Showing posts with label building inspections reports Perth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label building inspections reports Perth. Show all posts

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Footing design for home

By: Peter Huber
Posted By: BHIS
Source:http://bit.ly/1Ww1RM1

What is probably as important as consistent compaction is the design of the footings and the actual digging and pouring is equally as important. Firstly footings should be designed according to the nature of the soil. For example you would not design the same size footing when building in clay soils as you would if you were to build on sandy well drained soil.

Building Inspection Perth

It has always been our advise to firstly sample and categorise the soil, if you are to build on clay or loamy soil, especially where drainage is poor. This will then determine the type of footing design for the home and will minimize any settling or cracking that would normally occur.

Pre Purchase Building Inspections Perth

Well we now have got, consistent compaction and a footing, designed specifically for the soil and a slab to match. The next step is to examine the perimeter masonry walls to see if and what type of settling cracks have occurred if any.

Property Inspection Perth WA

The settling cracks that are visible on the brick work or internal walls are a signature or blue print as to what has occurred under the slab.

Professional Building Inspections Perth 

The walls are a reflection or and indication as to the stability of the foundation. Below are some diagrams showing the different type of cracks that can occur and why.

Monday, August 10, 2015

Building Inspections reports Perth | Improving Sub-Floor Ventilation


By: Peter Huber
Posted By: bhis.com.au
Source: bhis.com.au/2012/10/improving-sub-floor-ventilation/


Improving Sub-Floor Ventilation

We will look at improving sub-floor ventilation which if not done correctly can be a cause of decay to timber components.

The other day we were asked to inspect an older style home in Nedlands it was a grand old mansion with timber flooring through out, massive ceilings space and it was oozing with old world charm. Generally the home was in good shape some of the roof timber were showings signs of sag and ageing but one room in particular was extremely cold, and it almost reminded me of the spooky stories one reads about cold rooms in haunted homes, but no such luck.
It turned out, after removing the inspection (male/female) opening in between the floor joists, it was obvious why the room was so cold.

Building Inspections reports Perth:

For starters the distance between the ground and the floor was very close, the home was on a sloped block, and sub-floor ventilation was minimal. I will insert some data facts as supplied by CSIRO to us, on how to improve the subfloor ventilation with some interesting and commonsense applications, but you may well ask what has a sloping block to do with it, well when water via rain is deposited around the perimeter of a house if the home sits on a flat block of land the water will seep into the ground vertically down, if the block is sloped the water that may pond in areas can and will flow down the hill and seep into the ground as it progresses down the incline of the land and hence we get damp and moisture under areas that would mot normally get damp on a level block.

Now the CSIRO Division receives an steady stream of requests for advise on prevention and correction of decay in flooring and in the majority of cases the problem is one of inadequate subfloor ventilation, that is for a free flow of air under all parts of suspended timber floors.

In older buildings the problem can be complicated by an ineffective dam-proof course, by leakages from water supplies or wastes or by the discharge of storm water into the sub-floor cavity, further more in older buildings the provisions for under-floor ventilation is often inadequate.

Building Inspections reports Perth:

We shall take a case in point, where in a double brick dwelling circa(1920) most of the timber flooring had to be renewed. During the repairs the size and numbers of openings in the brickwork below floor level was increased because, with a few exceptions, the only provisions originally provided for ventilation was the openings in the brick work beneath the doorways. Before the new flooring was laid, extra openings were provided within one(1) to two(2) meters of every corner of every room and midway along any wall over five(5) meters long. Each of the new openings occupied the space of at least two bricks.

In addition because of the low sub-floor clearance and the difficulty of providing good cross ventilation, plastic sheeting was spread out over the ground and under all new flooring so as to reduce the area from which soil moisture could evaporate into the sub-floor cavity. Mortar droppings and other debris were removed from the inside of all external ventilator openings and finally the ventilators themselves were replaced.

Replacement of the ventilators was an essential part of the repairs. Surprisingly the smaller of the original terracotta vents provided for rather more free airway than the double brick size, even though the latter had one more opening. However in practice, nether allowed for much air exchange between the subfloor space and the outside because the openings had been blocked by spiders and assorted debris. The pressed metal vents that were used to replace the original terra-cotta air bricks allow for about ten(10) times as much air flow through each opening. This together with the other measures taken should ensure that conditions conducive to decay do not develop again under that floor.

Adequate subfloor ventilation is also an essential requirement which is often overlooked when remedying the problem of excessive dampness in walls, by effectively ventilating all subfloor cavities, moisture that evaporates from the soil or the foundation is removed and the sub-floor humidity is prevented from rising. However achieving an airflow across or along the sub-floor space can be difficult in some houses, especially in terraces where there can be problems in providing vents at both ends of the house.

Building Inspections reports Perth:

In case like that the Division often recommends the utilisation of disused fireplaces as a means of venting. If decorative facing is placed over the front of a fireplace openings cut through the hearth to the sub-floor space and a cowling or chimney pot placed on top of the chimney then a n up-draught will be created when the wind blows over the roof and air will be drawn from under the floor.

Any questions that our readers may have would be gladly welcomed and endeavoured to be answered as seen fit.

Source: bhis.com.au/2012/10/improving-sub-floor-ventilation/

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Pre Purchase Building Inspections Perth | How to cure Rising Damp – Part One



Building Inspection Perth WA
08 9331 3031/0418 948 760
 
By: Peter Huber
Posted by: www.bhis.com.au
Source: www.bhis.com.au/2012/10/roof-repairs-in-preparation-for-winter/

No problem is so wide spread nor so misunderstood as rising damp. Probably every building built before 1900 has a damp problem in some degree and thousands of dollars are spent in repairs.
In many cases the cure is worse than the disease; illconceived treatments may in fact increase the problem and could decrease the real estate value of the building.
On top of this many renovation practices can cause problems where they may not have existed previously.
Expensive and good looking renovations can turn into disaster areas by not allowing for moisture flow in old walls.

