Exterior , Home Inspection Course and Exam

7/28/2019 Exterior , Home Inspection Course and Exam

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Exterior


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THE HOME REFERENCE BOOK36

EXTERIOR

INTRODUCTION

1.0GuttersandDownspouts

DESCRIPTION Guttersanddownspoutshavetwomajorfunctions.Firstly,theyprotectthewallsofabuild-

ingfromwaterthatwouldordinarilyrunofftheroof.Thiswatercandamagethewallsurfaces

andcauselocalizederosionatgroundlevel.

Thesecondandmostimportantfunctionofguttersanddownspoutsinhomeswithbase-

mentsorcrawlspaces,however,ishelpingtoensureadrybasement.(Wellsaybasementsto

meanbothbasementsandcrawlspacesinthissection.)Regardlessofthefoundationtype,

thereisalwaystheriskofwaterpenetration.Thelesswaterthereisinthesoilnearthefoun-

dationwall,thelowertheriskofwaterpenetrationintothebasement.Guttersshouldcollect

allwaterrunoff,anddownspoutsshoulddischargethewaterintoproperdrainsorontothe

groundwellawayfromthefoundationwalls.

SIZE Onmosthouses,theguttersareattachedtothefasciaboardattheedgeoftheeaves.In

somehouses,guttersareintegraltothedesignoftheeaves.Thetwomostcommonsizesof

guttersarefour-inchandve-inchwidths.Four-inchguttersaregoodforrelativelysmallroof

areas;however,ve-inchguttersarepreferredbecauseoftheiradditionalcapacity.Five-inch

guttersarealsolesslikelytoallowwatertoovershootthegutterswhenthewaterisdraining

offasteeplypitchedroof.

The exterior components of a building work together to provide a weathertight skin, if all the

parts are doing their job. Protection against intruders, both animal and human, is also offered

by the building skin. Good exteriors are attractive, durable and require little maintenance.Exterior components are often the most neglected parts of a home.


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37THE HOME REFERENCE BOOK

EXTERIOR

MATERIALS Gutters can be made of severalmaterials; however, the most common are aluminum,

galvanizedsteel,plasticandcopper.Integralguttersareusuallyframedinwood,andlined

withmetalssuchasleadorcopper.Thereareadvantagesanddisadvantagestothevarious

materialsused.

ALUMINUM Aluminum gutters do not rust but they denteasily, particularlywithtall, heavy ladders.Jointsinaluminumguttersareusuallyrivetedtogetherandcaulked.Thecaulkingmustbe

renewedeveryfewyears.Aluminumguttersusuallyhaveveryfewjoints,sincetheguttersare

typicallyfabricatedonthejobsitefromlongrollsofaluminumstock.Aluminumgutterisalso

pre-nishedanddoesnotrequireregularpainting.Lifeexpectancyisestimatedtobe20to

25years.

GALVANIZEDSTEEL Some galvanized steel gutters are also pre-nished butmost are not. Galvanized steel

requiresperiodicpainting.Jointsingalvanizedguttersareusuallysolderedtogether.Thistype

ofgutterhasa20to25yearlifeexpectancy.

PLASTIC Plasticguttersaregenerallydesignedforthedo-it-yourselfer.Plasticcomesinalimitedcolor

selectionandsometypestendtodiscolorwithtime.Plasticguttersareusuallyrelativelysmallandsomeoftheearliersystemsarepronetocrackingduringcoldweather.Thelifeexpectancy

isdependentuponthequalityofthekitandtheinstallation.

COPPER Copper gutters are consideredto bethebest;however, theyarevery expensive andnot

common.Coppercanlast50to100years.

CommonProblemswithGuttersandDownspouts

LEAKAGE The most commonproblemwith gutters is leakage. Leakage will occurwith galvanized

HOLES/SEAMS/ guttersastheyrustthrough.Holescandevelopincopperguttersaswell.Allguttersareprone

ENDCAPS toleakageatthejointsandseams.Missingendcapsandpoorconnectionstodownspoutsareother commonsourcesof leakage.Leakagecancauseconsiderabledamageto fascias,

softsandwallsbelow.Leakscanalsoresultinbasementwaterproblems.


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EXTERIOR

LOOSE Guttersanddownspoutsmaybecomelooseandrequirere-securing.Thisisnormallydue

toimproperfasteningduringoriginalinstallationordamagecausedbysnowandiceduring

wintermonths.Downspoutscanbecomedisconnectedfromgutters.

DAMAGED/OLD Guttersanddownspoutssufferfrommechanicaldamageduetoladders,treelimbs,andthe

like.Downspoutstendtosplitopenattheseams(fromfreezingincoldclimates).Theseamisusually against thewallandthesplitmay gounnoticed.Downspouts alongdriveways

orsidewalksare sometimes crimped.Aluminumguttersanddownspouts aremoreeasily

damagedthangalvanizedsteel.Galvanizedsteeldownspoutsoftenrustneargradelevelor

whereblockageshaveoccurred.Galvanizedguttersanddownspoutseventuallyrustthrough.

PAINT Galvanizedsteelguttersanddownspoutsshouldbepaintedregularlytoprolongtheirlife.

Althoughnotoftendone,somesaypaintingtheinsideisasimportantaspaintingtheoutside.

Specialpaintsaresometimesusedinsidegutterssincetheyareoftenwetforconsiderable

periodsoftime.

POORSLOPE Guttersshouldslopeproperlytowardsdownspoutstodrainwater.

CLOGGED Guttersanddownspoutsoftenclogwithdebris.Screensordeectorsaresometimesinstalled

toprevent leaves and twigsfromgetting into the troughs. Theserarelyworkwell. They

becomelooseandoftenfallout.Theyalsomakecleaningmoredifcult.Specialscreensare

availableforthetopofdownspoutstopreventtheentryof debris.Theseworkbetter,but

mustbecleanedregularly.

NUMBEROF Onmanyhouses,thenumberofdownspoutsisinadequate.Asageneralrule,adownspout

DOWNSPOUTS shouldbeprovidedforevery35to40feetofgutters.

DOWNSPOUT Downspoutscollectwaterfromtheguttersanddischargeitintodrainsorontotheground.

DISCHARGE Undergrounddrains(usuallymadeofclaytile,castironorplastic)becomecloggedorbreak

belowgrade.Ifanundergrounddownspoutmalfunctions,waterproblemswilllikelydevelop

inthatpartofthebasement.Therearetwooptions.Exteriordiggingandrepairscanbe

undertaken; however, it is faster and cheaper to simply disconnect the downspout and

redirectittodischargeawayfromthehouse.Itsalsoeasiertomonitortheperformance,and

problemsarecorrectedeasily.

Downspoutsshoulddischargeabovegradeontothegroundatleastsixfeetfromthehome.

