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STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS
ADVANCED INSPECTION METHODS
AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine
Basketball Mold Syndrome - BBMS
BASEMENT WATERPROOFING
BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE
CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR
Cracks, Checking or Splitting Beams & Log Homes
CRAWL SPACES
  Crawl Space Dryout Procedures
  Crawl Space Safety Advice
  Crawlspace Mold Advice
  MOLD CLEANUP by MEDIA BLASTING
  Mold on Dirt Floors
DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION
  Deck Piers & Posts
  Deck & Porch Connections to Building
  Deck Flashing at Building
  Deck & Porch Structural Fasteners
  Deck & Porch Steps or Stairs
  Deck & Porch Railings
DECK COLLAPSE Case Study
DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study
DEFINITIONS of Mobile Home, Doublewide, Modular, Panelized
DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS
DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE
DISASTER BUILDING INSPECTION & REPAIR SAFEY
EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS
ENERGY SAVINGS in BUILDINGS
ENERGY SAVINGS PRIORITIES
ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT CASE STUDY
ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT LEAK SEALING GUIDE
ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT OPTIONS
FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-priorities
FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-mold
FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP
  FIRST PRIORITIES
  BUILDING ENTRY PROCEDURE
  FLOOD RESPONSE CHECKLIST
  SEPTIC SYSTEMS & FLOODS
  SEWAGE CONTAMINATION IN BUILDINGS
  Wind Damage to Roofs
FOUNDATION BULGE or LEAN MEASUREMENTS
FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE
  BUCKLED FOUNDATIONS due to INSULATION?
  CRAWL SPACES
    Crawl Space Dryout Procedures
    Crawl Space Safety Advice
  EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS
  FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTION TYPES
  FOUNDATION INSPECTION METHODS
  FAILURES by FOUNDATION TYPE & MATERIAL
  FAILURES by FOUNDATION MOVEMENT TYPE
  FLOOD DAMAGE TO FOUNDATIONS
  FOUNDATION DEFECTS OF OMISSION
  FOUNDATION CRACK EVALUATION
  FOUNDATION BULGE or LEAN MEASUREMENTS
  FOUNDATION DAMAGE SEVERITY
  FOUNDATION DAMAGE REPORTS
  FOUNDATION INSPECTION STANDARDS
  FOUNDATION MOVEMENT ACTIVE vs. STATIC
  FOUNDATION REPAIR METHODS
  PIER or PILE FOUNDATIONS
  SITE FACTORS AFFECTING FOUNDATIONS
  SLAB CRACK EVALUATION
FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING
FRAMING DAMAGE, INSPECTION, REPAIR
FRAMING DETAILS for BETTER INSULATION
FRAMING DETAILS for DOUBLE WALL HOUSES
FRT PLYWOOD
HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS
HOUSEWRAP - TYVEK INSTALLATION DETAILS
LOG HOME GUIDE
  Antique & Old Log Cabins
  Cracks, Checking or Splitting Beams & Log Homes
  Condensation &Moisture in Log Homes
  Energy Efficiency of Log Homes
  Leak Diagnosis & Cure for Log Houses
  Log Wall Height Changes
  R-Values of Log Homes
  Sealants, Caulks, & Coatings for Log Homes
  Shrinkage In Log Home Walls
  Slab Log Cabin Siding
  Spline & Gasket Designs for Log Buildings
  Spline Gaps & Gasket Omissions
  Types of Log Houses - Log Choices
  Vertical Log Walls on Cabins & Homes
  Wall Insulation Values in Log Homes
PANELIZED CONSTRUCTION & KIT HOMES
MODULAR HOME CONSTRUCTION
MOBILE HOMES, DOUBLEWIDES, TRAILERS
MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS
ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR
ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES
  TERMITE SHIELDS vs TERMITICIDE
ROT, TIMBER FRAME
SHEATHING, Gypsum board
SHEATHING Homasote & Other Board
SHEATHING, OSB
SHEATHING, Plywood
SHEATHING, FOIL FACED - VENTS
SINK HOLES
SLAB CRACK EVALUATION
SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS
Splits in Structural Wood Beams
STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS
Straw Bale Construction
THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS
THERMAL MASS in BUILDINGS
THERMAL MASS in UPSTAIRS
VENTILATION in BUILDINGS
WATER ENTRY in BUILDINGS
  ATTIC LEAKS Moisture or Mold
  BASEMENT De-Watering Systems
  BASEMENT HEAT LOSS
  BASEMENT LEAKS Moisture or Mold
    Cold Pour Joint Leaks
    Form Tie Leaks
    Wall Crack Leaks
    Floor-Wall Joint Leaks
  BASEMENT WATERPROOFING
    BASEMENT DE-WATERING SYSTEMS
    EXTERIOR WATER SOURCE ELIMINATION
    FOUNDATION DRAINS & FRENCH DRAINS
    FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING
    GEOTEXTILES & DRAINAGE MATS
    SEALERS, Basement Floor & Wall Moisture
    SITE DRAINAGE
    SUMP PUMPS GUIDE
    WINDOW LEAKS INTO BASEMENT
  WET BASEMENT PREVENTION
  CRAWL SPACE Dryout Procedures
  DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS
  DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE
  EFFLORESCENCE, Salts & White / Brown Deposits
  FLOOD Damage Assessment & Repairs
  FLOOD DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS
  FLOOD VENTS
  FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-priorities
  FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING
  HUMIDITY CONTROL & TARGETS INDOORS
  HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS
  LOG HOME Leak Diagnosis & Cure
  LOG HOME Condensation &Moisture
  MOISTURE CALCULATIONS
  MOISTURE PROBLEMS: CAUSE & CURE
  MOLD in BUILDINGS
  SEWAGE CONTAMINATION
  SUMP PUMPS GUIDE
  WATER ENTRY in BUILDINGS
WIND TURBINES
WINDOWS & DOORS
  SKYLIGHT LEAK DIAGNOSIS & REPAIR
  SITE BUILT DOUBLE GLAZED WINDOWS
  SLOPED GLAZING DETAILS
  VERTICAL GLAZING DETAILS
  WINDOW / DOOR ENERGY EFFICIENT, DOE
  WINDOW LEAKS INTO BASEMENT
WINTERIZE A BUILDING

