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27 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Does the home inspector inspect the foundation from the outside or inside?
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Inspect first from the OUTSIDE
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What eight things is an inspector looking for when inspecting the foundation from the outside?
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Focus on: 1. Ridge line of roof 2. Racking/leaning of house 3. Chimney pulling away 4. Twisted siding 5. Movement of the foundation 6. Settling in corners 7. Cracks in the walls 8. Displacement of windows |
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What five things should an inspector look for when inspecting the foundation from the inside?
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1. Cracks in the foundation wall 2. bowing or leaning of walls 3. Window displacement 4. Deterioration of materials 5. Evidence of water penetration |
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What are the four types of cracks?
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Vertical, angled, horizontal, and shrinkage
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What causes VERTICAL cracks?
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Settling of the structure, soil compacting, or soil washing away under the footings. Also: after remodeling, if new dead loads are added to the structure |
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When are vertical cracks serious?
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When they extend to the footing. Caused by uneven settling of the building and can indicate that the wall is separating.
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What causes angled cracks?
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When the upload and download are offset. This happens when there is a difference in the soil.
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Angled cracks point down to the direction of the (UPLOAD OR OFFLOAD)?
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UPLOAD
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What is a v-crack?
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When a crack increases in width along the path. Vertical: wider at top, settling at end of wall Horizontal: wall is moving out from the middle |
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What does it mean when there is a crack at one corner of a house?
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Broken footing (possibly due to soil, tree roots)
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What are horizontal cracks?
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Indication of pressure being applied from the outside. The wall will bow inward.
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What happens when a wall is displaced?
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The surface of the wall is out of alignment.
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What is a pilaster?
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Brick columns built against the interior foundation wall to support the wall and lateral load. Can be original or an addition to correct a problem. |
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What are shrinkage cracks?
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Appear in the foundation walls as part of the curing process. They can be due to too much moisture in the block.
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When are cracks a problem?
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Cracks less than 1/4 inch wide with/without displacement are not signs of serious failure unless they are active. Cracks over the 3/8 inch wide should be examined carefully. Active cracks should be documented. Active cracks have sharp edges. |
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What is important about the ridge line of the roof?
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Make sure it's in a straight line. Look for sags and distortion in the ridge line. |
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What is important about racking of the house?
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Racking is when the structure leans and there are no longer 90 degree angles. Indicates a failure of the wall structure. |
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What is important about the chimney?
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Chimneys sit on their own foundation so pulling away from the house is a sign of issues
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What is important about twisted siding?
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Siding can hide issues but twisted siding can indicate something going on under.
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What is important about checking for foundation movement?
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Check all visible portions of the foundation for movement and cracks. **check the condition of the mortar with a screwdriver/knife |
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Cracks that start at windows and end a short distance away indicate what?
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That the header or lintel is overloaded
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What does displacement of the windows mean?
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Indicates the house is settling
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What is involved in the interior inspection of the foundation?
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Wall cracks, bowing/leaning of walls, displacement of windows, deterioration, water penetration
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What is the difference between a bow, a sweep, and a bulge?
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Bow: vertical curve Sweep: horizontal curve Bulge: combo of both bow and sweep |
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When does the center of gravity matter for a wall?
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If the wall is bulging it causes the center of gravity to shift down. If the center of gravity has moved more than 1/3 the distance from its center to off position, the wall can collapse.
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When should a customer monitor the foundation?
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Small cracks in the foundation, with displacement, that are not active.
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When should you recommend a structural engineer?
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Active cracks over 3/8 inch wide, horizontal cracks with movement, step cracks indicating a footing failure, bowing or leaning of the walls, shearing of the foudnation
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