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This website discusses how to inspect, diagnose problems in, and repair building interiors, including building insulation & leaks or moisture control. Information is provided about visual clues of building condition, such as
evidence of a history of leaks, as well as evidence of hazardous materials and conditions such as the probable presence of animal allergens, asbestos, or mold.
We discuss how to identify and correct various building leaks, moisture, and venting
problems such as ice dams, blocked attic ventilation, excessive indoor humidity, how to prevent indoor mold, and how to respond to building floods and
similar emergencies. Stair and railing inspection and trip hazards are discussed. Special types of building inspection are discussed including the inspection of mobile homes and Sears & Roebuck Kit Houses.
In the photo at above left, there really was grass growing inside this building. The photo of this unusual condition was taken through the entry door.
Interiors: Defect Recognition, Repair, Prevention for Building Interiors, Insulation & Ventilation
This list of articles addresses building interior inspection and defects such as how to determine how old a building is, how to look for evidence of
animal or other allergens, how to find visual clues of the presence of asbestos in buildings or of amateur and improper asbestos removal, steps to prevent basement water entry or how to correct building leaks, chimney inspections, dealing with flooded buildings, building rot, and other topics that affect the building interior.
AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine How to Determine the Age of a Building from Visual or Documentary Clues, identity of various building materials, construction framing styles, foundation design, and general architecture.
ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN BUILDINGS provides a detailed guide to recognizing asbestos-containing materials in buildings and links to in depth articles about individual asbestos-containing building materials
Electrical inspection for home buyers; identifying and fixing electrical hazards in homes: aluminum wiring, Federal Pacific FPE Stab-Lok panels, mis-wired circuits, fire and shock hazards
Environmental hazards: allergens, EMF, lead paint, lead in water, leaks, moisture, venting, mold-contamination, MVOCs, radon, toxic gases
Fiberglass Building insulation: are fiberglass particles a problem in indoor air? Is fiberglass insulation a mold harbor
Flooring Types & Defects - inspection, diagnosis, repair, and installation tips for resilient flooring, vinyl and asphalt floor tiles, wood flooring, tile floors, carpeting in buildings
Heat Loss in Buildings, how to determine and calculate heat loss from a building (or heat gain in a cooling climate), how to evaluate building insulation, & how to insulate buildings
Humidity: How Low Should You Keep Indoor Humidity to Avoid a Mold Problem
Insulation Identification Photographs - Fiberglass insulating photos, yellow, pink, green, white fiberglass identification in building attics, walls, ducts, other locations
LOG HOME WALL INSULATION VALUES - discusses the insulation value of solid log wall homes compared with other structures, and it explains the principal errors people make when evaluating the cause of chilly log cabins.
Moldy Carpeting Tests suggestions for alternative methods to test carpeting for mold
Rated Cooling Capacity - How to Determine Air Conditioning Equipment Rated Cooling Capacity
RADIANT BARRIERS - how do radiant heat barriers work in buildings, how should they be installed, how effective are radiant heat barriers, what about "radiant barrier insulation" products such as ALFOL™?
Ice Dam Leaks in building attics and roof cavities, how to inspect for evidence of leaks, identify causes, and correct bad attic ventilation, improper roof venting, and these causes of attic mold or roof structure damage
Rot, fungus, termites, carpenter ants, powder post beetles, & other wood destroying organisms
SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS renewable energy design and equipment for electrical, heating, and hot water; building designs for energy efficiency and reduction of heating and cooling costs.
SOUND CONTROL in BUILDINGS - principles of sound transmission, soundproofing designs, materials, details
Thermal Tracking & Stains how to recognize thermal tracking or thermal bridging & how to diagnose Stains on Ceilings & Walls, Building Air Leaks & Insulation Defects, as well as other indoor air quality or building concerns
WATER ENTRY in BUILDINGS series of articles on the causes and cures of high indoor moisture, wet basements, wet crawl spaces, and moisture related problems like attic condensation and mold.
WET BASEMENT PREVENTION - an easy to read guide for preventing wet basements by attention to multiple best construction practices, including the basics of foundation dampproofing, poor site drainage, bentonite clay for basement waterproofing, foundation membranes to prevent leakage, foundation drain tiles, proper backfill, and proper finish grading
WINDOWS & DOORS articles on window selection, installation, efficiency, leaks, diagnosis, and repair
WINTERIZE A BUILDING - how to protect a building and its plumbing and mechanical systems from freeze damage, how to shut down a building to minimize damage; how to de-winterize a building.
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Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.
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.
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
Our recommended books about building design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
"Weather-Resistive Barriers", how to select and install housewrap and other types of weather resistive barriers, U.S. DOE
Best Practices Guide to Residential Construction, by Steven Bliss. John Wiley & Sons, 2006. ISBN-10: 0471648361, ISBN-13: 978-0471648369, Hardcover: 320 pages, available from Wiley.com and also at Amazon.com. See our book review of this publication.
More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs
Links to our list of additional information sources: Interior Defects in Buildings
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InspectAPedia® Home & Site Map - Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice: In-depth research & advice on diagnosing, testing, correcting, & preventing building defects & indoor environmental hazards. Unbiased information, no conflicts of interest.
The Mold Information Center: What to Do About Mold in Buildings, When and How to Inspect for Mold, Clean Up Mold, or Avoid Mold Problems
Environmental Inspection, Testing, & Diagnosis On-Site IAQ, Gas, Air Testing, Mold Investigation, Sick Building Diagnosis, Lab Services, & Remediation Plan Preparation - indoor air quality testing, problem source determination, supporting lab work, written remediation plan addressing removal of environmental and other hazards and prevention of their recurrence.
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