Next to the exterior and basement inspections the attic is the next most important area to be inspected in a house. The attic sits in the highest area of the home and contains the roof framing and support for the roof structure. The attic typically can be accessed by using a pulldown set of steps, a fixed set of stairs, or a ceiling scuttle hatch. Sometimes attics are challenging to access if the access is in a coat closet or a bedroom closet which we see often.
If the home is equipped with an attic pulldown ladder or stairs the NJ home inspector needs to fully evaluate the safety of the set of steps. Often the length of the steps is not correct where there is too much pressure placed on the hinges that can result in potential injury. Also, many times the attic set of steps is not properly attached with the correct fasteners to the attic access opening. Often home inspectors will find that the attic set of pulldown steps is improperly attached to its opening with improper fasteners which are usually drywall, or sheet metal screws. The manufacturer of these pulldown sets of steps require specific attachment in specific areas for the set of steps to be safe. Any deficiencies can lead to serious injury and should be reported on by the home inspector.
Once safe access has been determined then the home inspector will make their way into the attic space. In New Jersey home inspectors are not required to walk or traverse attics that do not have any flooring. Although it’s not required, I certainly recommend that all home inspectors traverse the interior of the attic to provide a complete home inspection for their clients. Just looking into the attic space with head and shoulders access will not allow for a thorough and complete attic inspection. Of course, one must be comfortable with walking on roof truss chords or floor joists and do so carefully so as not to injure themselves or cause damage to the home.
The first thing that a home inspector would do when inspecting an attic space is to just get a feel for what’s there. Attics are usually dark spaces and home inspectors want to illuminate the areas of the attic using a high-powered flashlight just to make sure that there’s no visible pests or animal activity that they can see. The last thing that a home inspector wants is to see a set of eyes looking back at him when they enter the attic space. So, the first thing is to assess if it is safe to enter that there are no visible pests or other hazards in the attic space.
The next thing that the home inspector would want to do is to assess whether the attic is properly insulated. Having an attic that is properly insulated is paramount to keeping energy costs lower and avoiding other problems such as moisture retention and buildup in the attic space. Here in the Northeast environment, we are generally looking for R-40 insulation value in the attic space and this generally equates to about 13-16 inches of fiberglass insulation. If there is inadequate insulation or areas of missing insulation, then that is something that should be reported on because insulation value should be brought up to at least minimum requirements to help control energy costs and heat loss through the attic floor. Having proper insulation will keep the house warmer in the winter and colder in the summer when the air conditioning is operated.
If there is blown in insulation that is covering the Joists, then I do not recommend walking or traversing the attic space because this type of insulation will cover the floor joists and not allow you safe access to move around the space. In this case I do recommend inspecting the attic from the access opening only because we do not want to disturb the blown in insulation and we do not want to misjudge and put a foot through the ceiling. Blown in insulation makes the attic challenging to inspect but we as home inspectors have to do the best, we can in inspecting an attic with this type of insulation.
In the attic space the home inspector should also determine what type of insulation does exist and does the insulation create a health hazard. In particular one insulation material called vermiculite is known to contain asbestos materials and can be a health hazard for the occupants in the home if the material is disturbed. Home inspectors should determine if there is any vermiculite visible in the attic space and report on it so it can be properly tested to determine if that material does contain asbestos materials.
The attic structural inspection is next. This includes inspecting the ridge beam or board, inspecting the rafters, inspecting the visible joists, and inspecting the underside of the roof. Home inspectors want to make sure that the structure is tied together in a manner that is consistent with regularly accepted construction standards and principles as well as determining if the structure is adequate. Home inspectors will look for sagging roof rafters, cracked or damaged rafters, joists that don’t tie out to their rafters, structural issues with the roof trusses, and problems such as moisture damage to the underside of the roof deck. Home inspectors will report on any deficiency in the attic and roof structure.
The next thing that a home inspector is likely to inspect for is moisture damage. Any type of moisture penetration through the roof, or evidence of household moisture collecting on the underside of the roof is an important find and should be reported on. Obviously no new homeowner wants to have a roof leak so any evidence of water penetration or infiltration through the roof should be reported on. Moisture testing should be performed on any staining that exists in the attic space. Home inspectors in New Jersey are required to have moisture meters that can assess the moisture content of wood. However, this is not a catchall because if the stain does not have moisture content at the time of the inspection it does not mean that there is not an active issue. So, moisture meters are a good tool to have but they are not a definitive source of determining if an active leak does exist or not. Household moisture and humidity travel up through the house and generally end up into the attic space where they can cause moisture problems, delamination to the plywood or OSB roof deck and possible mold growth in the attic space. Home inspectors should be looking closely for delaminated roof decks or any areas of mold growth. A telltale sign of moisture would be circular droplets visible on the attic floor or on the insulation that is dripping from the roofing nails found in the attic space that go through the roof. Also rusting roof nails are another sign of moisture migration into the attic space that should be reported on.
