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I have roofed more homes than I care to remember over the past thirty plus years. It is grueling work but I’m thankful for the knowledge that I gained from each one. This knowledge has enabled me to perform a proper, and more importantly, thorough inspection for each of my clients.

If you remember only one sentence from this article it should be the following one. Roof leaks seldom show up immediately. By the time you realize your roof is leaking a considerable amount of damage may have already occurred. So what can you do to avoid the unexpected? Get to know your roof as well as the guy that constructed it.

Identify the style of your roof – Each style of roof has its own unique characteristics and is designed to perform in a specific way. Flat, Gable, Hip, and Leanto are the most common types. A poorly designed roof will surely leak.

Identify the type of covering – This is the material that covers the entire roof and protects the underlying wooden components. Some kinds of material lasts longer than others but all will have to be replaced at some future time. Coverings are typically made from Asphalt, Fiberglass, and Metal. They come in various designs and are made to work with specific roof styles.

Identify valley areas – When opposing pitched sections of a roof meet a valley is created. Water traveling through the valley becomes concentrated causing it to wear faster than the rest of the roof. For this reason valleys must be reinforced to ensure that they will last as long as the other areas. There are basically two types of valley designs, opened and closed. Open valleys are not covered by the same material as the rest of the roof, i.e.asphalt shingled roof with metal valleys, and closed valleys are.

Identify flashings – All joints and openings in a roof must be protected from moisture penetration. This is achieved by installing “flashings”. Flashings are angled or molded pieces of material that are installed at key areas of the roof as the covering is being installed. Flashings are typically made from aluminum, plastic, and rubber and needed at chimneys, vent pipes, electrical masts, wall intersections, valleys, etc.. All flashings must be installed in a specific way in order to prevent water from getting under roof coverings where it will become trapped.

It is good practice to inspect your roof twice each year, late spring and again in the fall. Assess the overall condition of the covering, be mindful of any weak or soft spots that you feel, and examine areas that require flashing very thoroughly.

If you would like more information about Roofs please contact me at dkingfullserviceinspector@gmail.com or by phone at 517-812-2463.

Duane

I hope everyone is having a great year so far!

I am always amazed at the number of doors I find that bind and/or do not latch while I’m performing an inspection. I am amazed because in most cases the problem can be corrected in less than ten minutes with a few screws. I’ll explain how in a few minutes. First we need to learn some terms and definitions.

In order for a door to open, close, and latch properly it must be plumb and the frame must be square. Plumb means the door is hanging vertically true. Square means the corners of the frame form perfect, or close to perfect, 90 degree angles.

I’ll address an out of plumb door that won’t latch first since it is the most common condition I find. While standing inside of the room with the door closed I look at the space between the door and frame at the hinge side of the door. If the space is wider at the top than at the bottom, the door is tilted downward and the latch bolt is too low to enter the hole in the strike plate. This can also cause the door to bind near the top. A door that is tilted downward can be corrected by installing longer screws (2-1/2″ to 3-1/2″) through the top hinge and into the stud behind the door frame. If the opposite is true the door is tilted upward (very rare) and the bolt is too high to enter the hole in the strike plate. This can cause the door to bind near the bottom too. Longer screws can be installed through the bottom hinge to correct the problem.

If the space at the hinge side of the door is uniform from top to bottom and the door binds or won’t latch then the frame is out of square and must be brought back into proper position. This requires a little more than a few screws and ten minutes. By looking at the space between the top of the door and the frame I can tell if the frame at the latch side of the door needs to be moved upward or downward to make the corners square. In order to adjust the frame I have to free up, then reposition, the top and latch side portions of it. This cannot be done until after I have removed the adjacent pieces of trim.

If you would like more information about Doors, Hinges or Locks please contact me at dkingfullserviceinspector@gmail.com

Like many of my clients and some of you, I burn wood this time of year.

I love everything about it. Cutting up the trees, splitting the logs, stacking the wood, and building the fire. It is so rewarding for me to know that I provided comfort for my family once again with my own two hands.