Theslopeofthegroundinthisareashouldbeawayfromthehouse,todirectwaterawayfrom

thebasement.


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EXTERIOR

Onolder homes, (pre-1950)downspout drainsareoften connected tooordrainsin the

basement.Ifthereisasignicantamountofdebrisinthedischargefromthedownspouts,

it can plug the basement oor drainsand causebackup. Amore complete discussion of

wetbasementproblemsisincludedinSection10oftheInteriorchapter.

DISCHARGEONTO Whereguttersordownspoutsdischargeontoroofbelow,thelowerroofinthepathofthe

ROOF waterwilldeterioratequickly.Thelowerroofcanbeprotectedbyextendingthedownspout

alongthelowerrooftodischargedirectlyintothelowerroofgutter.


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EXTERIOR

INTEGRALOR Malfunctioningintegralgutters

BUILT-INGUTTERS canbeveryserious.Theleaking

water usually ends up in the

structure,causingrotandother

damage. Repairs often include

adding a single-ply roong

membraneasagutterliner.

2.0LotGradingProper lotgrading is an important considerationwhendealingwithwetbasements. No

foundationwallsystemiscompletelywaterproof.Wateraccumulatinginthesoiloutsidethe

buildingwillusuallyleakthrougheventually.Thesecretistokeepthesoiloutsidethebuilding

dry.Ifthegroundaroundthebuildingslopessothatsurfacewaterrunsawayfromthebuild-

ing,soilclosetothefoundationisdryandthebasementisfarlesslikelytoleak.

CommonProblemswithLotGrading

WETBASEMENTS Thetheoryissimple.Ifthereisnowaterinthesoilontheoutsideofthefoundationwall,

nowater will get into the interior. Most wet basement problems can be eliminated or

dramaticallyreducedwithgoodgradingandproperperformanceofguttersanddownspouts.

Thegroundaroundthehomeshouldslopedownsixinchesforthersttenfeetawayfrom

thehome.Thiscanoftenbedonebyaddingtopsoil(notsandorgravel).


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EXTERIOR

Wherethegeneraltopographydirectswatertowardsthehouse,furthermeasuresaresome-

timesrequired.Aswale(ashallowditchwithgentlyslopedsides)mayhavetobeconstructed

todivertwaterrunoffaroundthehousetoareasthatarelower-lying.

Ifthegeneraltopographyoftheneighborhoodissuchthatthehouseliesinthelowestarea,

gradingimprovementsmayimprovethesituation;however,furthermeasuresmaybeneces-

sary.SeeSection10oftheInteriorchapterformoreinformationonwetbasementproblems.

RAVINELOTS Ravinelotshavepotentialerosionproblems,whichcanhavecatastrophiceffects.Erosioncan

compromisethestructuralintegrityofthehouseifthetablelandkeepsdisappearing.

Fromaone-timevisit,itisnotpossibletodetermine

therateoferosion(ifany);however,maturetrees

and heavy vegetation on the slope suggest little

movementandtheirrootshelppreventerosion.

To prevent continuing problems, a soils engineer

and/or landscape architect shouldbe engagedto

designretainingwallsorothersystemstoholdback

theearth,whereerosionisnoted.


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EXTERIOR

2.1WindowWells

DESCRIPTION Windowwellsarecreatedwithsmallretainingwallsthatkeeptheearthawayfromwindows

thatareatorbelowgrade.Windowwellsmaybeconcreteoracorrugatedsteelshell.Chemi-

callytreatedwoodissometimesused;however,itshouldbeavoidedintermiteproneareas.

Windowwellsshouldbelargeenoughtoallowlightinandshouldallowforeasycleaningof

thewindowandwell.Re-gradingworktodrainsurfacewaterawayfromthehomemaycreate

theneedforwindowwells,asthegradelevelisoftenraisedaroundthefoundation.

DRAINAGEAND Ideally,thebottomofthewindowwellshouldcontainseveralinchesofgraveltoallowwater

COVERS todrainfromthewell.Adrainagepipe,lledwithgravel(topreventitfromcollapsing,but

stillallowingwatertopass)shouldextenddowntothedrainagetilearoundtheperimeterof

thefooting(ifoneexists).Asanalternative,aclearplasticdomecoverisinstalledoverthe

windowwelltokeepwateranddebrisout.


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EXTERIOR

CommonProblemswithWindowWells

Wellsmaybemissingortooshallowtoprotectthewindow.Theymaybecloggedwithdebris

(amaintenanceissue)ortheymaynot drainproperly,evenwhenclean.Woodrots,metal

rustsandconcretespalls.Nothingisforever.

3.0WallSurfaces

Wallnishesprotectthebuildingskeletonandinteriorfromweatherandmechanicaldamage.

Insomecases,thewallsurfacesenhancethestructuralrigidityofthebuilding(e.g.houses

constructedofsolidmasonry,orloghouses).Wewillstartbylookingatsomeissuescommon

tomanytypesofsidingandthenlookatindividualmaterials.

3.1CommonProblemswithAllWallSystems

FOUNDATIONS: Foundationwallsmaybepouredconcrete,concreteblock,cinderblock,stone,brick,claytile

MORTAR,CRACKS, orwood.Mortarrepair(re-pointing)isoftennecessaryontheabovegradeportionofmasonry

SPALLING foundations.Cracksinpouredfoundationsshouldbepatched.Spallingconcreteormasonry

canbereplacedorparged.

FOUNDATIONS: Sometimes,theexposedfoundationwallisparged(coveredwitha thinlayerof concrete).

PARGING Thisisnecessaryonporousfoundationssuchasbrickorconcreteblock.Itisnotuncommon

forthepargingtoseparatefromthefoundationwallandbreakoff.Localizedpatchingof

deterioratedpargingiseasilyundertaken.If,however,large-scaledeteriorationorseparation

hasoccurred,removalandre-pargingwillberequired.Expandedmetallath(ofthenon-rust-

ingvariety)shouldbesecuredtothefoundationwalltoprovideagoodbasefortheparging

inareaswhereadhesionisquestionable.


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EXTERIOR

Limebasedpargingisbetter

than Portland cement based

because it is more permeable.

Impermeable parging breaks

off in large sections, due to

moisturetrappedbehindit.The

impermeable parging also

causesdampnesstoriseupthe

walltoalevelabovetheparging

where evaporation can take

place.Evaporationresultsinef-

orescence(denedonPage12)

formingonthewallsurfaceand

within the wall itself. This

causes spalling brickwork and

mortar deterioration. Lime-

basedpargingpreventsthisphenomenonfromhappeningasmoisturecanpassthroughit.

Thepargingitselfissubjecttoeforescenceandspalling,butthisistreatedassacricialma-

terial.

