Sonoran Property Inspections

Home Inspections Prescott, Prescott Valley, Cottonwood, Scottsdale, Arizona

House Maintenance Tip for Ice Dams

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It has been very cold here in Prescott lately, so as your local home inspector I want to share a few tips concerning ice dams.

What’s an ice dam?

An ice dam is a mass of ice that gathers along the lower edge of roof lines in climates with cold winter temperatures and regular snowfall. Severe ice dams can weigh many hundreds of pounds, compromising the structure of the roof eaves. More critically, ice dams can cause melt water to back up under the shingles, where it can flow down and ruin ceiling and wall surfaces. If ignored, ice dams can cause serious damage to your roof, gutters, paint, insulation and interior drywall and other surfaces. On some houses, ice dams are a pervasive and damaging winter roofing problem, but other houses may have no trouble at all. There is no mystery as to why some houses are plagued with ice dams while others are immune: the answers can be found in the attic. Houses with good attic ventilation generally do not experience ice dams, and the physics are quite simple: By circulating cool outside air in the attic space (or in the rafter spaces just below the roof deck), the roof surface remains below freezing and cannot melt the snow on the roof.

In addition to improving attic ventilation, the next best method to lower temperatures against the roof deck is by insulating the ceiling in living spaces below the attic or against the inside surface of the roof. If you have an open attic, this means insulating the floor of the attic. If you have a finished second-story in which a finished ceiling is directly against the roof, this means insulating the rafter spaces (in combination with ventilation baffles). These methods of insulating will prevent heat from rising up to the roof deck and heating it to a point where it can melt snow lying on the roof. 

Preventive efforts are best conducted during the spring, summer, or fall, but if you’ve neglected to take these measures and are facing serious ice dams in the winter, there are several options for minimizing or eliminating them:  

  • Use a roof rake after heavy snowfalls: Ice dams appear quickly after a heavy snow because of the insulating properties of snow. Using a long-handled roof rake to removing the snow from at least at lower 4 feet of roof edge can help prevent ice dams from forming.
  • Use calcium chloride or an ice-melt product: If you have an ice dam forming, you can apply an ice melt product to the ice.
  • Chip off the ice: Although climbing onto the roof is never advised, you may be able to chip away some of the ice by hand if you can reach the eaves with an extension ladder. It is usually not necessary to remove the entire ice dam, since opening up a channel may be enough to allow additional melt water to flow off the roof.
  • Hire a professional: When ice dam buildup is too much for you to handle, the solution is to call in a firm specializing in this service. Some roofing contractors offer this service during the winter when there is little roofing work to do.

Home Renovations

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If you are buying a home that needs work, or selling a home and want to renovate first, or most importantly just want to stay put and enjoy your home more, here are some tips from Sonoran Property Inspections to consider before you start your home renovation projects.  Getting ideas is easier now than ever. Use online tutorials and magazines to get ideas, and decide what you want to do yourself. Make sure you feel confident in taking on parts of the project or look into getting professional help.

Do you have the right equipment?

Research the needed tools to be sure you have everything you will need before starting the project. This includes safety equipment like gloves, eyewear, ear plugs, and masks to protect your lungs from harmful fumes.

Protect Furniture and other surfaces.

Before you actual start, cover furniture, flooring, countertops, and other surfaces to keep them clean and protected.

Be careful with harmful substances

Older homes may contain hidden dangers in the form of asbestos. There may also be hidden molds in basements, drywall, baths and kitchens. If the home was built before the mid 1970’s there may be lead based paints.  All of these potential issues should be considered before taking on a DIY project.

Final words on the subject

Do-it-yourself projects can be fun, save you money, and be immensely rewarding. For major renovations or projects that affect the overall value of your home, it’s best to seek out the help of professionals. Your home is a large investment and through taking necessary precautions you can do your best to minimize potential risks of a DIY project gone wrong. Do your research and don’t be afraid to reach out to a professional for a quote on a project you might feel unsure about.

