Having attic access in an inspection is important, but not always feasible when a house is occupied:… http://fb.me/1CWjkkgbE
The following is an excerpt from Working RE magazine:
Editor’s Note: Inspecting an attic can be tricky business. Here is what a few inspectors have learned over the years about when and how to inspect an attic.
Inspecting the Attic
By David Brauner, Editor
F. Kelly, inspecting for 12 years in Arizona, has a problem common to inspectors: “I declined to go into an attic the other day. The access was in the master bedroom closet, full of clothes, etc. When I attempted to open the scuttle cover, it was obvious there were about 15 inches of blown in insulation covering it. I was able to access another portion of the attic so I knew approximately how much insulation was up there,” said Kelly. “I wrote up that I didn’t access that portion of the attic due to excessive insulation on the hatch cover. I suppose I could spend half an hour or so covering their clothing and cleaning up but what do you do when the cover is heavily caulked in place and you will damage drywall removing it? I usually report that the seller needs to provide access but with these short sales, the inspection period is usually very short.”
If at all possible in preparation for the inspection, have all attic accesses prepared with clothing, storage, etc. removed. This prevents any damage or distress to contents and insures that the inspector will be able to perform a complete and thorough inspection for the client and buyer of the property.