North Carolina licensed home inspectors, as well now home builders, have continuing education requirements and for good reason. It isn’t unusual now for us to be together in CE classes. Black Cat Inspector Doug Simmons and I were in classes, with builders, a few weeks ago. A subject addressed neither Doug or I, and I don’t think most of the builders were aware of was raised by the instructor which apparently is becoming an issue of concern leading to water damage on homes.
A home inspector once attempted to make a list of all the issues a home inspector needs to be aware of on the multitude of homes of various styles and ages we inspect. Not to mention items are changing and being added likely daily. Having, recalling, and keeping up with that magnitude of information is very difficult. When he reached 10,000 items, he gave it up.
Interestingly the issue raised in that CE class was observe by Doug on his new construction one year warranty home inspection this morning.
Vertical vinyl siding has become much more popular on new and retrofit homes. Apparently, few, siding installers, builders and including our inspectors are aware of this issue.
Field drilling of drainage holes every 2 feet along the face of the bottom J-channel prior to installation is necessary to prevent storm water from accumulating in the J-channel.
This is the new report entry Doug and I created to address this issue.
Condition:
No Drain Holes in J-channel for Vertically installed siding. Vertical vinyl siding, when installed correctly can naturally encourage water drainage. However, proper installations is crucial to avoid water intrusion. J-channels at the bottom of the vertical siding should have field drilled weep holes to allow water to escape. See the attached link for proper repair instructions.
Implications:
Storm water held in J-channel, potential for water intrusion, damage to structure and interior finishes, rot, and mold
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