If you are attending the home inspection & want to follow your inspector around, then read this article published in the ASHI Reporter of how you can protect yourself, children & the inspector while he does his job to serve you. Some of these tips can save your life & your children. From roofs to basements to cars, inspectors work to protect their personal safety. The work of inspecting homes is not simply a matter of looking, testing and reporting as it might appear to clients. Each home is unique, in both its flaws and its hazards, and every inspector must protect his or her personal health. We spoke with inspectors in each of five regions to learn what concerns they face day to day — and the unexpected issues that can surprise (and hurt) them if precautions aren’t taken. The most common issues are related to roofs, correct ladder use and safety, electrical hazards, crawl spaces and attics — probably what you would expect to hear. But some inspectors offered fresh perspectives on these commonplace issues and some others that may surprise you.

Attics and crawl spaces
Surprisingly, some inspectors still do not wear respirators when working in crawl spaces and attics. This poses a danger “that’s not immediate, but comes out in later years. You really don’t know what you’re breathing in doing it on a daily basis, and years down the road, you have some sort of pulmonary issue.
Not wearing it is like driving without a seatbelt.

Considering Client Safety
It’s not enough to think only of your own safety on an inspection. There are also plenty of ways for your clients to get hurt. Keep your eye on clients at all times while inspecting electrical boxes or other equipment. I have had to swat a client’s hand away as he tried to reach into an open electrical service panel to point something out to me. Remind clients that they don’t have to follow your every step. Be clear about your ladder rules. Do not let your client follow you up the ladder. They are most safe when both their feet are on the ground.

This article below is from The ASHI Reporter. Homeowners need to know the seriousness of maintaining the water heater. Retrofitting or installing TPR valves can prove disastrous & dangerous.

The most important part of your client’s domestic hot water system

“The steam-powered tank hurtled across the busy intersection at First Avenue South and South 152nd Street — over at least six lanes of traffic — before landing more than 439 feet away in the parking lot of a Pizza Hut.”

This excerpt from a July 28, 2001, article in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer describes what happened when a water heater with a capped Temperature Pressure Relief (TPR) valve overheated and exploded.

High limit controls

Water heaters have thermostatically controlled devices that keep them from overheating. Both gas and electric water heaters have temperature-limiting devices that shut off the energy source when their regular thermostat fails. Electric heaters have a high-limit switch that interrupts the power when overheating occurs. Many of us have seen and perhaps reset the device by pushing a small red button under the cover plate and just above the thermostat dial.

Thermostatically controlled gas valves found on most residential gas water heaters have a safety shutoff built into the gas valve itself. When they react to excessive temperature, the gas flow to the burner is stopped. Generally not resettable, the entire control valve has to be replaced to get the water heater up and running again.

These devices are the first line of protection against water heater explosion. Should they fail, a temperature pressure relief valve, which should be installed within the top 6 inches of the tank, should prevent the heater from suddenly becoming a bomb or launching like a rocket. In both of the explosion events described earlier, it appears a properly installed TPR valve would have prevented the carnage.

To know more about engineered framing members & their proper assembly read this article published by ASHI on LVL’s. As an ASHI home inspector knowing that experts are looking out for you is critical. This article will give you information you need to have confidence your home is built in compliance with current building standards.

Engineered lumber can support greater loads and longer spans than the more conventional dimensional lumber, but good performance requires proper handling and detailing.

On many newer homes today, laminated veneer lumber (LVL) has displaced both steel- and glue-laminated timbers for ‘large span’ applications.

The advantages: You don’t need a crane or a welder.
Therefore, as demand increases, we as home inspectors can expect to see more of these LVLs on both newer houses and additions. Although LVLs may handle a lot like conventional lumber, you should be aware it’s not the same “stuff.” And one of the more important connections we should look for, that’s often done insufficiently in the field, is the connection between the plies. Manufacturers are very specific about both nailing and bolting schedules for fastening plies.

Nailed and bolted connections: For laminating l-¾”-wide LVLs up to three 12-inch-deep plies, look for two rows of 16d nails spaced 12 inches on center. The rows should be nailed from both sides with the spacing staggered. For three plies over 12 inches deep, look for three rows of 16d nails, again 12 inches on center, both sides with a staggered pattern. For laminating four or more plies (generally, it is not recommended to exceed four plies), look for two rows, three inches from the top and bottom of ½”-diameter through-bolts with fender washers on both faces, every two feet on center, with a staggered pattern, in addition to the regular nailing schedule specified above. Other details we should look for include proper post caps, splices and beam pockets.

Post Caps: Load-carrying beams must have a minimum bearing length at each support. For this reason, most manufacturers of engineered lumber recommend steel post caps for wood posts or a steel-bearing saddle for steel posts — both with side plates on both faces — to prevent the beam from twisting or rotating at these supports.

