Bill Warner - Infrared Thermal Inspector

I recently had the extreme pleasure of inspecting yet another HUD home. I jokingly call these homes "diamonds in the rough..." Deferred maintenance issues often abound in these homes, and this particular one was no different.

Our original inspection date had been postponed due to active lead mitigation for which no one had informed me, the client, or their agent until we arrived on site to be greeted with warnings to "Stay Out" and plastic sheets everywhere. 20 minutes of phone calls by the agent determined that we would need to reschedule once clearance testing had been confirmed.

Fast forward 2 months later... my original client was persistent in pursing this home purchase and called to inform me that we were good to go for the inspection now. We agree to a date and the inspection commences. I was not disappointed with my preconceived notion of HUD homes... deferred maintenance did abound and this was going to be a lengthy report...

Among the many plumbing concerns and active leaks, ill-repaired fire damage in the basement and attics, electrical hazards throughout, and over-abundance of water intrusion and wood decay, was this furnace...

A Chrylser Airtemp which haven't been manufactured for at least the last 1/2 century. Beyond it's obvious age was its glaringly dilapidated condition...

Scorch marks and inoperable were the least of it's worries...

The entire blower compartment was rotted beyond repair...

But my client was not deterred! With assistance from his experienced agent, he pursued the purchase. One would say that "common sense" would scream to run away from this money pit, but everything to him was repairable. Indeed it was!

So where does "common sense" come into play with this story? He was seeking a HUD loan for this HUD home... for which the loan required a functioning heat source. Low and behold, this was the only item from over 100 identified in the report that the client and agent asked for replacement. Seems like a common sense request to me! But not in the eyes of HUD... for they saw it as having already invested too much in lead remediation to consider any further repairs before the sale. But the loan requires a functioning heat source... but the house no longer has one... but the loan demands one... but we won't install one. MADNESS!!!!

Guess what... after all of the wait and aggravation and arguments, the deal fell through because HUD requirements couldn't come to terms with HUD requests. The home remains on the market as a rapidly deteriorating eyesore.

I know this isn't the only example of institutional failure. Simply look at today's headlines for common sense failures of government budget deadlines... That's all I've got to say about that... (credit to Forrest Gump)

Most home owners only consider energy related audits during the coldest seasons of the year. This is when they feel the most uncomfortable in their homes and are keenly aware of the one factor costing them money during these months... their heating bill.

But the factors grossly skewing their heating bills are also significantly contributing to their cooling costs during summer months as well! Most home owners simply overlook this fact as the rise in electricity is seemingly gradual, but oh so sneaky! Only a few homeowners become slightly aware of exorbitant electrical costs when something begins to fail... usually their air conditioner.

This high end home had no outwardly visible indications of anything amiss. In fact, the wall with the three yellow stud bays was an interior partition wall separating one bedroom from another. This is a wall where we don't expect to find any insulation as there really is no need to thermally isolate an interior wall from one conditioned room to the next. But why would there exist a significant thermal concern at such a wall as this?

The answer is in the attic! When interior partition walls are constructed, rarely is any thermal barrier installed within the wall... or on top. Wait... isn't there any insulation in the attic you ask? Well yes there is. About 14 inches of loose fill fiberglass. That helps protect the ceiling from the extreme temperatures experienced in the attic, but provides very little barrier to actual air movement from the attic and into these walls. You see the top plate of this wall was never sealed. They rarely are during construction. Air can essentially move freely as it pleases following the laws of thermodynamics. In layman's terms, warm travels to cold naturally unless physically altered or forced in the other direction. With the empty partition wall colder (due to the operating air conditioner) than the apparent temperature of the attic, the hot air from the attic is naturally drawn down through gaps at the top of the wall and into the empty bays.

In fact. the insulation that lays on top of these walls merely performs as a glorified air filter as can be witnessed from the discolored insulation in the image to the right (from a different home). The warm drywall inside the room now contributes to the increase of the temperature of the room, the air conditioner tries to compensate, and a vicious cycle is created. Albeit a gradual cycle, but a costly one nonetheless which often goes overlooked by homeowners during summer months.

The solution:

1. Have a heat loss energy survey performed by a qualified and competent service provider. The cost for this service is quite affordable as compared to the wasteful spending of "out of sight, out of mind" cooling costs. Utilizing such equipment as blower doors, infrared cameras, and other specialized equipment, the service person can quite literally show you what you otherwise can't see of your home.
2. Install gaskets and air barriers at all penetrations inside the attic. These include the tops of partition walls, vent penetrations, recessed lighting, and all other areas identified during step one. Some of these repairs may indeed be performed by the homeowner, but due to complexities and potential safety hazards of attic areas, a qualified contractor is best hired and money well spent. Besides, when it comes to air sealing potential combustion sources such as ceiling lights and exhaust flues, these tasks are best left to the professionals.
3. Perform combustion analysis of all fuel burning appliances within the home after significant air sealing repairs have been completed. Again a qualified service contractor should perform this very important task. They use special instruments and meters to evaluate proper combustion of all appliances (including your gas stove) to make sure everything is vented and operating properly so your home remains safe and comfortable.
4. Perform a second survey to make sure the contractors addressed everything properly. The smallest of details can become quite obvious in the infrared spectrum.

