ICN# 10660AR011

Wood Destroying Organisms

This report includes a structural pest inspection embedded within the report. All observations in this report that begin with WDO are a part of a WA State Pest Inspection. Orca Inspection Services LLC employs Dylan Chalk, Licensed Structural Pest Inspector ##65540. Please note that most WDO observations are related to high moisture conditions that could be conducive to mold-like substances. Orca Inspection Services LLC is not a mold specialist and recommends consulting with an industrial hygienist or other mold remediation expert if concerned about mold or indoor air quality.Pest Inspection Standards in Washington State - WAC 16-228-2045 - REQUIRES THAT A DIAGRAM / DRAWING BE PREPARED FOR WOOD DESTROYING ORGANISM (WDO) REPORTS. IF THE PHOTOS AND DESCRIPTIONS IN THIS REPORT ARE INADEQUATE, A DRAWING IS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

Summary

Major Concerns

E-2 Exterior:
STONE SIDING REPAIRS NEEDED
The stone siding is falling off of the building. A number of loose stones were noted. I suspect this stone siding needs to be replaced. Have this further investigated and repaired as recommended by a qualified contractor.
DPB-1 Decks, Porches and Balconies:
DECK REPAIRS NEEDED
Repairs are needed to the decks. This building has a sequence of a number of decks. They have been recently worked on and even updated and are in above average condition but a few items were noted: Examples of specific observations noted during the inspection include:
- Hangers are not sized correctly for the joists. Hangers should be at least 60% the depth of the joists. West Landing
- Eliminate post to soil contact to prevent wood decay in the base of deck posts. West landing
- The 4x4 for the west landing beam is sagging.
- Blocking is missing at the joist to beam connection - these are recommended for sheer strength. East Deck
- The guard has a bench built into it that is unsafe for children and does not comply with required guardrail standards.
- The lower deck here would be required to have a guardrail where there are bench seats.
- Openings in the doc guardrail exceed the recommended for inches
- The back deck stairs are missing a proper graspable handrail
- Carpenter ant exit holes noted in deck framing - risks concealed damage. See east deck posts
- Wood decay was noted at the base of one of the non-treated east deck posts
- The bottom posts for the metal guardrail are not secured properly to the handrail
Recommendation
Hire a qualified contractor to further evaluate and implement repairs as recommended to ensure safe and reliable performance and to prolong the useful life of the decking systems here.
RCG-1 Roof, Chimney and Gutters:
REPAIR OR REPLACE ROOFING SYSTEM
This roof is done in an architectural-grade composition shingle. The roof looks close to the end of its useful service life, and localized areas of failure were noted. Roof replacement can be more cost-effective than repairs depending on the scope, cost, and urgency of needed repairs.
Recommendation
Hire a qualified roofing contractor to further evaluate this roof and repair or replace as recommended. Examples of specific observations noted during the inspection include:
- Damaged rake edge shingles noted
- Localized physical damage noted
- Mild corrosion noted on the skylight flashings
- Some of the holes to secure the skylights are missing fasteners
- The copula on the roof is in poor condition
- Shingles are getting older and not bonding as well. They will be increasingly vulnerable to wind damage.
- Moderate to heavy granule loss on the shingles
- Fairly heavy granule loss noted on the roofing shingles
- Damaged ridge shingles - south end
- Plumbing boots are torn and will leak
- A hole was noted on the west ridge
- Damaged ridge shingles on the garage
- The roofing shingles do not adequately overhang the fascia at rake ends. These should hang off at least 1 inch.
CS-1 Crawl Space:
CRAWL SPACE REPAIRS NEEDED
Overall, numerous repairs are needed to the crawl space below this house. I have made a series of detailed observations in the base of this report but given the extent of what is visible, additional repairs could be needed that are latent or concealed. Clearances are minimal making this space difficult to access and work in. Examples of observations noted during inspection include:
- The access points for the crawl space need to be rodent proofed
- Active plumbing leaks were noted below the main bath tub
- Active leaks below the main bath tub
- Holes in the sub-floor should be air-sealed prior to re-insulating.
- Sandy loose soils can make rodent proofing more difficult as rodents can burrow under.
- Damaged ductwork insulation should be repaired as needed.
- Water seems to be leaking into the crawl space from the west side
- Minor water noted in the crawl space on the older side of the house
- Water was noted in the crawl; space was minor but could get worse seasonally
- Moisture ant damage was noted in the framing at the west side - I believe this is where the concrete walkway meets the building. No live ants were found.
- A rotted post was noted at the west side - this needs to be replaced
- The clear plastic vapor barrier is damaged, incomplete and inadequate
- Wood debris should be removed from the crawl space - this is conducive to wood destroying organisms
- Incomplete vapor barrier
- Condensate lines are draining into the crawl space. This should be repaired - all condensate should terminate to the exterior
- Signs of active rodent activity was noted
Recommendation
I recommend further evaluation of this crawl space by a licensed general contractor. Implement clean-up and repairs as deemed necessary.

