Barrie Home Inspector

Home Maintenance and Tips for Home Owners

Category: Basements

Basement Tips for Home Owners to deal with cracks and water penetration.

Insulated Concrete Foundations “ICF”

Basements

Insulated Concrete Foundations “ICF” have interlocking forms that are dry stacked and then they are filled with concrete. These forms lock together much like a Lego brick and can be used to form the structural walls and/or floors of a building.

What is the best ICF system? There is no front runner in design when it comes to choosing a ICF system. Consumers typically look for the number one rated product when looking to make a purchase . The buying public strives to have the best product at the best price. As for ICFs, it is obvious that each individual ICF building system has different properties that deliver different benefits to the consumer. Some have thicker insulation than others. Some are connected with metal ties, others with plastic ties. Some systems are stacked like building blocks, others require assembly. Any correctly installed ICF product will ensure that the customer is happy with his choice.

ICF FormsThe most common ICF are manufactured out of Polystyrene Foam but they can also be manufactured out of Polyurethane Foam ,Cement-bonded wood fibre or Cement-bonded polystyrene beads. Once the forms are formed together, re-bar is usually added to give the concrete flexural strength and then the concrete is pumped into the cavity to form the structural element of the walls. The forms are filled in 1-12 foot “lifts” to manage the concrete pressure and reduce the risk of blowout . Once the concrete has cured , the forms are left in place permanently.

Here are some of the benefits in building with ICF:

ICF building are much more energy efficient then those built with traditional construction methods.

The form material allows you to easily add electrical and plumbing systems.

ICF has high sound absorption which helps produce peace and quiet which is not the case with typical wood construction

The longevity of ICF products provides a higher re-sale value in most Real Estate markets.

Un-like wood foundations which can develop problems When wet , concrete and polystyrene do not rot.

There are no problems with insect infestation or termites using ICF products.

Using ICF building products has shown to reduce heating and air conditioning costs by 50-70%

ICF creates a structural concrete wall that is up to 10 times stronger the a wood framed structure

As in any product there are some drawbacks to using ICF construction, which are;

Adding widows,doors or utilities after the building is complete requires concrete cutting tools which makes it harder to do although it does not require the traditional steel lintels to support the new opening

Building with ICF can increase home building costs by 2 to 3 %

Minor problems with interior humidity have been know to happen during the first couple weeks as the concrete is curing. Residential dehumidifiers are an easy solution to the problem.

ICF-designThe exterior foam insulation provides easy access for groundwater and insects in polystyrene based forms. To help prevent these problems, some manufacturers make insecticide treated foam forms and promote methods for waterproofing them.

Building with ICF can sometimes add 3-5% in construction costs compared to using wood frame, however the energy savings will usually result in much lower utility costs. Building with ICF below grade for typical basement forming should come in at about 40% less due to the labour savings from combining multiple steps into one. Above grade construction is a little more expensive but it becomes cost effective when adding large openings. In wood frame buildings, large openings require large headers and support posts but in ICF additional re-bar is all that is typically needed.

Basic Basement Construction

Basements

Basic Basement Construction.  Always check with Barrie Building department and apply for any required permits prior to construction. A basement is an area below the first floor with a minimum height of 6 feet 8 inches. Basements may be created using masonry blocks or poured concrete. Modern homes are typically constructed using forms and poured concrete. Many basements provide added living space, including bedrooms, bath, recreation rooms.

Basement wall damageBasements are typically the area of a structure most at risk for water damage because they are located below grade and surrounded by soil. Soil releases water it has absorbed during rain or when snow melts, and the water can end up in the basement through leaks or cracks.

The roof on your home can collect over 600 gallons per 1000 square feet after 1 inch of rain has fallen. Install and maintain gutters and downspouts so that they route all rainwater and snow melt far enough away from the foundation of the building to ensure that pooling does not occur near the walls of the structure. At least 10 feet from the building is best, and at the point where water leaves the downspout, it should be able to flow freely away from the foundation instead of back toward it, and should not be collecting in pools.

Foundation weeping tiles are actually not tiles but 6 inch diameter plastic pipe with small holes in it. Weeping tile pipe is placed against and level to the bottom of the foundation footing. Once the weeping tile pipe is completely installed, coarse gravel is placed on top and level with the top of the footing.

Newer homes basements are typically protected using a black dimpled product which is attached to perimeter of basement walls. Most home owners think this is a water proofing barrier designed to keep water away from their foundation. The wrap is actually designed to allow water to quickly drain down void, created by the dimples, and enter weeping tile. This prevents any hydraulic water build up against concrete prevent water intrusion.

