Today I read the article on Anti-Tip devices for the range. Many injuries have occurred as a result of the range tipping toward the user when the door is open. This can trap and burn the person operating the appliance. All new ranges come with the necessary hardware.
The second article that I read was about anti- scald valves. Twenty percent of burns in this country are caused by scalding. These valves make it such that if a toilet is flushed, the cold water impact on the shower is minimal to not expose a bather to suddenly hot water.
The garage trusses in the garage inspection was nowhere near put back together
as per any specs. The gussets out of plywood I believe is a no no. trusses were not bearing on any place that was built for bearing an the truss hanger were to
small for the amount of weight that it was carrying.
The attic stairs are to be installed per specifications to avoid any harm,# 16 penny nails or 3" lag screws an legs should be cut to the length that when open there
is no bow put on hinges it should be straight when fully opened.
Just started the course a couple of weeks ago. Didn’t realize the amount of safety involved in this line of work. It has really opened my eyes and caused me to have a whole new respect for the job. I really appreciated the thoroughness of the course.
This is a situation I have in my own home. Thought this is good one to share since this course is about safety and hatch location was one of the subheadings under Attic Inspections. The attic hatch location is directly over the stairs. This poses a hazardous location due to the placement of your ladder would have to be on a stair tread. The safest way I think to handle this would be to have a second person with you to hold the ladder in place so it wouldn’t slide down the stairs causing the inspector to fall and possibly seriously injuring his/herself. Since an inspector would not know of this hazard prior to the inspection, having a second person is probably not going to be the answer. So I would think he/she would have to reschedule the attic inspection, but would go ahead and inspect the rest of the house. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.
In the attached photo, the attic space was definitely “confined”. There was lighting present, but was inadequate to illuminate the entire space. Additionally, there was no sort of walkway to be able to reach other areas of the attic. The presence of protruding nails would have made it dangerous to try to crouch and step on the rafters to explore other areas of the attic.
Ladders come in many shapes and sizes and can be very useful in certain situations, but could also become very dangerous in those same situations. Not only does the inspector need to be aware of personal safety, but the safety of the homeowners, especially those with children present at the time of the inspection. It was very interesting to learn about alternate options such as the Spectoscope which can improve sight lines when the use of a ladder is unsafe.
Re: Marijuana Grow Operations
As this industry continues to grow (no pun intended), a home inspector should be aware of the dangers involved in entering a house with suspected illegal activity. In most cases, a marijuana grow operation could be identified by early indicators such as a skunky marijuana odor, windows covered in plastic or newspaper, or extra security like dogs or privacy fences. The fact is that in those states that it is legalized, grow operations are more likely to be controlled by jurisdictional standards of practice.
I hope this works. I arrived at house to do an inspection only to find homeowner had not arrived yet to meet me. Called homeowner and he said to go ahead and start without him he would arrive shortly. Once I entered the house I was met by this dog. I decided since home owner had not told me about a animal on location I would wait upon his arrival and get him to manage the dog
I read two articles from the Library. One was on garage inspections and came to realize that if you can get neighbors to talk with you it could be helpful. The inspector in this case may not have inspected as close as he did if not for the neighbor. The second article was about attic ladders, it sounds like a common practice of homeowners is to either not use enough or the wrong size nails
For this component of the course I have inspected the exterior of a two storey home.
Initial visual inspection reveals that the siding material is vinyl with aluminum trim and corners. Flashing around doors and windows is present and functional. No indication of any moisture penetration through the exterior is present.
Crawlspace Hazards and Inspection by Nick GROMICKO
Crawlspaces pose hazards to the inspector outside that of the obvious confined space issues. Crawlspaces may present such hazards as dangerous creatures, from biting and stinging insect life to reptile and mammalian pests that bite or can simply infect by contamination of an inspector their excrement and urine. Crawlspaces are an issue where inspectors should be completely competent with PPE practices.
Fall Arrest Systems by Nick GROMICKO
Any work performed at an elevation where the rapid descent thereof would result in injury should be performed with the employment of a fall arrest system. Anyone at anytime can lose their footing or balance, add elevation and the consequences can be severe.
Foundation vents with pushed in screens like the one in this picture are a good indication of mice, snakes, scorpions, ext. it depends on the climate the home is located in. seeing these type of defects on the visual exterior of a home are a good indication of possible pests.
As the reading and writing portion of this course I read two articles, “A Garage Inspection”, and “Adjustable Steel Columns”. The articles were clearly written and informative. I enjoy learning new things and I think the illustrations are a helpful addition to the text. The articles show, in addition to the subject matter, that the variety of unexpected discoveries possible during a home inspection require a sharp eye and a well trained and knowledgeable inspector.
back flow prevention is used to prevent water from back flowing to is original source. the use of a back flow prevention devise will help from siphoning used water back into your potable water.
aluminum wiring first cam about in the early 60’s. it is used as a substitute for copper wiring. aluminum expands a contracts more than copper does so it is not as durable as copper wiring is. properly maintained aluminum wiring is safe though.
Viruses, bacteria and protozoa are the causes of most swimming pool related sicknesses. Infected swimmers can contaminate a pool with their mucus, saliva, blood and skin. Feces poses the most threat. A single fecal release in a pool could contaminate millions of gallons of water. Pool disinfectants kill most germs in less than an hour, but others could take longer and some are resistant to chlorine altogether. Never rely just on the pools chemical treatments. Always keep these precautions in mind.
Never swallow pool water.
Shower with soap and water before and after swimming.
Wash children, especially their rear ends before they enter a pool.
Remove small children for frequent bathroom breaks and check diapers often.
Article 2 - Bat Infestation
Bat infestation in attics can be a health hazard as much as a nuisance for home owners. Bats are often hosts for diseases, such as rabies. Bat droppings called ‘guano’ can also cause the respiratory disease called ‘Histoplasmosis’ through the inhalation of fungal spores. Never attempt to remove bats during the summer, due to the baby bats that are unable to fly will not be able to leave during the summer months. They will starve to death of the adults are unable to come back. This is inhumane and also adds additional problems posed by decomposing bat carcasses.
The first attached picture is of a hole, in the side wall of an attic space, that a raccoon has created. When I cautiously peered through the attic hatch, with a mirror and flashlight, the raccoon, that appeared to be the size of a small bear, was a few feet away. I closed the hatch, informed the owner I could not inspect the attic, and had the local animal control department notified.
The second picture is of a house that had a gas explosion, knocking the house off the foundation. There were signs that read “enter at your own risk”. I did not enter, but peered through the rear door. You could hear the house creaking with movement. Did not enter house. Not safe.
Bat Infestation Article:
Good info on the reasons of why humans can come in contact with bats, and it usually not good. Also, I do not think I would ever sit as close to pile of bat guano as the person pictured in the article did.
Biological Pollutants in the Home Article:
Good example of how the exact cause of an illness can not be determined, and taking samples, does not give the necessary information, but looking for high moisture areas, and evidence of infestation can help remedy potential causes of health problems.
This home is heated by hot water radiant baseboard heaters, which are divided into 5 different zones throughout the home. The oil fired boiler heats the water and a circulation pump disperses the heated water to the appropriate zone after a call for heat from the zone thermostat. The boiler should be inspected and serviced by a qualified technician. Water leaks on top of the boiler were noted, and the zone control actuators are currently not fastened to the valves.
