Alatech Home Inspection Services

Your home inspection will be performed in accordance with the Standards of Practice of the State of Alabama and the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and will include an evaluation and description of:

For the Standards of Practice of the State of Alabama go to their website, click here.

Insulation and ventilation: The insulation and vapor retarders in unfinished spaces. The ventilation of attics and foundation areas. The mechanical ventilation systems. Describe the insulation and vapor retarders in unfinished spaces, the absence of insulation in unfinished spaces at conditioned surfaces.

Heating System: The installed heating equipment. The vent systems, visible flues, and chimneys.

Plumbing System: The interior water supply and distribution systems including fixtures and faucets. The drain, waste and vent systems including fixtures. The water heating equipment, the vent systems, visible flues, and chimneys. The fuel storage and fuel distribution systems. The drainage sumps, sump pumps, and related piping.

Air Conditioning Systems: The installed central and through-wall cooling equipment.

Interior: The walls, ceilings, and floors. The steps, stairways, and railings. The counter tops and a representative number of installed cabinets. A representative number of doors and windows. Garage doors and garage door operators.

Fireplaces and Solid Fuel Burning Appliances: The system components, the vent systems, visible flues, and chimneys.

Electrical System: The service drop. The service entrance conductors, cables, and raceways. The service equipment and main disconnects. The service grounding. The interior components of service panels and sub panels. The conductors. The over-current protection devices. A representative number of installed lighting fixtures, switches, and receptacles. The ground fault circuit interrupters.

Structural Components: The structural components including foundation and framing. The floor wall and ceiling structure, the under-floor crawl space, the roof structure and the attic.

Exterior: The exterior wall covering, flashing and trim. All exterior doors, attached decks, balconies, stoops, steps, porches, and their associated railings. The eaves, soffits, and fascias where accessible from the ground level. The vegetation, grading, surface drainage, and retaining walls on the property when any of these are likely to adversely affect the building. Walkways, patios, and driveways leading to dwelling entrances.

Roof System: The roof covering, the roof drainage systems, the flashing, the skylights, chimneys, and roof penetrations. We Inspect from a ladder at the eaves or walking the roof unless it is unsafe or damage to the roof can occur.

Synthetic Stucco Inspection

A Stucco Moisture Analysis is to access the condition of the stucco system, looking for visible flaws, inadequate water diversion and sealant failures and conduct moisture readings using electronic moisture devices.

Further investigation may be needed to determine the extent of water damage, if any, and how best to modify your home to address any moisture problems that may be indicated in the inspection report.

A stucco inspection is limited to the following; sealants, flashing, windows, doors, roof-to-stucco transitions, parapets, gutters, deck-to-building connections, stucco terminations, and any penetrations through the stucco. The inspection consists of photos of sections of the home incorporated in the report with observations of potential problem areas and recording any high readings found. The report provides detailed information on typical moisture-related problems in the home and how to repair and maintain a water resistant cladding.

Not all EIFS or stucco houses leak, although they will at some point in the future, if not properly maintained. Others, however, leak from construction onward. Leaks can occur due to: Missing or improper roof/wall flashing, leaking windows and doors, penetrations through the cladding and improper deck flashing. See the photo of the leaks detected at the vent and roof returns.

Because this is a limited inspection, we can make no guarantee, express or implied, that our observations and random moisture readings offer conclusive evidence that no moisture problems exist, or that problems found are all-inclusive. Nor does a high moisture reading offer conclusive evidence that a problem exists; false readings, while infrequent, do occur. The combination of a trained eye, experience, education and moisture meter readings is what makes this screening process effective.

If you interested in obtaining a stucco warranty for your home; Moisture Warranty Corporation is the only national company that can insure EIFS (Stucco) homes.

Alatech Home Inspection service follows the inspection protocol of the Moisture Warranty Corporation and Alatech’s reports are accepted for review and possible warranty coverage. With this solution you can feel secure that your interim and post repair inspections will be through. Warranties are written by Moisture Warranty Corporation.

If you choose to have a stucco warranty, you’ll also want to have interim inspections to be sure that moisture problems do not reoccur.

If you have a repair company that inspects and repairs stucco and offers a bond the company will require doing the interim inspections. If the inspector finds that damage has occurred during an interim inspection it will cost the company money to repair the damage, so he may be hesitant to disclose that he found damage.

You can contact moisture warranty at www.moisturewarranty.com or 1-800-400-8679

Alatech Home Inspection Service can perform a complete home inspection of structure for real-estate transactions. Inspection fees are based on the size of the structure in sq. ft., number of sides and how many stories. Please contact us directly with any questions that you may have.

Alatech

Home Inspection Services

Phone: 256-239-4450