Sump Pump Installation by Barrie Home InspectorA sump pump is a pump placed in the basement of a home used to pump water from the basement to the outside or drain into the home’s drainage system. Sump pumps usually work in conjunction with a sump pit, which is a hole dug in the basement of a house which collects water during a rainstorm. The pump then pumps the water out of that sump pit.. A sump pump is usually necessary either in cases where the home’s basement is below the water table level, and or when the home is located in a place where flooding is common. In Ontario a sump pump is required by Ontario Building Code and must be installed unless waived by the building official.

Home that are located in areas where a high water table exists typically will have a backup sump pump installed in case of pump failure.  Also a battery back up is sometimes used in case of power failure.   During the home inspection process these are both indicators that a high water table exists and the home owners may have had water issues in their basement.   These are only clues and cannot be the sole evidence used to indicate water issues,  but are a strong indicator that further investigation is required.

Although there are many great books and part time college courses that now teach Home Inspections,  nothing will replace experience and first hand knowledge obtained through building homes and renovation projects over a life time of inspection and construction experience.   Caveat Emptor –  Buyer Beware !

 

For actual inspection pictures of defects please visit the Barrie Home Inspector’s site

Concrete – Strength in Knowledge

Basements, Exterior

Concrete – Strength in Knowledge.  Concrete is used more than any other man-made material in the world.  As of 2006, about 7.5 billion cubic meters of concrete are made each year-more than one cubic meter for every person on Earth.

In evaluating concrete problems, one of the important decisions home inspectors must make is determining whether a problem is the result of conditions that have stabilized with a low chance of continuing future problems, or whether the conditions that caused the problem are such that there is a high probability that problems will continue or worsen.

Concrete powers a US $35 billion industry, employing more than two million workers in the United States alone. More than 55,000 miles (89,000 km) of highways in the United States are paved with this material. Reinforced concrete, prestressed concrete and precast concrete are the most widely used types of concrete functional extensions in modern days.

Concrete, as the Romans knew it, was a new and revolutionary material. Laid in the shape of arches, vaults and domes, it quickly hardened into a rigid mass, free from many of the internal thrusts and strains that troubled the builders of similar structures in stone or brick.  Modern structural concrete differs from Roman concrete in two important details. First, its mix consistency is fluid and homogeneous, allowing it to be poured into forms rather than requiring hand-layering together with the placement of aggregate, which, in Roman practice, often consisted of rubble. Second, integral reinforcing steel gives modern concrete assemblies great strength in tension, whereas Roman concrete could depend only upon the strength of the concrete bonding to resist tension.

Combining water with a cementitious material forms a cement paste by the process of hydration. The cement paste glues the aggregate together, fills voids within it and allows it to flow more freely. Less waterin the cement paste will yield a stronger, more durable concrete; more water will give a freer-flowing concrete with a higher slump. Impure water used to make concrete can cause problems when setting or in causing premature failure of the structure. Hydration involves many different reactions, often occurring at the same time. As the reactions proceed, the products of the cement hydration process gradually bond together the individual sand and gravel particles and other components of the concrete, to form a solid mass.

Plastic cracking occurs prior to concrete curing. Autogenous shrinkage is caused by internal drying.  Since there is no loss of water to one exposed surface, autogenous shrinkage is more uniform than plastic shrinkage. However, tensile stresses still develop, and embedded steel can cause anomalies in an area of concrete with relatively uniform stress. These anomalies can cause variations in stress within the concrete that are relieved by cracking.  Autogenous shrinkage cracking will be shallow and is not a structural issue. The cracks may look similar to those formed during plastic shrinkage and are often propagations of cracks created during plastic shrinkage.

The advantage to inspectors in being able to accurately determine the source of cracking is in understanding whether the condition that caused the cracking has stabilized so that it is no longer likely to cause additional cracking or encourage the propagation of existing cracks. Many cracks, like those caused by concrete shrinkage, are shallow cracks caused by forces that allow conditions to stabilize relatively quickly and do not lead to structural problems. Others, like those caused by soil subsidence or changes in soil volume, are caused by forces that can continue to affect concrete for a long time. This long-term instability can continue to cause serious structural problems over the long term.

When investing in a new property it is important to have the building inspected by a qualified residential or commercial inspector.  Visit www.barrie-home-inspector.com to learn more about the Barrie Home Inspector, when purchasing Commercial or Residential Properties.  With over 4,000 inspections, experience and knowledge can help protect your investment.

Concrete – Supporting Your Home

Basements, Exterior

Concrete – Supporting Your Home. The word concrete comes from the Latin word “concretus” (meaning compact or condensed), the perfect passive participle of “concrescere”, from “con-” (together) and “crescere” (to grow).  Most information available about concrete is written for contractors, for those who design concrete mixes, and for those who perform invasive testing.