Home inspectors should report on any mold-like substances visible in the attic space. Next to the basement the attic is a hotbed for mold growth. This is because the household moisture is migrating up to the attic space. This can be moisture from basement water infiltration, improperly vented kitchens, and improperly vented bathrooms. Just using a shower can create very high moisture environments. This moisture has to go somewhere and typically migrates to the attic space where it settles on the underside of the roof deck creating conditions that are conducive to mold growth. Home inspectors should be on the lookout for any black, green, or white material on the underside of the roof deck and then call it out as being possible mold. Some home inspectors are certified to perform mold testing and they may ask their client if they want the substances tested to determine definitively if they are mold or not. If the substances are mold, then obviously a proper mold remediation and other corrections will have to take place to remove the mold from the attic space of the home.
The next thing I come inspector is likely to inspect is the chimney. Often A section of the chimney can be seen in the attic space. The home inspector will inspect for any types of water or moisture staining around the penetration of the chimney. This is a vulnerable area and often chimney flashings are installed incorrectly or are missing or damaged. Missing or damaged chimney flashings can cause water to enter around the penetration of the chimney up through the roof and this should be reported on. Telltale signs of such deficiencies would be water staining around the chimney. If they are not positive for moisture at the time of the inspection that does not mean they are not an active leak situation. Home inspectors will also examine all of the plumbing pipe penetrations or waste vent penetrations. Often, we will find water staining around these penetrations where they exit the roof because of failing flashings. This is a common area of water entry into an attic space and should be reported on by the home inspector. It is relatively simple repair by a roofing contractor to reflash around the plumbing stack penetrations but often leaks here go unnoticed because the owners of the home are not looking for this type of leakage.
The next thing a home inspector is likely to look for is any type of pest droppings or activity. This can be rodents, bat droppings or bird droppings. Any such pest activity should be reported on by the home inspector. It is highly common that pest droppings, most likely rodent droppings, would be found in the attic space and the home inspector should recommend treatment and the sealing of all areas of possible entry for pests. Sometimes rodent droppings are confused with bat droppings so it is beneficial to have a pest control company come out to positively identify what type of pest does exist and so they can tailor a treatment program that is designed for that pest. Any pests that enter the attic space are likely to also be entering the living space.
The inspector will evaluate any electrical wiring in the attic space. In older homes it is often the case where older electrical wiring will be in poor condition, brittle or frayed or have been damaged by pests. It is important for the safety of the occupants that home inspector thoroughly inspect the electrical wiring that is visible in the attic space. One particular serious defect would be a house that is older having knob & tube wiring covered with insulation. Knob and tube wiring does not dissipate heat easily and the insulation can cause the wire to overheat and thus create a fire hazard in the house. So, a thorough inspection of any electrical wiring located in the attic space is an important part of the inspection.
The home inspector will also evaluate any fans or mechanical ventilators in the attic space. It is not uncommon for homes to have either of whole house fan or a power ventilator to help aid in home and attic ventilation. Sometimes these fans are challenging to get to and to test, however the home inspector should make an attempt to test either the whole house fan or power ventilator if the home is equipped. The home inspector should also determine if adequate ventilation exists for the whole house fan to function properly and safely.
The next area of concern in an attic would be does the attic have adequate ventilation. It is imperative that an attic have adequate ventilation to properly discharge moisture and heat from the attic space. The home inspector will be looking for adequate soffit vents which are vents that sit lower in the eave areas of the house. Assessing if the home has a ridge vent which is a type of vent that is installed at the peak or top of the roof and gable vents which are vents that allow for cross ventilation in the attic space. Attic ventilation is very important because it keeps the attic space from overheating in the summer. Having inadequate ventilation in the attic space can cause your roofing material to have a shorter expectancy and void the manufacturer’s warranty on the roofing material. Proper ventilation with low vents and high vents creates air currents and air movement from the lowest portions to the higher and keeps temperatures controlled as well as help controlling moisture in the attic space. In the winter months it’s imperative that the attic space be cooler in temperature supplied by the ventilation, so ice dams do not form at the eave areas on the roof. If the attic is too hot snow will melt too fast and can freeze at the eaves creating ice dams where there can be damage or leakage inside the wall cavities of the home. One of the most important aspects of an attic inspection is for the home inspector to assess whether the ventilation in the attic space is adequate.
The home inspector will also evaluate any high-hat light fixtures or can lights that are present in the attic space. Some of these light fixtures can have insulation touching or close to them and others should not have insulation installed over them or close to them. Home inspectors would evaluate whether the high-hat light fixtures meet requirements of insulation touching them or not and make recommendations regarding these installations.
This is a brief overview of what is inspected during an attic inspection. The attic inspection is a crucial aspect of the NJ home inspection process and if it all possible the home inspector should make every attempt to fully evaluate the attic. Attics can contain multiple defects and it is imperative to hire a home inspector who is knowledgeable and understands how to inspect the attic and report on any defects present.