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Stephen, who has been inspecting homes in Central New Jersey since 1998, says he often goes the extra mile when inspecting attics. When necessary, I have taken clothes out of the closet myself or with the help of the home owner or real estate agent. I usually put an old sheet or towel over the clothes and try to position my step ladder as best as possible so as to gain access thru the scuttle hole. If there are two access points, I can climb over to the other side and get in that part of the attic anyway.
Gaining access into the attic is always an important part of the home inspection process. There are many areas of concern, such as, plumbing venting pipes used in conjunction with bathroom exhaust and clothes dryer ducting, flue pipes that are connected to the homes heating system, fire separation walls, type and condition of installed insulation, possible animal infestation, possible mold and mildew, deficient structural conditions, attic ventilation and the possiblity roof leaks.
The most difficult problem I sometimes face is actually squeezing through the scuttle access hole itself, that can be severely undersized especially in older homes. If I didn’t go in the attic or any other space for that matter, the lack of access is documented in the report . “Photos are always a plus.”
For the last fifteen years one of the easiest ways of insulating attics in Central, New Jersey was to use loose-fill blown insulation – either cellulose or fiberglass. An improvement over traditional fiberglass batt insulation because batts tend to loosen up from the ceiling joist cavities (after being pushed into place when first installed) developing air spaces . Plus batts cost more to install. For insulation to be effective, it needs to be installed in a “closed air space”. Even though fiberglass batts in attics are less easier to install, I still find the installation. What most people do, later on, is to add more insulation going the opposite direction, that makes a big improvement. 
But what to do above the the attic access panel, where about 75 % of the homes that I inspect lack proper insulation. This is one of the most important areas to provide adequate insulation because it can serve as the weakest link in you ceiling insulation system. That’s an insulation fact.
When using a fiberglass batts to insulate the scuttle hole, it needs to fill the entire space and be in contact with all four sides of the wood frame. When the insulation piece is too small, it doesn’t touch all four sides and allows for heat loss because insulation must be installed in a “closed air space” to be effective. When I enter the attic during an inspection, either the batts loose inside the frames, they’re too large, too small or missing.
When the fiberglass insulation above the attic access panel doesn’t get installed properly, the home experiences unnecessary heat loss here. There are a few solutions: One is to have the panel re-insulated with rigid foam boards that fit the attic scuttle hole snugly. Another solution I’ve found is to use a fiberglass batt that’s slightly too large glued to multiple pieces of scuttle board. This makes the panel fall down in to place, pulling the insulation down . Using a blue/or grey not so sticky tape where the panel makes contact with the finished opening frame can be done right before it get cold to make sure there is no air escaping upwards, along with the heat in your room. Don’t forget heat rises.
Whenever I inspect any house or townhouse or condo, an important part of the inspection is going into the attic and seeing that all the bathroom venting ducts are properly installed. Sometimes the builder’s subcontractor forgets to terminate the bath vents through the roof or to a vented soffit area and the duct may be left venting into the attic for years. This is a serious defect. Left unchecked, a disconnected bathroom duct can bring a serious amount of moisture into the attic.
Bath Duct
Improper installation can result in considerable moisture being vented into attic space. This excessive moisture in turn will develope into condensation and then mold. Yes mold can survive even in cold places. Moisture can also impact the effectiveness of insualtion, also cauing premature deterioration. The staining at the ends of these ducts are evidence of such moisture. Ducts should always vent unobstructed to the exterior. As in the photo, the duct vents into No Where, meaning the attic space which is not good for the house.
The use of proper caulking, weatherstriping, backer rods and spray foam to help stop air from leaking out of your livingspace. Apply these sealants around windows and doors, electrical conduits and pipes, electrical receptacles located on exterior wall and wherever conditioned air can escape to the outside. Adding insulation especially in the attic can make a big difference in energy efficiency, utility bills and your family’s comfort. One last thing to check, the duct system in forced air systems. Check for adequate air flow/or the lack of air flow that may indicate a disconnected duct.
Energystar
Check out ENERGY STAR’s Do-it Yourself Guide to insulating you home and learn alot. Download the PDF at: www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/publications/pubdocs/DIY_Guide_May_2008.pdf.
