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INTERIORS of BUILDINGS ACOUSTICAL SEALANTS AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine AIR BYPASS LEAKS AIR LEAK DETECTION TOOLS AIR LEAK MINIMIZATION AIR SEALING STRATEGIES ANIMAL ALLERGENS APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY RATINGS ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN BUILDINGS ATTIC LEAKS, CONDENSATION & ATTIC MOLD ATTIC VENTILATION BASEMENT HEAT LOSS BASEMENT LEAKS Moisture or Mold BASEMENT WATERPROOFING BATHROOM VENTILATION BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION BRICK LINED WALLS BUCKLED FOUNDATIONS due to INSULATION? BUILDING NOISE DIAGNOSIS & CURE CATHEDRAL CEILING INSULATION CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR COMBUSTION AIR for TIGHT BUILDINGS CRAWL SPACES DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE ELECTRICAL INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS FIBERGLASS INSULATION FIREPLACE Damage & Unsafe Hearths - Settlement FLAT ROOF MOISTURE & CONDENSATION FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-mold FLOORING CHOICES OVER CONCRETE SLABS FLOORING TYPES & DEFECTS FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING FREEZE-PROOF A BUILDING HEAT LOSS in BUILDINGS HEAT LOSS DETECTION TOOLS HEAT LOSS INDICATORS HEAT LOSS PREVENTION PRIORITIES HEAT LOSS R U & K VALUE CALCULATION Heat Tapes: Use on Roofs for Ice HEATING COST SAVINGS METHODS HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET ICE DAM PREVENTION Ice Dams: Comparing Two Houses INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INSULATION LOCATION in BUILDINGS - WHERE TO INSULATE INSULATION CHOICES INSULATION FACT SHEET- DOE INSULATION LOCATION & QUANTITY for ATTICS INSULATION LOCATION for BASEMENT FLOORS INSULATION LOCATION for BASEMENT WALLS INSULATION LOCATION for BRICK VENEER WALLS INSULATION LOCATION for CAPES, CRAWLSPACES INSULATION LOCATION for CATHEDRAL CEILINGS INSULATION LOCATION for GREENHOUSE or SOLARIUM INSULATION LOCATION for PASSIVE SOLAR FLOOR SLAB INSULATION LOCATION for SOUND CONTROL in BUILDINGS INSULATION LOCATION for SWIMMING, INDOOR INSULATION MOLD INSULATION R-Values & Properties INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT ATTIC CONDENSATION CAUSE & CURE Air Bypass Leaks, Thermal Tracking Blocked Soffit Intake Vents BRICK VENEER WALL INSULATION CATHEDRAL CEILING INSULATION CATHEDRAL CEILING VENTILATION ENERGY SAVINGS in BUILDINGS FIBERGLASS DUCT, RIGID CONSTRUCTION FRAMING DETAILS for BETTER INSULATION FRAMING DETAILS for DOUBLE WALL HOUSES Inspect Attics for Moisture or Mold Inspect Basements for Moisture or Mold Inspect Building Exterior Inspect the Ridge Vent System from the Attic Inspect the Soffit Vent System from the Attic Insulation Air & Heat Leaks INSULATION R-Values & Properties LOG HOME WALL INSULATION VALUES PHENOLIC FOAM INSULATION POLYISOCYANURATE FOAM INSULATION POLYISOCYANURATE FOAM BELOW SLABS POLYSTYRENE FOAM INSULATION PASCAL CALCULATIONS RADIANT BARRIERS RIGID FOAM USE INDOORS Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation UFFI URETHANE FOAM Deterioration, Outgassing Vermiculite Insulation LOG HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY LOG HOME GUIDE MOBILE HOME INSPECTIONS MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS MOLD INFORMATION CENTER NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION PLASTER & BEAVERBOARD & DRYWALL PASCAL CALCULATIONS RADIANT BARRIERS RADIANT HEAT RADIANT HEAT Floor Mistakes to Avoid RADIANT SLAB FLOORING CHOICES RADIANT SLAB TUBING & FLUID CHOICES ROOF VENTILATION SPECIFICATIONS ATTIC VENTILATION CATHEDRAL CEILING VENTILATION Inspect the Ridge Vent System from the Attic Inspect the Soffit Vent System from the Attic Insulation Air & Heat Leaks Roof Venting: Intake - Outlet Area Ratios Roof Venting: Proper