 

Engineered Wood Flooring

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As a home inspector here in Arizona, I am seeing more engineered wood flooring being installed in homes that I inspect. Engineered wood flooring is an alternative to solid hardwood flooring made entirely out of real wood.  It’s currently the most popular type of flooring in the world.  North America is the only area left where traditional, solid wood floors still outnumber engineered floors, but engineered wood flooring is quickly catching up, with the rate of use for new builds, as well as remodels, increasing steadily every year for the past few decades.  As a homeowner you may be interested in how this product is manufactured and installed, and what its advantages are compared to older, more traditional forms of flooring.

Brief History

The beginnings of mass-produced wood flooring can be dated as far back as 1903, when an E. L. Roberts mail-order catalog offered “wood carpeting.”  This flooring consisted of 1½ x 5/16-inch wooden strips that were glued to heavy canvas that was then installed by tacking it down with brads.  The wood was then sanded and finished.  The varnishes used were usually slow-curing tung oils from China.  These were not durable in themselves, so the floors were hot-waxed and buffed to a shine with a floor brush.

Early examples of the “wood carpet” eventually evolved into more modern iterations, such as laminate flooring, which consists of melamine-infused paper as its upper layer, and wood-chip composite beneath.  Laminate flooring typically features a printed or embossed top layer meant to approximate the look of real hardwood.

The current incarnation of engineered wood flooring has been available since the 1960s, and has steadily increased in quality, leading to improved advantages over traditional hardwood flooring.

Composition

Engineered wood flooring is most commonly made with a plywood-core substrate and a real hardwood veneer or skin, which comes pre-finished from the factory.  The top veneer, which looks just like the top of a traditional solid wood plank, is called the lamella. 

Some engineered flooring utilizes a finger-core construction, with a substrate comprised of small pieces of milled timber running perpendicular to the lamella.  This can be made with an additional layer of plywood running parallel to the lamella, which gives it added stability.  Fiberboard-core flooring is also available, but it’s generally considered to be an inferior option.

Engineered wood flooring is meant to be indistinguishable from traditional hardwood floor once it’s installed, and only the lamella is visible.  The lamella veneers available are made from nearly every type of common wood, as well as many more exotic ones, in order to provide the same variety of aesthetics typical of quality hardwood floors.  The substrate that the veneer is attached to is just as strong and durable as hardwood — if not stronger — and the finish applied at the factory often outlasts one applied on-site to solid wood flooring.  Even surface effects are available that can be applied to the finish to give the flooring a time-worn look, such as light distressing.

Engineered flooring runs the gamut from the low end, starting at $3 per square foot, to the high, at $14 and more. To judge quality, check the thickness of the lamella, the number of layers in the substrate, and the number of finish coats.  Typically, the more layers, the better. Listed below are descriptions of the advantages of adding layers to the construction in the common classes of engineered boards:

  • 3-ply construction: 1- to 2-mm wear layer; five finish coats; 10- to 15-year warranty; 1⁄4-inch thick; current price is about $3 to $5 per square foot.  Options for lamella veneer are limited to common species, such as oak and ash, and just a few stains are available;
  • 5-ply construction: 2- to 3-mm wear layer; seven finish coats; 15- to 25-year warranty; 1⁄4-inch thick; about $6 to $9 per square foot.  More species, such as cherry, beech, and some exotics are available for lamella, as well as all stains, and a few surface effects, such as distressing; and
  • 7-ply or more: 3+-mm wear layer, which can be sanded two or more times; nine finish coats; 25+-year warranty; 5/8- to 3⁄4-inch thick; average price is about $10 to $14 per square foot.  The widest selection of species is available for lamella, including reclaimed options.  More surface treatments are also available, such as hand-scraped and wire-brushed.

The cost of engineered flooring can be around 20% more than that of traditional flooring, but the difference can be offset or recouped by saving on installation, staining and sealing.

