CERTIFIED PLUS
NORTH CAROLINA HOME INSPECTIONS

 

CERTIFIED PLUS NC HOME INSPECTIONS The North Carolina  Home Inspection Company with the MONEY BACK GUARANTEE WATER DAMAGE INSPECTION PRICES START AT $199 FOR A  NORTH CAROLINA HOME INSPECTION BY A STATE CERTIFIED NORTH CAROLINA HOME INSPECTOR. STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA / NC LICENSED ASHI, NACHI CERTIFIED, NORTH CAROLINA INSPECTOR,  HOME INSPECTION SERVICES FOR COUNTIES ALAMANCE, CHATHAM, JOHNSTON, LEE, ORANGE, WAKE. TOWNS AND SURROUNDING AREAS APEX, CARY, CHAPEL HILL, DURHAM, HILLSBOROUGH, RALEIGH GREATER TRIANGLE AREA AND SURROUNDING TOWNS: RALEIGH - DURHAM - CHAPEL HILL - CARY - HILLSBOROUGH - CARRBORO - APEX - HOLLY SPRINGS - FUQUAY- VARINA - GARNER - MORRISVILLE   I   CERTIFIED PLUS NORTH CAROLINA HOME INSPECTIONS   PRICES STARTING AT $199 ON SITE WRITTEN REPORT MONEY BACK GUARANTEE! FREE! TEST OF ALL APPLIANCES WATER DAMAGE After ten years of inspecting homes with serious structural damage, I have come to the conclusion that the number one cause of a structural problem is, water intrusion into the home. Although there are many areas of the house that water can penetrate into the home, the two areas that are the most common are the roof and the foundation. When water enters the home and the problem is not corrected immediately, whether it is through the roof or into the basement, one can be sure of serious damage and if the intrusion is in the basement, there could be concrete damage, wood rot and possibly mold problems. The following are some common areas of water intrusion that should be inspected on a regular basis. (a) Roof (b) Roof and vent flashes (c) Chimney and the chimney flashes (d) Rain gutters and downpours (e) Exterior siding and windows (f) Foundation walls (g) Foundation floor FEW OTHER WATER PROBLEM AREAS (a) Any plumbing leak (b) Attic mounted air handler for the central air conditioner that has a undetected leak in the condensate line. (c) Bathroom shower leaks through the wall tiles and floor pan leaks. Also drain leaks under the shower that are not detected (d) Toilet drain leaks under the toilet that are not detected SOME COMMON CAUSES OF WATER INTRUSION AND MOISTURE PROBLEMS (1) Older roof and flashes that needs repair or changing. (2) Deferred maintenance of the rain gutters and downpours (3) The slope of the ground at the perimeter of the house (4) Plumbing and drainage leaks (5) In ground swimming pool leaks that creates a water problem at the house foundation (6) Sump pump problems and malfunctions (7) Attic a/c air handler condensate leaks that are not detected (8) Bathroom vent fan that discharges into the attic instead of the exterior of the home For the purpose of this article, the author will examine in more depth some of the causes of water and moisture intrusion. ROOF The roof, every house has at least one, and it’s the major protection from the elements for everything inside the house. Every roof sooner or later will need repair or replacement. If a leak is discover, it’s very important to repair or replace the roof before any serious water penetration to avoid water damage. A roof leak not immediately corrected can cause wood rot and mold, not to mention the damage that can be done to valuable household items and furniture. The following are some safety tips for the home owner on how to safely inspect the roof for shingle damage: (a) Unless you are a professional roofer, I recommend that you don’t go up on the roof. It’s much safer to examine the roof from the ground with a pair of binoculars. (b) If one has to mount the roof, never go up on the roof without first examining the roof decking from inside the attic. Make sure that the decking is not wood rotted. It is not uncommon for a person to fall partially or all the way through a roof because of a rotted plywood deck. (c) Never go up on a roof alone. Always have a back up safety person on the ground just in case there is an accident. (d) un-floored attic, if one has to examine the roof decking from an un-floored attic, first put down some planking to walk on safely. Many a person that has tried to walk on the open floor joists has slipped off and landed in the bedroom below, this author being one of them, BASEMENT WATER PROBLEMS As mentioned earlier, the basement is a major area of water and moisture penetration. Water or moisture intrusion through the foundation walls or up through cracks in the floor is usually an expensive repair if, the problem is not corrected at the first sign of water or moisture . The following are some obvious signs of water and moisture penetration: (1) Stains on the foundation wall, finished paneling or drywall. (2) Effervescence on the interior concrete wall. ( Effervescence is a deposit of soluble salts that were