as routine home owner maintenance, is usually completely forgotten about.
Ideally these ducts should be hard and completely smooth.  This minimizes the slow down of the hot air that will cause lint to build up.   This means that the flexible corrugated metal ducts that all do-it-youselfers love are terrible.  Everyone of those little ridges in the duct pipe create turbulence that slows down the flow of air.

Fire hazard or Dryer duct? Both.

Even with hard ducting the joints are a critical point of contention.  With forced air furnaces, the joints between one hard duct to another, are usually secured with sheet metal screws.  If this technique is put into practice with dryer ducts all of those sharp little screws that are in the flow of air act as lint catchers.
The moral of this story is:  If you have not cleaned your dryer and ducting recently it is time to do so.  If you have an issue with the duct and need to install a new duct, it is usually best to hire a professional to install a HARD DUCT with proper seams that are TAPED and not screwed together.
My job as a home inspector requires me to crawl and poke around other people’s homes every day and this is one of the most neglected fire hazard that I see.
Jim Allhiser
President/Inspector
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That’s what that thingy is for??

Home Maintenance, Plumbing, , One comment
The most important part of a good home inspection is the education about the home.  Above and beyond the defects that good home inspectors will find, helping the new home owners understand the weird knobs and switches that are in a typical home is really where good inspectors earn their wage.
One type of knob in particular that I see often in more recently built homes is the “hose bib winterization valve.”
It seems simple enough however they usually are not anywhere near the hose bib (outside water faucet)!
In a two-story home, these valves are usually stuffed under an upstairs bathroom sink.  The placement is good because if you shut the water off and open the bleed valve the water will readily drain out the outside water faucet.
If you have a recently built home and see one of these under the sink:
you now know what that weird thingy is for.


Jim Allhiser

President/Inspector
http://SalemOregonHomeInspections.com
503.508.4321         jallhiser@perfectioninspectioninc.com

“Always on the cutting edge”

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New hands free device

Humor, , View all 3 comments
Thank you Salem, Oregon for helping to keep me safe.
With the new rules, since 1/1/2010, we are no longer allowed to talk on cell phones while driving without a hands free device.


Now instead of the distraction of holding a phone up to our heads we are all forced to be distracted with blue tooth thingys that don’t work right, speakers that are unintelligible and the whole process of setting up and getting used to a new piece of technology while driving.


The fine folks @ Ticor had a nifty educational get together last fall in preparation for the new law.  I was doing home inspections and was not able to attend the event however I did see some of the “hands free” devices that they were showing off.



One in particular caught my eye. I liked the simplicity and the durability and I knew that I just had to have it:






It is sooo trendy and new you probably won’t see anyone but me wearing them.  Maybe the movie stars will get theirs for the summer!


Jim Allhiser

President/Inspector
http://SalemOregonHomeInspections.com
503.508.4321         jallhiser@perfectioninspectioninc.com

“Always on the cutting edge”

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