Shoddy Attic Work

Attic spaces are useful in a variety of ways. Some people use it for storage and some turn them into habitable living space. They are often used to run electrical wires, as well as duct work for A/C units. What I mostly find is some contractors and diyer's use them to hide their shoddy attic work. An example is an inspection I did in a condo, the attic was used as a venting space for the bathrooms and clothe dryer on the first and second level.

The picture below shows the bathroom vent just short of extending through the roof. Why cut the hole for the vent if its not going to be used? All the warm moist air from the bathroom can result in mold growth on the roof Sheathing and other wood supports. Also if some one walks on the roof, lets say for repairs and they step on the cut out area of the sheathing, it can result in a break or tear in the shingle resulting in a leak. This one venting problem turns into many. The picture on the right shows how the sheathing is cut too big for the vent pipe, not only that but its going through the shingle with no flashing on the roof!

The roof sheathing is also an area of concern. Spray form is used through out. The sad part is the owner paid to have this kind of work done. Look at the photo on the bottom right. The person who did this cut the sheathing too short and filled the void with spray foam. Even in this the job is shoddy. If you look closely at the pink insulation it's dark at the top. This indicates moisture from the gap or perhaps due to the bathroom and dryer venting in the attic creating fungal growth. And look at all the nails used in this one area - shoddy work.

Then I found more spray foam in a number of places going the length of the roof sheathing. What happened to tongue and groove?

When venting it's important to avoid sharp bends such as 90 degree bends. It can create puff back resulting in toxic fumes coming back into furnace and into the living space. The picture below shows two sharp bends that can result in problems for the heating unit and occupants.

The bad part about this too is that this condo is on the market in this condition. This is a classic example of what can hold up a sale. Having an inspection before you sell is a huge step in the right direction of avoiding delays.

What's in the attic? Your home inspector will spend a good amount of time there, because shoddy attic work can be costly.