originally within the masonry, usually brought to the surface by water in the wall) (3) Stains on the floor or water coming up through cracks in the floor (4) Water stains on the bottom of the finished walls, furnace or stored items. (5) Musty smell in the basement (6) Visual Mold on the foundation walls, floor, drywall or paneling. Foundation wall or finished paneling or drywall that is bowed in or out. In other words, the finished wall or foundation is not straight anymore. (7) Damp smelly rug (8) Water coming in from the exterior stairs leading to the basement. CRAWL SPACE WATER PROBLEMS The crawl space is an area that many times has expensive repairs simple because its dirty and difficult to inspect. It is not uncommon for people to own and live in a house for years and and never have the crawl space inspected. And, then when there is a problem with water or moisture in the crawl space, the repair is usually expensive. The lesson being, inspect the crawl space a least once every six months preferably, after a heavy rain storm. The following are some tell tail signs of water or moisture problems in the crawl space: (1) Standing water on a dirt or concrete floor. (2) With a concrete floor and walls, look for water stains, and efflorescence. (4) Wood rot and deterioration on the wood structural components. (5) Concrete floor or walls, any bulges, cracks or deterioration. (6) Rotted wood access door to the crawl space. (7) Rotted floor sections for the first floor (8) Rusted plumbing pipes or deteriorated electrical wires (9) Mold in the crawl space COMMON CAUSES OF WATER INTRUSION INTO BASEMENT AND CRAWL SPACES (1) Rain gutter downspouts that discharge right alongside the foundation or crawlspace (2) Over flowing rain gutters running water down the side of the dwelling (3) Improper slope of the grounds surrounding the dwelling that is bring water towards the house instead of away form the house (4) The area has a high water table that is bringing water up through the basement floor or into the crawl space (5) Inoperative sump pump or a sump pump that is discharging large amounts of water alongside the house (6) Any type of plumbing leak (7) Basement window wells that are not covered and filling with water. (8) Crawl space - no vapor barrier over a dirt floor (9) Crawl space - The bathroom - shower, toilet or bathtub that is leaking into a crawl space that has not been inspected for long periods of time EIFS SIDING ( exterior insulated finished siding ) Water penetration behind EIFS siding is the most expensive to repair and could be a very serious health problem because of mold. Once water penetrates behind this siding it is trapped and is a perfect environment for Mold. Licensed North Carolina Home Inspector Serving: Alamance County, Chatham County, Johnston County, Lee County, Orange County, Wake County. Towns and surrounding areas for Apex, Cary, Chapel Hill, Durham, Hillsborough, and Raleigh. NOTE, SPECIAL MOLD DISCLAIMER - The information on Mold provided on any page of this web site is for general informational purposes only and is provided as a courtesy. Mold is not included in any inspection conducted by Certified Plus Home Inspections LLC . Furthermore, Certified Plus Home Inspections  will not accept any liability for Mold whether it be for a home inspection or information obtained from this web site. A mold inspection or mold problem, is an environment issue and can only be addressed by a licensed environment mold inspector. Disclaimer - North Carolina DISCLAIMER - The information contained on this site/article is for general information only. Anyone using information obtained from this site/article has the responsibility to obtain professional advice on your particular problem or circumstance Certified Plus home inspections LLC. disclaim all responsibility, including negligence, for all consequences of any person acting on, or refraining from acting in reliance on, information contained in this site/article. The laws and regulation undergo frequent changes and the fact that there is a multitude of items covered under the "Grandfather Clause" anyone using this information , should first obtain professional advise on your particular circumstance before using information from this site/article. Note - Due to the fact that every home inspection is unique, and many of the items mentioned in this site/article may be inaccessible, covered with wall covering, storage, etc. Certified Plus Home Inspections LLC. gives no guarantee, or promise, expressed or implied, that every/any item mentioned in this article will be inspected or addressed in a home inspection. Any home inspection conducted by Certified Plus Home Inspections LLC, the actual home inspector's report supercedes any information contained in this site/article.