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Photograph of  severe roof structure damage from an unattended roof valley leak in a historic home.

Structural Defects, Inspection, Diagnosis, & Repair. Rot & Insect Damage to Buildings
InspectAPedia®  -    

  • Structural inspections, defects, repairs, residential
  • Advanced home inspection methods
  • Chimney inspections, safety, repairs
  • Flooded building action plan, repairs
  • Foundation crack, movement, or damage diagnosis, & foundation repair
  • Mobile home inspections, defects, repairs
  • Rot, fungus, termite damage inspections, damage prevention
  • Sink hole detection, inspections, reports
  • Stair and rail hazards
Our site offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest. We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science. Our contact info is at InspectAPedia.com/appointment.htm.

Schematic of major structural components of a house (C) Carson Dunlop

The articles at this website discuss the inspection, detection, diagnosis, and repair of structural defects on buildings and will answer most homeowner concerns.

We address foundation damage, leaning, buckling, bowing, and cracking, FRT plywood failures, chimney inspections and safety concerns, causes and cures for rot, mold, and termites in buildings, sinkholes at building sites, stair and rail fall and trip hazards, and also special inspection methods for mobile homes. The sketch at left( courtesy Carson Dunlop) names the major structural components of a typical wood frame house set on a masonry foundation.

© 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.

Photograph of the leaning Tower of Pisa  © Tom Smith, Poughkeepsie NY 2007 used with permission. Structural Defects, Inspection, Diagnosis, & Repair. Rot & Insect Damage to Buildings

Structural Defect Recognition, Repair, Prevention for Building Structures, & Building Structural Failures

Most structural problems can be avoided by proper design and planning; but structural failures have been common for a long time, and sometimes are costly to handle properly.