Installation

Installation of engineered wood flooring is generally quite simple compared to the installation of traditional hardwood, and can often be accomplished by a homeowner without the help of a professional flooring contractor.  If the services of a professional are enlisted, the job can be done more quickly and cost-effectively than if solid hardwood were to be installed.  Engineered flooring can be fastened in place with screws or nails, glued down, or left to “float,” relying on its mass to hold it in place.  Listed below are several installation methods:

  • A bead of glue can be applied to the tongue of each board, which is then tapped into place with a block. The floor floats, unattached to the sub-floor except by force of gravity.
  • A floor stapler and compressor can be used to rapidly secure the boards to the existing floor, without having to deal with any glue.
  • Boards can be laid in a bed of adhesive, as is done with tile.  This approach works particularly well over cured concrete, which precludes the use of staples.
  • Some types of engineered floor are designed with milled tongues and grooves that lock together without glue or fasteners. It’s the quickest and cleanest installation method.

Advantages of Engineered Flooring

While solid hardwood is a great traditional building material that provides aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound flooring, it does have its limitations.  For example, it cannot be installed directly on concrete or below grade, such as in basements.  It is generally limited in plank width and is more prone to gapping, which is excessive space between planks, and cupping, which is a concave or “dished” appearance of the plank, with the height of the plank along its longer edges being higher than the center with increased plank size.  Solid hardwood also cannot be used where radiant-floor heating is in place.
Engineered wood flooring, on the other hand, can actually provide some distinct advantages over traditional hardwood in many instances and applications.  Some of these include:
  • Lamella veneer is available in dozens of wood species.
  • Surface effects can be applied to further enhance its appearance.
  • The factory finish can outlast site-applied finish on solid hardwoods.
  • Drying time for the finish is eliminated because it’s pre-applied at the factory.
  • It can be used in basements and over concrete slabs.
  • Installation is quick and easy.
  • It can be used over radiant-heat systems.
  • It can be refinished to repair normal wear and tear.
  • The core layer can expand and contract more freely without warping.
  • The flooring can be removed and re-installed elsewhere, if desired.
Engineered wood flooring is increasingly the first choice for floor installations, and its advantages, in many circumstances, can be exceptional.  Homeowners with a little DIY experience can usually install it themselves.  Inspectors are likely to encounter it in new builds as well as remodels even more frequently as it continues to gain in popularity every year.

Four Things to Remember When You Move

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Whether you are buying or selling a home in Prescott or Phoenix, a home inspection is important, and we are here to help. But once the transaction is complete and it is time to move, here are more helpful reminders of things to add to your moving checklist.

Moving can be stressful. With tons of to-dos, a tight timeline, and a growing pile of boxes, it’s easy to get frazzled and let things fall through the cracks. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Get organized now by making a checklist to work from. Set deadlines for the most critical tasks, like hiring movers, renting a storage unit ,and turning on your new utilities. Aside from packing up room by room, make sure your list has these often forgotten items too:

  • Forward Your Mail: The post office makes it very easy to ensure your mail gets routed to the right place, at least for the first year after your move. Just head to a local branch or go online to update your address with the date you’ll be moving, and your mail will automatically get forwarded.
  • Measure and Decide: Take a measuring tape to your new home and jot down the measurements of each wall and nook. What furniture and decor will fit in your new space? What won’t? It’s better to make decisions about what to donate or sell BEFORE your moving date.
  • Refill Prescriptions: It may take a bit to get your prescriptions forwarded to a new pharmacy and even longer for you to find the time to pick them up. If possible, get your prescriptions refilled ahead of time from your current pharmacy.
  • Back Up Your Electronics: Back up your computer and phone to the cloud (or external hard drive – or both), and make sure you’ve uploaded all your photos and documents somewhere safe. In the event something happens to your devices during the move, a backup will get you up and running faster.

 

As always, give us a call if you have any questions about homes or doing inspections for you. We are here to help.

