november 2015 reporter

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WHAT’S TRENDING IN RENOVATION NATION P7

REPORTERASHI

Inspection News & Views from the American Society of Home Inspectors, Inc.

11.15

10 Basement Walkouts

19 The Word: Electrical Systems: Questions and Answers

22 Company Identity: Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning

35 NEW! Around the CoRner

38 On My Mind: Increasing the Bottom Line

InspectionWorld® Schedule-at-a-Glance Page 6

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Features 6 Schedule-at-a-GLANCE InspectionWorld® 2016 Exciting Education Program Line-up Planned Michele George, Director of Education and Events 7 Home Inspectors Take Note! What’s Trending

(and What’s Not) In Renovation Nation Carol Dikelsky

10 Basement Walkouts Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop

16 National Home Inspection Manual Tops the ASHI Bestseller List Randy Sipe, ASHI President Elect 2015

19 The Word: Electrical Systems: Questions and Answers Bruce Barker, ACI

22 Company Identity: Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop

November 2015 Vol . 32, #11REPORTERASHI 11.15

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38 On My Mind Alden Gibson, ASHI President

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Lisa Alajajian 2013-2015

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Home Inspectors, Take Note! What’s Trending (and What’s Not) in Renovation NationBy Carol Dikelsky

Home Inspectors, Take Note! What’s Trending in Renovation Nation

Makeovers, upgrades, improve-ments—homeowners love them

all. HGTV and DIY Network feature incredible before-and-after projects, and viewers respond by calling in a home remodeling expert or shopping for new gadgets, products and styles to replicate what they see. Whether people hire a certified professional to do a major renovation project or if they choose to tackle upgrades on their own, home inspectors are among those who will see the results of the good, the bad and the in-between outcomes.

Recently I talked with David Pekel of Pekel Construction and Remodeling, a design/build/remodeling firm based in Wauwatosa, WI (www.pekelconstruction.com), about trends and topics in the renovation and remodeling industry that could affect home inspectors on the job. According to Pekel, who is secretary of the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, home inspec-tors can help their clients simply by being able to identify and use the most common new technology and trends in home renova-tions and by being able to spot signs of out-dated renovations that may cause problems.

Home Renovation and Technology Trends

( Pekel identified technology-based systems as the most noteworthy trend in home renovation today. He said, “Tech- nology in homes is moving at warp speed. Being in-the-know can be as easy as having a general understanding of how a remote-controlled system works.”

The following technology-related products stand out.

Remote-controlled fixtures and features. Homeowners can install a variety of useful products that can be controlled using a home-based unit, smartphone or other device, including:

• Light bulbs, light switches and electrical outlets

• Thermostats• Garage doors • Fire detection systems• Mold and moisture control systems,

particularly in bathrooms

Some technology “learns” the typical settings that a user chooses and automati-cally applies those settings on schedule or demand.

Home security systems. Whole-house security systems are on the rise. Home renovations typically involve installing cameras and intercoms that work with smart technology.

ing Their

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IW 2016 Education Program: An exciting line-up of topics, current and relevant for today’s home inspector.

Select one session to attend from the five sessions offered at each class time indicated. Course descriptions and speaker bios are located under Session Information on the www.inspectionworld.com website. Earn 20 ASHI CEs, 18 CREIA CEs, state CEs and many industry association credits.

Friday, January 22 • Saturday, January 23, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Pre-Conference - California Plumbing Code Exam Certification 16 hours Pre-Conference - Certified Residential Thermographer 16 hours Sunday, January 24, Morning Sessions

Pre-Conference - NADRA Deck Evaluation Certification Class 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM 4 hoursPre-Conference Getting to the Root of It! Sewer Line 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Inspections Class — 3 hours

Monday, January 25, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Inspecting Electrical and Electrical Safety Jason BrozenUncontrolled Air Flows in Homes Joe Konopacki, ACIRadon- Marketing to Realtors Matt HendrickInfrared Cameras and Infrared Applications Bill FabianTax Strategies for Home Inspectors Maine Shafer, J.D.FEMA P50 – Simplified Seismic Assessment 9:00 AM – Noon of Wood-framed Dwellings, Part 1FEMA P50 – Simplified Seismic Assessment of 9:00 AM – Noon Wood-framed Dwellings, Part 2

Monday, January 25, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Plumbing and Codes including Water Heater Requirements Mike Casey, ACI MCIWater Intrusion into Buildings Forensic Investigations Tom Feiza, ACIEnvironmental Issues of the 21st Century Ron Passaro, ACIInspector Safety David Goldstein, ACIManaging Risk and Time Dan Huber

Monday, January 25, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Asphalt Shingles and Flat Roofs Gerry Aubrey, ACIHigh Efficiency Gas Furnaces Alan Carson, ACIWood Destroying Insects, Bedbugs James Nemastil, ACI and other Household Pests Marco Vovk, ACIInspection of Decks John Bouldin, Ph.D.Inspection Apps for Smart Phones, Inspection Dominic Maricic Hardware and Backing Up

Tuesday, January 26, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM

Inspecting Hard Coat Stucco Mark Cramer, ACIInspection of AMSV (Adhered Manufactured Stone Veneer) Mark ParleeMold Testing and Lab Report Interpretation Eric Ciotti“Live” Video Inspection Andy French, ACI, Frank Lesh, ACI Mike Casey, ACI John Gamache, ACI Bob Davidson, ACI

Grow or Quit? Kirk Bingenheimer, ACIFEMA P50 – Simplified Seismic Assessment 9:00 AM – Noon of Wood-framed Dwellings, Part 1FEMA P50 – Simplified Seismic Assessment 9:00 AM – