Your House is a Home… and your home is a System

One thing as a Chelan Home Inspector I realize is that as we create homes that are more energy efficient we need a understanding that the home is a complex arrangement of various independent components and you the occupant to create a system. The operation and/or failure of one of the components can affect many other components and you.

When the systems all work together they create a home that is comfortable, efficient, safe and durable. You can take advantage of energy savings and avoid creating health and safety issues.

Yet the home may experience problems when its systems do not work together properly or systems are not used as designed. The problems can be very obvious such as condensation on windows and mold. Other issues may be invisible such as condensation in wall cavities where rot and mold can go unnoticed. Certain problems could appear immediately and others can be several years in the future.

Building and component failures can be symptoms of failures in the house as a system.  Contractors and home owners will need to understand the underlying problem(s) and not just replace the obvious rotted wood or moldy sheet-rock.

Understanding the climate that your home will occupy and building the home for that climate is an important fundamental criterion.

Understanding and controlling the flow of air, heat and moisture is critical in the durability of the home. Home as systems, in effect, are less durability because as we seal the home up the potential for trapping moisture and pollutants increases.

So ensuring that the systems are functioning properly, are designed correctly and we use the systems as designed becomes more important.

For more information on the home and it various components-

House as a System
House as a system or not

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected.”

Steve Jobs

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, Orville, Cle Elum, East Wenatchee, Quincy and many more…      

Your Wenatchee and Chelan Professional Home and Structural Pest Inspection Service

509-670-9572 or on the web atwww.ncwhomeinspections.com