Repairs

G1-1 Grounds:
HARDSCAPE TO WOOD CONTACT
The hardscape has been installed in contact with the base of the exterior siding system - see the garage and the concrete entry at the house. This is conducive to wood destroying organisms as it can trap water against the siding. Where possible, an air gap should be provided to allow the siding materials to keep dry. Generally, a 2 inch clearance is recommended between siding and hardscape.
- Siding to hardscape contact noted around the garage
- I believe there is moisture ant damage behind the house here - see observations noted in the crawl space chapter
E-1 Exterior:
EXTERIOR REPAIRS
Localized rot repairs are needed to the exterior trim and siding. Hire a licensed general contractor to further evaluate and repair the exterior siding system. Repair and replace all damaged and decaying exterior wood as needed. Please note that this condition can indicate additional concealed damage that is not visible to inspection. During inspection. I noted:
- Localized wood decay in the south side of the windowsill material and the garage
- Localized wood decay on the exterior south facing window trim
- Clean the old vine material off the siding at the water-side and re-paint as needed.
G-1 Garage:
MOLD-LIKE SUBSTANCES NOTED IN THE GARAGE
Mold-like staining patterns were noted on the walls and ceiling of the garage. These are likely from an active or prior moisture condition.
✒️
- I recommend using a stain killing primer and paint to seal affected areas as needed.
- Installing additional ventilation could help reduce humidity in the garage and reduce risks of moisture control problems.
- Consult with a qualified contractor about options for repair.
- Testing at the time indicated materials were dry.
RCG-2 Roof, Chimney and Gutters:
MOLD-LIKE SUBSTANCES NOTED AROUND SKYLIGHTS - ATRIUM
Mold-like substances were noted around the inside of the skylight chamber. Please note that inspection and identification of mold is beyond the scope of this inspection. This condition appears to be isolated to the skylight chamber and is likely from inadequate insulation and ventilation resulting in seasonal condensation. Have this situation further evaluated and repaired by a general contractor and all mold-like substances encapsulated and removed.
WH-3 Water Heaters:
NO DRAIN PAN FOR WATER HEATER
No drain pan has been installed below the water heater here. A drain pan is recommended under water heaters that are located in finished spaces or where a leak could damage finishes. Where a pan does not already exist, the tricky part is providing a drain to the outside. A pan without a drain is often of limited benefit / protection. For improved protection from accidental water heater leaks, and where a drain is difficult to install, consider a pan with a moisture alarm and a flood-safe device such as this: Watts Water Heater Leak Prevention.
WH-6 Water Heaters:
LEAK AT THE WATER HEATER SUPPLY CONNECTOR
An active leak was found at the water heater supply connector. This should be repaired as soon as possible to stop the leak and repair any water damage as needed.
LF-5 Laundry Facilities:
LEAKING WASTE PIPING
The waste plumbing below the laundry bathroom sink is leaking and requires immediate repair. Hire a licensed plumber to further evaluate and repair.
MB-3 Main Bathroom:
LEAKY SHOWER DIVERTER
The main bath shower diverter, which diverts water from the tub fill spigot to the shower head, is leaky and requires repair to prevent wasting water and to improve flow to the shower head.
A-5 Attic:
RIDGE AND GABLE VENTS NOTED
The attic and roof cavity ventilation look to be non-standard. Proper attic ventilation is important for the roofing materials to perform as intended and to reduce chances for condensation problems and heat build-up in the attic. One problem here is the use of ridge vents and gable vents. Most ridge vent manufacturers recommend ridge and soffit vents only to encourage convective ventilation across the roof decking; the gable wall vents can disrupt this convective air flow. At the time of inspection, red flags were found indicating that repairs could be needed to this roof cavity ventilation system.
CS-2 Crawl Space:
CRAWL SPACE VENTS VULNERABLE TO WATER ENTRY
Some of the crawl space vents are positioned below grade - see the west side. This can lead to water draining into the crawl space during heavy rains. Often wells can be installed and the soils around the wells graded to divert water away from the vents. Have this further evaluated and repaired as recommended by a qualified general contractor to ensure seasonal drainage does not enter the crawl space.