This photo of the leaning tower of Pisa was sent to us by our friend Tom Smith who knows a crooked building when he sees one. Smith points out that the problems with the Tower have been known for generations and must have been apparent even during construction, as the upper level was constructed with an offset to try to re-balance the structure. Modern reinforcement has permitted removal of cables that used to be tied to the tower of Pisa. As Bernie Campbalik says about old buildings, "Yep, we had guys like that back then too."

Collapsing barn (C) Daniel Friedman
  • Timber Frame Construction, Barn Collapses, Timber Frame Rot: post and beam framing history, inspection, diagnosis, repair
  • SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS Solar house designs, problems, retrofits, optimization
  • TERMITE SHIELDS vs TERMITICIDE - how to avoid termite damage to buildings that use foam board insulation at the foundation or underneath stucco.
  • THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS how temperature changes affect building materials and cause building leaks or other failures
  • Trailer vs Mobile Home vs Modular vs Panelized Construction an explanation of terms and how to identify these structures.
  • 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.
  • X-Ray Vision for Home Inspection: [Advanced Building & Building Site Inspection Techniques] - Developing your X-Ray Vision, Levels of Fear, and how to use them to find and report significant, hidden problems on Buildings or in the inspection of almost any complex system
  • X-Ray Vision for Home Inspection: a Power Point Presentation© of the X-Ray Vision Home Inspection class detailed-text shown above.

Rot, fungus, Termites, Carpenter Ants, Powder Post Beetles, & other Wood Destroying Organisms

  • The Sick House/Sick Building Information Website Organized, un-biased, in-depth advice about mold, allergens, and other indoor contaminants: finding, testing, cleaning, clearance testing, and preventing mold, mildew, wood destroying (rot) molds (fungi). Explains how to assure that testing for toxic or allergenic molds is performed using valid field and lab methods. Advice and test procedures are provided for odors and odor source detection, toxic gas testing and gas source identification.
  • "House Eating Fungus" Meruliporia incrassata (also called "Poria" the house eating fungus) in the U.S. or Serpula lacrymans in Europe) can cause severe structural damage. Evidence of hidden "poria" may be found by expert inspection methods which include tracing sources and paths of probable Building leaks and moisture traps. Further, careful indoor particle sampling methods can often permit the presence of this mold to be identified in the laboratory.
  • Rot, fungus, termites, carpenter ants, powder post beetles, & other wood destroying organisms

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Technical Reviewers & References

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.

STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS
ADVANCED INSPECTION METHODS
AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine
Basketball Mold Syndrome - BBMS
BEST CONSTRUCTION PRACTICES GUIDE
CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR
Cracks, Checking or Splitting Beams & Log Homes
CRAWL SPACES
DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION
DECK COLLAPSE Case Study
DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study
DEFINITIONS of Mobile Home, Doublewide, Modular, Panelized
DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION
DECK COLLAPSE Case Study
DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study
DISASTER BUILDING INSPECTION & REPAIR SAFEY
DEW POINT CALCULATION for WALLS
DEW POINT TABLE - CONDENSATION POINT GUIDE
EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED FOUNDATIONS
ENERGY SAVINGS in BUILDINGS
ENERGY SAVINGS PRIORITIES
ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT CASE STUDY
ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT LEAK SEALING GUIDE
ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT OPTIONS
FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-priorities
FLOODS IN BUILDINGS-mold
FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP
FOUNDATION BULGE or LEAN MEASUREMENTS
FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE
FOUNDATION WATERPROOFING
FRAMING DAMAGE, INSPECTION, REPAIR
FRAMING DETAILS for BETTER INSULATION
FRAMING DETAILS for DOUBLE WALL HOUSES
FRT PLYWOOD
HOUSEWRAP AIR & VAPOR BARRIERS
HOUSEWRAP - TYVEK INSTALLATION DETAILS
LOG HOME GUIDE
PANELIZED CONSTRUCTION & KIT HOMES
MODULAR HOME CONSTRUCTION
MOBILE HOMES, DOUBLEWIDES, TRAILERS
MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS
ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR
ROT, FUNGUS, TERMITES
  TERMITE SHIELDS vs TERMITICIDE
ROT, TIMBER FRAME
SHEATHING, Gypsum board
SHEATHING Homasote & Other Board
SHEATHING, OSB
SHEATHING, Plywood
SHEATHING, FOIL FACED - VENTS
SINK HOLES
SLAB CRACK EVALUATION
SLAB INSULATION, PASSIVE SOLAR
Splits in Structural Wood Beams
STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS
Straw Bale Construction
THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS
THERMAL MASS in BUILDINGS
THERMAL MASS in UPSTAIRS
VENTILATION in BUILDINGS
WATER ENTRY in BUILDINGS
WINTERIZE A BUILDING

