Article on AFCI testers by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard.
I found this article to be very informative and I feel a must read.
As it goes in depth explaining the proper use and function of an AFCI tester, and the differences between an AFCI and a GFI.
The article has a link at the bottom to a website that sells top quality testing equipment also.
I was called to do an inspection for a potential buyer and when I arrived at the house I realized the sellers were friends of mine. It would be a violation of the codes of ethics to overlook a deficiency in the house in order to help the sale go through. It is my duty to provide a fair and impartial report.
Code of Ethics essay
A family member is the listing agent for multiple properties and has referred me, as the inspector, to the buyers. I was asked, by him, to overlook various items for a couple of the properties. In return, if the property sold, I would be given a portion of his commission and he would guarantee me other jobs in the area. A couple of the items he asked me to overlook were a 15 year old roof that had recently started leaking and a breaker panel that had multiple, double tapped breakers.
a hypothetical conflict of interest or code of ethics violation i may experience as a home inspector.
i do a inspecton and the home owner asked me to fix a plumbing leak under the kitchen sink.
Upon telling the client that i am not able to do that, the client askes me again and offerd to pay me $100
cash if i would fix the leak. i politly refuse. At the end of the inspecton the home owner askes me if i could format the report to where it wouldnt scare the buyer and offered to pay me $200 for doing this. i refuse and tell him i was not alowed to do this.
Bathroom Exhaust Fans
The bathroom exaust fans should be vented to the exterior, either to the roof, or the exterior wall.
They should should not be vented to the soffit vents or the attic area.
When prroperly vented to the outside, they should have covers on the to prevent water,debries, and wildlife
from entering the exuast.
5/8/17
As a home inspector, I could certainly imagine encountering family members as well as close friends making real estate purchases and wanting me to pass their homes that are deemed defective. In this day and age, where purchasing and flipping ‘fixer-uppers’ is the fad, I imagine I will encounter this on a regular basis.
A hypothetical example would be my brother purchasing a home, his realtor asking me to the inspection and insisting I "help my brother out by allowing the home to pass”. This would be a direct violation of the code of ethics. Adhering to the code of ethics is important because INTERNACHI’s reputation is dependent on the member inspectors providing and honest and fair service to the public.
Derrick Powers
Just getting started today! 20 years active duty will be done in 2020 so I’ll be inspecting homes as my retirement job.
Code of Ethics Essay
I was called for an inspection on a house and was met at the property by the realtor. She followed me inside of the property to inspect the house along side with me and asked me not to report the water damage and a couple misalliances things along the way since it will harm the buyer’s condition to purchase the property.
-Leutrim Paloji
Research Essay
Septic System Inspections
A septic system should be inspected annually and as soon as the house is put on the market. This will not only ensure a properly functioning system but will also enhance the home’s value.
Locating the septic system can be done in the following ways but is not limited to: using “as-built” drawings can often be obtained by the local health and zoning agency, a thin metal rod can be probed into the suspected area, a metal detector can be used to locate the metal components of the system, or the greenest grass is often directly above the septic tank.
Research exercise
Inspection graphics library taught me exactly what a fire block looks like and the importance of having one if the property a fire place. The block is placed between the brick and the sheet rock so the sheet rock does not catch fire. I now know the importance of a fire block and what it looks like.
Ethical Issue and response:
Through their Real Estate agent, the buyer (who is the client for this inspection) has asked that I note that the roof, somewhat weathered on one exposure, be “flunked” so the client can take back a demand for significant “cash on closure” to the seller. The cash would be to repair the roof at a later date that would be determined by the buyer.
I explain to the Real Estate agent that I do not flunk components, only note and report what I see,. I explain that the roof is sound and in quite good shape and that the roof is simply aging on one side faster because of the direction that the roof faces. The minor blanching of the shingles and the loss of granules I explain to appear normal, and the roof appears to be still completely functional and not in need of repair or replacement at the time on inspection.
The Real Estate agent balks, saying that the deal will fall through because the buyer and seller would be thousands apart in price.
I further explain that as a Home Inspector, I can only observe and report what I see, and that this cannot be used as a backdoor method to bridge a price gap between buyer and seller – it would contravene both my Code of Ethics and Standard of Practice.
An example of a hypothetical conflict of interest on the field would be if I were assisting a customer with a comprehensive mold inspection and after the inspection was complete offering the remediation work of the impacted areas. According to InterNachi’s standards of practice “The InterNACHI member shall not perform or offer to perform, for an additional fee, any repairs or associated services to the structure for which the member or member’s company has prepared a home inspection report for a period of 12 months. This provision shall not include services to components and/or systems that are not included in the InterNACHI Standards of Practice”. In this case I would recommend the client locate a certified mold remediation company for the project.
The topic I decided to research on was “Checking on Your HVAC System”. What I learned in these current cold winters is to be up to date on your HVAC maintenance. This is the point of the year where HVAC professionals are at their busiest so if your HVAC checks out on you and you are not prepared having an HVAC professional come out immediately might become a headache and you could find yourself living in an ice box for a couple days. What this has taught me is during a home inspection always recommend that the client have the HVAC evaluated by a HVAC professional and always have a routine maintenance schedule to prevent issues in the future. Also, a good recommendation would be to replace the filter every three months or as needed.
An inspector has gone beyond the three-year mark without passing their InterNACHI Online Inspector Exam. This would be in violation with the code of ethics for InterNACHI because you must pass the exam once in every three years.
I had been working with this realtor for over 2 years and had always found him to be upfront and honest. He had fallen on hard times in this housing market and really needed this deal to go through. The buyers were very interested in making sure the inspection was complete and accurate. As we were talking about using me for the inspection, he said to me that he really needed this inspection to not torpedo the contract. He had been “hand holding” these clients for weeks and if one more thing went wrong they were going to drop the deal. He went on to tell me about his own hardships and how this deal would put him back on track. I would not take the inspection.
The forum I was focusing on included trusses and truss connections within garage inspections. A few things I took away from the article were the improper alterations as well as improper bearing points. These are two very distinguishable structural issues that must be reported. Trusses cannot be altered in any way without the approval of a structural engineer.
Research on the importance of having the client sign an inspection agreement:
It is most highly recommended that you have the client sign the inspection agreement according to Internachi. The research showed that there are times when that is not possible, in those cases the agent should write under signature “authorized agent”. The inspect should attempt to obtain ok from client via email or text if possible confirming agents authorization to sign.
Hello everybody, I’m new here and actually new to be a Home Inspector. But I’m very Excited to give my Best!
As a home inspector my responsibility is to comply with the code of ethics for InterNACHI.
A home inspector who has earned professional licensure as a home inspector works in an area where swimming pools are commonplace and real estate agents and clients prefer a “one stop shop” inspector that can inspect the house and pool at the same time. The inspector has not received certification as a professional pool inspector but grew up with a swimming pool in their home. The Inspector advertises that they are qualified to inspect both homes and swimming pools when, in reality, they are only licensed to inspect the house.
This is not being honest concerning my qualifications
The topic of including the roof check seems to me extremely important, as much for the client as for me too. The importance of covering every space of the house at the time of inspection is key to being able to create a complete report, and gives us the possibility to obtain new clients by recommendations from realtors or current clients.