The unintended consequences of not knowing what you do not know.

Chelan and Quincy Home Inspections.

What you do not know can have some unintended consequences.  It is a fact you do not know what you do not know.

As home inspectors we are hired to know. Someone is putting their trust in us to have that knowledge to help them with one of the largest and more emotional decisions in their life.

Home inspectors are humans, we are not infallible and as such we also do not know that we do not know. This is why we are constantly learning to limit those voids of knowledge… at least I hope we are.

So case in point, I have done several home inspections in the last year where we had a modification that changes the dynamics and level of safety in a home. This is taking a carport and turning it into a garage.

Garage conversion check list

From an older UBC (Uniform building code)-  A one-story carport entirely open on two or more sides need not have a fire separation between the carport and the dwelling.  Windows between the carport and the dwelling shall not be operable. Doors may be of any type, provided that any sash used in a door be fixed; doors between a dwelling and a carport shall be self-closing.

So a carport is defined as having two or more open sides. If you have three sides you are technically now a garage.

So this is when the safety issues now come in. Garages have higher probability for fire than other areas of the home. People tend to store flammable liquids, such as gasoline, oils, paints, degreasers and other items that are flammable or combustible.  Add to that, many garages are also used as workshops, so sparks can be flying.

This makes it now very important to have the proper fire separation between this newly created attached garage and the home. We want to prevent a fire that could start in the garage from easily spreading into the house and/or attic.  Fire separation also prevents carbon monoxide and other fumes from entering into the house.

All penetrations need to be sealed and a proper barrier installed which is usually consists 1/2 sheetrock. No windows or vents are allowed and the door has to be fire rated or 1-3/8 solid core with proper seals.

So in this example we have vents in the bird blocking inside this new garage. If a fire happened in the garage it could quickly move into the attic space and burn while the occupants may be unaware of what is happening.

Fire separation from the garage and the home is not designed to completely stop the fire from progressing into the home but to give the occupants in the home time for escape which is defined as a 1-hour, hence the 1 hour resistive barrier.

So not knowing what you do not know and doing something can change the risk potential and safety involved.

“If you think it's expensive to hire a professional to do the job, wait until you hire an amateur.”

Red Adair

NCW Home Inspections, LLC  is a Licensed Washington State Home Inspection service located in Wenatchee Washington serving Chelan County, Douglas County, Kittitas County, Okanogan County and Grant County Washington and the cities of Wenatchee, Leavenworth, Cashmere, Oroville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…  

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www.ncwhomeinspections.com                                               509-670-9572