Locations Roof Venting: Both Ridge & Eaves Venting Needed Roof Venting: Eaves Intake if no Overhang Roof Venting: Soffit Intake Vent-Continuous Roof Venting: Un-Vented Roof Solutions ROOF VENTING ENERGY SAVING DETAILS ROOF VENTING NEEDED? Soffit Ventilation ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES TERMITE SHIELDS vs TERMITICIDE ROT, TIMBER FRAME SAFETY HAZARDS & INSPECTIONS SEARS KIT HOUSES SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN METHOD PASSIVE SOLAR ENERGY MONITORING PASSIVE SOLAR FLOOR TILES, PHASE CHANGE PASSIVE SOLAR HEAT PERFORMANCE PASSIVE SOLAR HOME, LOW COST PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SYSTEMS SLAB INSULATION, PASSIVE SOLAR SOLAR COLLECTOR AIR or GAS COLLECTION SOLAR COLLECTOR EFFICIENCY COMPARISONS SOLAR COLLECTOR FILMS SOLAR COLLECTOR WOOD HOUSINGS SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS SOLAR HOT WATER HEATERS SOLAR HOUSE EVALUATION SOLAR SHADES & SUNSCREENS SUNGAIN, FILMS, LOW-E GLASS SWIMMING POOL SOLAR HEAT, INDOOR SWIMMING POOL SOLAR HEAT, OUTDOOR DIAGNOSIS SOUND CONTROL in BUILDINGS STAIN DIAGNOSIS STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS STUCCO OVER FOAM INSULATION STUCCO PAINT FAILURES STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS SUMP PUMPS GUIDE THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS THERMAL MASS in BUILDINGS THERMAL MASS FLOOR SLABS THERMAL MASS in UPSTAIRS THERMAL MASS WALL DESIGN THERMAL TRACKING Indicates Heat Loss VAPOR BARRIERS & AIR SEALING at BAND JOISTS VAPOR BARRIERS & CONDENSATION in BUILDINGS VAPOR BARRIERS & HOUSEWRAP VAPOR CONDENSATION & BUILDING SHEATHING VENTILATION in BUILDINGS Air Bypass Leaks, Thermal Tracking ATTIC CONDENSATION CAUSE & CURE BATHROOM VENTILATION Blocked Soffit Intake Vents BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION BRICK VENEER WALL INSULATION CATHEDRAL CEILING VENTILATION CRAWL SPACE VENTING & Dryout Procedures HEAT LOSS: How to Calculate Heat Loss in a Building HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS HUMIDITY LEVEL TARGET ICE DAM PREVENTION Inspect Attics for Moisture or Mold Inspect Basements for Moisture or Mold Inspect Building Exterior for Moisture Problems Inspect the Ridge Vent System from the Attic Inspect the Soffit Vent System from the Attic Insulation Air & Heat Leaks MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS MOISTURE CALCULATIONS MOISTURE PROBLEMS: CAUSE & CURE ROOF VENTILATION SPECIFICATIONS Roof Venting: Intake - Outlet Area Ratios Roof Venting: Proper Locations Roof Venting: Both Ridge & Eaves Venting Needed Roof Venting: Eaves Intake if no Overhang Roof Venting: Soffit Intake Vent-Continuous Roof Venting: Un-Vented Roof Solutions ROOF VENTING ENERGY SAVING DETAILS ROOF VENTING NEEDED? Soffit Ventilation VENTILATION DESIGN PROBLEMS & SOLUTIONS WHOLE HOUSE VENTILATION Strategies WATER ENTRY in BUILDINGS WIND TURBINES WINDOWS & DOORS SKYLIGHT LEAK DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR SITE BUILT DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOWS SLOPED GLAZING DETAILS SUNGAIN, FILMS, LOW-E GLASS VERTICAL GLAZING DETAILS WINDOW / DOOR ENERGY EFFICIENT, DOE WINDOW LEAKS INTO BASEMENT WINTERIZE A BUILDING WOOD Burning Heaters Fireplaces Stoves More Information  InspectAPedia ® Home & Site Map InspectAPedia Blog - News Updates Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps Bookstore Electrical Environment Exteriors Heating Home Inspection Insulate Ventilate Interiors Mold Inspect/Test Plumbing Water Septic Roofing Structure Accuracy & Bias Pledge Contact Us |
