Can Construction Sites Be Inspected in Winter?

Winter presents many challenges, and construction site inspections are not immune from them. While a construction inspection service in Hudson, CO may prefer inspecting sites in summer, winter inspections are not impossible and may even yield a few advantages. Here are five unique considerations when scheduling inspections during a Colorado winter:

• Water management: You will not see water management in action when you arrange a summer inspection. This refers to how water is diverted from your home, whether it comes from precipitation, gutters or snow melt. When water has nowhere to go or porches slant so it flows straight to your basement, winter conditions will not hide these facts. Even in packed snow, there is just enough snow melt to demonstrate where your water management system diverts water.
• Light sources: Cold temperatures challenge electrical systems in new and improved ways. There may be shorts from the cold, or light fixtures may accumulate water and short out. Lights that are adequate for the long days of spring and summer may fall short during the dark days of winter. A winter inspection shows what the main systems can handle and whether current fixtures are prepared for the rigors of cold and precipitation.
• Site safety: During winter, you can see where ice is most likely to accumulate. Once you know this, you can take precautions like investing in ice melt or even installing heated walkways and driveways. There is another thing to consider in this category as well: if there are significant ice spots, neutralize them as much as possible before your inspector visits. Nothing will reflect more poorly on your site or potential home than a slip and fall accident.
• Moisture levels: All inspections involve a test with a moisture meter to see if a structure is compromised by excessive moisture. This indicates whether you may currently have a mold problem or are likely to develop one in the future. It is also important for stucco and masonry, as moisture could take down an entire building. There are more sources for moisture in the winter, so if your home or building is not compromised under those conditions, it is likely that all is well. This becomes more a matter of conjecture when inspections occur in the dryer days of summer.
• Leak detection: If there is going to be a roof leak, it will happen in winter. The weight of snow and occasionally storm conditions can beat up roofs and lead to leaks inside a building. If a roof holds strong during the winter, chances are it will survive anything and you will not have to replace it for a long time. Seeing this tested before you buy is often reassuring, as no one wants to buy a new home or commercial site only for it to sustain significant weather damage.

High Plains Engineering & Design, LLC offers construction inspection service in Hudson, CO bolstered by a background in home building, commercial sites and project administration. If you require a home or site inspection, contact us today to schedule a consultation.

Categorised in: House Building