Renovation 4th Edition Read online

  inspector’s report.

  When you’re ready, the opinion of an accred-

  also, if you like a house, check out the neighborhood, and talk to neighbors to

  ited house inspector can be invaluable. Typically,

  see what they are like. ask about traffic, schools, shopping, city services, and crime.

  house inspections take two to three hours and

  This will help you imagine what living there will be like.

  yield a detailed field report that can run 20 pages

  or more. A report also may recommend addi-

  tional inspections, if warranted, by structural

  The Roof

  engineers, HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air-

  conditioning) specialists, and the like.

  Because water is usually a house’s main enemy,

  spend time examining the roof—the first line of

  geTTINg ReadY To INSpeCT

  defense against rain, snow, and ice. Few home-

  owners would allow a prospective buyer on a

  Before conducting any inspections, get a tetanus

  sloped roof, whether fearing roof damage or a

  shot. After all, you’ll be poking around basements fall. Even if you’re sure-footed and could obtain

  and attics where sharp nails or wood splinters

  permission, it’s probably wiser to stay on the

  could break the skin and cause infections. Dress

  ground. Use your binoculars to take a closer look,

  the part by wearing old clothes. Wear sneakers or unless, of course, you’ll be inspecting a flat roof.

  crepe-soled shoes if you’ll be on ladders or roofs;

  if you’re crawling around the basement, wear

  RooF CHeCKpoINTS

  heavy-soled boots. Carry a pad of graph paper

  and a pencil, a flashlight, a pocketknife, a spirit

  Sight along the ridge to see if it’s straight. If

  level, and binoculars.

  the ridge sags in the middle, suspect too many

  You’re less likely to be distracted if you con-

  layers of roofing or undersize rafters. If the roof

  duct your inspection alone. You’re after facts, not sags between rafters, the roof sheathing may

  the opinions of an owner or real estate agent

  be too thin and should be replaced during the

  who’s eager to sell. If you’re working with a part-

  next reroofing.

  ner, discuss your intentions with him or her

  Next, look for flashing at the bases of chim-

  beforehand; you may want to divvy up the

  neys and plumbing vents. These objects can

  inspection tasks. Likewise, if your real estate

  dam water and allow it to leak through the roof.

  agent will be present, make it clear that time is

  If flashing is absent, rusty, or otherwise deterio-

  tight and you need to focus.

  rated, there’s a good chance of water damage.

  Begin outside, scrutinizing the house method-

  The valleys between roof sections should be

  ically from top to bottom. As you see flaws and

  flashed because they carry a lot of water. Thus,

  suspect areas, record them on a sketch of the

  where roof planes converge, you should see

  building. Then go inside and repeat the process,

  either metal flashing down the valley (an open

  as suggested in this chapter. Finally, as you

  valley) or interwoven shingles (a closed valley).

  inspect, look for patterns in what you observe:

  Drip-edge is specialized flashing that should

  If there’s water damage at the top of an interior

  protrude from beneath the lowest courses of

  wall or near a window, look outside for worn

  roofing. It allows water to drip clear of the roof.

  roofing, missing flashing, and the like. Water will Older homes lacking drip-edges often suffer

  be the cause of many, if not most, problems.

  water damage because water soaks backward

  Reading a House

  9

  zzzzzz eaves Flashing

  Two’s the Limit

  If there are two or more layers of roofing, strip

  Shingles

  the roof to the sheathing before reroofing. The

  best place to count layers is along the edges.

  Waterproof membrane

  But, as you count, keep in mind that roofers

  or building paper

  often double the shingles along the edges to

  stiffen the shingle overhang so water drips

  freely off its edge.

  Sheathing

  Drip-edge

  Fascia

  Soffit vent

  Gutter

  under sheathing onto the tops of walls (see

  Wood SHINgLeS aNd SHaKeS

  “Eaves Flashing” at right).

  Shingle wear will almost always be greater on a

  Wherever roofs adjoin walls or dormer walls,

  south-facing roof because that side gets the most

  look for roof-to-wall and step flashings, as shown sun. If shingle ends are cupping and splitting,

  in “Flashing a Shed Roof That Abuts a House

  plan to reroof soon.

  Wall” on p. 89. At brick chimneys, consider

  Mossy shingles or shakes are common in wet

  whether saddle and step flashings are properly

  climates and on shady roof sections. Although

  counterflashed, as shown in “Chimney Flashing”

  moss-covered shingles can be relatively sound,

  on p. 88.

  moss retains water and will induce rot.

  If the house is in a fire-risk area, insurers may

  aSpHaLT SHINgLeS

  refuse to give a policy on a wood-shingle or

  If the granular surface of asphalt shingles is worn wood-shake roof. In this case, replace it with

  and if shingles are cupped and dog-eared, it’s

  noncombustible roofing.

  time for a new roof. Ditto if gutters contain a sig-

  nificant amount of gravel washed off the surface

  SLaTe SHINgLeS

  of the shingles.

