You Keep Me Hanging Out

I was in an attic the other day which highlighted through the deficiencies found the importance of specific design elements of these spaces.

The first photo shows roof trusses and rafters. The left side is framed with rafters supported by a beam and purlins. The purlins are installed under every third rafter. As you can see when the addition was added they did not support the end of the beam. The trusses are seen in the right half of the photo.

From the exterior large dimples could be seen where the sheathing was failing due to poor support and lack of adequate ventilation.

The next photo demonstrates the signs of inadequate attic ventilation. Rusted roofing nails and blackened wood. Over time this attic had been so over heated that the plywood had been cooked. It was crunchy and weak almost through out the space.

An odd thing about this roof was that it appeared that the plywood had been glued to the rafters. When probing the sheathing I noticed that it was lifting off the rafters! The glue was likely deteriorated by age and the extreme heat and any nails that were holding it down must have rusted out from the excessive moisture.

This attic very clearly demonstrates the need for adequate structural framing and the importance of good ventilation.

James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

Infrared Scans Are Not Energy Audits

Infrared cameras are becoming quite common in many different professions. One area where these devices excel is as a part of an energy audit. Makes great sense; heat sensitive camera to locate areas of thermal loss in a home or building.  But as I just emphasized it is just one small part of the total audit.

I like to call the infrared camera the WOW! of the energy audit. It is cool and impressive to see the house through the lens of this high tech device. It can reveal defects undetectable by visual means, but it is not the most important information of an energy audit.

The essential information in the audit report is to do with costs associated with upgrading inefficient systems and upgrading building products such as insulation. The table at right is from an actual audit. As you can see it addresses the costs of improving the energy  deficiencies in the home and the savings realized, by item, for each improvement.

The estimates are based on utility cost in the homeowners' area and current loan rates. This affords a fairly accurate financial analysis for the client. With this information they can choose the most cost effective improvements with the best returns.

So how does infrared fit into this service? The IR camera can reveal areas in the home where insulation is missing or pin point air leaks that make the home uncomfortable. It can even reveal hidden manufacturing defects in windows. It is an essential tool in performing a complete energy analysis of the home. But scanning a home with an infrared camera is not an energy audit. As is clear it provides none of the important cost information the customer needs to smartly improve the energy efficiency of their home.

As energy costs continue to climb people will be seeking professionals who can direct them in lowering their utility bills. Don't be WOWED! into hiring a company that provides impressive pictures with no substance. The money spent on an energy audit should be the first payment in your energy improvement investments.

James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

To find out more about our high tech services click on the links below:

Learn more about our Infrared Thermal Imaging & Diagnostics services.

Learn more about our energy audits, the Home Energy Tune uP®.

Infrared Scans Are Not Energy Audits

Infrared cameras are becoming quite common in many different professions. One area where these devices excel is as a part of an energy audit. Makes great sense; heat sensitive camera to locate areas of thermal loss in a home or building.  But as I just emphasized it is just one small part of the total audit.

I like to call the infrared camera the WOW! of the energy audit. It is cool and impressive to see the house through the lens of this high tech device. It can reveal defects undetectable by visual means, but it is not the most important information of an energy audit.

The essential information in the audit report is to do with costs associated with upgrading inefficient systems and upgrading building products such as insulation. The table at right is from an actual audit. As you can see it addresses the costs of improving the energy  deficiencies in the home and the savings realized, by item, for each improvement.

The estimates are based on utility cost in the homeowners' area and current loan rates. This affords a fairly accurate financial analysis for the client. With this information they can choose the most cost effective improvements with the best returns.

So how does infrared fit into this service? The IR camera can reveal areas in the home where insulation is missing or pin point air leaks that make the home uncomfortable. It can even reveal hidden manufacturing defects in windows. It is an essential tool in performing a complete energy analysis of the home. But scanning a home with an infrared camera is not an energy audit. As is clear it provides none of the important cost information the customer needs to smartly improve the energy efficiency of their home.

As energy costs continue to climb people will be seeking professionals who can direct them in lowering their utility bills. Don't be WOWED! into hiring a company that provides impressive pictures with no substance. The money spent on an energy audit should be the first payment in your energy improvement investments.

James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

To find out more about our high tech services click on the links below:

Learn more about our Infrared Thermal Imaging & Diagnostics services.

Learn more about our energy audits, the Home Energy Tune uP®.

Don't Choke the A/C

The outdoor compressor for central air conditioning is the heart of the system. It re-cools the hot refrigerant from the indoor coil located in the systems air handler. The efficiency of the system is greatly dependant on how well the compressor is able to perform this function. It is important therefore to be certain the compressor is able to breathe freely in order to dissipate the heat from the indoor coil. Unfortunately due to homeowner neglect and or poor initial installation this is too often not the case.