 

What NOT to Store in the Garage

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When I do a home inspection (Prescott, Prescott Valley, or Scottsdale and Phoenix areas – it doesn’t matter where the garage is located), I often see items stored in the garage that shouldn’t be there. While this information is NOT part of the home inspection report, I figured I would take time now to help educate home owners on storage tips for this area.

Rarely used objects often end up in the attic, basement or garage. But storing your stuff where it seems most convenient isn’t always the best, or safest, idea. Some items are too fragile for these environments, while others could even become dangerous in unregulated conditions.

Take a look at these home storage tips to keep your house and possessions protected.

What to Keep Out of the Garage

For the most part, objects like garden tools or car supplies do fine in the garage. However, fluctuating temperatures make the space off limits for anything that’s too delicate, combustible or that may attract pests.

Some common household items that don’t hold well:

  • Photographs — Moisture, heat and pollutants from your car can cause photos to fade and crinkle over time.
  • Flammables — Sparking engines should be kept far away from potentially leaky propane tanks. Instead of putting them in an enclosed space, always store tanks outside on a flat surface.
  • Perishables — Insects and rodents can make a meal out of almost anything. This includes fabrics, paper and even firewood. Unless you have an outdoor fridge, bring any perishables, even canned food items, indoors.

Basement and Attic Hazards

Attics and basements are bonus storage spaces in many homes, but each comes with some risk from the elements.

In the basement, homeowners need to protect against excess moisture, mold and flooding. Store anything that’s not weatherproof off the ground in a sturdy container.

Attics tend to experience extreme temperature spikes, so anything sensitive that may warp or melt shouldn’t be placed here. Holiday decor, clothing and luggage typically do okay, but it’s better to err on the side of caution.

As a general rule, anything that’s sentimental or financially valuable should be kept safely in the temperature-controlled parts of your home.

 

Home Roof Inspections

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Unprofessional Roofing

As we approach our summer monsoon season here in Arizona, it’s time to inspect your roof -or have a home inspector inspect it for you- to make sure you are ready for the storms and the extreme heat.  In the Prescott area the rains are more prevalent (and steady) than in the Phoenix area (where there can be lots of dust storms and winds, followed by a little or a lot of rain). In either case you want your roof to do what it is designed to do, and we want to give you a few tips to help.

Whether your roof is tile, asphalt shingles, or metal there are things to look for and repair or replace as needed:

  • Broken tiles
  • Missing, broken or buckling shingles
  • Peeling paint under the overhangs
  • Rusty flashing on the roof
  • Trees or shrubs hitting the roof – clear all branches away from roof
  • Clogged gutters
  • Evidence of dampness inside the house around windows or fireplace
  • Dark patches (moisture) on the ceilings
  • Water stains on ceiling or walls

If you notice any of these things you may want to hire a roofing company to come take a closer look to determine if a quick repair is all that is needed to protect your home from future damage. Contrary to what some people believe, your roof will not last forever. While the tiles on the roof may last a long time, the underlayments still needs to be replaced every 15 years or so. Annual inspections will certainly help you maintain your existing roof in our harsh Arizona summers.

Home Inspection – Ceiling Fans

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Most of the homes I inspect in Arizona have ceiling fans, and properly installed and maintained ceiling fans can inexpensively cool or warm building occupants.  Like other fans, it is used to provide comfort for building occupants by circulating air within a room.

Fun Facts About Ceiling FansMost household ceiling fans have four or five blades.

  • An adult human cannot be decapitated by a ceiling fan, according to the TV show “MythBusters.”  A powerful, industrial-strength fan might be able to damage a skull or slice a person’s neck, however – so don’t test this myth (just in case – ha).
  • Ceiling fans were first used in the United States in the 1860s. They were powered by a system of belts driven by a stream of running water.
  • Unlike air conditioners, fans do not actually cool the air, which is why they merely waste electricity when they circulate air in an unoccupied room (yes, I am guilty of this sometimes).