In evaluating concrete problems, one of the important decisions home inspectors must make is determining whether a problem is the result of conditions that have stabilized with a low chance of continuing future problems, or whether the conditions that caused the problem are such that there is a high probability that problems will continue or worsen.

Different factors can affect concrete and the problems that inspectors will see.  How concrete hardens, strengthens and the qualities of its surface depend on a number of things, including the properties of its constituent materials.  Although Portland cement is the most commonly used binder, pozzolans may be substituted. Pozzolans are materials that, in addition to undergoing primary hydration, undergo a secondary hydration, producing a gel that fills tiny voids between cement particles, making concrete less porous and less likely to absorb moisture or chemical solutions that can damage concrete or steel reinforcement.

The constituent materials which are included in the mix, their proportions, the order in which they are combined, the length of time and method by which they are mixed, and the length of time between mixing to placing all affect the quality of concrete. With each decision and operation, there is a chance that mistakes will be made. The environmental conditions that exist during placing, finishing and curing concrete will have an effect on how it develops. The ground and air temperatures, wind speed, cloud cover, and the absorbent qualities of the substrate will affect newly placed concrete.

When initially mixed together, Portland cement and water rapidly form a gel, formed of tangled chains of interlocking crystals. These continue to react over time, with the initially fluid gel often aiding in placement by improving workability. As the concrete sets, the chains of crystals join and form a rigid structure, gluing the aggregate particles in place. During curing, more of the cement reacts with the residual water (hydration).  This curing process develops physical and chemical properties. Among these qualities are mechanical strength, low moisture permeability and chemical and volumetric stability.

Cracks that appear before the concrete has hardened are called plastic cracks.  Plastic cracks are typically due to poor mix design, placement practices or curing methods, and may also be caused by settlement, construction movement, and excessively high rates of evaporation. Cracks that appear after concrete has hardened can have a variety of causes, and sometimes have more than one cause.

Plastic shrinkage is shrinkage caused by the loss of water to the atmosphere. Autogenous shrinkage is shrinkage that takes place with no loss of water to the atmosphere.  Autogenous shrinkage is caused by internal drying, with water being absorbed by the constituent materials in the concrete.  As the long-term chemical hydration process continues – and it can continue for many years — water in the pores within the cement paste is absorbed, and the pores are filled, to some degree, by materials produced during hydration. This process leads to decreased permeability and increased strength and durability of the cement paste. Absorption of water from the pores also causes shrinkage.

When purchasing a new property it is important to have the building inspected by a qualified residential or commercial inspector.  Trust the Barrie Home Inspector for your Residential or Commercial Inspections.  Visit www.guaranteedresidentialinspections.com for more information. As a Certified Building Code Official with over 4,000 inspections your investment will be in good hands.  Experience and knowledge can help protect your investment.

Buying Older Home – Typical Problems

Basements, Exterior

Buying Older Home – Typical Problems.  When buying an older home you are usually buying a home with built in character which has withstood the test of time and is still in habitable condition.  There are some inherent problems that you might encounter when purchasing an older home.  I have listed a few basic ones just for consideration.

Your older homes foundation is probably constructed of cement and stone.  There would have been no waterproofing done to the exterior of the foundation and there will be no weeping tile draining into sump.  This inspection area is one of the most important and expensive to repair if faulty.

Knob and tube wiring was usually installed in all older homes and there is usually still porcelain insulators present even if it was all removed.  You have to have a home inspector or electrician check to ensure all the knob and tube wiring was replaced.  The knob and tube was usually replaced with older two wire which has no ground and unless a total rehab was done on building you will still find two wire at outlets on upper floors and other hard to access areas.

Asbestos and vermiculite can be found in many older homes.  Some older homes had hot water boilers with cast iron radiators.  This systems were typically insulated with asbestos insulation.  Vermiculite insulation may contain asbestos and was frequently added to attics in older homes.  Asbestos requires professional removal which is very expensive.

Lead plumbing pipes and galvanized plumbing lines can be very expensive to replace and were used on most older homes.  Most insurance companies in Ontario will not insure a home with galvanized plumbing pipes.  Galvanized pipes tend to corrode from the inside out so that there is no warning that a pipe is about to burst.

Older homes may have many layers of lead paint which has built up over the years.  Lead-based paint is a major source of lead poisoning for children and can also affect adults. In children, lead poisoning can cause irreversible brain damage and can impair mental functioning. It can retard mental and physical development and reduce attention span. It can also retard fetal development even at extremely low levels of lead.  Thus, young children, fetuses, infants, and adults with high blood pressure are the most vulnerable to the effects of lead.

