Thats how I feel.
Guess it is not in comfort zone for some.
“Hydromassage bathtub electrical equipment shall be accessible without damaging the building structure or building finish.”
It’s one of this pesky code things. If you make up your own standards, then there’s no need to comment, but how do you check motor bonding?
Exactly Right - Turning on or resetting breakers is NO BIG deal.
EXCEPT for those few times when …
2 years ago I had no electricity upstairs on a 2-story. I noted no electricity AND went on. My rambunctious buyer and KAMIKAZE realtor went downstairs and came running back telling me it was NO BIG deal / just 2 breakers turned off (1 a GFCI). They told me I could reset them and check the electricity. I politely explained SoP and that although MOST of the time its NO BIGGIE, we have no idea why its OFF, so lets LEAVE it off and write it up in the report and LET the SELLER explain why its off AND reset them and show it works at some LATER time.
Neither buyer or agent had any sense and turned the electricity on. Everything appeared to be working AND they both said I was a WUSS.
The next morning I got a call from the seller, the Fire Marshall, an insurance company and others telling me I’d caused a fire that burned 2 rooms upstairs / Short in wiring / Seller had turned the breakers off and scheduled an appointment with an electrician to repair. Apparently not knowing an inspection was scheduled (house was vacant) he hadn’t told his realtor.
I was quite ELATED to explain I had told the agent and buyer to LEAVE the DAMN things off, BUT they turned the breakers ON - NOT I.
If memory serves me correctly everybody got sued EXCEPT for the nice OLDER Home Inspector.
Over 32 years I’ve got half a dozen stories like this, with disasterous results for the idiots that turned some INNOCENT looking something on.
RULE #1 - Read Your SoP / Then follow them / Not the advice of well meaning but foolish other inspectors who don’t know any better.
So for the most part you guys are good at resetting a tripped breaker during an inspection? Also do you guys include a photo of a filled jetted tub in the report as proof you filled it during the inspection?
NO. Who said anything about tripping a breaker (before Dan). I said re-setting a GFCI is no big deal…
Breakers <> GFCI
Two different things…
Mark it wasnt a personal attack against you according to the realestate agent here she seems to think every inspector around here does it. I was just trying to get inspectors viewpoints on here. Im always trying to learn and become the best inspector possible. Lets not try to be so easily offended.
Eric I do take a picture of it running.
But I often take well over 100 pictures and run a quick walk through video .
Personally I do not understand anyone acting as if they will be spending more $$$ on film in a digital age.
Breakers we should not trip,but as mentioned above circuit interrupters are supposed to be tested.
Most recommendations are for the homeowner to test them once a month also.
No one was offended. Lets not try to get snippy.
Breakers <> GFCI
Two different things… = snippy
Bob thanks for the info!
A circuit breaker trip occurs when the circuit becomes too hot from heat generated by the electrical current running through the circuit. The circuit breaker trips, shutting off electricity at that location until the wires cool. Now the question is what happens if you reset it and the breaker fails to trip? Listen to Dan with 30 years of experience. DO NOT reset anything. Report unit failed to operate utilizing normal operating controls due to lack of power. If the breaker is tripped inform them to have a qualified electrician investigate why it tripped and move on.
I turned on a stove breaker at the Realtors insistence (it was not tripped, just “off”).
Then the lights went dim and the sound of an Arc Welder…
Where’s the fire extinguisher?!
Sorry, I am following a State Law (which NACHI’s SOP was derived).
NACHI’s SOP does not have any requirements on what “MUST” be Reported.
I stand corrected.
However, if your inspect something that is not operating, are you not required (implied) to report that?
HI’s love to call crap out and defer at all costs.
Why would they not report the tub didn’t work and a breaker was off? If they are not going to turn it on (for insurance reasons) why not report that?
It’s just part of the Job.
Just Add that to the other 40 pages of unnecessary report writing!
No, blunt.
Now *that *was snippy! :mrgreen:
:D;-)
Exactly my point, Bob. If the access panel is caulked or otherwise more permanently sealed so that the “homeowner” cannot easily perform a maintenance inspection, or myself a “visual” home inspection, it’s gets written up as inaccessable. My policy is I will not “destructibly gain access” to anything. No different than a service panel that is caulked/glued/nailed/trimmed/etc… closed.
Eric,
Why all the dialog with the agent? Isn’t your signed contract with the buyer? You should be dealing directly with “your client” not via the agent.
Realize of course they always like to stick themselves as “the most important” in any deal … it is best to keep your dealings direct with the client.
Regardless … best of luck in the matter.
Cheers,
Nolan Kienitz
Nolan’s Inspections, LLC
D/FW
I agree, but, when my testing is complete, I re-trip the GFCI so it is as I found it, and comment in my report that it was found tripped, results of testing, and that I returned it to it’s tripped status. Recommend gaining an explanation from the seller (in writing) as to the cause, and depending on the sellers response, having a qualified electrician evaluate and repair.