This time, not far from the access hatch, I found something I have not seen before. There was an open hole. I peaked down that hole and, estimate here, I would say it went down about fifteen feet. Probably, at one point, a chimney was going to go through there, but that was a plan maybe, but it was never installed. Can you say H-O-L-E?
This hole creates three obvious problems: (1) missing insulation, (2) missing fire-stopping so a fire below could more easily draw into the attic, (3) a danger to a person working in the attic. Falling down that hole would be serious. There is no question about it that the repair has to be done right. Merely stapling cardboard over the hole, putting insulation in place, makes it almost for sure that someone will end up going down the hole. This needs to be repaired in a manner that is safe. People have to work in attics and that location, so near the hatch, is a logical place for someone to pause while traversing to another location. That person does not want to be going, going, gone.
Steven L. Smith
Bellingham WA Home Inspections
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WOW ..... That is amazing and dangerous. I wonder how much insulation is at the bottom of that hole?
Sean Allen
Hard to believe that something like that was left. Someone dropped the ball.
I tied a string around Charlie B and lowered him down the hole. He said there was lots of insulation down there so he had a soft landing. I kind of, accidentally, let go of the rope, again by accident, as in not on purpose...you know.
Growing up we had a walk-up attic and the floor joists weren't completly covered. One night sitting in the living room we heard all of this scratching on the ceiling and discovered the cat had fallen in between one of the rafters. It took a bit of doing and ingenuity but we got him out. I see holes like this and think oh yea right this is going to be fun when the cat falls in :-)
Cindy,
Sounds crazy but I had a friend and he did not know it but from outside there was a hole into his exterior wall. At 3am one morning, a racoon fell into the wall right behind the bed. He put on heavy gloves, broke a hole in the wall and got it out. That is one he man. True story.
Looks like the architect or home desiger didn't update the construction documents accordingly with the changes made by the home owner.
The problem with holes like that is that they can become "chimneys", and as we all know, wood and gypsum chimneys are bad juju. I am glad you finally let me out by the way.
"I am glad you finally let me out by the way"
Not so much in my view....dumbest move I made. Now you are back hogging all the feature blogs.
Funny you should mention this now. I almost fell into a similar hole in an attic the other day... that WAS stapled over with cardboard. Luckily, I caught myself before more than my leg went down.
On another house, (new construction) I found a (hole) in the outside sheeting (missing sheeting) under the vinyl siding by inadvertently leaning against the siding while writing some notes. I leaned, and the siding just kept on bending, which was my first clue that "somethings wrong here". We pulled loose some of the vinyl, to find a place where the builder had neglected to put any sheeting, only insulation. Normally, I don't think I would have discovered this liitle gem. But thanks to being a little on the lazy side that day, I did find it. (Better me than the homeowner). So, now I have a new 'routine'... pushing in on the vinyl siding around the houses.
Kevin,
As you know there are lots of ways to get tripped up, and to trip and fall, on this job.
Steve.. I hope no one gets hurt.. big problem here. My question is how does this relate to *recipes* where this was posted?
Valerie, it's a recipe for disaster.
Henry... I didn't look at it from that view point... good one.
Actually,
I must have accidentally checked that box. Sometimes when the computer is slow at AR, for whatever in heck reason, I check something and it takes forever for the box to fill in. I will remove it.
You probably get a lot of surprises in Attics- I'm scared to have someone check mine out, even though I know I should.
Judy,
Attics are not usually so bad. Now crawl spaces hold surprises.