Splices: Splices between piles should be staggered and should fall within the supported bearing length of a post. If this isn’t possible, the splice should fall in the middle between supports if the manufacturer concurs. Too often, the splice is placed just slightly off bearing where it can shift, causing the beam to sag.

Beam Pockets: Codes require protection of untreated foundation beams from concrete. They usually specify a ½” separation (gap) from all concrete surfaces. Some municipal building inspectors allow or require some type of vapor retarder between the wood and concrete (e.g., 6 mil poly-vapor barrier, foam sill-seal or a pressure-treated (p.t.) set block in the beam pocket). Non-p.t. wood should not be grouted tight into the pocket because of the possibility of rot.

Truss Joists: The truss joists may have Gang-Lam, LVL flanges and solid, oriented stand board webs. They’re manufactured with no camber, eliminating possible upside-down installation. Some of the common “red flag” areas we should look for include the following conditions, which are NOT permitted.

Red Flags

Don’t use dimensional lumber for fastening to truss joists such as band joists. Dimensional lumber, unless it’s kiln-dried, often has a higher moisture content. Therefore, when the shrinkage occurs as it dries, connection problems often result.

Don’t put holes too close to supports. Use only manufactured knock-out areas or stay within the limits of the manufacturer’s web-hole specifications.

Don’t overcut holes and damage flanges.

Don’t cut or notch or drill any section of the flange.
Don’t use oversized nails or hammer on flange and damage the joint.
Don’t cut beyond the inside edge of the bearing (don’t scarf-cut ends).

Don’t support joists on web.

Another common deficiency to look for is a loose bottom flange pulling away from the web. This condition may occur during erection when framers might be hitting the top of joists and/or inappropriate loads are fastened to the bottom flange.

In conclusion, it is impossible for us to know or even carry the manufacturer’s specs (span charts, installation details, etc.) for all the different engineered lumber out there. Therefore, if you see any of these ‘red flag’ areas or other deficiencies and have concerns or questions, it would be prudent to advise your client accordingly.

Austin, Texas

No matter where you look in the housing industry ASHI has its foot in the door. When America was hit with its worst mortgage & financial crisis since the great depression ASHI was there to help. ASHI is the most trusted name in the home inspection industry. We speak house! Read this article below to know more how ASHI helps you.

With passage of the housing bailout bill earlier this summer and the subsequent credit rescue bill passed in early October, the U.S. government has demonstrated extraordinary speed in its efforts to moderate the effects of the severe economic downturn. Time will tell whether these remedies are the best tonics for the collective financial crises. But one thing is for certain: The U.S. government is in the realty business. We would prefer that the housing markets were stable and that any discussion of bailouts/rescues was unnecessary. But with government’s new authority, and new role, come a unique opportunity for ASHI members. The government will become responsible for large numbers of houses that are in foreclosure, pre-foreclosure or some manner of mortgage distress. Some have been abandoned. It is well known that when houses become subject to mortgage distress, the care, maintenance and repair of the houses begin to suffer. The government, backed by the American taxpayers, will soon take control of the debt for many thousands of such houses. No one really knows the condition of these homes, and, of course, the condition affects the value of the properties that secure these debts in purchase-money mortgages. Further, the clear intent of Congress, Treasury and HUD is to sell the houses in a manner that will minimize the cost to the taxpayers. The government should have a goal to at least break even, or perhaps make a profit. This can happen only if the purchasing public can buy the houses with confidence they are in reasonably good condition. Thus, the government has a need to know the condition of the houses under federal management, and further, the government has some extra responsibility to ensure that houses it sells to the public are in reasonably good shape. ASHI has already made these arguments to personnel on the key housing subcommittees on Capitol Hill. In addition, ASHI has drafted language for consideration in follow-up legislation to address the liquidation phase of the housing bailout. Specifically, language establishing that the government agencies handling the liquidation must make efforts to ascertain the physical condition of the houses, both for its responsibilities as a housing owner and its different responsibilities as a seller of houses. The ASHI provision would require home inspections to be obtained at some point in the process. It is clear Treasury and HUD are moving at lightning speed to address the housing and credit crises — so fast, in fact, that the agencies have not worked out many of the problems or details involved in this gargantuan process. Further legislation will be required when the federal agencies and Congress move past the implementation phase of the new programs to the liquidation phase. We expect the congressional housing subcommittees will convene early in the new 111th Congress next year and begin working on those aspects of the process. It is possible they will meet sooner, in a lame-duck session to follow the elections. In any event, ASHI has asked the committees to consider the special responsibilities undertaken by the government, and the need to obtain home inspections, where possible, to make sure the taxpayers will hold, control and eventually sell houses whose condition is known to the general public. ASHI continues to pursue another opportunity: to have HUD incorporate special training about home inspections in housing counseling programs under HUD authority and funding. ASHI members will recall that Congress introduced a bill, HR4776, in the 110th Congress that would achieve this goal. Recent events would seem to indicate the country needs better education for homebuyers to know the details of their purchases. Most of the focus has been on financial education, but ASHI makes the case that buyers should have full and fair knowledge of the physical condition of their homes as well. Treasury is also aware of the need for the better-educated homebuyer. The wave of support for better buyer education is growing, and ASHI is in a position to ride that wave of public policy development.
ASHI will continue to push for consideration of its proposal to require HUD to include specific messages, drafted by ASHI, in its training programs for HUD counselors. In our view, every HUD counselor should fully understand the benefits of home inspections and be able to explain them, persuasively, to every prospective homebuyer they influence. Thus, ASHI has two legislative proposals before Congress at this time. These proposals will carry forth the positive message about home inspections and cause them to be adopted by the government. In addition, the proposals would help the government’s liquidation phase by providing some safeguards regarding the condition of the properties the government would offer to the public for sale. When the time is right and the new Congress convenes to consider the next steps in crisis management, ASHI will be on the Hill to rally attention for these proposals and will seek grass-roots support to ensure that home inspections play a significant role in the process.