  Do not attempt to walk on slate roofs. Even when

  If the roofing is lumpy and uneven, there are

  dry, they’re slippery. Slate also is brittle and

  probably two or more layers of shingles that

  breaks easily.

  weren’t well installed. They’ll need to be stripped

  Off-color areas may indicate replacement

  to the sheathing before reroofing.

  shingles in an area damaged by a falling tree

  Do you see odd-colored shingles? If so, they

  limb. Later, when you are in the attic, check for

  are probably patches over old leaks. Or if the

  water stains on supporting lumber.

  roof is relatively new and shingles are worn in

  If you see rust-colored streaks or cockeyed

  only one area, perhaps one bundle of shingles

  slates, the installer may have used nails that weren’t

  was defective.

  galvanized, which by now have rusted through.

  A roof less than five years old with a large

  Although it’s possible to remove and renail slate,

  number of loose or missing shingles indicates

  the job requires a costly specialist. However, if

  that the installer’s power nailer was set too deep

  many nails have rusted through, the roof is danger-

  and drove the nails through the shingles. In this

  ous, and the slate should be removed.

  case, th
at roofing needs to be replaced.

  10

  Chapter 1

  RooF TILeS

  down new gravel, lock the door to the roof, and

  consider yourself lucky.

  Stay off tile roofs. Even when the slope isn’t steep,

  Most leaks occur at turn-ups, where the flat

  your weight could damage the tiles. Inspect them roof joins walls, parapets, and other vertical sur-

  from an extension ladder or with binoculars.

  faces. If the turn-up surfaces are cracked, split,

  Look for odd-colored tiles from earlier

  sagging, or unpainted, water may have gotten in

  repairs. Obviously cracked or broken tiles can be

  and done damage. A large amount of tar at the

  replaced, but the job is costly. Under the roof,

  base of walls may indicate inadequate flashing

  check for water stains.

  and frequent repairs.

  Look closely at the ridge. Sagging ridge and

  Cracking or blistering around downspout out-

  rafters suggest too much weight on the framing.

  lets and internal drains indicates inadequate

  It’s a big expense to remove the tiles, bolster or

  maintenance. Are there wire baskets in the open-

  replace sagging rafters, replace sheathing, and

  ings? Are openings free of debris? If you have

  then replace tiles.

  doubts, flush the outlets with a hose to see how

  well they drain.

  meTaL RooFINg

  Is the flashing around plumbing vents sound?

  Stay off metal roofs. They are slippery, whether

  This is not a major repair, but it can indicate

  wet or dry.

  general neglect.

  Even though a rusty roof may not look great, it

  could be watertight with a lot of years left in it.

  CHImNeYS

  Roofs with superficial rust can be sanded and

  Although the homeowner probably won’t let you

  repainted. Check for evidence of leaks in the attic.

  on the roof, chimneys need closer inspection

  Roofing panels should be nailed at the high

  than binoculars allow. Even if the chimney looks

  point of metal folds. If you see many nails in the

  good through binoculars, make the purchase

  roofing channels themselves—where the water

  agreement contingent on a professional chimney

  runs—the installation was inept, and you’ll need

  inspection. Here’s what a pro will look for:

  a new roof.

   Are mortar joints solid or crumbly?

  Repointing mortar isn’t a big job unless it’s

  BuILT-up RooFINg

  badly eroded—in which case, the chimney may

  On older built-up roofs, there were alternating

  be unsound and may need to be rebuilt or

  layers of heavy building paper and hot tar, cov-

  removed.

  ered with light-colored gravel to reflect sunlight

   Is there a sloping mortar chimney cap or

  and protect the surface from ultraviolet (UV)

  crown at the top of the chimney to shed water?

  damage. More recently, modified bitumin (MB)

  A mortar cap is easy enough to repair, but a

  has largely replaced hot tar and paper. MB roofs

  cracked or missing cap suggests a lack of

  typically have cap membranes “torched on”

  general maintenance and possible water and

  (heated with a propane flame) to fuse them to

  ice damage inside the chimney. Concrete-

  fiberglass-reinforced interplies, or base coats.

  based caps in snow country should overhang

  Blisters in built-up roofs are usually caused by bricks by at least 1 in. (see “Overhanging

  trapped water. Individual blisters can be patched

  Chimney Crown” on p. 227).

  with three-course patches (see chapter 5), but if

   If there is a prefabricated metal or

  This old brick chimney has four

  blisters are widespread, it’s time to reroof.

  concrete cap elevated above the chimney top

  strikes against it: crumbling mortar,

  Foot traffic can abrade and puncture flat

  to keep precipitation out, it, too, must be

  failed base flashing, no flue lining,

  roofs. If you find no evidence of water damage

  crack-free and well attached. Elevated caps

  and a wind-buffeted TV antenna that

  below, you can spot-patch abused areas, lay

  stresses mortar joints.

  may interfere with fireplace draft, so look for

  smoke marks above the fireplace opening.

