The Importance of Having an Attic Inspection Prior to Buying a Home

Similar to the crawl space, the attic is often an “out of sight, out of mind” area of the home. With all of the excitement that comes with buying a home, it can easily be forgotten in the home buying process. Having an attic inspection performed by an attic services professional prior to purchase can help identify any significant issues before the sale is complete.

Attics reflect the history of a home, and a detailed attic inspection can give insight to more severe problems that even the current home owner isn’t aware of. At Jersey Shore Crawlspace Enhancement, we understand the importance that the attic has in the home. Our team of skilled technicians are prepared to help you protect your home and investment for years to come.

Below are a few of the major things that we look for when performing an attic inspection:

Inadequate attic insulation

You might not think about attic insulation when considering your home’s health, comfort, and energy costs—especially if it’s just a storage space. However, proper insulation can have a significant impact on your comfort and your energy bills.

How does attic insulation work? Insulation works by trapping pockets of air, which slows down the airflow both directions. Your climate-controlled air stays inside longer, and the cold or hot outside air stays out longer. Because heat rises, attic insulation is even more important than wall insulation. The better the attic insulation, the longer it takes heat to escape from your warm home to the cold outside.

Water damage & mold growth

Mold is a common issue found in attics. If your home doesn’t have an adequate vapor barrier and there are leaks, mold and mildew can create a health hazard. Blocked vents can impede proper airflow, which is another common cause of mold and mildew. If the vents are blocked, moisture can build up.

There are two main factors when it comes to mold growth within the attic, the common thread being moisture. Mold occurs when the wood moisture content (the amount of water in the pores of the wood) exceeds 20%, and/or the relative humidity within the crawlspace exceeds 55% for a period of time.

Roof leaks and/or poor ventilation will accelerate mold growth and put your home at higher risk for repairs.

Pest & rodent damage

There could be a number of pests nesting in your attic’s insulation such as squirrels, bats, chipmunks, rats, or mice. Attics are dark, sheltered areas that typically don’t have much human activity, making them ideal places for animals to nest. Rodents like to chew on fiberglass insulation and move it around to make nests. Not only does this make your insulation less effective, these pests can carry disease or chew on your electrical wiring.

Have your attic inspected by an attic services professional!

An attic evaluation from Jersey Shore Crawlspace provides you with all of the information needed to identify current problems, ensure that your attic is protected from common issues, and to prevent large scale repairs in the future.

Our technicians probe the wood structure at multiple points throughout the attic to determine how much water is held in the pores of the wood. This reading must remain under 20% to ensure that you do not have environmental conditions present that can lead to mold growth.

We then take readings to measure the relative humidity within the attic. This figure must remain under 55%. Should it exceed 55%, mold can grow while leading to a decrease in energy efficiency. It can also cause dust mites and other problems associated with elevated levels of humidity.

Our technicians will then assess the ventilation throughout the attic to ensure proper ventilation. Often, we have found that vents are blocked, leading to a trapping of humidity within the attic.

Following this, we assess the integrity of the insulation. With blown insulation, we ensure that it is dispersed evenly. Often, we find that unequal disbursement throughout the attic leads to heat loss. We check to make sure that your retention value meets or exceeds the energy.gov recommended standards. Lastly, we check for pest or rodent activity to ensure that you have a clean, hygienic attic.

Interested in scheduling an evaluation for your home’s attic? Fill out the form below or click the button to speak with a representative!