I thought it would be fitting to talk about fireplaces this month.

When I think of a “Fireplace” I envision the traditional stone or brick fireplaces that we see everywhere this time of year. You know, the ones Santa drops down. Typically these have a large, open firebox made of steel or brick with a damper above it and an ash pit below it, a concrete or ceramic hearth in front of the opening, and a stone or brick chimney with sections of clay tile inside going up the wall outside. Some have spark screens or doors in front of the opening as well.

Here is how a fireplace works. Logs burn inside the firebox creating heat. The heat warms the room and also creates a draft that pulls the smoke from the fire up and out of the chimney. The damper above the firebox is adjustable so that the draft can be regulated. The ash pit below provides a temporary place to store leftover ashes after a fire has burned out. The hearth acts as a shield preventing any stray sparks from landing on the floor and burning it. Screens and doors prevent sparks from escaping out of the firebox as well.

When inspecting a fireplace I start inside and first look at the hearth. It should extend at least eighteen inches into the room and be made of some type of non-combustible material. Next I examine the firebox for signs of deteriorated mortar and loose bricks. I then check the operation of the damper and determine how much creosote has accumulated. Outside I examine the exterior of the chimney for signs of deteriorated mortar and loose masonry. Finally, I look down inside the chimney from above for signs of blockages, broken or misaligned tiles and creosote buildup.

CREOSOTE = Creosote is a dark brown / black tar-like substance that accumulates inside the throat and chimney of all wood burning fireplaces and wood stoves. It can ignite and cause a dangerous chimney fire. Chimney should be cleaned when creosote becomes 1/8th of an inch thick.

Note – Hardwoods, such as Oak, Maple, Birch, Walnut burn better than softwoods.

Stay warm,

Duane

If you would like more information about Fireplaces, Wood Stoves or Chimneys please feel free to contact me at dkingfullserviceinspector@gmail.com

I was performing some maintenance on my home the other day and became inspired. Please read on.

Protecting our homes from the elements is a constant battle, always has been, always will be. There are three areas where moisture can enter our home. These are Roof, Wall, and Foundation.

Following are some tips that will help you identify weak spots and win the battle when dealing with moisture intrusion:

Roofs – Any crack/opening in the roof can allow moisture infiltration to occur. Flashings are designed to protect joints and openings at chimneys, vent pipes, skylights, roof vents, and wall intersections. Damaged and/or improperly installed flashings will allow water to enter the home.

Walls – Any crack/opening in the wall can allow moisture infiltration to occur. Caulking is a putty-like substance used to seal cracks and gaps around windows, doors, and at wall intersections. When caulking becomes dry, cracked, and/or loose it should be removed and replaced.

Foundations – Any crack/opening in the foundation can allow moisture infiltration to occur. The amount of moisture, and damage, is magnified when gutters/downspouts are not functional or missing and grading is not directing water away from the wall. Sealing all openings and creating adequate drainage around the foundation is key.

I’ve tried to keep my explanations simple. If you would like more information about Home Maintenance, Moisture Intrusion, or Flashings please contact me at dkingfullserviceinspector@gmail.com

Do you have numerous icicles hanging from the roof of your home ?

It may look enchanting but it could be costing you more to heat your home. It could also be causing damage to your home. Icicles can be a sign of a condition known as ice damming.

Ice damming occurs when heated air inside the home migrates upward into the attic. The warm air then melts snow on the upper portion of the roof. When the melted snow reaches the significantly colder soffit area near the eves it refreezes to form an ice dam which is typically indicated by icicles. The dam will not allow additional melted snow and water to run off the roof so it backs up under the shingles and begins to leak into the home causing damage to insulation and structural components of the roof.

Properly insulating attic spaces and sealing all areas that allow air from inside the house to escape into the attic is the key to preventing ice damming.

If you would like to know more about Ice Damming, Roof Leaks, or Attic Ventilation please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’m always available for you!