Modular Home Inspection

[Merri L. Walter]

Wondering if anyone who has inspected a modular home with a cathedral ceiling has ever seen what appears to be black areas near the peak inside the home. The marks were in various areas of the home, not in one specific area. I saw what looked like black dust that may have entered though a space where the sheetrock meets the beam. After entering the crawl space above the living room I found insulation that was pulled back from the same "space" and it too was black. There were no indications of leaks anywhere so I was stumped as to what may have caused the marks.
It was almost as if there was a negative pressure inside the rooms at times that would pull "stuff" from the crawl space through any openings that weren't sealed. Sound familiar to anyone??

[Michael Bazzo, CMI]

Originally Posted by mwalter

Wondering if anyone who has inspected a modular home with a cathedral ceiling has ever seen what appears to be black areas near the peak inside the home. The marks were in various areas of the home, not in one specific area. I saw what looked like black dust that may have entered though a space where the sheetrock meets the beam. After entering the crawl space above the living room I found insulation that was pulled back from the same "space" and it too was black. There were no indications of leaks anywhere so I was stumped as to what may have caused the marks.
It was almost as if there was a negative pressure inside the rooms at times that would pull "stuff" from the crawl space through any openings that weren't sealed. Sound familiar to anyone??

Burning cheap candles will produce the "dust" you are referring to inside the home. The black areas on the insulation in the crawl most likely is from dirt movement in windy conditions. hopefully the two are not related or there is an issue with the seal between the two sections of the home.

[KEVIN WOOD]

When I do a particle tracking for clients this is the most common problem.
People make themselves sick from their own candles and electric perfumed devices. They are amazed to find out that they are making formaldehyde in ther own home along with many other unknown chemicals.
The dark line you see is from air escaping into the cathedral cavity along with all the chemicals they are producing from VOC products.
Solution is to remove all VOC containing devices. Install a ERV or HRV with Hepa filtration and have the clients see there doctor for assessment.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

If I am correct in my guessing, the problem is not limited to the type of structure, and is likely to be "ghosting," which is common - pictures would help.

[Robert W. Jude]

cathedral ceilings typically have terrible ventilation along the slope. not often do contractors run the Styrofoam channels all the way from soffit to ridge and then they both need to be vented as well.

[Gary Farnsworth]

Modular homes I have inspected all have some sort of environmental issues. Almost every one I have inspected, I have seen mold somewhere. Most have cheap windows that condensate in the winter, and walls that are too insulated; all cause problems. Climate in other areas is a factor.

[James H. Bushart]

Are you using the term "modular" for a HUD built manufactured (mobile) home? There is a difference.

[Nick Gromicko]

Are you using the term "modular" for a HUD built manufactured (mobile) home? There is a difference.

http://www.nachi.org/modular-manufactured-homes.htm