Insulation Below Pier and Beam Homes Presenter: Gordon Fox Fox Inspection Group Providing Peace of Mind, One Home At A Time, Since 1989 Helping You, Help.

Insulation Below Pier Insulation Below Pier and Beam Homesand Beam Homes

Presenter: Gordon FoxPresenter: Gordon FoxFox Inspection GroupFox Inspection Group

Providing Peace of Mind, One Home At A Time, Since Providing Peace of Mind, One Home At A Time, Since 19891989

Helping You, Help Others, Live The American DreamHelping You, Help Others, Live The American Dream

Insulation Installed on Bottom Insulation Installed on Bottom Side of Floors on Pier and Beam Side of Floors on Pier and Beam

HomesHomes►Required by City of Houston Required by City of Houston ►Must Comply with Energy Building Must Comply with Energy Building

CodeCode►To Obtain (CO) Certificate of To Obtain (CO) Certificate of

OccupancyOccupancy►Must Have CO to Connect UtilitiesMust Have CO to Connect Utilities

What We ObserveWhat We Observe

►Elevated moisture readings of sub Elevated moisture readings of sub flooring lumber in areas covered by flooring lumber in areas covered by insulation vs. lumber exposed (where insulation vs. lumber exposed (where insulation has fallen down) on same insulation has fallen down) on same househouse

►Cupped wood flooringCupped wood flooring►Wood rotWood rot

End ResultsEnd Results

► Observed batt insulation installed on the Observed batt insulation installed on the bottom side of flooring in the crawl space bottom side of flooring in the crawl space below this home. Like most things in life, there below this home. Like most things in life, there are pros and cons to this particular situation. are pros and cons to this particular situation. The most obvious pro is the increased energy The most obvious pro is the increased energy efficiency and is in fact a code requirement for efficiency and is in fact a code requirement for new and recently constructed homes to have new and recently constructed homes to have insulation installed below the floors. The new insulation installed below the floors. The new home builder cannot obtain a certificate of home builder cannot obtain a certificate of occupancy which allows utilities to be turned occupancy which allows utilities to be turned on unless this code required insulation is on unless this code required insulation is installed. ............. However, installed. ............. However,

► it is our experience and that of some builders, it is our experience and that of some builders, that insulation installed in this manner has a that insulation installed in this manner has a tendency to hold / retain excessive moisture tendency to hold / retain excessive moisture and on multiple occasions this condition and on multiple occasions this condition appears to be a primary or at least a appears to be a primary or at least a contributory cause of not only warping of the contributory cause of not only warping of the interior wood floors but in extreme cases we interior wood floors but in extreme cases we have found structurally significant wood rot have found structurally significant wood rot and/or fugal growth to wood framing members and/or fugal growth to wood framing members below the home once the insulation is below the home once the insulation is removed allowing visual inspection. Therefore removed allowing visual inspection. Therefore in an abundance of caution,.............in an abundance of caution,.............

► we recommend our client consider the we recommend our client consider the removal of insulation installed below removal of insulation installed below the home, inspection for and repair of the home, inspection for and repair of any wood rot or moisture damage if any wood rot or moisture damage if found, and installing a vapor barrier on found, and installing a vapor barrier on the ground to minimize ground the ground to minimize ground moisture from entering the crawl moisture from entering the crawl space.space.

Open DiscussionOpen Discussion

Please email Please email [email protected] with any questions you may

have

Fox Inspection GroupFox Inspection Group

► Providing Peace of Mind, One Home At A Time, Providing Peace of Mind, One Home At A Time, Since 1989Since 1989

► Helping You, Help Others, Live The American DreamHelping You, Help Others, Live The American Dream

►713-723-3330713-723-3330►[email protected]