SIDINGTOO Sidingmaterialsarenotmeant

CLOSETOGRADE tobeincontactwiththeground

andwilldeteriorateiftheyare

at or below grade. On virtu-

allyeveryhouse,atleastthetop

four tosix inches of the foun-

dation wall should be visible

outside.Therearetworeasons the rst is that siding may

deterioratefromchronicdamp-

ness. The second is the risk of

rotand/orinsectinfestationto

thestructure.Evenbrickhomes

havewoodstructuralmembers

inside.


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EXTERIOR

WEEPHOLESIN Somebrickwallshaveweep

BRICKWALLS holes at thebottom to allow

BELOWGRADE water to drain out. If these

drain holes are not several

inches above grade, water

may drain into rather than

out of the wall system and

damage the wood framing

behindthebrick.

PLANTERSOR Evenifthegradingaroundthe

GARDENS house is ne, there may be

AGAINSTWALLS problems from raised planters

orgardenswithsoilagainstthe

house wall. These can cause

considerable damage to the

house.Plantersandraisedgar-

densshouldbekeptawayfrom

thewall.

SIDINGTOO Most sidingmaterials deterio-

CLOSETOROOF rateiftheyarechronicallywet.

BELOW These materials should stop

roughlytwo inches above roof

surfacesbelow.Wheretheydo

not,thesidingmayfailprema-

turely.


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EXTERIOR

NOKICKOUT Damagetowallsatroofjunc-

FLASHINGS tions can occur if appropriate

ashings are not provided at

the bottom of the roof. These

are typically called kickout

ashings.Theydirectthewater

awayfromthesidingsothatit

doesnotgetinbehind.

VINES Vines and other vegetation

are often found growing on

wall surfaces. The disadvan-

tagesincludeincreasedlevelsof

moisture heldagainst thewall

surfaces, and increased insect

and vermin problems in the

house. Depending on the typeofplant,damagecanbe done,especiallytowoodsurfaces.Extensivedamagetomasonry

wallsisrare.

Vinesshouldbekeptawayfromwoodtrimaroundwindows,doorsandeavesforexample,

andshouldnotobstructwaterowthroughguttersanddownspouts.

3.2Brick

DESCRIPTION Brickmaybemadeofclayorconcrete.Thecharacteristicsofbrickvarydramatically.Some

bricksurfacesarerelativelysoft,anderodewithtime.Otherbricksareextremelyhard.Some

canbeeasilydamagedbymechanicalaction;othersmaycrackduetowaterpenetrationand

freeze-thawaction.Somebricksareextremelyporous;otherslessso.Somebrickshaveahard

glazedoutersurface;othersareuniformthroughout.Mostbricksarenotdesignedtobein

contactwiththesoil,andshouldbekeptatleastfourinchesabovegrade.

MORTAR Mortarisamixtureofabinder(Portlandcement,lime,masonrycement),anaggregate(sand),

andwater.Therearemanytypesofmortarswithdifferentstrengths,colors,anddurability.

Additivessuchascalciumchloridecanenhancecoldweatherworkabilityattheexpenseof

strengthanddurability.

Mortar has several functions. It bonds individual masonry units together and prevents

moisturepenetrationbetweenunits.Itallowsatightjointbetweendifferentmasonryunits

despitesizevariationsfromoneunittothenext.Itprovidesabasefortiesandreinforcing

usedtosecureamasonrywalltoaback-upwall,ortoenhancethestrengthoftheentirewall.Mortarcanformpartofthearchitecturalappealofamasonrywall.Mortardeteriorationis

morecommonthanbrickdeterioration.Ideally,thestrengthofmortarshouldbesimilarto,

butnotgreaterthan,thestrengthofthebrick.


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EXTERIOR

CommonProblemswithBrick

SPALLING Damage to brick surfaces,

whether due to mechanical

damage, freeze-thaw action

orsomethingelse isknown as

spalling.

SANDBLASTED Brick is usually damaged by

sandblasting. Brickwitha soft

coreandahardercrustiscom-

mononolderhouses(thesame

houses that tend to require

brick cleaning). Sandblasting

removes the outer crust and

makesthebrickmorepronetodeterioration.Onceahousehas

beensandblasted,itmaydete-

riorate relatively quickly. The

rateofdeteriorationcantbedeterminedduringasinglehomeinspection.Thisoftenrequires

monitoringtodetermineifanyremedialactionisnecessary.Sandblastingandhighpressure

liquidcleaningoftendamagemortar,andre-pointingisusuallynecessary.

EFFLORESCENCE Thewhite,saltydepositthatappearsonmasonrywallsisknownaseforescence.Itisa

resultofwatercarryingdissolvedsaltstothesurfaceoftheunitandevaporating,leaving

thecrystallinesaltson thesurface.Eforescencemaybecausedbylowqualitymortarsor

masonryunits,orbyexcessivewaterpenetrationintoorthroughthewall.Inmostcasesitis

notserious,andwilldisappearwithinafewmonthsofnewconstructionorchemicalcleaning.

Occasionally,eforescenceprecedesmortarormasonrydeterioration.

MORTAR Mortaroftendeterioratesmorequicklythanthebrick.Mortarmaycrackorcrumble.Mortar

PROBLEMS repairsaretypicallycalledrepointing.


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EXTERIOR

3.3Stone

Manydifferentstonesurfacesareusedinhomeconstruction.Stonecanbeanythingfrom

granitetolimestone.

CommonProblemswithStone

Stoneandbrickwallssuffer similarproblems.Stonecancrackorerodedependingon its

quality.Mortarcandeteriorate,andmortarrepairsaremoreoftenneededthanstonerepairs.

Naturalstonecanstainor rust,dependingon themineralsinthestone.Thisisa cosmetic

issue.

3.4ArticialStone

Therearetwocommonvarietiesofarticialstone,typicallymadeofconcrete.Oneisabrick

substituteusedonalloraportionoftheexterior.Itistypicallythreetofourinchesthick,and

installedlikeanyothermasonry,laidinabedofmortar.Theotherisathinveneer-typecover-

ingthatislessthanoneinchthick.Thethinveneerisusuallyinstalledbyprovidingwiremesh

overtheexistingwallsurfacesandsettingtheslicesinabedofmortar.Theperformanceof

thismaterialislargelydependentuponthequalityoftheinstallation.

CommonProblemswithArtificialStone

Themostcommonproblemsare detachment fromthe building itself.Loose ordamaged

piecesshouldbere-securedtopreventmoisturegettingintothewallsystem.

3.5ConcreteBlock

Theuseofconcreteblocksasexteriorwallcoveringsforresidentialconstructionisrelatively

rare,althoughconcreteblockscanmakeagoodexteriorwallsurface.

CommonProblemswithConcreteBlock

Deteriorationlargelydependsuponthecongurationoftheblock(surfacetextureandshape)

andthequalityoftheconcrete.Concreteblocksarerelativelyporousandsomecanallowa

signicantamountofwaterpenetrationthroughtheblock.Paintingtheblockcan reduce

waterpenetrationsignicantly.Aswithallunitmasonryconstruction,spallingandmortar

deteriorationarecommonproblems.