This article describes inspection methods and clues to detect roof venting deficiencies, insulation defects, and attic condensation problems in buildings. It describes proper roof ventilation placement, amounts, and other details. Also see CATHEDRAL CEILING INSULATION and Roof Venting: Eaves Intake if no Overhang. The photograph shown at the top of this page offers compelling evidence of roof leaks into the soffit of this older home. This article is part of the series Roof Venting: Correct Inadequate and part of our discussion of ATTIC CONDENSATION CAUSE & CURE. © Copyright 2010 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. A Photo Guide for Inspecting the Building Exterior for Wet Site, Sources of Attic Condensation, & Roof Venting ProblemsHere we provide a series of photographs taken of the exterior of buildings, demonstrating visual clues that can predict a problem with ice dam leaks into these homes. No Soffit Intake Vents on a Roof Means Ice DamsIn freezing climates, as in our photograph at page top, given the age of construction (pre 1900), the brown color of the stains (oils from roof sheathing boards that have been wet), and the shape of the roof edge (probably there was a built-in eaves trough gutter), it is likely that when we inspect the attic interior we'll see that despite the perforated soffit covers, the roof has no intake venting and there has been a long history of ice dam leaks on this building. Inadequate soffit or ridge venting risks attic moisture, mold, ice dams, as show by these photosIn both heating and cooling climates, insufficient roof ventilation risks attic or roof cavity condensation, mold, rot, and in some cases increased heating or cooling costs for the building. And as we show just below, do not assume that your building has working roof ventilation even if you see perforated panels covering the building soffit underside.Fake Soffit Vents?
No Soffits so No Soffit Vents Means Ice Dams and Wall Leaks are Likely
Tiny Gable End Vents can Predict Ice Dams and Inadequate Attic Ventilation on Buildings
Photographs of Building Siding Stains Can Indicate Ice Dam Leaks
Photos of Use of Heating Tapes on Roof Edges Tells the Ice Dam Story
Signs of Roof Ice Dam Problems Can Be Seen in Any Season
In addition to our photos showing missing roof intake or outlet venting, roof leak stains, and similar clues, you may be able to spot evidence of attempts to remove roof ice dams by chopping at the ice itself. Usually attempts to remove roof ice by chopping at it results in damaged roof shingles and sometimes holes in nearby flashing or gutters as shown in this photo. You'll also spot chop or cut marks in roof shingles at the lower roof edges when this procedure has been attempted. A Summary of Inspection Tips for Roof Venting & Ice Dam Problems
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Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website. INTERIORS of BUILDINGS Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
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INTERIORS of BUILDINGS INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT More Information InspectAPedia ® Home & Site Map InspectAPedia Blog - News Updates Air Conditioning & Heat Pumps Bookstore Electrical Environment Exteriors Heating Home Inspection Insulate Ventilate Interiors Plumbing Water Septic Roofing Structure Accuracy & Privacy Policies Contact Us |
More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and RepairsMore Reading about Dealing with Attic Mold, Identifying, Removing, and Preventing Mold in AtticsBe sure to review HOW TO FIND MOLD: How to Inspect Homes and Other Buildings for Mold - the Basics of How to Find Problem Mold Indoors in our Mold Action Guide. Here are other articles that will be helpful in evaluating attic mold presence, causes, and cures:
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01/28/2010 - 06/21/1990 - InspectAPedia.com/interiors/atticcond2htm - © 2010 - 1988 Copyright Daniel Friedman All Rights Reserved - InspectAPedia® is a Registered U.S. Trademark
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