News & Resources

Getting Ready for Winter (Attic Ventilation)

Posted by in Attic Ventilation, Buying/Maintaining a Home, Winter Concerns | August 24, 2015

THAT time of year is just around the corner.  The time when the temperatures drop and the airborne moisture in the attic condenses on the attic framing and the underside of the roof deck causing moisture staining, frost, excessive moisture… Read More →

What Can We Tell from This Photo? (Case Study 11)

Posted by in Shingles, Simple Forensic Methods, Winter Concerns | August 17, 2015

What can we tell from THIS photo?   This photo was taken at a valley on a shingle roof. The shingles on the left are less weathered indicating that they are not as old as the shingles on the right.… Read More →

What Can We Tell from This Photo? (Case Study 10)

Posted by in Basements, Simple Forensic Methods, Water Sources | August 10, 2015

This photo was taken at the base of a basement wall. We note the following: The moisture staining on the wood stud and the cardboard box indicate that there has been water infiltration. The multiple rings of the moisture staining… Read More →

What Can We Tell from This Photo? (Case Study 9)

Posted by in Fire Damage, Simple Forensic Methods, Wood | August 03, 2015

What can we tell from THIS photo? The wood plates and staples indicate that these are very old field built wood trusses. The soot and char indicate that they have been exposed to a fire. The relatively clean separation between… Read More →

What Can We Tell from This Photo? (Case Study 8)

Posted by in Cracking, Masonry, Simple Forensic Methods | July 27, 2015

What can we tell from THIS photo? The portion of the wall on the left side of the cracking has dropped relative to the right.  This indicates that the cracking is probably from some type of earth movement, such as… Read More →

Here Are a Few Head Scratchers

Posted by in The Unusual | July 20, 2015

Sometimes I see things that just don’t look right.  Here are a few.   How did THIS happen?   No matter which way I turn, I violate a sign.    This valley flashing doesn’t look like it’ll work, does it?… Read More →

Cinder Concrete Floor Deck

Posted by in Concrete, Steel | July 13, 2015

Cinder concrete was an early development in concrete floor construction.  It was appeared about one hundred years ago or so, when engineers and builders started combining steel and concrete to frame a floor.  It was a method that used a… Read More →

What Causes Siding to Become Loose in the Middle of the Wall?

Posted by in Siding | July 07, 2015

We have often seen a loose course of siding in the middle of an exterior wall of a dwelling (Figure LS-1 and LS-2).  In fact, I have seen it on my own home.     What causes this? If you… Read More →