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EXTERIOR

3.6ConventionalStucco

DESCRIPTION Stucco is theexteriorequivalent of plaster,madeof cement, lime, aggregate andwater.

Stuccocanbethoughtofasathincoatofconcrete,withthecementandlimeactingasbind-

ers,theaggregateprovidingthebulkandthestrength,andthewaterinitiatingthechemical

reaction.Much like plaster, stucco requires periodicmaintenance as cracks develop. The

amountofmaintenancerequireddependslargelyuponthemixofthestucco,thelathused

(ifany),andthesurfacetowhichthestuccoisapplied.Stuccoistypicallyappliedinatwo-or

three-stepprocess.

CommonProblemswithStucco

CRACKS/BULGES/ Stucco over masonry walls tends to stand up better than stucco over wood-frame

LOOSE construction.Therigidityofamasonrystructureallowsforvirtuallynoexingofthestucco,

andconsequently,lesscrackingandsurfaceseparationislikelytooccur.Wood-framewalls

expandandcontractwithchangesintemperatureandhumidity,atadifferentratethan

stucco.Thisleadstocrackingthatallowsmoisturedeterioration,andseparationofthestucco

fromthelath.Cracksandbulgesoftenappearnearoorlevelsbecausewoodframingmem-

bersshrinkmostinthisarea.Sectionsofstuccomaycomelooseandfalloffthebuilding.

Crackingcanallowwaterpenetration,whichmaycausedamagetothewallstructurebehind

thatgoesunnoticedforsometime.Repairsthatmatchincolorandtexturearedifculttomake.Stuccocanbepainted.


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EXTERIOR

3.7SyntheticStucco(EIFS)

DESCRIPTION ExteriorInsulatedFinishSystems(EIFS)looksimilartostuccobutaredifferent.Rigidwall

sheathing,suchasplywood,iscoveredwithfoaminsulationboard.Athinbasecoatreinforced

withberglassmeshisthenappliedandcoveredwithathinacrylicnishcoat.Itisatwo-step

process,andthenishedcoatingismoreexiblethanconventionalstucco.

CommonProblemswithSyntheticStucco

Problemsarisewhenwatergetstrappedbehindthenishandinsulation.Thewaterultimately

leadstorotofthesheathingandotherstructuralcomponents.

CONCEALEDWALL Watermay enter thewall system throughwall penetrationsarounddoorsandwindows

DAMAGE unlessalldetailsareperfectlyweathertight.Asthereareseldomidealashingsatthese

locations,itisimportantthattheseamsbewellcaulked.Caulkingisanongoingmaintenance

issue.

There has been extensive damage to some homes, and entire wall systems have been

replaced.Therehavebeenclass-actionlawsuitsaroundsyntheticstucco.Improvedinstalla-

tionmethodsincludetheuseofbuildingpaperbetweentheinsulationandsheathinganda

drainagepathforanywaterthatdoesgetintothewall.

Unfortunately,neithertrappedwaternorrotinthewallcavityarevisibleduringahome

inspection.


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EXTERIOR

3.8WoodSiding

DESCRIPTION Therearemanytypesofwood

siding,includingpanels,boards,

shingles, and shakes. Good

siding installations prevent or

minimize rot and water pene-

tration. Rot occurs wherever

wood surfaces are subject to

excessivemoisture. Paintingor

stainingonaregularbasispro-

tects the wood. Even

rot-resistantwoodssuchasce-

darandredwoodarehelpedby

staining.Stainreduceswarping,

splitting,rotanddiscoloration.


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EXTERIOR

Waterpenetrationandrotproblemsaremostcommonatjoints,penetrationsandchangesin

directionormaterial.Jointsshouldpreventwaterpenetration.Thehorizontaljointsonclap-

boardsiding,forexample,overlaponeanother;however,mostverticaljointsdonot.Therefore,

verticaljointsshouldbeprotectedwithashingsorcaulking.Caulkingisamaintenanceissue.

VENTILATION Woodsidingholdspaintbetterandlastslongerifthebackofthesidinghassomeaircircula-

tion.Oldsidingnailshadroundheadssothattheoverlyingpieceofsidingabovewouldnotsit

tightly against the lower piece. This allowedair circulationandbroke the capillary joint

betweenthetwopiecesofwood.Thisisapracticethathasunfortunatelydisappeared.Where

peelingpaintisaproblem,shimscanbedrivenbetweentheboardstopromotedrying.Whileitseemsstrangetosaythatwoodwallsshouldbreathe,thatiswhatwewant.

JOINTS With panel-type wood siding,

mostproblemsoccurathorizon-

tal joints, as thereisusuallyno

overlaporbattenstrip. Inwell-

executedinstallations,aashing

isinstalledathorizontaljointsto

preventwaterpenetration.


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EXTERIOR

Manywoodsidingsystemsre-

quirepiecesofwoodtrimtobe

installed over the joints. The

topsurfacesofthesepiecesof

trimarepronetorot.Therotted

wood eventually allows water

penetrationatthejoints.Hori-

zontal surfaces shouldbe kept

wellstainedorpainted,should

beslightlyslopedsowaterwill

drainoff,andshouldbecaulked

where they meet vertical

surfaces.

CommonProblemswithWoodSiding

SPLITTING Woodsidingmaysplitifimproperlynailed.Toomanynailsmaypreventnaturalexpansion

andcontraction.Nailingtooclosetotheedgeswillresultinsplitting.

WOOD/SOIL Wood/soilcontactshouldbeavoided,asitpromotesrotandprovidesanidealenvironment

CONTACT forwood-boringinsects.Woodsidingshouldbeatleastsixinchesabovethesoil.

PAINT/STAIN Withtheexceptionofcedar,redwood,andpressuretreatedlumber,allwoodusedoutside

shouldbeprotectedwithpaintorstain.Paintingorstainingisusuallydoneeverythreetove

years.Chronicpaintblisteringandpeelingmayindicatemoistureproblemsinthewallbehind.

CRACKING Withage,woodshingleswilllosetheirresins,andbegintowarpandcrack.Thereareseveral

differentqualitiesofwoodshingles.Bettershingleslastlonger.Whenmorethan15%ofthe

shinglesrequirerepairorreplacement,totalreplacementmaybeadvisable.


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EXTERIOR

3.9HardboardandPly-woodSiding

Thereareavarietyofhardboard,

orientedstrandboard(OSB)and

plywoodsidingsonthemarket.

Some simulate wood siding,

while others simulate stucco.

Depending upon the type of

material, the joints may be

coveredwithtrim,asdiscussed

earlier.

