 Upper roof gutters collect water and channel to the downspouts. As a result, a large volume of water is directed to specific locations on the lower roof which increases wear in these areas.  Although this is a common arrangement of upper roof downspouts, it is less than ideal. As can be seen from this close up, the significant volume of water from the upper roof is causing excess concentrated water exposure and wear on the lower roof system.  Example of proposed gutter upgrade in a residential setting. The downspout extension from the upper roof will channel water directly to the lower roof gutter.  Dirty furnace filter - clogged filter media and accumulations of dust and debris. This filter needs to be changed. It's the middle of the heating season - how well is your furnace "breathing" through the filter? Have you been changing the filter regularly? If not, January is a great month to start a regular maintenance cycle. Furnace filters should be changed every 3 months for optimal performance of the furnace. A clean filter allows better air flow and a furnace that doesn't have to work as hard to meet the heating demands of your house.  Helpful labeling the last time this filter was changed. It's been three months, time to change the filter.  New filter on the left, old and dirty filter on the right. One of the most common sources of drafts and cold air in a home is a leaking attic entry hatch. They are often out of sight and out of mind but can lead to a lot of chilly nights and increased heating costs.  Thermal image of air leakage around the perimeter of the attic hatch. The darker colors are cooler and show where cold air is entering the house. As with any drafty situation, the first thing to look for is a source of air leakage. When air can move from one area to another it takes heat with it. This is a good thing for hot air blowing out of a heating duct register but not ideal when that same heated air is moving in to the attic or outdoors. From the thermal images and with visual inspection of this attic hatch it appears that the weatherstripping is inadequate. There is pretty good insulation over the center of the hatch but there is obvious air movement around the perimeter. Warm air from the house is leaking in to the attic which increases heating costs and decreases comfort in the home.  There is some old and thin weather stripping around the attic hatch. It is pretty compressed and not doing a good job of stopping air movement. This needs to be replaced.  Good amount of insulation batting attached to the attic hatch. This by itself won't stop a draft. The edges need to be better sealed with weather stripping. It's starting to rain in the Pacific Northwest and time to perform some simple maintenance on your gutters and downspouts. Downspouts are often connected to gutters with an elbow fitting. Because of the bends in the elbow, these are prone to clogs from pine needles, leaves and other debris. It is important to make sure your gutters and downspouts can actually drain the roof before the rainy season starts. Follow the steps below to make sure your downspouts are ready for the next few months of work.
Tools Needed: •Ladder •Gloves (sharp edges on the downspout sheet metal) •Screwdriver - typically slotted or a nut driver - usually 1/4 inch or 5/16 inch •Clog Removal Device - I'm using a stick I found on the ground •Colorful Language (optional, but satisfying)  Step 1 - Find the sheet metal screws holding the downspout fittings together. These are usually slotted type fasteners located at the fitting junctions.  Step 2 - Remove all the fasteners of the downspout piece you want to remove.  Step 3 - Pull the joint apart. This may require some wiggling and the liberal application of colorful language.  Step 3 - Remove both sides of the elbow joint. Colorful language still helpful if needed.  Step 4 - Remove any clogs or debris from the elbow. This one is clogged with a large amount of pine needles.  Step 4 - Using the "clog poking device" clear out any clog from the gutter to downspout connection.  Step 4 - View from below at the gutter to downspout connection. This still needs to have debris removed.  Step 5 - Once the downspout is clean, replace the elbow. It is usually easiest to start from the bottom connection. Once again, colorful language is helpful to get things to fit.  Step 5 - Almost done. Once the bottom of the elbow is in start to work on getting the upper end back in place.  Step 6 - Once you have found the screw you dropped on the ground, put it back in place to secure the elbow. Plumbing problems aren't always evident from inside the house. Inspecting your crawl space for problems is a good way to find hidden leaks and damage. Follow along in the video with a crawl space inspection that finds some hidden problems.
 The battery low indicator on this thermostat is a pretty obvious sign that the batteries need to be replaced. Winter is coming. It's almost heating season and a good time to check and/or replace your thermostat batteries. If your thermostat batteries are dying or dead, your heat isn't going to come on during the next chilly morning. Most electronic wall mounted thermostats (ones that have a LED screen) have batteries. It's not always obvious where these batteries are located. They can be in a compartment accessible from the front or they can be hidden behind. If you can't find an obvious place for a battery, try googling "thermostat name/model changing battery". Thermostat manufacturers recommend changing the batteries yearly. This is probably overkill if you have a heat only system as the thermostat is working for only part of the year. If you have a heat pump or A/C in addition to heat your thermostat is working throughout the year and may need yearly battery replacement due to the increased power demand.
You try to open your garage door one morning and hear a huge metallic bang. The door isn't opening but the opener still works. What happened? The most common reason for this to occur is that the torsion springs failed. Check out the video below for 3 signs to check to determine if your torsion springs are broken. |
AuthorBrian Jovag, owner of Jovag Home Inspection. Archives
June 2018
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