Ceiling Fan Components

A ceiling fan is comprised of the following parts:

  • electric motor:  varies with the size of the fan and its application;
  • blades:  typically, two to six spinning, precision-weighted blades made from metal, wood or plastic; industrial fans typically have three blades, while residential models have four or five;
  • blade irons:  connect the blades to the motor;
  • safety cable: on heavy fans, these are required to hold the fan in place in case the support housing fails;
  • flywheel:  connects the blade irons to the motor;
  • ceiling mount:  designs include ball-in-socket and J-hook;
  • downrod:  used where ceiling fans are suspended from high ceilings;
  • motor housing:  protects the fan motor from dust and its surroundings; may also be decorative; and
  • lamps: may be installed above, below or inside the motor housing.

Common Fan Defects

  • The fan falls. A ceiling fan that breaks free from its ceiling mount can be deadly. Fans must be supported by an electrical junction box listed for that use, according to the National Electric Code, and a fan brace box will need to be installed. While a particular junction box might support a fully assembled fan, during operation, it will exert additional forces (notably, torsion) that can cause the support to fail. Homeowners often overlook this distinction by carelessly replacing light fixtures with ceiling fans without upgrading the junction box, which should clearly state whether it’s rated to hold a ceiling fan.
  • The fan wobbles. This is a common and distracting defect that is usually caused when fan blades are misaligned from one another. Specific problems stem from minute differences in the size or weight of individual blades, warping, bent blade irons, or blades or blade irons that are not screwed in tightly enough. The ceiling mount may also be loose. Wobbling is not caused by the ceiling or the particular way that the fan was mounted. Wobbling will not cause the fan to fall, and there have been no such reports. Wobbling can, however, cause light fixture covers or shades to loosen and potentially fall. These items should be securely attached, with all screws tightly set in place. An easy way to tell if the blades are not on the same plane is to hold a yardstick or ruler against the ceiling and measure the distance that the tip of each blade is from the ceiling by manually pushing the blades. A homeowner can carefully bend the misaligned blade back into place. Blades can also be corrected in this way if measurement reveals that they are not equidistant from one another.
  • There is inadequate floor-to-ceiling blade clearance. No part of the fan blades of a residential ceiling fan (usually having four or more blades) should be closer than 7 feet from the floor in order to prevent inadvertent contact with the blades. Downward air movement is maximized when the fan blades are around 8 or 9 feet from the floor. For high ceilings, the fan may be hung to a desired height. Low-profile fan models are available for ceilings that are lower than 8 feet from the floor. Also, fan blades should be at least 18 inches from walls. For commercial ceiling fans (usually having three blades), no part of the fan blades should be closer than 10 feet from the floor in order to prevent inadvertent contact with the blades.  Underwriters Laboratories UL 507 Section 70.2.1 says:

    “The blades of a ceiling-suspended fan shall be located at least 3.05 m (10 feet) above the floor when the fan is installed as intended.”

Underwriters Laboratories makes exceptions if the fan blade edges are thick and the fan is turning slowly.
  • Blades are turning in the wrong direction. In the winter months, the leading edge of the fan’s blades should be lower than the trailing edge in order to produce a gentle updraft, which forces warm air near the ceiling down into the occupied space below. In the summer, the leading edge of the fan’s blades should be higher as the fan spins counter-clockwise to cool occupants with a wind-chill effect. On most models, the fan direction can be reversed with an electric switch located on the outside of the metal housing, but the same effect can be achieved on other models by unscrewing and remounting the fan blades.
  • An indoor fan is not designed for exterior use. Ordinary indoor ceiling fans are unsafe to use outdoors or in humid environments, such as bathrooms.  They will wear out quickly. Fans that are rated “damp” are safe for humid environments, but they, too, should never be used where they might come into contact with liquid water. Only fans that are rated “wet” are safe for such use, as they incorporate features such as all-weather, UV-resistant blades, sealed motors, rust-resistant housing, and stainless steel hardware.
As always, call us if you have any questions!