CommonProblemswithHardboard,OSBandPlywood

WATER Waterpenetrationbehindthetrimdeterioratesthetrimitself,andallowswatertocollect

PENETRATION attheedges.Thiscanleadtoswelling,delaminationandfailureofthesiding.Propersealing

andcaulkingofthehorizontalsurfacesoftrimarerequired.Horizontaledgesofpanelsnot

coveredwithtrimshouldbeinstalledwithashing,unlessthejointinthematerialisspeci-

callydesignedtopreventwaterpenetration.

BUCKLING Bucklingofhardboardsidingisaproblemcausedbyexpansionofthehardboardwhenwet.Thismaterialexpandsmorethanwoodwhenwetand,ifitistightlynailedateachstud,itmay

buckleinorout.Securingtheboardswithclipsorusingsmallerpieceshelppreventbuckling.

PAINT Prenishedsystemsdonotrequireregularpainting.Unnishedwoodsidingrequirespainting

orstainingtoprotectitfromtheelements.


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EXTERIOR

3.10MetalSiding

DESCRIPTION Avarietyofmetalsidingsareavailable.Theycanbeboardsorpanels,withavarietyofsurface

treatments,often intendedtomimicwood. Someareinstalledvertically,whileothersare

installedhorizontally.Themostcommonmaterialisaluminumalthoughsteelisalsoused.

Metal sidingsusuallyhaveabaked-onenamelnishand,generally speaking, thepainted

surfacesstandupwell.However,somelowerqualityoroldersidingstendtofadeandchalk.

VENTILATION Metalsidingsshouldbeventilatedtoallowairandmoisturepressurestoequalizeoneither

ANDINSULATION sideofthemetal.Someearlysidingsdidnotbreathewellandledtomoistureproblemsin

walls.Insulatedmetalsidingisavailable,althoughtheamountofinsulationistypicallysmall.


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EXTERIOR

CommonProblemswithMetalSiding

INSTALLATION Mostproblemsassociatedwithmetal sidingsareinstallationdefects,ratherthanmaterial

ISSUES defects.Alackofadequatefastening,andalackofmoldingsandtrimpieceswherethesiding

buttsothermaterialsorchangesdirectionarethemostcommonproblems.

DENTING/ Metalsidingsarepronetodent-

BUCKLING ing (particularly aluminum).

Damaged sections can be re-

placed on an individual basis.

Metal sidings expand and

contractwith changes in tem-

perature. It is not uncommon

tohearexpansionnoiseswhen

sunlight warms a wall of the

house.Slotsinthesidingaccom-modatethenails.Asthesiding

expandsandcontracts relative

tothesubstrate,thesidingcan

slide.Ifthenailsaresecuredtoo

tightly,thesidingmaybuckle.

3.11VinylSiding

DESCRIPTION Vinylsidingisextrudedpolyvinylchloride(PVC).Thecolorsgothroughthematerial,soscratch-

ingthesurfacewillnotrevealadifferentcolorbelow.Also,thecolorcannotpeelorchipoff

thesurface.Thematerialcomesinboardsorpanels,oftenintendedtolooklikewood.Someofthenewerproductscanbepaintedsuccessfully,althoughthisturnsamaintenance-free

sidingintoamaintenance-dependentsiding.

CommonProblemswithVinylSiding

Vinylsidingsaresimilartometalsidingsinthatthemajorityoftheproblemsareassociated

withinstallation,ratherthanthematerialitself.Alackofpropersecuring,andimproperdetail

workatedgesandcornersarethemostcommondeciencies.Somevinylsidingsdiscolor

withage.Mostcomeinalimitedcolorselection.Vinylsidingcanbecomebrittleduringcold

weather,andcanbepuncturedorcracked.Individualpieces,however,canbereplaced.

TEARING/ Vinylsidingcantearasaresultofmechanicalimpact.Barbecuestooclosetovinylsidingmay

BURNED/ meltorburnthesiding.Bucklingvinylsidingmaybetheresultofshrinkingwoodframing

BUCKLING behind,orsecuringthesidingtootightlytothesubstrate.Thesidingexpandsandcontracts

withchangesintemperature,andmustbeabletoexpandandcontractonthewall.


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EXTERIOR

3.12AsphaltShingleSiding

Asphalt roong shingles are

sometimes used as siding.

See the Roong chapter for a

descriptionofasphaltshingles.

Whereroongshinglesaretypi-

callysecuredwithfournailsor

staplespershingle,sixfasteners

perwallshingleistypical.

CommonProblemswithAsphaltShingles

LIFTINGSHINGLES Thebiggestproblemassociatedwithusingshinglesonwallsisthattheshinglesdonottend

tolieat.Modernshinglesareoftheself-sealingvariety.Atarstripontheupperportionof

oneshingleissupposedtoadheretothelowerportionoftheshingleabove,andshould

preventtheshinglefromliftingorcurling.Unfortunately,thisprocessreliesongravity(the

weightoftheshingles)andsunlight(toheatuptheshinglesandsoftentheadhesive).This

processworkswellonroongsystems;however,itdoesnotworkwellwhenshinglesare

installed vertically. Therefore, shingles tend to lift, curl, and be prone towind damage.

(Shinglesthathavejustbeguntoliftcanbesealedinplace.)Theyareeasilypatched,but

matchingcolorsissometimesdifcult.

3.13FiberCementSiding

Fiber cement siding comes in shingle, plank and

panelform.Thisisastrong,rigidsidingthattypi-

callyperformswell.Olderversionsusedasbestosas

theberandwerecalledasbestoscementsiding.


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EXTERIOR

CommonProblemswithFiberCementSiding

CRACKED/ Olderbercementshingleshavealonglifeexpectancy;however,theyarebrittleandsubject

BROKEN tomechanicaldamage. Replacement pieces thatmatchmay bedifcult tond. The life

expectancyofnewerbercementproductsisexpectedtobesimilar. IMPROPER Modern ber cement siding

NAILING isoftenappliedwithpneumatic

nailers. Nails are sometimes

driven too far into the siding

andthesidingmaynotbewell

securedtothebuilding.

3.14 Clay Tiles and SlateShingles

Clay tiles and slate shingleswere often used on Victorian-

era and circa-1900 houses for

siding on small areas, such as

dormersandgables.

CommonProblemswithClayandSlate

CRACKED/ Theseshingleswilleasilylast100years;however,theyarebrittleandsubjecttomechanical BROKEN damage.

FAILEDFASTENERS Clay tile and slate can often

last a long time, but the nails

that hold them in place rust,

allowing thetiles/slates to slip

out of position. Patching can

be undertaken; however, it is

often difcult to match the

color and texture. The general

ruleisthatifmorethantento

fteen percent of the tiles/

slatesaredamaged,analterna-

tive siding material should be

considered.