The first two photos are quite a common occurrence. Mulch packed up and around the unit and encroaching landscaping vegetation. There are times when the plantings are actually growing through the compressors. The mulch is especially a problem because the fine particles will be sucked into the unit and clog the cooling fins.

The lower two photos are examples of bad installations. In the third picture the compressors are too close to each other and the home. The bottom photo the unit is actually touching the foundation wall. Clearance around the unit should be a minimum of one to two feet and above three to four feet.

These problems will decrease the general efficiency of the compressor causing the unit to run longer and work harder. This will result in the home not cooling down sufficiently, especially on extremely hot days, and energy use going way up.

Having the outdoor compressor serviced by a qualified HVAC technician before every cooling season begins is  good, sensible general maintenance. Also not forgetting to service the indoor cooling coil and air handler are equally as important.

James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

Don’t Choke the A/C

The outdoor compressor for central air conditioning is the heart of the system. It re-cools the hot refrigerant from the indoor coil located in the systems air handler. The efficiency of the system is greatly dependant on how well the compressor is able to perform this function. It is important therefore to be certain the compressor is able to breathe freely in order to dissipate the heat from the indoor coil. Unfortunately do to homeowner neglect and or poor initial installation this is too often not the case.

The first two photos are quite a common occurrence. Mulch packed up and around the unit and encroaching landscaping vegetation. There are times when the plantings are actually growing through the compressors. The mulch is especially a problem because the fine particles will be sucked into the unit and clog the cooling fins.

The lower two photos are examples of bad installations. In the third picture the compressors are too close to each other and the home. The bottom photo the unit is actually touching the foundation wall. Clearance around the unit should be a minimum of one to two feet and above three to four feet.

These problems will decrease the general efficiency of the compressor causing the unit to run longer and work harder. This will result in the home not cooling down sufficiently, especially on extremely hot days, and energy use going way up.

Having the outdoor compressor serviced by a qualified HVAC technician before every cooling season begins is  good, sensible general maintenance. Also not forgetting to service the indoor cooling coil and air handler are equally as important.

James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

Don't Lock Me In

Door locks are something no one really thinks about when leaving their house. Lock it and leave. They are there to protect our home from unwanted visitors. But a lock can trap you in your home as well.

The door lock at the right is on the inside of the home. At first you may not notice anything unusual. The problem is the lock is keyed from the inside. This is a double keyed lock some times referred to as a jail house lock. You must use a key to get out as well as get in.

The problem, as you may have already guessed, is getting out of the house fast in an emergency. The home in the photo had every lock in the house double keyed, a potentially dangerous situation.

I have also found keyed window locks in homes. Once again there is the possibility for disaster in a crisis.

Windows and doors should allow for quick and easy escape during a fire or other catastrophe. In a panic situation finding the key could be the difference between life and death.

James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

Don't Lock Me In

Door locks are something no one really thinks about when leaving their house. Lock it and leave. They are there to protect our home from unwanted visitors. But a lock can trap you in your home as well.

The door lock at the right is on the inside of the home. At first you may not notice anything unusual. The problem is the lock is keyed from the inside. This is a double keyed lock some times referred to as a jail house lock. You must use a key to get out as well as get in.

The problem, as you may have already guessed, is getting out of the house fast in an emergency. The home in the photo had every lock in the house double keyed, a potentially dangerous situation.

I have also found keyed window locks in homes. Once again there is the possibility for disaster in a crisis.

Windows and doors should allow for quick and easy escape during a fire or other catastrophe. In a panic situation finding the key could be the difference between life and death.

James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

Where There's Soot, There's Danger

I was out conducting an energy audit the other day and came across this serious, potentially life threatening hazard.

I knocked on the door and the owner greeted me and let me in the home. I went to put my tools down on a table near the front entry and immediately noticed the heating register on the opposite wall. There was a black smoky stain around the perimeter of the register. Seeing a stain like this raises a big red flag.

I have often seen these stains during home inspections and mostly they have been due to dirty ductwork. The furnace will have no filter installed or the filter is so clogged with dirt it has collapsed allowing the dirt to freely flow through the ducts. But sometimes it is a much more serious problem, a cracked heat exchanger.

The furnace was running when I entered. As soon as I approached the register I could smell burnt oil fumes.

I said to the owner, "do you smell that?"

He says, "the oil smell, its been like that for a while. We just had the furnace serviced and it hasn't gotten any better."

I told him to shut it down and not to use it at all. I explained that the furnace was no longer good and was unsafe to operate. The fumes he smelled contain carbon monoxide. He fortunately has a pellet stove and uses that most of the time instead of the oil furnace.

Whenever you see soot around a heating register, it is reason to call for an HVAC technician immeadiately to check the heat exchanger for cracks. It is best not to use the system until it can be determined if it is safe to operate.