Your house is old and gorgeous, as are those wonderfully ornate cast-iron radiators, but these days, energy prices are anything but old-fashioned. Older homes have radiators sized for a time when open-window ventilation was popular and insulation was uncommon. If you’ve insulated and updated your windows, your radiators are most likely larger than they need to be.  You should have your home assessed by a heating expert to evaluate the expense and available options if required to upgrade your heating system.

The Barrie Home Inspector has many years of experience in inspecting Century Homes and is also a Certified Building Code Official with the Ontario Building Officials Association.  Commercial Building inspections also entail the same problems as residential and buyers have to be aware of the risks and hazards involved in purchasing older properties.  Visit the Barrie Home Inspector’s site at www.barriehomeinspector.com to obtain more information and advice when dealing with older homes.

Building Basics by Angus Real Estate Agents

Basements, Exterior

Building Basics by Angus Real Estate Agents. If you are building a wall for a home addition, garage or other structure, it is important to be able to read construction drawings to identify all the dimensions for the walls which are given on the floor plan and elevation. The walls are to be laid out the same as on the floor plan, with all measurements followed exactly. The openings for doors and windows must be placed exactly. It is important that the corners be set on the foundation exactly as given on the detail drawing on the foundation plan. Taking measurements from the foundation or floor plan, and transferring those measurements to the foundation, footing or floor slab is the first step in laying out the wall.

Traditional stucco is made of lime, sand, and water. Modern stucco is made of Portland cement, sand, and water. Lime is added to increase the permeability and workability of modern stucco. Sometimes additives such as acrylics and glass fibers are added to improve the structural properties of the plaster. This is usually done with what is considered a one-coat stucco system, as opposed to the traditional three-coat method.  As a building material, stucco is a durable, attractive, and weather-resistant wall covering. It was traditionally used as both an interior and exterior finish applied in one or two thin layers directly over a solid masonry, brick or stone surface. The finish coat usually contained an integral color and was typically textured for appearance.

In the field of human-wildlife conflicts, probably the most common scenario nationwide is the squirrel in the attic.
Most people become aware that an animal is living in their attic when they hear scampering, or scratching noises above the ceiling. A wide variety of animals choose to live in the attics of buildings, from rats and mice, bats and pigeons, raccoon’s, opossums, and of course squirrels. Most of these animals will oftentimes use other areas of the home as well, from the soffits to the wall voids to the space between floors, so the attic is not the only area you’ll find critters.

A plumbing fixture could refer to a receptacle or device that is either permanently or temporarily connected to the water distribution system of the property, and which demands a supply of water.  Or the fixture could discharge waste water, liquid-suspended waste materials or sewage to the drainage system of the property.  The fixture could also require both a water supply connection and a discharge to the drainage system of the property.  Plumbing fixtures include water closets, urinals, bidets, lavatories, sinks, showers, bathtubs and floor drains.

There should be at least 15 inches of space from the center of a water closet, lavatory or bidet to any sidewall, partition, cabinet or any other obstruction. There should be at least 30 inches of space between adjacent fixtures. There should be a space of at least 21 inches in front of the water closet, lavatory or bidet to any wall, fixture or door. This clearance is for comfortable, adequate space for cleaning and use of the fixture.

A septic tank is used to hold wastewater while the wastewater’s solids and liquids separate.  The heavier solids in the wastewater, called sludge, sink to the bottom of the tank.  There it will slowly decompose.  A properly functioning septic tank will remove 75% of the suspended solids, oil and grease from the effluent.  The lighter, floatable material, called scum, rises to the surface and becomes trapped between devices at the tank’s inlet and outlet, either baffles or sanitary tees.  When wastewater enters the tank, it pushes relatively clean effluent, called “the clear zone” that located in the settling area between the scum and the sludge layers, out of the tank.

The Best Barrie Home Inspector provides visial and Thermal Imaging inspections of all major components of your home.  A small investment considering the expense of buying property.  Visit <a href=”http://www.barrie-home-inspector.com”>The Best Barrie Home Inspector’s Site</a> to arrange an inspection.

Masonry Block – Building Tips

Basements, Exterior

Masonry Block – Building Tips. Every block wall-regardless of height or length-should be placed on a secure footing of poured concrete. A block barbecue grill or outdoor fireplace requires a large concrete pad as a footing. The footing must extend down beyond the frost line to prevent heaving in the winter.