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EXTERIOR

3.15InsulbrickSiding

DESCRIPTION Despiteitsname,Insulbrickhasverylittleinsulatingvalue.VarioustypesofInsulbrickwere

commonlyusedfromthe1930stothe1950s.Insulbrickcanbeconsideredtheforerunnerto

aluminumsiding.

Insulbrick consists of a ber-

boardsheathingcoatedwithtar

andsprinkledwithgranularma-

terial.The surface isembossed

tolooklikebrick,orsometimes

stone.

CommonProblemswithInsulbrick

WORN/ Insulbrick siding will eventually wear out; however, the majority of the problems are

DAMAGED physical damage,and leaking joints.Caulkingandre-securingarenecessaryfromtime to

time.Obtainingreplacementpiecesisdifcult,asthematerialisnolongermade.

INSURANCE Insulbrickisfrownedonbysomeinsurancecompaniesandlendinginstitutions.Thisisthought

ISSUES tobeduetoitscombustibility,andthefactthattosomepeople,itsuggestslow-qualityconstruction.Itsbadreputationisunwarranted;however,thematerialcaneasilybecovered

withanalternativesiding.


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EXTERIOR

4.1DoorandWindowFlashings

Someexteriordoorsandwindowsprojectouthorizontallyfromthewallsurface.Watercan

collectonthetop,rottingthetrimandleakingbehindit.Metalashingsareoftenprovidedin

theseareas. The exposed edge of the metal ashing is bent out topreventwater from

drippingonthesurfacesbelow.Theashingtucksupbehindthesidingaboveorisletintoa

mortarjointinbrickconstruction.(Mostwindowsinmasonryhousesdonotrequireashings

becausethewindowframesarerecessed.)

Flashing isnot requiredwhere

the opening is protected by a

roofoverhang.Asageneralrule,

if the distance from the win-

dow or door to the overhang

is less than one-quarterof the

overhang width, no ashing is

needed. SLOPE Door and window sills should

beslopedsothatwaterdrains

awayfrom,ratherthantoward

the door or window. The sill

shouldprojectfarenoughoutso

thatwatercandripoffwithout

wetting the area below. Good

design incorporates a capillary

break (groove or projectionon

theundersideofthesill),which

preventsthewaterfrombeing

drawn back into the siding by

capillaryaction.


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EXTERIOR

PAINT/ROT/ Woodcomponentsrotifwaterdoesnotdrainfreelyawayorifmaintenanceispoor.Flashing,

LOOSE/MISSING/ windowsillanddoorthresholddetailsarecommonproblemareas.Ifdoorsandwindowsare

DAMAGED/ not t and maintained properly, water can get into the wall system and damage the

WATERENTRY structure.

LOWTHRESHOLD Doorthresholdsshouldbeatleastsixinchesaboveexteriorgrade,steps,decksorlandings.

5.0ExteriorStructures

DESCRIPTION Theseincludeporches,decks,patios,balconiesandentrances.Theyareattachedtothehome

butnotanintegralpartofthehouseitself.Theymayincludesteps,railings,columns,beams,joistsandoors.


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EXTERIOR

5.1Steps

Steps are commonlymade ofwood, concreteormasonry.Wood steps should be sturdy

enough not to ex with typical trafc.One to 1-1/2 inch thick treadsare normally ne,

dependingonthespacingofthestringersthatsupportthetreads.

Concrete steps may have a

footing to avoid settling and

frostheaving.Theymayalsobe

attached to the building, or

may be oating prefabricated

concreteunits.

RISEANDRUN Regardlessofthematerialused,

allstepsshouldbeeasytonego-

tiate.Stepsshouldhaveatleast

10-inchwide treadsandbeno

more than roughly 8 incheshigh. Steps should be sloped

slightlytodrainwater.

LANDINGS Whensteppingthroughadoor,

itiseasiertohavealandingto

steponthanstairs.Landingsare

typicallyat least three feet by

three feet. Landingsshould be

six inches below door thresh-

olds sowaterdoesnot leak in

throughthedoor.


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CommonProblemswithSteps

ROT/INSECT The most common problems

DAMAGE associatedwithwoodstepsare

rotandattackbyinsects.Direct

wood/soil contact should be

avoided to minimize damage

byrotorinsects.Carpetingon

wood steps retains moisture

and promotes rot. Plywood is

not a goodmaterial for steps,

sincethelayersofgluetendto

trapmoisture,creatingrotand

delaminationoftheplywood.

SPRINGY Poorly designed steps moveconsiderably when they are

walked on. Strengthening is

sometimesrequired.

SPALLEDOR Concretestepstendtocrackorspall.Avoidusingsaltonthesesurfaces.Somestepsarecon-

DAMAGE structedofbrick.Certaintypesofbrickshouldnotbeincontactwiththesoilastheyabsorba

considerableamountofmoistureandsufferdeteriorationfromfreeze/thawaction.

SETTLEDOR Thisisacommonproblemwith

HEAVED concretesteps.

RISE/RUN/ Stepsshouldbeuniformsothat

UNIFORMITY/ theycanbetraveledeasily.The

LANDINGS rise should not be more than

8 inches, and the run should

be at least 10 inches. Land-

ingsshouldbeprovidedwhere

neededatthetopofsteps,so

peopledonotgetknockedover

byopeningdoors.


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5.2Railings

Railingsshouldbeprovidedwhereverthereisadangeroffalling,orwhenthedeckismore

than24to30inchesofftheground.Railingsshouldbesturdyenoughtoresistapersons

weightandopeningsin therailingshouldbe small(fourinchesor less)sochildrencannot

crawlthrough.Railingsshouldbehighenoughtoprovideadequateprotection;36inchesis

common.Onwidestairways,railingsshouldbeprovidedonbothsides.Railingsshouldnot

preventdrainageofwateroffporches,decksandbalconies.Theyshouldnothavehorizontal

membersthatchildrenmayclimb.

Railingsshouldbeeasytograbtohelppreventafall.


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CommonProblemswithRailings

MISSING/LOOSE/ Themostcommonproblemismissingrailings.Railingsarealsooftenloose,rottedorrusted.

ROT/RUST Manyrailingsarenotstrongenoughornotwellenoughsecuredtopreventsomeonefalling

throughtherailing.Thisisdifculttodeterminewithoutdamagingtherailing.

POORDESIGN Railingsmaybetoolow,haveopeningsthatpeoplemayfallthrough,orhavehorizontal

membersthatmakeiteasyforchildrentoclimbtherailings.Thesearesafetyissues.

5.3Columns

Porchcolumnssupportaroofand/oraoorsystem.Theycanbewood,metal,pouredcon-

crete,masonryoracombinationofthese.Theymustbestrongenoughtohandletheimposed

loadandmusthaveproperfoundationsandfootingstopreventsettlingorfrostheaving.

Woodsoilcontactshouldbeavoided.

