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Crawl spaces, "What's this"? And it passed inspection too.

By Clint Mckie

Home Inspector with Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections 10072923

October 14, 2012 08:35 PM

Crawl spaces, "What's this"? And it passed inspection too.

I have been in a lot of crawl spaces.

It never amazes me what you find.

How the work was done and what was approved by the building inspector.

This home was built in 1982. It is an 1,800 Square foot home.

So it's not a very small home. The crawl space insulation was installed backwards.

There are three things wrong with this crawl space.

Number One the insulation is installed backwards. And is not rated for the flooring. It needs to be R-19, 6".

I know the building inspector did'nt even look in the crawl space when he signed off of the permit.

Number Two the entire crawl space is an unvented crawl space.

And Number three the column for the center beam support is not installed correctly.

One thing did puzzle me that half the home was supported by jack beams and half by column supports.

When inspecting crawl spaces watch out for live critters. This one did'nt make it.

Have a great Monday every one.

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Jay Markanich

Jay Markanich Real Estate Inspections, LLC - Bristow, VA

Home Inspector - servicing all Northern Virginia

FRED - SEND ME A PHOTO!

Oct 14, 2012 10:59 PM

Joan Cox

House to Home, Inc. - Denver Real Estate - 720-231-6373 - Denver, CO

Denver Real Estate - Selling One Home at a Time

Clint, inspecting crawlspaces and such can always provide you with photo ops! Did an inspection last Friday where there was a bunker in the back yard. The inspector did not want to go in there.

Oct 15, 2012 05:32 AM

Fred Hernden, CMI

Superior Home Inspections - Greater Albuquerque Area - Albuquerque, NM

Albuquerque area Master Inspector

Jay.... that's just not right! The coroner will have to send it... lol

Oct 15, 2012 08:54 AM

Joshua Zargari

MJ Decorators Workshop LI staging and home decorating - Lynbrook, NY

MJ Decorators Workshop

Good evening Joe.

This is another great post by Clint, who is a great home inspector.

Oct 15, 2012 09:14 AM

Clint Mckie

Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM

Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Jay,

I guess I was rambling again. LO< :-)

I hate to see any home when the buyers expect it to be right and it's not at all.

Have a good evening in Bristow my friend.

Best, Clint McKie

Oct 15, 2012 10:07 AM

Clint Mckie

Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM

Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Fred,

I have been in some really close calls for crawl spaces. Working in them and inspecting. If it's way too tight I go as far as I can and that's it.

I don't want to have to call the fire department to get me out. LOL

Have a good day in Tampa.

Best, Clint McKie

Oct 15, 2012 10:11 AM

Clint Mckie

Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM

Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Mona,

Change it out very carefully.

All the rest of the things wrong can be fixed. but at a cost that's not very cheap.

It's a crawl space . The price just went up.

Have a good night in Sylva.

Best, Clint Mckie

Oct 15, 2012 10:14 AM

Clint Mckie

Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM

Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hello Anita,

I see this kind of inspecting all the time. Even on new homes with a more stringent code to enforce.

Have a nice evening in Warner Robins, Georgia.

Best, Clint McKie

Oct 15, 2012 10:15 AM

Clint Mckie

Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM

Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hey Jay,

Who would want to see that shot? Fred would not mind he would be dead. Not a very good day for Fred.

LOL

Have a good day.

Best, Clint McKie

PS. All in fun Fred.

Oct 15, 2012 10:19 AM

Clint Mckie

Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM

Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Joan,

Tell your inspector to get out of the way I'm coming in. I like those things. You know how many of those would make a great post in the Rain? Only one. :-)

Have a good night in Denver.

Best, Clint McKie

Oct 15, 2012 10:21 AM

Randy Ostrander

Lake and Lodge Realty LLC - Big Rapids, MI

Real Estate Broker, Serving Big Rapids and West Central MI

Good evening Clint. Amazing how often insulation is installed incorrectly and worse, how often overlooked by County Building Officials. Yikes.

Oct 15, 2012 10:21 AM

Clint Mckie

Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM

Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Fred,

lets not have a bad day and end up having to send out shots of you. Keep it safe and let me know if you find any snakes in those crawls down there in Florida.

Watch out for the Gaters as well. LOL

Have a good night in Tampa.

Best, Clint McKie

Oct 15, 2012 10:23 AM

Clint Mckie

Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM

Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Joshua,

Thank you for the kind words. I try. It's all I can do for my client's.

Have a good evening in New York City.

Best, Clint McKie

Oct 15, 2012 10:25 AM

Clint Mckie

Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM

Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hello Randy,

Not only the wrong install but the wrong r-factor too. Then the other issues. I wonder if any cash went palmed on this one?

Have a nice evening in Big Rapids, Michigan.

Best, Clint McKie

Oct 15, 2012 10:26 AM

Vince Chinell

VICO Home Inspection - Branson, MO

CPI

Clint, At least you Have inspectors. Apparently it was Friday afternoon and they were in a hurry. Sure seems like someone went to a lot of work and made it wrong. And what is it with no vents in the crawl spaces? With the moisture here, I find it often and there is absolutely no good reason. Have a great inspection day!

Oct 15, 2012 11:16 PM

Clint Mckie

Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM

Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Vince,

Nope no vents at all.

There were a number of issues with this crawl space. And quite a long report.

Thanks for the comment,

Best, Clint McKie

Oct 16, 2012 12:19 PM

Anonymous

Frank

That crawl space looks beautiful compare to what we see in my area. The insulation req. in the floor by us is actually R30, and the moisture barrier on the dirt floor is a must. Enclosed crawl space with no moisture/thermal control [ and reversed insulation installation ] = asking for trouble. I can only wonder what's behind that insulation on the underneath of the floor decking.

Oct 18, 2012 10:29 PM

#39

Anonymous

shafiqkola

Thank you for your sharing, it was really helpful to solve the ant problem in my house. By the way do you think is it good idea? Because actually I already tried it before. But I will try again according your article saying. Thanks! Have good one! crawl space vent I love this world because God gave us. vent crawl space Best Regard Shafiqur

Nov 03, 2012 08:42 PM

#40

Clint Mckie

Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM

Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Frank,

Yes the crawl space insulation is r-30 minimum.

The vapor barrier is not there and there is no venting.

All kinds of issues with this crawl space.

Thanks for the comment.

Best, Clint Mckie

Nov 03, 2012 08:47 PM

Clint Mckie

Desert Sun Home, commercial Inspections - Carlsbad, NM

Desert Sun Home, Comm. Inspection 1-575-706-5586

Hi Shafiqur,

Depending on where you are from. The crawl space venting is different in different places of the world. But here in North America you have to vent your crawl space to avoid any water/ moisture issues from a leak through the foundation walls or from the water lines.

A screened operational vent is the best option for venting a crawl space.

I hope this helped you.

Have a great day and thank you for commenting.

Best, Clint McKie

Nov 03, 2012 08:52 PM