Any time you have a home inspected, your inspector will look at the structures and systems that make the house what it is. Naturally, he’ll look at the wood structures, like floors, walls, doors and windows.
There are four things that can cause wood structure problems. They are: 1) Deflection and warping, 2) Fungal and insect attack, 3) Fire, and 4) Connection failure and improper alteration. In this article we’ll look at insect damage and rot.
Insect and fungal damage are commonly found where wood door frames touch the concrete or soil at the grade. Moisture is an open invitation to such damage. Dry wood won’t decay. If the wooden structures of a home are properly protected, the moisture content won’t be more than 10 15 . However, at levels of 25 30 , you can count on rot from fungus or insect infestation.
Your home inspector will check the wood components of the home. He’ll be on the lookout for wood stains, fungi, termite shelter tubes, holes, soft or discolored wood, and small piles of sawdust.
He may probe all suspect wood with a sharp instrument and check its moisture content with a moisture meter to see if those problem levels of 20 25 are present. Sound wood separate in long, fibrous splinters, but decayed wood lifts up in short, irregular pieces.
As your home inspector looks on the outside of the house, he’ll look at the following areas:
* Places where wood is in contact with the ground, such as wood pilings, porch and deck supports, porch lattices, wood steps, adjacent fences, and nearby wood piles.
* Foundation walls that might harbor termite shelter tubes, including tubes in the cracks on wall surfaces.
* Frames and sills around the basement or the lower level window and door frames, as well as the base of frames around garage doors.
* Wood framing next to slab on grade porches or patios.
* Wood that’s near or in contact with roofs, drains, window wells, or other areas that are exposed to periodic wetting from rain or lawn sprinklers.
When he inspects the inside of the house, he’ll check the following areas:
* Spaces that are around or within interior foundation walls and floors, crawl spaces, piers, columns, or pipes that might harbor shelter tubes, including cavities or cracks.
* The sill plate that covers the foundation wall, and joists, beams, and other wood components that are in contact with it.
* Wood frame basement partitions.
* Baseboard trim in slab on grade buildings.
* The subflooring and joists below the kitchen, bathroom, and laundry areas.
* Roof sheathing and framing in the attic around chimneys, vents, and other openings.
When wood is damaged by fungus or insects, it’s possible it can be repaired at a reasonable cost. Replacing or adding support to affected areas may be needed, depending on the cause of the problem. The damage may not be severe enough to seriously affect the stability of a home, but certain parts or components may be badly deteriorated. Of course, an exterminator should be consulted when evidence of termite or other insect damage is found.
There’s a lot to consider when it comes to a home’s wood structures. That’s why it’s so important to have a home inspection done before you buy or sell a home to determine the condition of those structures and point the way to correcting any problems that can be dealt with.
Author Resource:
You’ve carefully selected the home you’re buying. Make sure you’re as careful when selecting your home inspector. Author David Haigh is a professional home inspector in NJ. Click now to view a free sample report of a New Jersey home inspection (http://mynjhomeinspector.com ).
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