 

Understanding the Electric Panel Box on your Home

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One item I usually try to go over with a home buyer after a home inspection is the electric panel.  Many homeowners who are unfamiliar with construction and wiring are timid when it comes to electrical work. It makes perfect sense to have a healthy respect for electricity—it can be dangerous if you don’t understand it.

To give you confidence and a little knowledge to help you discuss electrical problems with an electrician, let’s explore how the service panel (or panel box) controls your home’s electrical system.

 

The Service Panel

After passing through the electric meter, the local electrical utility provides electricity to your house through the service panel (also called the distribution center). The panel, which is usually located in a garage, basement or utility room, distributes electricity through individual circuits that run throughout your house.

The service panel in most homes contains circuit breakers, which look like little switches. Older homes may contain fuses, but they serve the same purpose as circuit breakers—to stop the flow of electricity when there is a problem.

As a homeowner, you need access to the panel for three tasks:

  • to shut off power to the whole house if needed (you do this by switching off the large breaker);
  • to reset a circuit breaker that trips; and
  • to turn off power to individual circuits when you are doing electrical work somewhere in the house.

You can also add new circuits to the panel box if there is room, but this is usually a job for a licensed electrician.

Why Do Circuit Breakers Trip?

If you plug too many appliances into a circuit, the system senses that they require more power than the circuit can accommodate and the circuit breaker trips, shutting off power completely. It’s a safety measure designed to protect the wiring in the circuit, as too great a demand can cause the wires to overheat.

Each circuit has a limit of how much power it can handle. You will find that limit printed on each breaker. The number represents the ampere, or amps, which measure the rate or quantity of electrical flow. The number printed on the main breaker is the upper limit your house’s service can accommodate.

For example, a 15-amp circuit is a light-duty circuit that may power something like living room and bedroom lights and electrical outlets, and there are usually several outlets on one circuit.  A 30- or 50-amp circuit is for appliances that use a lot of energy, such as an electric clothes dryer or an electric range. These kinds of appliances are usually the only thing hooked up to the circuit—called a dedicated circuit—and their wiring will have a larger diameter.

Stopping Circuit Breakers from Tripping

Reducing demand on the circuit is the best way to prevent breakers from tripping. Appliances list their energy demands on an identification label on the unit. Most services experience tripping when juggling power demands. For example, if the breaker trips when you use the microwave and the toaster oven at the same time, you will have to move one of those appliances to another circuit. However, if a circuit trips frequently, contact an electrician because there may be a problem in the wiring or a short circuit.

Reset a breaker in the service panel by first pushing it to the “OFF” position and then pushing it back to the “ON” position. Fuses in older panels can’t be reset but must be replaced. Always replace a fuse with another of the same amperage. Don’t be tempted to install a higher-amp fuse because wiring size corresponds to amps. Wiring that is too small for the new fuse could overheat.

Types of Circuit Breakers

Your home is connected to the electric utility by three wires. Two of the wires are charged with a nominal 120 volts each, and the third wire is neutral. Volts or voltage is the force with which electricity flows. Each of the two “hot” wires is attached to the power bus in the service panel. You can’t see the power bus because the panel box should have an inside cover that allows only the circuit breaker switches to be accessible inside the door or cover. As the name implies, the power bus energizes the circuits with either 120 or 240 volts.

The way the circuit is used determines the amount of voltage needed. A 15-amp circuit requires one hot wire or 120 volts. This type of circuit breaker is called a single-pole breaker. An electric range on a 50-amp circuit may need 240 volts, so it has two hot wires. This type of breaker is called a double-pole breaker.

Other circuit breakers include:

  • ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). These breakers can sense the slightest imbalance in the flow of electrical current when a hot wire touches a ground, such as the metal cabinet of an appliance. Any type of abnormal current flow is called a fault. GFCI breakers trip much more quickly than standard breakers. GFCI protection is required by the National Electrical Code (NEC) in wet areas, such as kitchens and bathrooms, as well as in attached garages. GFCI outlets—the outlets with the “Test” and “Reset” buttons on them—offer the same protection.