James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

Look What's Escaping Through Your Attic Entry

Just about every home has an entry way into the attic. It can be a small scuttle often tucked away inside a closet or a pull down stair way in the hall. Some homes even have a full stairway into the attic (a personal favorite of mine). What these entries all have in common is a covering over the opening. Be it a door, a piece of wood or sheetrock, the openings are by some means closed off from the cold, unconditioned attic. But most often they are not insulated or sealed allowing heat to easily escape into the attic.

The infrared image at right is a typical un-insulated pull down attic stairway. The opening is roughly eight square feet of heat escaping area.

It is important to understand that heat is attracted to cold. The heat you pay so much for will seek out cold spots like this pull down stairway and leave your home through your attic. Contributing further is that heat rises and the opening is on the ceiling.

The second image is of an attic scuttle. This opening is about half the size of the pull down stairway, about four square feet. But none the less it is permits heat to readily escape to the attic.

You may not be aware of some other large heat robbing culprits in your home. The third image is of a whole house fan opening. The fourth is a return vent for the air conditioning system.

The insulation was not reinstalled around the vent nor was the opening sealed as is evident from the cold perimeter.

Not all opening are in the ceiling. Some are in knee walls as shown in the last infrared image.

What can be done to fix these heat robbing thieves? There are some basic and relatively cheap and easy solutions.

For the attic pull down stairs there are insulated covers available that fit right over the opening. Weather striping around the opening is also a good additional step to stop air flowing through the gaps and into the attic.

If the stairway is an odd size a foam insulation box can be constructed to fit the opening. Or the foam board can be affixed directly to the wood sheathing on the attic side just under the fold up stairs. Polyisocyanurate is a high performance foam board insulation that would be ideal for these projects. It has an R value of 7 to 8 per inch and can be easily cut to size.

Foam board can also be used in a similar manner for all the other openings previously described. It can be used by either fastening it directly to the entry way cover or constructing a box to fit over the opening.  

For walk up attics with full sized doors an exterior grade door properly weathered striped will do the job or again foam board affixed onto the door.

With the price of heating our homes becoming so expensive, these low priced fixes can pay for themselves in little time. But the best method of saving energy is to have an energy audit performed by an energy saving professional. The energy inspector can help you understand where your home is most energy deficient. Provide you with a plan on the most cost effective improvements and show the hidden energy robbers.

James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

To find out more about our high tech energy services click on the links below:

Learn more about our Infrared Thermal Imaging & Diagnostics services.

Learn more about our energy audits, the Home Energy Tune uP®.

 

Look What's Escaping Through Your Attic Entry

Just about every home has an entry way into the attic. It can be a small scuttle often tucked away inside a closet or a pull down stair way in the hall. Some homes even have a full stairway into the attic (a personal favorite of mine). What these entries all have in common is a covering over the opening. Be it a door, a piece of wood or sheetrock, the openings are by some means closed off from the cold, unconditioned attic. But most often they are not insulated or sealed allowing heat to easily escape into the attic.

The infrared image at right is a typical un-insulated pull down attic stairway. The opening is roughly eight square feet of heat escaping area.

It is important to understand that heat is attracted to cold. The heat you pay so much for will seek out cold spots like this pull down stairway and leave your home through your attic. Contributing further is that heat rises and the opening is on the ceiling.

The second image is of an attic scuttle. This opening is about half the size of the pull down stairway, about four square feet. But none the less it is permits heat to readily escape to the attic.

You may not be aware of some other large heat robbing culprits in your home. The third image is of a whole house fan opening. The fourth is a return vent for the air conditioning system.

The insulation was not reinstalled around the vent nor was the opening sealed as is evident from the cold perimeter.

Not all opening are in the ceiling. Some are in knee walls as shown in the last infrared image.

What can be done to fix these heat robbing thieves? There are some basic and relatively cheap and easy solutions.

For the attic pull down stairs there are insulated covers available that fit right over the opening. Weather striping around the opening is also a good additional step to stop air flowing through the gaps and into the attic.

If the stairway is an odd size a foam insulation box can be constructed to fit the opening. Or the foam board can be affixed directly to the wood sheathing on the attic side just under the fold up stairs. Polyisocyanurate is a high performance foam board insulation that would be ideal for these projects. It has an R value of 7 to 8 per inch and can be easily cut to size.

Foam board can also be used in a similar manner for all the other openings previously described. It can be used by either fastening it directly to the entry way cover or constructing a box to fit over the opening.  

For walk up attics with full sized doors an exterior grade door properly weathered striped will do the job or again foam board affixed onto the door.

With the price of heating our homes becoming so expensive, these low priced fixes can pay for themselves in little time. But the best method of saving energy is to have an energy audit performed by an energy saving professional. The energy inspector can help you understand where your home is most energy deficient. Provide you with a plan on the most cost effective improvements and show the hidden energy robbers.

James Quarello
JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC

To find out more about our high tech energy services click on the links below:

Learn more about our Infrared Thermal Imaging & Diagnostics services.

Learn more about our energy audits, the Home Energy Tune uP®.