Dayton Thermal Inspections encourages everyone to work and play safe, drink plenty of water, and don't over do it. Recognize heat exhaustion symptoms such as weakness, nausea, headache, and muscle cramps. Heat exhaustion can rapidly progress to heat stroke which requires emergency medical treatment.... Symptoms are often precluded by heat exhaustion but may also include dizziness, confusion, rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing, and absence of sweat. Cooling the victim is a critical first step of treatment. For more information: http://www.medicinenet.com/hea​t_stroke/article.htm

My client (the buyer) was eager to purchase a Dayton Ohio condo and excited to move into the greater Dayton area. The client indicated that they didn’t think they really needed a home inspection as the current owner had “meticulously cared for” this condo. Many home inspectors across the country charge a reduced fee for condo inspections and disclaim common components such as exteriors and common roofs. Had I followed in their footsteps this sale may have progressed without a hitch, but after my review of the exterior and the visible lack of proper maintenance history, the transaction for this meticulously cared for condo took a turn for the worse… and dear old Mr. Inspector quite possibly would have had to answer at a later date for the apparent lack of service.

The roof had not one, not two, not three, but four layers of roofing materials installed. The last of which was poorly installed and in dire need of replacement again. The last covering's nails didn't even penetrate the first. Mr. Inspector could have just as easily disclaimed this “common” roof and charged the client for an “interior” inspection only. I mean, that’s what everyone else does right? Out of sight and out of mind seemed to be the common denominator for this condominium association and its owners.

While the ”laddering” installation provided an interesting shingle design, it was a far cry from “best building practice” observed from more competent contractors. I thought to myself “how unfortunate the current owners are, for having paid for this installation…”

After taking my time walking back and forth around the complex to inspect the outside (this particular unit was located toward the middle of the building), I also discovered an insidious clue to another serious concern. “I’ll have to take a very close look on the inside to confirm what I suspect…” I thought to myself.

Low and behold, my intuition was correct for this “common” wall. Visible interior damaged had not reared its ugly head… yet. Too bad the maintenance crews hadn’t properly addressed this when they should have. Now we have another several thousand $$ in repairs and remediation. I could have just as easily said “we don’t inspect that” as well. I mean, it’s quite obvious that the maintenance crews took the same opinion and the owners may have been quibbling over who the repair costs belonged to… Regardless, the damage is there for someone to eventually address.

While evidence of significant damage from a recent hail storm was present all over the exterior and roof, I doubt that the insurance companies would be paying for the necessary repairs based on my observation of poor maintenance and improper installations. Too bad indeed as like my client, the seller was eager to move from the area as well.

Someone has some answers to come up with, but it won’t involve me or my client… I took the road less traveled and inspected everything. That’s my job. That’s what you paid me to do. How about your home inspector?

I receive this distress call routinely and sometimes 4-5 times a day. Dayton area residents are complaining of unusually high electric bills. One of my first questions is what type of heat source is in the home? The homeowner’s reply helps me determine if I can be of assistance to them. Typically the answer to my question is “all electric”. Aha! Easy solution… well, not necessarily.

I begin asking further questions to discover precisely what type of heating system is installed. Many are baseboard heat, some are electrical ceiling radiant heat, but some are electric furnaces. While fairly rare, it’s the electric furnace I grow concerned about and may be able to provide additional assistance. Many are often neglected with years of deferred maintenance (which can significantly contribute to elevated electric bills), but quite a few are attached to another likely culprit of their energy bill crisis… an air to air heat pump.

Heat pumps have grown in popularity over the years due to their reported high efficiency in mild climate zones with moderate heating and cooling needs. Heat pumps are essentially air conditioners that can work in reverse. While in the summer an air conditioner helps cool the home by taking the heat from inside and disposing it outside. With a few modifications, a heat pump can capture heat from the outside and pump it inside. Believe it or not, there is heat in cold air! Heat pumps are quite good at extracting this latent heat… to an extent. At between 35-40°F many heat pumps reach a balance point. Not much more heat can be extracted effectively or efficiently. At or around these temperatures, the heat pump must run constantly to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures. As the outside temperature continues to drop, a secondary source of heat must be engaged. Here is where the electric furnace comes into play. A series of heating elements (much similar to a toaster oven) are energized to help maintain the set thermostat temperature. Some heat pumps continue to run inefficiently while the “auxiliary” or “emergency” heat source is activated. Other heat pumps are more efficiently shut down or turned off by automatic controls within the system and the heat source is now solely reliant on the electric furnace.

Most Ohioans live in a relatively “moderate” climate area. However, 3-4 months of the year can become quite extreme in regards to sub-freezing temperatures. These are the times where any heating system is taxed. The amount of heat loss from the home rises in proportion to the drop of temperatures outside. A heat pump in operation at sub-freezing temperature is effectively wasting electrical energy while the electric furnace compensates. Of course an electric furnace will use a significant amount of energy while running. This fact is typically reflected in the sudden surge on the electric bill. Manufactures can make heat pumps run at different levels of efficiency, but typically they are inefficient at temperatures below 50°F. In many northern climates, heat pumps were often installed at the encouragement of local utilities. For various reasons (as stated here), they were found to be unsatisfactory and many have been disconnected as heat pumps and are used only as air conditioners during the cooling season.

Over the recent months, energy costs and electric rates have increased. This is a portion of the reported high utility bills. The other portion may indeed by the inefficient use of heat pumps combined with deferred maintenance of the electric furnace. Change your air filters regularly, have the system “tuned” and repaired by a qualified technician, and make sure all the heating elements in the furnace are operating within specifications. A dirty furnace filter and fan can reduce the system efficiency substantially and thereby increase your utility bills. If your heat pump system appears to be operating erratically, producing strange noises, or simply not performing as it should, a qualified inspector or technician should be consulted to help determine the problems and needed repairs. If you have experienced a sudden spike in utility costs, a heat loss and energy assessment may be beneficial to help identify needed maintenance and repairs… even in an “all electric” home. For more information on infrared thermal inspections, heat loss surveys, and our various inspection services, please visit http://DaytonThermalinspection.com