  • arc-fault circuit interrupters (AFCIs).  A disconnected hot wire can produce a small arc of electrical current. AFCIs are designed to shut down the circuit before the arc can cause a fire.

Don’t be alarmed if your panel box does not contain GFCI breakers. GFCI electrical outlets provide the same protection. The use of AFCI breakers is relatively new, and not every municipality includes their use in local codes. If you are concerned about arc faults, consult a licensed electrician.

Map the Circuits

Make sure that the inside of the panel door has a legend that clearly indicates which rooms and/or appliances are powered by which breakers.  Many service panels’ legends are missing, illegible or inaccurate.  Make sure that yours is up to date. Work with a helper and methodically go through the house testing the circuits. Don’t assume that all of the outlets in a room are on one circuit. Kitchen lighting and outlets, for example, should be serviced by two circuits. A simple rule of thumb is to check all electrical outlets.

Be Responsible and Safe!

Unless a breaker trips or you want to shut off power to do some electrical work, there’s no need to deal with your service panel.  But it’s important to know where it’s located and to keep the area around it clear so that it’s accessible in an emergency.  It’s also a good idea to store a working flashlight nearby in the event of a power outage.

If the door to your home’s electrical service panel has scorch marks, that could indicate dangerous arcing.  If it’s rusted, there may be a hidden water leak.  It’s best to call a licensed electrician to investigate such issues further.

If your home’s electrical service uses fuses, be sure to keep compatible replacements available.

And never insert any metal object (such as a screwdriver) into the panel or attempt to remove the dead front or cover behind the breakers.  One wrong move could prove fatal.

Do NOT attempt to perform electrical work yourself if you lack the proper experience and training.

Home Inspection – Windows

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One part of any Phoenix or Prescott area home inspection we do is to look at, and operate, all of the accessible windows. This includes the inspector looking for signs of window seal failure. If multiple-pane windows appear misty or foggy, it means that the seal protecting the window assembly has failed. Let’s take a closer look at how window condensation happens, and what it may mean on a home inspection report.
First of all, Condensation is the accumulation of liquid water on relatively cold surfaces.  Almost all air contains water vapor, the gas phase of water composed of tiny water droplets. The molecules in warm air are far apart from one another and allow the containment of a relatively large quantity of water vapor. As air cools, its molecules get closer together and squeeze the tiny vapor droplets closer together, as well. A critical temperature, known as the dew point, exists where these water droplets will be forced so close together that they merge into visible liquid in a process called condensation.

Double-pane windows have a layer of gas (usually argon or air) trapped between two panes of glass that acts as insulation to reduce heat loss through the window. Other types of gas used in this space have various effects on heat gain or loss through the window. Some windows also have a thin film installed between panes that separates the space between the panes into two spaces, further reducing heat loss and heat gain through the window.

Silica Desiccant
A desiccant is an absorbent material designed to maintain dryness in the space it protects. In a double-paned window, silica pellets inside the aluminum perimeter strip absorb moisture from any incoming air that enters the space between the panes. If not for the silica desiccant, any moisture in the space between the panes would condense on the glass as the glass cools below the dew point temperature.

Silica gel has an immense surface area, approximately 7,200 square feet per gram, which allows it to absorb large amounts of water vapor. As the sealant protecting this space fails over time, increasing amounts of moisture-containing air will enter the space between the panes, and the silica pellets will eventually become saturated and will no longer be able to prevent condensation from forming.

Why Double-Paned Windows Fail:  Solar (Thermal) Pumping
Although double-paned windows appear to be stable, they actually experience a daily cycle of expansion and contraction caused by thermal pumping. Sunlight heats the airspace between the panes and causes the gas there to heat up and expand, pressurizing the space between the panes. At night, the window cools and the space between the panes contracts. This motion acts like the bellows of a forge and is called thermal pumping.
Over time, the constant pressure fluctuations caused by thermal pumping will stress the seal. Eventually, the seal will develop small fractures that will slowly grow in size, allowing increasing amounts of infiltration and exfiltration of air from the space between the panes.

