Attic Inspection
During an attic inspection, the home inspector will be checking insulation in attics, the attic ventilation, air conditioning and more. Addressing problems found during the attic inspection can save homeowners a lot of money on heating and cooling.
A qualified home inspector will perform an attic inspection as well when conducting a complete inspection on your home. Attics often include air conditioners, electric systems and insulation that are vital to be checked regularly. Problems can be really expensive items to fix, so an attic inspection is essential to detect any potential issues early on.
When performing an attic inspection, your home inspector should check all of the wiring in the attic, and if there are junction boxes in the attic with live wiring, make sure they have covers on them. Checking insulation in attics is critical, because one of the biggest problems in attics can be poor insulation. Home buyers often request attic inspections to ensure they will not pay for heat and air conditioning while it escapes through attic cracks without proper attic insulation. Moreover, many homes have the wrong types of insulation installed in the attic. A 16-inch wide insulation in a 20-inch joist cavity, for instance, leaves four inches where heat and air conditioning leak out of the home.
In addition, attic inspections can reveal several problems in other parts of the house as well. If you do not have proper attic insulation, heat can be leaking out of the house, which in turn could cause snow to melt on the roof above the attic and deteriorate the roofing system. Also, a qualified home inspector will check all systems installed in the attic during a routine attic inspection, as he knows exactly what to look for in a good system and can detect problems early before they turn into costly repairments. The attic is a very important part of your house even if you don’t use it very often, so make sure an attic inspection is included in the deal when you request a home inspection. Basically, an attic inspection consists of attic insulation, attic ventilation, and duct work.
Attic insulation protects your home against allowing the heat of the sun inside, it provides resistance to heat flow (the more heat flow resistance the proper attic insulation provides, the lower the heating and cooling costs), maintains comfort and protects your roofing system against roof leaks or problems int he roof structure. There are several types of insulation available, so it is best to check with the Department of Energy for their standard for minimum attic insulation in your state. An R-7 rating, for instance, is severely under insulation. Attic ventilation prevents the downward migration of heat.
Without proper attic ventilation, heat builds up and radiates to the attic floor, then into adjacent living areas, rising temperatures there. Eventually, such accumulation of heat will have costly consequences. The most obvious consequences of built-up heat are all the actions homeowners take in a typical summer day, just so they can cool themselves. To reduce the effect of heat, not just the daytime heat, but also all the excess heat that is stored in the attic, homeowners often turn on fans, window air conditioners or central air conditioning systems. Throughout the summer, hot weather continues, so these appliances run longer and longer, as utility companies across the country can testify. Needless to mention, all this added energy consumption results in higher utility bills. Proper attic insulation and ventilation will make your home more energy-efficient.
The Importance of Getting a Professional Attic Inspection - Checking Attic Access, Attic Windows
Unfortunately, most home buyers don’t consider having the house’s attic inspected when buying a home, but inspecting the attic is equally important as inspecting the other parts of the property, and should not be neglected because it can indicate serious problems that may not be revealed to you otherwise. An attic inspection can reveal cracks, poor insulation, past fire damages, damages caused by water, condensation and so on.
In addition, a home inspection will also include examining the structure of the chimney in the attic to check if it is sturdy, as it is not enough just to keep your chimney clean. Lastly, besides attic insulation services, barriers for home insulation, checking asphalt strip shingles or the roof structure, during an attic inspection the home inspection may also discover damage done by rodents, raccoons or squirrels. These critters typically enter inside loose boards or through the eaves, and they can cause significant damage. Squirrels, for instance, can eat through the insulation around the ducts that may bare wires, thus starting a fire due to exposed wiring.
A home inspection typically includes a roof inspection as well, however it is not enough to discover if there are any defects in the attic’s structural members. The roof shingles may seem secure, but it is still possible to see broken rafters or trusses inside the attic, and having it inspected can reveal several problems. To make sure your home is well protected, request an attic inspection as well, at least to check for proper attic insulation.