CommonProblemswithColumns

DETERIORATION/ Themostcommonproblemswithporchcolumnsaretheresultofsimpledeterioration.Brick

DAMAGE columnsabsorbmoisture,damagingthebrickandmortarbyfrostaction.Woodcolumnsrot

andaresubjecttoinsectattack.Directwood/soilcontactshouldbeavoided.

Columnscanbemechanicallydamagedbyimpact,althoughthisisnotcommon.

OUTOFPLUMB Columnsmaybeinstalledoutofplumbortheymayshift.Wheretheyareunstable,replace-

mentisnecessary.


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EXTERIOR

5.4BeamsandJoists

Beamsand joists should be strong enough to transport the roof or oor loads (people,

furniture,andsnow)toawallorcolumn.Theyaretypicallywood,butcanbesteel.

Beamsandjoistsshouldbeadequatelysupported,wellconnectedandarrangedtominimizerotandwood/soilcontact.

CommonProblemswithBeamsandJoists

SAGGING Themostcommonproblemwithporchbeamsisthattheyareundersized(overspanned),

resultinginsagging.Overspannedjoistsresultinaspringyoorsystem.Additionalsupports

canoftenbeaddedtostiffenstructuralmembers,ortheycanbeenlargedorreplaced.

ENDBEARING Porchbeamsareoftenpoorlysupportedwhencolumnshavebeenremovedorhaveshifted.

Joistandbeamendsshouldreston1-1/2inchesofwoodsupport,oronthreeinchesofcon-

creteormasonrysupport,respectively.

DECKSHAVETO Joistsshouldbewellsecuredtothebuilding.Aboardthatislag-boltedtothestructuremay

BEWELLSECURED supportthejoists frombelow.Joisthangersmayalsobeused.Manyserious injurieshave

TOBUILDINGS resultedfromimproperdecksupport.Thisdetailshouldalsobeprotectedwithashingso

thewaterdoesnotgetintothewallsystem.Afterconstructionitisdifculttodetermine

whethersupportisadequate.Alternatively,thedeckmaybecompletelydetachedfromthe

building.

ROT Trappedmoisturein aporchor deck structure rotswood beamsor joists,weakeningthe

structureandprovidinganidealenvironmentforinsects.Manyporchbeamsareconcealedin

aroofstructureandarenotvisible,butyearsofroofleakscausebeamsandjoiststorotand

theroofsystemtosag.


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CANTILEVERED Thesehavespecialproblems,usuallyrelatedtothesupportjoiststhatextendthroughthe

DECKSAND buildingwall.Thesestructuresmaybeweakduetopoorinitialconstruction,orthejoistsmay

BALCONIESROT rotwheretheygothroughthebuildingwall.Thebuildingwallmayalsorotasaresultofwater

penetrationaroundcantileveredjoists.

5.5Floors

Porchoorsslopetodrainwateroff,unlesstheyhavespacedooringlikedecks.Carpetingis

notusedasitholdsmoisture,promotingrot.Plywoodorwaferboardshouldnotbeusedfor

thesamereasons.

Someporchoorsarecoveredwithmetal,vinylorcanvas. Inmanycases,thesematerials

havedeterioratedandreplacementisrequired.Someporchesarecoveredwithrollroongor

roongfelts.Thesematerialsarenotsuitableforregularfoottrafc.

CommonProblemswithFloors

Rot and sagging are the most

commonproblems.


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6.0GaragesandCarports

DESCRIPTION Garagesmayormaynotbeattachedtothehouse.Garageshavemanyofthesamefeatures

ashousesandcanbe thoughtofassecondarybuildings.Mostoorsareconcreteslab-on-

grade,wallsareoftenthesametypeasthehousewalls,andtheroofmaybeintegratedwiththehouseroof.Garagesmaybetuckedintothehomewithlivingspaceabove.

Vehicledoorsmaybewood,hardboard,aluminumorsteel.Thereareavarietyofwaysin

whichgaragedoorscanopen;however,overheadsectionaldoorsarecommon.Theremaybe

aman-doorinthegarage.

CARPORTS Carportsaresimpleroofstruc-

tures supported on columns.

They may be attached to the

home on one, two or three

sides.

CommonProblemswithGaragesandCarports

LOWQUALITY Garagesareoftenlowerqualitythanthehouse,andinpoorercondition.Theyarejustforcars,

DETACHED afterall.The necessityfor repairsis subjective,anddifferenthomeownershavedifferent

GARAGES standardsforwhatisacceptable.

Problemswiththegarageframing,roongandsidingforexample,areaddressedthesame

wayashouseproblems.Detachedwood-framegaragesoftenhavenofoundationsandfoot-

ings.Woodframewallsmaysitdirectlyonorveryclosetothesoil.Thegarageitselfmay

heavewithfrostactionincoldclimates,butmoreimportantly,thebottomofwoodwallsrot

andthegaragebeginstolean.Misalignmentoftheoverheaddoorcomesrst,thenstructural

failure.

Correctiveactionincludesstraighteningthestructureandreplacingatleastthebottomsof

woodwalls.Dependingontheoverallconditionofthegarage,itmaybemorecosteffective

torebuildit.

FIREPROOFING Thewallsandceilingsofattachedgaragesthatconnecttothehomehaveareseparation

fromthehouse.


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COMBUSTIBLE Insulation is often added in garages. Combustible plastic insulation is very common. It

INSULATION shouldberemovedorcoveredwithanon-combustiblesurfacesuchasdrywallsinceitisa

rehazard.

CRACKEDFLOOR Minorcracksingarageoorslabsarecommon.Seriouscracksand/orsettlingmayindicate

structural problems, butmorecommonly indicatean improperbase below theconcrete.Concreteoorsshouldbeatleastthreeinchesthick.

POORDRAINAGE Garageoorsshouldbesloped

to drain water out of the

garage.Ifthisisnotpossible,a

drainshouldbeprovided.Often,

drainsingaragesareneglected

andareplugged,broken,orun-

dersized. Settlementof garage

oorslabsmayaffectthedrain-

agesothatwaterwillnotow

out. Drains ingarages are not

permittedinmanyareasforfear

peoplewill drainoil and other

uidsintothesewersystem.

VEHICLEDOOR The most common problems

PROBLEMS withgaragedoorsarehardware

issues. Hinges, tracks, springs

andcounterweightsystemsoftenrequireadjustment.Garagesthathavesettled,resultingin

adoorframethatisoutofsquare,contributetotheproblem.

Thebottomedgesofwoodgaragedoorstendtorotandthebottomedgesofsteeldoors

rust.Thedecisiontorepairorreplaceissomewhatsubjective.Metaldoorsmaybedented.

Inmostcasesthisisacosmeticissue.Damagefromvehicleimpactmayrenderthedoor

inoperative.