For a footing poured in an area where drainage is a problem, lay a drain line along the outer edge of the form. Allow for a drop of about 1″ for each 20′ of drain line. Backfill over the drain line with about 12″ of crushed stone or gravel. In Ontario this is mandatory and must be installed for any building of 100 square feet in size.

Building exact corners is the most important construction of a masonry wall as corners will guide the building of the rest of the wall. A corner pole will make the job easier. A corner pole is any type of post which can be braced into a true vertical position and which will hold a taut mason’s line without bending. Two such poles are set up, one on each corner, with the mason’s line stretched between them. Corner poles for block walls should be marked every 4 to 8 inches, depending on how high the material is with which you are building the wall. Such marks must be absolutely level when the mason’s line is stretched between them.

Set the corner block first. Be sure you are using the correct block. Check the starting corner block, both horizontally and vertically, and take time to get it positioned correctly. All other blocks will align with this starter block, so it’s very important to set it exactly. Follow this same procedure as you reach the other corners, laying the first course out about two or three blocks in each direction. Tie a line between two bricks and stretch it between the two corner blocks on the first course.

Corners and lead blocks are generally built 4-6 rows high, with each course being stepped back one block from the course below, creating a pyramid effect. The wall alignment, plumb and level should be checked on these corners before completing the wall. If everything checks out fine, it is now time to fill in each course between the corners.

Because they can be adjusted in size slightly, mortar joints provide some layout flexibility. While the ideal mortar joint is 3⁄8 inch wide, masons routinely shrink joints to as small as 1⁄4 inch or stretch them to as large as1⁄2 inch. Joints that fall out- side this range are unsightly and, with a few small exceptions, prohibited by most building codes.

The Barrie Home Inspector uses his training to ensure every building inspected meets or exceeds the required building code practices. As a Certified Building Code Official he is one of the few Barrie Home Inspector’s with Ontario Building Code training in both Part 9 and Part 3 of the Building Code.

Different Materials to Use for Basement Flooring

Basements

Different Materials to Use for Basement Flooring.  Basement flooring is obviously the foundation of the process of remodeling your basement. If basement flooring is not done right, you are just going to waste money and effort in trying to make your whole basement look good. The great thing is that there are several options on how you can have a beautiful, worth it flooring.

Water is Enemy

Water in whatever form – be it from underground moisture or drainage issues – is a bane to basements. Before doing any remodeling, have your basement drainage system checked thoroughly and fixed by a plumber. You’d not want it to have a well created basement only to understand that water starts to creep in. Sometimes water slippage can come from the exterior drainage outside the house.

Due to the damp nature of most basements, moisture is really a usual headache. Moisture can cause stains to tile floor, mildews and molds to carpet floor and damage to plywood and hardwood floor. At any rate, moisture can weaken the bond of the adhesive utilized to stick whatever flooring material you’ve. Thus, prior to totally performing any remodeling, do precautionary tests on the wetness of the floor.

Test the Floor

One way to test the wetness or the moisture level of the floor is to use a waterproof material that is about 4 inches-by-4 inches in size. Place flat the waterproof material, preferably the type of flooring that you have in mind to use, on the basement floor. Seal it in such a way that no air gets in. Put it in several corners of the floor walls and one in the center area of the floor. Leave it for at least a day and then check if there is any moisture coming in.

If you notice any type of moisture, then you need to figure out and fix the floor issue first before proceeding with remodeling. It also means that your floor is naturally damp. At this point, it is ideal if you ask the opinion and suggestion of a basement flooring expert. You can probably make do by changing the type of flooring material to be utilized or install a vapor barrier.

Flooring Materials

There is no such thing as perfect flooring material. It is always a case-to-case basis. It also depends on the desired look and really feel that you want for your basement. Whilst that being stated, here are some typical flooring options and their usual attributes:

1. Wooden Subfloor – It’s inexpensive but is prone to rotting when there’s no vaporizing barrier installed.

2. Carpet – It’s extremely easy to install but is prone to mildew and molds.

3. Painting the Subfloor – You can do it your self in the event you know how you can paint walls. But you may need to keep re-painting after a couple of months.

4. Stained Basement Floor – This gives you room to be very creative with several styles and colors obtainable. But you may have to invest a bit much more compared to, say, using a wooden material.

5. Tiled Floor – This also allows you much more room for creativity and is a viable option for wet basements. But this material would not help a lot in lessening the coldness of the floor so you may need to use rugs.

Another essential consideration with regards to basement flooring is if who’s performing the flooring function: you or a hired expert? If it’s you, keep in mind that tiles and stained basement floor might take more effort to haul and install. The latter supplies also need specialized skills and equipments.

Find out more about basement finishing system. Explore more online sources on basement finishing systems.

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