Inspect a Home for Air Leaks and Insulation Gaps

A. Finished-Project Specification

Deliverable: one completed inspection worksheet covering exterior conditions, interior conditions, attic conditions, and accessible cavity conditions for the selected structure, plus one written, prioritized insulation and air-sealing work plan identifying prerequisites, materials, access needs, required trades, required inspections, and sequence, and a proceed, conditional-proceed, or stop-work decision.

B. Inspection Area Schedule

Area	Included Elements	Excluded Unless Cleared
Exterior	Roof, siding, foundation, grading, exterior penetrations	Roof surfaces requiring fall protection beyond ground-level or ladder-safe observation
Interior	Ceilings, walls, floors, trim, outlets, windows, doors, access panels	Removal of finished surfaces
Attic	Insulation, bypasses, heat-source clearances, ventilation	Areas without safe walk-board or joist access
Wall cavities	Approved non-destructive access points only	Cutting or removing finished wall surfaces
Floor/crawlspace/basement	Band joists, rim joists, accessible floor cavities	Confined spaces without safe entry conditions

C. Documentation Takeoff

• Records: available plans, energy documents, insulation records, repair history, and owner-reported complaints, gathered before the physical inspection begins.
• Photographs: at least one photograph per significant deficiency, each labeled with a location reference.
• Worksheet entries: one entry per deficiency, each including location, classification, approximate severity, and recommended action.
• Work plan: one prioritized list sequencing prerequisites, materials, access needs, required trades, and required inspections for the remaining chapters of this book.

D. Acceptance Standards

Check	Standard
Area coverage	Every included area in the Inspection Area Schedule is inspected or explicitly recorded as excluded with a stated reason
Location reference	Every recorded deficiency includes a location reference specific enough for another worker to find it without additional guidance
Classification	Every recorded deficiency is classified as air leakage, missing insulation, compressed insulation, moisture, ventilation conflict, heat-clearance issue, hazardous material, or professional referral
Photograph	Every significant deficiency has at least one labeled photograph
Stop-work handling	Every condition meeting a Step 15 stop-work criterion is recorded as excluded and referred, not inspected further or disturbed
Work plan	The plan states prerequisites, materials, access needs, required trades, required inspections, and sequence, and issues a proceed, conditional-proceed, or stop-work decision

E. Preparation — Records and Boundaries

1. Obtain available plans, energy documents, insulation records, repair history, utility observations, and owner complaints. Record the source and date of each document you review, and note if no records exist.
2. Define the inspection boundaries, accessible assemblies, occupied-space protections, and excluded hazardous areas. Write the boundaries on the inspection worksheet before entering any area, including any zones excluded at the outset because of known hazards or occupant restrictions.
3. Identify the intended thermal and air-control boundaries for walls, ceilings, floors, attics, crawlspaces, basements, and attached spaces. Use available plans where they exist; where no plans exist, record the boundary as observed from visible insulation and construction type.

F. Exterior and Interior Inspection

1. Inspect exterior conditions for roof leaks, siding damage, foundation moisture, grading problems, and failed penetrations that could wet insulation. Walk the full perimeter and record every condition that could allow bulk water to reach insulated assemblies.
2. Inspect interior ceilings, walls, floors, trim, outlets, windows, doors, and access panels for staining, drafts, dust tracking, condensation, or temperature differences. Move room to room and record each observation with its room and location.

G. Attic Inspection

1. Inspect accessible attic areas from a safe platform or walkway. Confirm walk-board or joist footing and adequate lighting before proceeding past the access opening.
2. Record insulation type, condition, approximate depth, coverage, disturbance, compression, wind washing, and blocked ventilation. Take representative depth readings at several locations across the attic, not just near the access opening.
3. Identify attic bypasses at partition tops, plumbing chases, dropped soffits, duct shafts, access hatches, wiring penetrations, and open framing cavities. Record the location of each bypass found.

H. Cavity Inspection

1. Inspect accessible wall cavities before closure or through approved non-destructive access. Use only access points already open or specifically approved for this inspection; do not cut or remove finished surfaces.
2. Record missing, compressed, split, wet, unsupported, or poorly fitted cavity insulation. Note the specific cavity location for each finding.
3. Inspect accessible floor, crawlspace, basement, band-joist, and rim-joist areas. Confirm safe entry conditions before fully entering any confined space.
4. Identify open joist bays, unsealed penetrations, fallen batts, damp insulation, exposed soil, or missing supports. Record the location of each finding.

I. Bypass, Component, and Hazard Identification

1. Identify thermal bypasses where air can move around or through insulation. Cross-reference findings from the attic and cavity inspections to confirm each bypass is recorded once with a clear location.
2. Identify recessed lights, chimneys, flues, electrical equipment, exhaust ducts, and other components requiring clearance or special treatment. Record the component type and its location for use in later chapters.
3. Stop work for vermiculite, suspected asbestos, knob-and-tube wiring, severe mold, active leakage, animal waste, structural damage, or unsafe access. Record the area as excluded, state the specific reason, and identify the qualified professional required before work can proceed.

J. Diagnostic Instruments, Documentation, and Classification

1. Use infrared or airflow instruments only under the approved test conditions and document their limitations. Record the instrument used, the test conditions present at the time, and a note that readings are indicative rather than conclusive.
2. Photograph each significant deficiency with a location reference. Label each photograph with the same location description used on the worksheet.
3. Classify findings as air leakage, missing insulation, compressed insulation, moisture, ventilation conflict, heat-clearance issue, hazardous material, or professional referral. Assign exactly one primary classification per worksheet entry, noting a secondary classification where a finding genuinely fits more than one category.

K. Work Plan and Decision

1. Prepare a prioritized work plan identifying prerequisites, materials, access needs, required trades, inspections, and sequence. Order the plan so moisture sources and hazardous-material referrals are addressed before any air-sealing or insulation chapter that depends on them.
2. Issue a proceed, conditional-proceed, or stop-work decision for Chapter 2. State the decision explicitly on the worksheet, along with any conditions that must be met before Chapter 2 work begins.