Recommended Maintenance

G1-2 Grounds:
CLEAN CATCH BASINS
The catch basins are clogged with organic debris and require cleaning to ensure reliable performance of the drainage system.
G1-4 Grounds:
TREE AND VEGETATION PRUNING
Pruning trees, branches and vegetation away from the building is recommended. Where trees, branches and large shrubs can provide rodent access to the roof, a minimum 6-foot clearance is recommended as many rodents can jump 6-feet. All vegetation, including smaller landscaping such as grasses, flowers and shrubs should be kept 1-foot off the house to eliminate contact which could trap moisture against the building.
RCG-3 Roof, Chimney and Gutters:
GUTTER AND DOWNSPOUT REPAIRS - CONSIDER UPDATING DURING THE NEXT RE-ROOF
The gutters and downspouts require repairs to ensure reliable performance. Gutter and downspout systems are critical for controlling roof runoff and preventing water from damaging the building. Regular gutter care is needed to keep this system working reliably, especially keeping gutters clean, well-secured, and draining away from the structure. Implement gutter and downspout repairs as needed. Examples of specific observations noted during the inspection include:
🛠
- Gutters are clogged with organic debris
- Downspouts are loose and poorly connected to the gutters and building in places

Due Diligence Items

A-3 Attic:
EVIDENCE OF ATTIC CONDENSATION PROBLEMS NOTED
Stains were noted on the roof decking material when viewed from the attic. This indicates the attic has experienced prior condensation problems during the cold weather months. Generally, the way to prevent seasonal condensation in an attic involves a 4-pronged approach:
1. Air seal the ceiling as is feasible to slow air migration from the interior into the attic.
2. Be sure all bath and kitchen fans in the attic are well-sealed and venting to the exterior.
3. Keep indoor relative humidity below 55% during cold-weather months
4. Make sure the roof cavity / attic spaces are correctly ventilated.
Options for handling this include:
- Implement the cheapest and most obvious repairs and monitor during cold weather to make sure the space is staying dry and take additional corrective action only if needed
- Have it further investigated by a mold remediation or building performance contractor.
It is difficult to gauge during a one time inspection the degree to which this is an older or intermittent problem. Attic condensation problems can be seasonal and related to occupant behavior and even drainage. This makes it difficult to make an accurate recommendation for corrective action as it can take time to determine a practical scope and urgency for repair. For more information about roof condensation problems, please see the attached hot link above. Observations noted during inspection include:
- Localized darkening was noted in the attic - particularly around exposed nail heads and at dead air spaces.
- Older can lights were noted that likely leak air into the attic
CS-4 Crawl Space:
MUD STAINS NOTED ON THE CRAWL SPACE VAPOR BARRIER
Water stairs were noted on top of the vapor barrier - see mud stains at the east side. Inquire with the seller for any history of drainage repairs to the property. It is possible that additional drainage work could be needed to keep this space dry.

Improve Or Upgrade Items

HCFV-6 Heating, Cooling, Fireplaces and Ventilation:
MECHANICAL VENTILATION
This building has no provisions for automatic mechanical ventilation - I did not find a 24 hour timer for a fan anywhere - typical for a building of this age. Installing a bath or laundry fan on a 24 hour timer is recommended to ensure mechanical air changes. This can help keep relative humidity in check. As a general rule, keep relative humidity below 55% in cold weather to reduce chances for condensation. You can monitor relative humidity with inexpensive temperature and relative humidity gauges. For a nice fan system I recommend looking at Panasonic Whisper Green fans - these do not rely on a timer and run continuously to facilitate air changes. Panasonic Fans Website
LF-2 Laundry Facilities:
MOISTURE ALARM RECOMMENDED
A moisture alarm with water shut-off features is recommended under the washing machine to protect against accidental leaks in the supply hoses. Pans can be effective when there is a drain, but even these will not protect against a burst supply connector. A moisture alarm with automatic shut-off will. Watts is a brand I have seen installed: Link.
LF-6 Laundry Facilities:
LAUNDRY FAN RECOMMENDED
No ventilation fan was found for the laundry facilities. This is common in older buildings and required in newer buildings. Installing a ventilation fan is recommended to help control indoor relative humidity. This fan can be run during operation of the laundry and/or placed on a timer to come on automatically throughout the day.

Company Information

Orca Inspection Services LLC