   Is chimney flashing at the roof intact?

  FLat

  Tired flashing can be replaced when it’s time

  Roofs aren’t FLat to reroof, but missing or degraded flashing

  Flat roof is a misnomer: Even relatively flat roofs

  may mean water damage and rotted framing

  need some slope to shed water. (After all, a

  in the attic.

  cubic yard of water weighs 1,684 lb.) Still, water

   To be safe, chimneys must have an intact

  tends to pool on low-slope roofs, so roofing

  liner (usually flue tile in older houses). If the

  membranes must be intact to keep water out.

  flue is only brick and mortar instead of flue tile

  or if there’s creosote running down the outside

  of the chimney, the chimney is unsafe. Any

  Reading a House

  11

  cracks in a flue—or no flue at all—can allow

  superheated gases to escape and ignite the

  Chimney Fires adjacent framing.

  If the flue tile is badly cracked or if you spot

  shiny black creosote flakes on the roof, there’s

  House Exterior

  been a chimney fire. Chances are the chimney

  After inspecting the roof, examine the gutters and

  wasn’t cleaned regularly, and combustible creo-

  eaves. The overhanging eaves are actually a tran-

  sote compounds built up inside the chimney. If

  sition from roof to wall and are composed of sev-

  the chimney can’t be relined—say, with a flexi-

  eral building materials.

  ble stainless-steel liner—it should be replaced.

  It would also be wise to ask how frequently the

  guTTeRS aNd doWNSpouTS

  chimney was cleaned and how recently. If the

  Eyeball the trim at the eaves. Is it intact or split-

  owner claims that it was regularly cleaned, it’s

  ting? Do you see stains or discoloration? Water

  fair to ask to see inspection records.

  damage along the eaves usually is caused by

  Chimneys should be inspected annually,

  clogged gutters or missing drip-edge flashing on

  including a close inspection of the top. Better

  the roof and, less often, by roof leaks.

  chimney-cleaning services now lower video cam-

  You’ll need to replace metal gutters that have

  eras into the flue to show homeowners the cur-

  rusted through or that leak widely. But this is a

  moderate expense, unless you replace them with

  rent situation and to make recommendations for

  copper gutters. If the deteriorated gutters are

  relining. More information can be found at the

  wood, they will usually be nailed directly to fas-

  Chi
mney Safety Institute of America’s website

  cia trim or, less often, built into a cornice. By the

  (www.csia.org).

  time they fail, they may have allowed a lot of rot

  to occur behind them. Probe to see how much.

  Wood gutters are the most expensive to replace,

  so consider alternatives.

  Stained siding behind downspouts may have

  been caused by clogs or gutter seams that rusted

  through. Or if the downspouts and gutters are

  new, upper downspout sections may have been

  mistakenly slipped over lower ones, rather than

  into them.

  If rainwater gushes over the gutter, either the

  downspout screen, the downspout itself, or the

  ground drainpipe is clogged. Aboveground clogs

  are easy to fix. Belowground clogs require either

  reaming tools or digging, still only moderate

  expenses. But if the drainpipe is clogged with

  tree roots, you may need to replace it.

  poking around

  Any exterior weathering or deterioration may

  signal rot behind. To find out, use a pocketknife

  awl to gently probe exterior trim, siding–trim

  joints, discolored siding along the base of a

  house, and the trim around windows and doors.

  If there’s rot, a gentle pressure on the awl will

  be enough to penetrate damaged areas.

  Leaking pipes and vegetation too close to the house were factors in causing this siding to rot.

  12

  Chapter 1

  SIdINg

  Tattletale

  Wood siding will deteriorate if it’s not well

  CraCks

  maintained, especially along south-facing walls,

  Diagonal cracks running out from the upper

  which get the most sun. A certain amount of

  corners of windows or doors may telegraph big

  weathering is normal. Cracked and worn shin-

  gles or clapboards can be replaced, but if the

  trouble. Building loads often concentrate on a

  deterioration is widespread, it makes sense to

  header—a load-bearing member over a door or

  re-side the whole wall.

  window opening—and diagonal cracking may

  If you see widespread vertical black-brown

  be a sign the header is not adequately supported.

  stains on siding that’s otherwise in good shape,

  That is, the house’s framing or foundation may

  installers likely failed to use galvanized or

  be shifting. Get a structural engineer’s opinion.

  corrosion-resistant nails. Fixing the problem

  may mean sinking, filling, and priming the nail