Chapter 21 – Inspecting the Attic

We will continue our inspection with the attic.

The attic is an area most people would rather avoid and for good reason. Attics can be very hot, difficult to get into, difficult to move around in, verydusty and are usually very confining.

Depending on the time and location, attic temperatures can reach well over 140 degrees. If you don’t step in the right place you could step right through the ceiling. It is difficult to maneuver around wires, roof trusses bracing and insulation.

Most termite and pest control companies won’t allow their inspectors to enter attics because of the hazards listed above. This should give you pause about inspecting an attic on your own. You might want to have a qualified tradesman perform this inspection.

Access to attics may vary. Access may be through a hatch in a hallway ceiling, a garage firewall, a bedroom closet or an exterior door at a gable end of the building (a gable is the triangle formed by a sloping roof).

Home inspectors inspect attics because they are required to list specific structural components as well as identify potential problems.

Problems could include roof leaks, skylight leaks, broken framing members, exposed electrical wiring, missing insulation and blocked or inadequate attic ventilation. The standards of practice most home inspectors follow require reporting the material type and “R” factor of the ceiling insulation.

In addition to being a place to store Christmas decorations and luggage, the attic could contain your furnace or your water heater. If a thermostatically controlled attic fan is present, it needs to be tested.

Sufficient attic ventilation is very important. The cross flow of air reduces moisture buildup and possible mold growth. Proper ventilation lowers attic space temperatures and helps increase the lifespan of composite roof materials. High temperatures generated in a poorly ventilated attic overheat the composite shingles and cause early failure.

Bathroom fans, kitchen stove hoods and clothes dryers should vent to the exterior of the building. Appliances often transfer large amounts of moisture and, as stated previously, moisture around wood attracts insects and organic growth.

Insure HVAC ducting is intact, attached to the registers and properly supported. Eliminate kinks in the ducting that restrict airflow.

Check recessed lighting fixtures (can lights) that protrude into the attic for proper installation. There are two types of can lights: those that are allowed to be in contact with the ceiling insulation and those that need clearance for cooling. Labels on the fixtures indicate the proper installation. Improperly installed can light fixtures increase the risk of fire due to excessive heat build up. One symptom of a can light covered with insulation is intermittent on and off blinking of the bulb.

Can lights are energy hogs because most of them use inefficient, incandescent bulbs. They indirectly lead to additional energy use by heating up the room, which causes the air conditioner to run. Since many can light fixtures are not airtight, they allow heated or cooled air to escape into attic space.

Previously discussed electrical issues such as open junction boxes and open splices are also found in the attic.

One electrical feature we haven’t discussed is knob and tube wiring.

“Knob and tube wiring (sometimes abbreviated K&T) was an early standardized method of electrical wiring in buildings, in common use in North America from about 1880 to the 1930s. It consisted of single insulated copper conductors run within wall or ceiling cavities, passing through joist and stud drill-holes via protective porcelain insulating tubes, and supported along their length on nailed-down porcelain knob insulators. Where conductors entered a wiring device such as a lamp or switch, they were protected by flexible cloth insulating sleeving. The first insulation was asphalt-saturated cotton cloth, then rubber became common. Wire splices in such installations were twisted for good mechanical strength, then soldered and wrapped with friction tape (asphalt saturated cloth), or made inside metal junction boxes.”

“Knob and tube wiring was displaced from interior wiring systems because of the high cost of installation compared with the use of power cables, which combined both power conductors of a circuit in one run and which later included grounding conductors.”

“Exposed wiring supported by porcelain knobs is still permitted by wiring codes, although it is unusual in new installations.”

Source: WIKIPEDIA.com

Ceiling insulation should not cover knob and tube wiring. Dissipating their heat to the surrounding air cools the wire of a K&T system. They do not have a ground wire and the wire guage itself may not be adequate for the electrical loads placed on circuits from our many modern electric appliances.  Knob and tube systems found these days are generally used just for overhead lighting.

Any modifications to engineered roof trusses will raise a big red flag.

Pests and insects seem to enjoy the attic space. Any evidence of infestation will be included in the home inspection report.

The home inspector also looks for evidence of roof leaks during the attic inspection. Water stains in the roof sheathing and the presence of the proverbial plastic bucket are signs that the roof may need to be inspected by a licensed roofing contractor.

Rather than go through the usual list of things to look for, many of which are familiar to you, review the Photo Gallery images and see if the attic is something you choose to tackle.
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ATTIC FINDINGS: REMEDIES AND SOLUTIONS

If you choose to inspect your own attic, BE VERY CAREFUL!!!!

Do not enter the attic on a hot day. Early morning is the best time to inspect an attic. You must wear goggles, gloves, long sleeves, long pants, kneepads and a dust mask or respirator. Fiberglass and attic dust can be harmful.

Be careful where you put your hands. Open electrical junction boxes and open splices are common in attics. The raw lumber could cut, scratch or splinter in your hands. Also be aware of things that bite.

Be careful where you put your feet. Falling through your ceiling will create additional home repairs and potential medical expenses.

I recommend that you do not enter the attic space. The Photo Gallery may help to support my suggestion.

PHOTO GALLERY

I hope you enjoy this gallery. Getting into attics always provided an interesting experience. The attic and the crawl space were areas that seemed to generate the most notes. I suppose no one really wants to spend much time in these places so they are often neglected. Attic and crawl space inspections are most challenging. This is an area you may wisely choose to bypass.

BONUS PHOTOS

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An additional 30 images with descriptive captions are available in the 27 Dollar Home Inspections eBook.

Click here to move on to
Chapter 22 – Inspecting Sub-Areas & Crawl Spaces