Sex is important during a home inspection.

Are we referring to the same things here Jonas… Moisture is a subjective matter depending on from where it originates…? Your measuring it and the order of events is somewhat a personal decision. Being from the east coast of Florida I can understand your dilemma as everything is generally moist and quite a bit humid this time of year.

It was a paraphrase from you buddy in Chicago.

You sure?
Looks like a floor drain backed up to me.
So when they tear off the panel you gonna pay for the labor and reinstall?

Bob, moisture is not a subjective matter. You should consider going to an IICRC accredited water technician training or applied structural drying training if you haven’t already done so. An IR camera doesn’t replace the physical (get on your hands and knees) inspection. It just gives you a different view about aspects of the home. We can’t have a complete view, but we certainly can have a better view. Like anything, including us, it has it’s limitations. I use it with that in mind for certain and carry out a normal inspection as we are trained to do. It is an “additional” tool only. If I didn’t use it to check that ceiling in the paragragh I wrote above, I would not have found the issue until it came through the drywall. Timing had as much to do with it. But the plumbing was concealed between the floor and ceiling below. The camera revealed the issue. The moisture meter confirmed it, the plumber confirmed it and fixed it. No angry phone call. Probably saved a good chunk of the cost of the camera right there in potential damages alone. Saved the plumber that is. Happy to do it.

I like it, Paul. Rather than a bit technical explanation, you are getting to one of the key talents that a good inspector should have, the ability to know their audience. When you write the report, you are writing to to lay people. A big part of your job is to communicate your findings. To do this properly, you have to know and empathize with your clients.

Great job.

Thanks Will.

I am writing another non technical blog post called Home Inspector Tango. I will be telling people that shopping price is not always a good value.

The Home Inspector Tango. Fun for me.

Hi Paul!
I clicked on the link to your website and see that you have* one* InterNachi “membership certification/diploma”.
I know that in order to become a member that you have to take and pass several technical courses. {Electrical, roofing, etc. etc.}

I would suggest that you display these certifications/diplomas on the same page. This shows people that you are trained in several different technical aspects of the home inspection industry.

I didn’t check out your entire website but I would also suggest that on the “about” page you include the fact that you take several hours of “continuing education” each and every year.

I wish you success and …I hope that this information might be of some use to you:nachi:

Regards, Frank

Hello Frank, I have taken and passed all the Internachi courses except electrical, I think it was 13 courses? Electric I will do tonight or tomorrow so my certifications should be up to date, I think.

I have also taken and passed about 25 or so extra credits, also InterNachi. Expect to have 60 credits in a week or so. I am doing the advanced radon for 24.

I had not thought about putting that on my website till you mentioned it

I’m glad I could help!
You might want to put it some thought into the “arrangement” of your certificates.
Some inspectors list them alphabetically others list them by “category”.
One more thing to consider…… Do not put any certificate for a “service” that you were unwilling to provide. Example i.e. certified pest inspector and or certified WDO inspector.
In the state of New Hampshire if you were doing a “pest inspection” you had better be certified!

I saw an inspector get sued because he had a WDI/W DO certification on this website and he did not, I repeat not perform a “pest inspection” on a particular home. Of course….That home had termites up the wazoo!

His failure to provide a “pest inspection” cost him $14,000!
His client argued “successfully” that since he was trained and certified to provide a pest inspection that he should have done it whether he charged his client or not! Naturally the judge and jury agreed with the client! So if you list it …You better do it!

Also good advice.

I am doing some cleanup on my site and will remove the things I am not certified for or willing to do. I was in a hurry to get my site up and just copied and pasted from the Internachi list.

Have to say, InterNachi does a great job allowing new inspectors FREE access to education.

By the way, I told you I lived in the Franconia Notch/ White mountains area and I also honeymooned with my wife in New England at Hampton Beach, Old Orchard Beach in Maine.
Wife is from North Dakota, she never saw the Atlantic Ocean.
She loved New Hampshire although I couldn’t get her to walk the Cog Railway trail at Mt Washington. (I think it was Mt Washington) Gods country for sure!