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PSA: My attic job showed me a problem with how they check for leaks
I was wrapping up an insulation install when the building inspector came through. He focused on the material thickness but ignored a draft coming from the vent stack, so the heat loss is still there. How do you get inspectors to actually look at air sealing instead of just the paper specs?
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the_mila7mo ago
Man, that's so common. What worked for me was pulling out my phone and showing the inspector a video of the draft with a lighter flame. They see the visual proof and can't ignore it. I also keep a copy of the energy code handy to point out the air sealing rules. It turns a quick check into a real conversation about the problem. Sometimes you just have to guide them to look beyond the paperwork.
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beththomas7mo ago
Yeah, I read about using incense sticks for drafts too.
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kevin_carr7mo ago
Agree with @the_mila on the visual proof. That lighter trick is gold. I keep a smoke pencil in the truck for the same reason. You wave that thing near a leak and the inspector sees the stream blowing sideways, it clicks for them. They're trained to check boxes on a clipboard, not think about air moving. You gotta make the problem impossible to miss. Then they have to write it up.
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