DOOR Garagedooropenerssometimesfailduetomisalignmentofthegaragedoorortrack.Some

MISALIGNMENT jurisdictionsrequirethattheopenerbepluggedintoanelectricaloutletnotmorethansix

feetfromtheopener.

AUTOMATIC Allgaragedooropeningdevicesshouldautomaticallyreversethedoorifitstrikessomething

REVERSE whileclosingorifsomethingblocksaphoto-electriceyeneartheoor.Thisfeaturereduces

theriskof injury.Garagedooropenersshouldhaveasensitivityadjustment.Itisoftenset

incorrectly.

SPRING Whereoverheaddoorspringsdonothavearodgoingthroughthem,theyareoftenstrapped

RESTRAINT topreventthespringfrombecomingaprojectileifitfails.


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MAN-DOOR Anydoorbetweenthehouse

ISSUES andthegarageshouldhavean

automaticdoorcloser,shouldbe

tight-ttingandbere-rated.It

mayalsobeasolidexterior-type

dooratleast1-3/8inchesthick.

7.0Walkways,DrivewaysandLandscaping

Thesecomponentsareaddressedinahomeinspectiontotheextentthattheyimpactonthe

building.

WALKWAYS, Walkwaysanddrivewaysmaybegravel,asphalt,concrete,stone,orpavers(individualpaving

DRIVEWAYS& stonesorbricks).Regardlessofthematerial,theyshouldbeslightlyslopedtodrainwater

PATIOS awayfromthehouse.Theyshouldbe relativelysmooth,easytowalkonandfreeoftrip

hazards.

CommonProblemswithWalkways,DrivewaysandLandscaping

POORSLOPE Improperslopesoftencausewetbasementproblems,andinsomecases,erosionand/orfrostdamagetobuildingfoundations.Wherewalksordrivewayspullawayfromthebuilding,wa-

tercanaccumulatealongthefoundationwall,againresultinginwetbasementproblems.In

somecasesadrainisrequiredtocarrysurfacewateraway.Thedrainshouldbearrangedto

preventcloggingwithdebrisorfrostdamagetothedrainassembly.Thepipesleadingfrom

thesedrainscannotbeexaminedduringahomeinspection.

TRIPHAZARD Heavedorunevensectionsofwalkwaysorpatiosmaycreatetriphazards.

TREES/SHRUBS/ Shrubs, trees, and plantersmayadd totheappearance and valueof aproperty, but can

PLANTERSTOO adverselyaffectthebuilding.Shrubsandtreestooclosetoabuildingcanholdwateragainst

CLOSETO walls,preventwoodcomponentsfromdryingoutandprovidepestswithgoodaccessinto

BUILDING thehouse.

Treebranchescancausemechanicaldamagetoroofandwallsurfaces,leavescancloggutters

anddownspouts,androotscanclogdrainagepipesandinseverecases,dislodgefoundations.

Raisedowergardensorplanterscancausewetbasementproblems,especiallyasaresultof

heavywateringofowersduringthesummermonths.


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RAISEDGRADE Wheretheoriginalgradelevelhasbeenraisedbyaddingtopsoil,therearethreeconcerns.The

LEVELISSUES buildingwallmaybesubjecttodamageifwoodcomponentsareincontactwiththesoil.

Watermay leak into the buildingif the soil isabove the top ofthe foundationwall. The

increased load exerted on the foundation wall can push the foundation wall inward,

particularlyinareaswherefrozensoilconditionsmayexist.

8.0RetainingWalls

Analyzingretainingwallsisatrickybusiness.Withmostretainingwalls,theimportantcompo-

nentsarenotvisible.Also,determiningtherateofmovementofaretainingwallisimpossible

fromaone-timevisit.Monitoringisnormallyrequired.Insomecases,theangleofthewall

givesacluetotheperformance.Mostwallsarebuiltwithaslightleantothehigherside.Ifthe

wallisleaningawayfromthehighside,ithasprobablymoved.Onceretainingwallsbeginto

move,theyrarelystop,althoughthemovementmaybeslowandseasonal.

Retainingwallscanbeconstructedofconcrete,masonry,stone,woodorsteel.Thereare

severaldifferentdesigns.

CANTILEVERED Pouredconcreteretainingwallsaretypicallyacantileverdesign.Lookingatacrosssection

WALLS throughthewall,thewallwouldlooklikeaninvertedT.Thebottomportionoftheinverted

Tisburiedbeneaththesoil.TheportionoftheTunderthehighsideofthewallusesthe

weightofthesoiltoresistmovementofthewall.TheportionoftheTprotrudingunderthe

soilonthelowsideofthewallkeepsitfromtiltingforward.Steelreinforcingbarskeepthe

Tfrombreakingatthejoint.Cantileveredretainingwallsextendbelowthefrostlineincold

climatestopreventheaving.

PILEWALLS Pilewallshaveverticalmembersdrivenintothesoil.Theyresistrotationalmovementcaused

bythesoilonthehighsideofthewall.Pilescanbewoodorsteel.


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WOODWALLS Wood retainingwallsare common. Horizontalmembers are tiedback into the soilwith

anchors (tie-backs) woodmembersheadingback intothe soil. Tie-backsare staggered

throughthewallsystemtoprovideresistancetomovement.Insomecases,deadmenare

attachedtotheendsoftheanchorstohelpsecuretheanchors.Thesehorizontalmembersrun

paralleltotheretainingwallitself.Thesewallsdonotextendbelowthefrostline.

PREFABWALLS Precastconcretewallsystemswithinterlockingsectionsalsousetie-backsanddeadmen.

GABIONS Gabionsarealsousedasretainingwallsystems.Agabionisarectangularwiremeshbasket

lledwithrock.Theyarecommonlyseenalongriverbankstopreventerosion.

CommonProblemswithRetainingWalls

MOVEMENT/ Thesinglebiggestenemyofretainingwallsiswater.Saturatedsoilputspressureonretaining

CRACKED/ROT walls.Ifsaturatedsoilfreezes,expansionforcescanbesignicant.Wallsmaymoveasasingle

unit, leaningawayfromthehillormaycrackandbreakapart.Wateralsopromotesrotof

woodenretainingwallsystems.

POORDRAINAGE Well-built retainingwalls have

a layer of gravel behind the

wall andweep/drainage holes

atthebottom.Wedontwant

watertrappedbehindthewall.

Openwall systemswithwood

timbers for example, have

enough natural openings that

drainageholesarenotneeded.


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EXTERIOR

Minorrepairstoretainingwallscanbedonebythehomeowner.Patchingcrackedconcrete

retainingwallsallowsformonitoringoffuturemovement.Majorretainingwallrepairsor

modicationsshouldbelefttoanexpert.Retainingwallsareoftenpoorlybuiltandcanbe

veryexpensivetorepairorreplace.

Exterior , Home Inspection Course and Exam

Documents

Transcript of Exterior , Home Inspection Course and Exam