Failure Factors

Windows on the sunny side of a home will experience larger temperature swings, resulting in greater amounts of thermal pumping, seal stress and failure rates.

Vinyl window frames have a higher coefficient of expansion resulting in greater long-term stress on the double-pane assembly, and a higher failure rate. Windows also experience batch failure, which describes production runs of windows, especially vinyl windows, that are defective, meaning that the pane assemblies have been manufactured with seals that have small defects that will cause the window to fail prematurely.

The Nature of Damage

If it’s allowed to continue, window condensation will inevitably lead to irreversible physical window damage. This damage can appear in the following two ways:

  • riverbedding.  Condensed vapor between the glass panes will form droplets that run down the length of the window. Water that descends in this fashion has the tendency to follow narrow paths and carve grooves into the glass surface. These grooves are formed in a process similar to canyon formation.
  • silica haze.  Once the silica gel has been saturated, it will be eroded by passing air currents and accumulate as white “snowflakes” on the window surface. It is believed that if this damage is present, the window must be replaced.

Detecting Failure

Condensation is not always visible. If the failure is recent, a failed window may not be obvious, since condensation doesn’t usually form until the window is heated by direct sunlight. Windows in the shade may show no evidence of failure, so your inspector will disclaim responsibility for discovering failed double-paned windows.

 

Recommendations for Failed Windows

According to industry experts, the glazing assembly can be replaced  approximately 75% of the time.  Occasionally, the sashes must be replaced, and only about 5% of those cases require that the entire window be replaced.

Be aware that there are companies that claim to be able to repair misty windows through a process known as “defogging.”

This repair method proceeds in the following order:

  1. A hole is drilled into the window, usually from the outside, and a cleaning solution is sprayed into the air chamber.
  2. The solution and any other moisture are sucked out through a vacuum.
  3. A defogger device is permanently inserted into the hole that will allow the release of moisture during thermal pumping.

There is currently a debate as to whether this process is a suitable repair for windows that have failed, or if it merely removes the symptom of this failure. Condensation appears between double-paned windows when the window is compromised, and removal of this water will not fix the seal itself. A window “repaired” in this manner, although absent of condensation, might not provide any additional insulation. This method is still fairly new and opinions about its effectiveness range widely. Regardless, “defogging” certainly allows for cosmetic improvement, which is of some value to homeowners. It may also reduce the potential for damage caused by condensation in the form of mold or rot.  Some skepticism exists about the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of this method of repair.

In summary, condensation in double-paned windows indicates that the glazing assembly has failed and needs repair or replacement. Visible condensation can damage glazing and is the main indication of sealant failure.

Annual Home Inspections

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The concept of an annual home inspection has been around for a long time, but it may just now be catching on that this is a good idea. Why wait until you plan to sell your home and then get overwhelmed with all the small items that you have not stayed on top of.  As a home inspector in the Prescott area, as well as the Phoenix metro area, we have seen houses that have so much going for them when they hit the market, but then once all the items from a home inspection come up the buyers get concerned with the potential added cost of fixing them, and it sometimes causes them to look elsewhere.

It is easy to stay on top of the maintenance items, and sometimes delay the more costly repairs that all homes need over time, by getting a “home health checkup” on a regular basis – just like going to the doctor for your wellness exams, or taking your car to the shop for routine maintenance. Your home is perhaps your largest asset, so maximize your investment and consider a regular home inspection to provide you with an easy to understand to-do list.

After the inspection you will have a clear idea of the items that need attention so that you may decide what you can do on your own, and what you may need a professional contractor to complete. Then you can enjoy your home more while you live there, and can have fewer surprises when you go to sell it.

Call us today to talk about what we can do for you when it comes to annual (or even semi-annual) “health” checkups for your home!