Home > Blogs > Nikki Marlatt-Young > Nikki's Blog

Standing in the bathroom admiring the Turbine Vent Spin!

By Nikki Marlatt-Young

Home Inspector with At Ease Home Inspections #30395

August 10, 2009 06:48 AM

Wanted to share some interesting things I found in a row home located in the city. The unit has no attic and a flat roof. A couple months ago a roofing company was hired to install;

Granulated Modified Bitumen Roofing System over existing Flat Rubber Roof.
Sky Light glass was removed, and area was filled in with wood.
Contractor installed a “Turbine Non Powered Vent” instead of the exhaust fan.

As I am standing there I am thinking to myself... Nothing like being in a bathroom admiring the turbine non-powered vent go round and round insteading of reading a newspaper or book. (LoL)

I have never seen a “Turbine” on a flat roof, nor have I ever been in someones bathroom and been able to look up and see a Turbine spinning, has anyone else?

If you fill the area in under the turbine, what good is that turbine doing? I always thought the turbine was for "attic" areas to exhaust heat and humidity from the attic.... but there is no attic!

Re-Blog

Comments(10)

Comment

Show All Comments

Sort:

Robert Havana

Park and Protect- Alberta Real Estate License Parking - Calgary, AB

Alberta Real Estate License Parking

Well the mistake there is obvious, even I can see it. They forgot to paint the OSB! What kind of rookie doesn't slap at least a coat and a half of mis-tinted paint on it before putting it up there.

Aug 10, 2009 06:54 AM

Nikki Marlatt-Young

At Ease Home Inspections - Arbutus, MD

Housing & Rental Inspections

One would think that at least if anything try and make it look like they did something right!

I was told the contractor / roofer does not do that type of work, someone else needed to be hired to do the work inside. Just doesn't make sense to me.

Aug 10, 2009 07:04 AM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Nikki, that is just so wrong in so many ways. Is there any kind of screening on the opening? Back draft dampers? Inversions will be interesting. If there are no windows the turbine vent would have to be "powered" not passive. You are correct too that if this is supposed to have anything to do with venting the roof---someone may have too much ventilation in their head:) Plus what Robert said:)

Aug 10, 2009 07:31 AM

Charles,

No screening ~ No back draft dampers ~ No windows

The contractor / roofer was suppose to install an exhaust fan. It is beyond me why a roofer would not know; if you take a sky light out of a bathroom with NO windows you MUST install an exhaust fan. I dont know what to say about this....

I wonder what is going to happen in the winter when the turbine vents out the heat.....

Aug 10, 2009 08:17 AM

Nikki what can I say---except this is why we have work---why we will always have work:)

Aug 10, 2009 08:45 AM

James Quarello

JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT

Connecticut Home Inspector

Nikki, What the..... That is a great example of creative construction. Creative not intelligent. Like Charlie said, it's why we will always have work.

Aug 10, 2009 02:33 PM

Ian Niquette

Square One Home Inspection - Markesan, WI

Um, Um, Um, I don't know what else to say. Yeah, they will have decent ventilation, along with birds, bats, bugs, down draft. Now how does this contractor propose getting rid of the moisture build up from a long steamy shower now that he has pulled out the only powered exhaust fan? Yikes. Good find, have never seen that one before.

Aug 10, 2009 11:40 PM

James, Creative is right! It would be interesting to know what other work this contractor has done.

Ian, My words were about that.... "I dont know what to say"!

One would think they would at least try to make it appear they knew what they were doing.

I would be interested in knowing the out come of the contractors explanation!

Aug 11, 2009 02:24 AM

Dana Bostick

True Professionals, Inc. - North Hollywood, CA

That's almost as much fun as looking up a pre-fab chimney flue and seeing plywood roof deck!

Aug 15, 2009 02:01 AM

Erby Crofutt

B4 U Close Home Inspections&Radon Testing (www.b4uclose.com) - Lexington, KY

The Central Kentucky Home Inspector, Lexington KY

Good Lord! I can understand a roofer not knowing about bathroom ventilation requiremtns but a turbine vent fan into the house is just, uh, (indescribalbe)!

But, it IS job security for us!

Aug 19, 2009 07:46 AM

Standing in the bathroom admiring the Turbine Vent Spin!

Comments(10)

Nikki Marlatt-Young

Real Estate Resources

Recent Posts

Additional Information