ASHI home inspectors in Austin Texas are few in number, but make up in quality over the TREC licensed inspector. ASHI standards of practice is strict so the consumer is best protected from unqualified home inspectors. A well diversified home inspector helps consumers in down markets to get what they pay for without having to trust the person in the yellow pages whom they never met. You can trust ASHI, We speak house!

“ASHI has taken steps to arm its members with the resources and support to provide a diverse range of services for homeowners,” said Brion Grant, 2008 ASHI president. “We know that one-size doesn’t fit all in this market. From energy audits to maintenance inspections, phased-inspections and more, we’re arming members with tools to diversify their services so that they can meet the needs of the public.”

New Services for Homeowners

Energy audits are among the core services that ASHI is encouraging its members to fine-tune so consumers have the benefit of potential cost savings. In December, members of ASHI’s Blue Ridge Chapter (Virginia) participated in group training with a nationally certified energy auditing company to secure certification to perform energy audits in their region. “With the cost of fuel skyrocketing, energy audits can uncover inefficiencies and point to savings,” added Grant. “ASHI is working in conjunction with a certifying organization to provide opportunities for training and certification so that its members can offer this ancillary service nationally.”

Another service homeowners may not think about is maintenance inspections. “Maintenance should be at the top of every seller’s list this year, said Grant. “In this market, homebuyers have more properties to choose from, and will look closely at how well a home has been kept up.”

Homeowners who are serious about selling their home in 2008 should consider hiring an inspector to conduct a maintenance inspection, which includes checking everything from the foundation, roof and gutters, to a home’s exterior and interior walls, electrical wiring and plumbing. ASHI also offers a maintenance checklist, a list of items in the home that should be maintained annually or by season. Those interested in obtaining a copy of ASHI’s home maintenance checklist should contact a local ASHI Certified Inspector via ASHI’s Web site www.ASHI.org.

Services for Buying or Building a Home

With a record 2.18 million homes sitting vacant and sellers chomping at the bit to unload their home, buyers are at risk too. Before purchasing a home, ASHI encourages buyers to hire an inspector to conduct a pre-sale inspection to determine its quality, efficiency and safety. “There are a lot of people who are willing to do whatever it takes to sell their homes,” said Grant. “In a market like this, people are quick to jump in because of the rock-bottom price rather than the quality and safety of the home.” And, with many bank-owned properties being sold “as is,” meaning the seller will not be performing any repairs, pre-sale inspections can provide vital information about costly defects.

Phased inspections are also a good way to protect the interests of people who are building a home from scratch. By engaging a home inspector early on, even in the site selection, homeowners can benefit from having an inspector assess the quality of construction at every step. From pouring the foundation, to closing the walls, home inspectors can provide an unbiased assessment of a home that will save homeowners time and money. ASHI encourages individuals who are interested in learning more about phased inspections to visit www.ASHI.org.

I wish forecasting the future was as easy as picking up a Magic 8-Ball,” said Grant. “‘Outlook good’ would be a welcomed relief from what we’ve seen over the last year. But Americans are resilient, and ASHI is committed to helping homeowners weather this storm.”

About the American Society of Home Inspectors

In its 31st year and with nearly 6,000 members, ASHI is the oldest and most widely recognized non-profit, professional organization of home inspectors in North America. Its Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics are the industry standard. ASHI’s mission is to meet the needs of its membership and promote excellence and exemplary practice within the profession. For more information, visit www.ASHI.org or call 800-743-2744.

To become an ASHI Certified Inspector, ASHI members must pass two written tests, including the National Home Inspectors Examination, and have performed a minimum of 250 professional fee-paid inspections conducted in accordance with ASHI’s Standards of Practice and subscribe to the Code of Ethics. ASHI Certified Inspectors are also required to obtain 20 continuing education credits per year to keep current with the latest in building technology, materials and professional skills.