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Let's Do Do-overs Again

By Steven L. Smith

Home Inspector with King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. Home Inspector Lic #207

January 31, 2009 04:50 AM

This home was designed to have soffit venting. You know, like the bird blocks you see up under the eaves. In fact, from outside, it looked like it did have such venting. The problem is that, when they insulated, no cardboard baffles were put in to keep the insulation out of the vents. The loose-fill insulation had the screens so fully blocked at this home that I actually went back outside, looked up at the two-story soffit, just to make sure that I had seen screens out there in the first place.

I never really understand this kind of problem. Why go to the trouble and expense of putting in the soffit vents and then be so careless as to cover them up? Needless to say, it is a real pain in the rear to get them uncovered at this point. This may be another example of someone doing at least part of the job himself and, in so doing, wasting money by creating a situation that will have to be corrected. This home needed cardboard baffles and they are easy to put in, if the job is done at the right time in the project. The house is only about five years old so, since it was inspected and the defect found, this problem is now a negotiating chip for the buyer. I am sure that this is a widespread problem, but I sure see this kind of thing often in Bellingham and Whatcom County.

Steven L. Smith

Bellingham WA Home Inspections

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Brent Johnson

Chase International South Tahoe Realty - South Lake Tahoe, CA

That is going to be an itchy job uncovering all of those vents!

I would not want to do that!

Jan 31, 2009 05:41 AM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Those baffles are SO much easier to install before the drywall goes up----crawling around on the trusses to put them in later is a pain in the butt (and other places:)

Jan 31, 2009 06:08 AM

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection and Investor Services, Clayton - Clayton, OH

Hey Steve a friend of mine came up with an idea that actually worked (if you knew him you'd understand). Take a high volume compressor with blower nozzle and push it up against the screen on the outside. If the insulation isn't too deep it will blow it back further into the space between the ceiling joists. Let it settle before you go back up (wear a mask). It might just give you, not only the location of the vents, but also room to put in the baffles. It doesn't work all the time the insulation can be too compressed to allow it to move, but its worth a try.

Jan 31, 2009 06:18 AM

Jack Gilleland

Home Inspection and Investor Services, Clayton - Clayton, OH

Oh, and of course, it doesn't work with batting or blankets at all.

Jan 31, 2009 06:19 AM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Jack, I would rather just have Charlie B do it.

Jan 31, 2009 06:21 AM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

Raven DeCroe

Jan 31, 2009 06:27 AM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Dear Mr Charles,

It is not as easy as I thought. I am now submerged up to my Buell logo. I do not believe that the $1.00 per hour I am being paid is worth the trouble. Please come to Bellingham with a crane and get me out of here. This is like quick sand.

Nutsy

Jan 31, 2009 06:46 AM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

I really think this looks better:

Nutsy coming up for air

Jan 31, 2009 07:00 AM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Mr Charles,

Your humor is not contagious.

Jan 31, 2009 07:11 AM

Charles Buell

Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA

Seattle Home Inspector

It is better than Nutsy's sense of tumor:)

Jan 31, 2009 07:17 AM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Mr Charles,

In the next few days I will be posting an investment opportunity. I expect you and Mr James to be first on the bandwagon. It is an exciting new development involving one of my very talented cousins. His dad is the famous guy on the stamp.

Jan 31, 2009 07:27 AM

Tony Orefice

NorthGroup Real Estate/www.TonyORealtor.com - Concord, NC

Realtor- Cabarrus County, NC

I agree with Craig...some company came to do the attic insulation (badly) and then no one caught the mistake...I'm not surprised.

Jan 31, 2009 09:00 AM

Tony Orefice

NorthGroup Real Estate/www.TonyORealtor.com - Concord, NC

Realtor- Cabarrus County, NC

Hang on Nutsy!!, help is on the way! Fortunately for you, I am a former circus acrobat. I will, in my best attempt, swing from the trusses to position myself where I can grab hold of you. But you must try, my friend, and work with me. OK?

Your friend,

Tony

(formerly known as The Flying Yankee)

Jan 31, 2009 09:05 AM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Mr Tony,

I think that maybe we should get together. Along with other members of my family, I have a natural ability in the field of gymnastics and acrobatics. Below is my second cousin Thistle-berry who, unfortunately, ties his food addiction in with walking the tight wire.

Your friend Nutsy

Jan 31, 2009 10:44 AM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Tony,

From what I see, the insulation guys blow in insulation. So the builder has to have the space ready to go. If not, then they blow it in come hell or high water. So you are right, insulation by the pros, probably the lack of prep by the builder.

Jan 31, 2009 10:46 AM

Barbara S. Duncan

RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR

GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Steve, looks as if Nutsy is out again! Tell him to speak to his cousin Thistle-Berry about appearing naked on this activerain network. Nutsy has established a fully-fashionably-dressed precedent for all the relatives. I'm mildly offended at some naked squirrel and I'm a moderate. No telling what the conservative readers are thinking.

Jan 31, 2009 11:21 AM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

Dear Mrs Barbara,

I regret to say that I cannot control Thistle-berry. He is a die-hard nudist. I may be able to put big X's over his private parts if he is ever posted here again. We have to remember that not all members of my family are as fashionably-dressed or as politically conscious as I have found myself to be.

Your buddy Nutsy

Jan 31, 2009 01:58 PM

James Quarello

JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT

Connecticut Home Inspector

Steven, I see this same thing too often over here as well. Is that guy on the stamp the Red Squirrel Baron?

Feb 02, 2009 12:18 PM

Steven L. Smith

King of the House Home Inspection, Inc. - Bellingham, WA

Bellingham WA Home Inspector

James,

I wish you would write with more clarity. Do you mean that you often see squirrels being suffocated by insulation or (2) do you mean that you see the insulation blocking the soffit vents. If you knew your history, you would know that the squirrel is Nutsy's uncle who became famous many years ago as the first squirrel ever to cross the Atlantic solo, as in flying his own plane. Man, glad you know more about inspection than important historical facts.

Feb 02, 2009 12:21 PM

James Quarello

JRV Home Inspection Services, LLC - Wallingford, CT

Connecticut Home Inspector

History is not my strong suit. Suffocating annoying squirrels is more my bowl of chili.

Feb 02, 2009 12:32 PM