  • InspectAPedia.com® - Daniel Friedman
  • Daniel Friedman - ASHI (1986-2006) - author of this website and article, building failures researcher.
  • Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, for permission to use illustrations from their publication, The Illustrated Home which illustrates construction details and building components. Carson Dunlop provides home inspection education, publications, report writing materials, and home inspection services. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors.
  • "Concrete Slab Finishes and the Use of the F-number System", Matthew Stuart, P.E., S.E., F.ASCE, online course at www.pdhonline.org/courses/s130/s130.htm
  • Sal Alfano - Editor, Journal of Light Construction*
  • Thanks to Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, for technical critique and some of the foundation inspection photographs cited in these articles
  • Terry Carson - ASHI
  • Mark Cramer - ASHI
  • JD Grewell, ASHI
  • Duncan Hannay - ASHI, P.E. *
  • Bob Klewitz, M.S.C.E., P.E. - ASHI
  • Ken Kruger, P.E., AIA - ASHI
  • Aaron Kuertz aaronk@appliedtechnologies.com, with Applied Technologies regarding polyurethane foam sealant as other foundation crack repair product - 05/30/2007
  • Bob Peterson, Magnum Piering - 800-771-7437 - FL*
  • Arlene Puentes, ASHI, October Home Inspections - (845) 216-7833 - Kingston NY
  • Greg Robi, Magnum Piering - 800-822-7437 - National*
  • Dave Rathbun, P.E. - Geotech Engineering - 904-622-2424 FL*
  • Ed Seaquist, P.E., SIE Assoc. - 301-269-1450 - National
  • Dave Wickersheimer, P.E. R.A. - IL*
  • *These reviewers have not returned comment 6/95

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

STRUCTURAL INSPECTIONS & DEFECTS

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Accuracy & Privacy Policies
Contact Us

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

  • Links to more information on inspection, diagnosis, and repair of defects in foundations and structures
InspectAPedia.comInspectAPedia® 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.
GO TO the MOLD and INDOOR ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION CENTER for in-depth advice on avoiding testing for or cleaning up mold and other indoor environmental hazards, odors, gases, contaminants
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
GO TO MOLD TEST KITS: This expert-recommended mold test kit is cheap and yet top performing *IF* you use a competent analysis laboratory!
Use this simple, economical mold test kit
by following our instructions on how to collect and mail mold samples to our lab
GO TO IAQ/MOLD-TEST LAB SERVICES: Mold, Pollen, indoor air quality, field and laboratory services by an expert.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.
GO TO our PRE PURCHASE BUILDING INSPECTION SERVICES: Authoritative information for home buyers and home owners is included with your inspection.
Building Inspection, Problem Diagnosis
, Forensic Investigation & Testing, Repair Consulting

CONTACT Daniel Friedman - Dan is a senior ASHI home inspector, nationally recognized expert on building inspection, building failures, and sick building investigation
Contact Daniel Friedman for website content suggestions or for fee-paid consulting

11/03/2009 - 07/13/1999 - InspectApedia.com/structure/structure.htm - © 2010 - 1988 Copyright Daniel Friedman All Rights Reserved - InspectAPedia® is a Registered U.S. Trademark