The symptoms of wall dampness are easily recognised: musty smell, deteriorating paint and plaster. The moisture behaves like a wick and in fact is called wick action, it literally rises up the wall, like kerosene rises in a wick on the kerosene lamp. There comes a point where the damp cannot rise any further due to natural ventilation causing it to dry out this area is called the tide mark and is quite visible, at that point the drying out process is the fastest and mineral salts are deposited as visible marks on the wall. This tide mark is usually at about 900mm above floor level.
The first step in rectification is to source the cause, the damp proof course which is usually made out of lead or galvanised iron or even bituminous material, which is imbeded between the brick coursing, in the hope of preventing the damp rising, may have deteriorated over the years. But more often the problem is elsewhere.
The most logical and essential consideration to the prevention of rising damp is keeping the ground on which the building is located as dry as possible. That is achieved by diverting any discharged water well away from the building and its foundations, it is also essential to check gutters, drains and down pipes for hidden leaks that may not always be obvious.


If the floor structure is timber then the underneath should be well ventilated using the natural cross ventilation system available, by means of vent grilles installed on the perimeter walls, at every 1.8 meters is desirable.
If it is a concrete raft slab construction, then the damp usually rises on the perimeter walls and is almost always due to bridging of cavities or the overflowing of eaves into cavity walls. Generally the concrete slab itself with the plastic membrane under neath is a good water proofer in itself thus negating any moisture conning up from under the slab.
If all these basic building rules have not been broken and the damp still persists (highly unlikely) then other more effective chemical means may have to be implemented. These include the chemical injection of silicone liquids under pressure this is usually done by competent trades specialising in this type of work. Another method that I have heard and read about is the “FREEZTEQ” damp course System that can be done by the handyman or women.
Next week we will discuss this system and how it works as well as other causes of damp in walls.
please call our office. We want you the reader to write to us on , any Building matters, questions or if you seek advise,  we will gladly answer any topic that you wish us to discuss, so please send your letters to “B. & H. I. S.” C/O. 46 Riley  Road , Kardinya , W.A. 6163. or fax/ph (09) 331-3031. We will continue next week  ie..

Source: www.bhis.com.au/2012/10/roof-repairs-in-preparation-for-winter/

Monday, July 13, 2015

Building Inspector Perth | Roof Repairs In Preparation For Winter













By: Peter
Posted by: www.bhis.com.au
Source: www.bhis.com.au/2012/10/roof-repairs-in-preparation-for-winter/

Building Inspector Perth with Building & Home Inspection Service (BHIS), Perth, WA gives potential buyer a piece of mind. BHIS has been providing Western Australia complete professional inspections since 1980.

Roof Repairs In Preparation For Winter:
Now that winter is drawing closer it is time to prepare our roof and drainage system for the onslaught of those wet and blistery days.
A checklist would be a handy item to have so here is one:-

A) CLEAR ALL GUTTERS OF DEBRIS:, that is leaves and even build up of dirt collected over the years, as all those particles can firstly clog up the downpipe pipe entry and cause a build up of water in the gutter and secondly when the gutter dries out debris will hinder the drying process allowing rust to form in suspect areas.

Also check to see if the gutter has been backplated (see diagram) if not then overflow of water into the eaves, under the conditions mentioned above is very likely. This can be rectified by replacing the removed portion of metal from the gutter, efficiency of the gutter is reduced by 50-60 percent if the back of the gutter is not reinstated.
Sometimes downpipes can also get blocked, it is wise to flush them out especially if they are connected to soakwells. Never seal the join between the down pipe and the shoe where it runs into a soakwell, because if the soakwell ever loses its capacity then it can overflow at ground level at the join and not at gutter level.
For gutters to last longer the inside cam be painted with a bituminous paint which will effectively double the life of the gutter.

B) VALLEY GUTTERS FLASHINGS & OTHER PROTRUSIONS: It is also wise to check that all protrusions are still water tight, that is the seal between lead flashings and the pipes (vents & Flues) are still water tight if not seal them with a bead of paintable Silicone. All metal components should always be protected to slow down the deterioration process and all Lead components  should be painted so as not to cause accelerated rusting to the galvanised metal components on a roof such as gutters and downpipes.

Valley gutters should also be kept free of leaves and debris which can quite ,easily get caught especially if the free valley space is less that 100mm (4”). The water as it rushes down from the tiles onto the valley will get caught up in the leaves and debris and soon it will act as a dam and tend to overflow along the sides especially as over a period of time the LIPPED VALLEY ENDS (see “End on View” diagram) of the valley gutter have been clogged with dirt, crimped down by the weight of the tile or flattened down by holding down nails, it is very time consuming to carry out and rectify this but is well worth it if water ingress is a problem along valley lines.
Another problem is that valleys can overflow due to the sheer rush and volume of water deposited during a storm on steeply pitched roofs. Fitting baffles will redirect the flow of water and eliminate this problem.

So that we all understand what we are talking about enclosed is also a part cross sectional diagram of a typical roof and eaves. 


This is the style of work I do, I strongly believe in talking to people in terms, that they can understand and also show them in diagrammatic form if needed.
This is what your paper (column) can expect, should you take us on board.
This article is written on Word 7.0  we also have access, in our publishing section, to Pagemaker 7.0 all diagrams are either drawn or scanned in and can be faxed, disk mailed or sent by modem.

 Would be happy to hear from you.


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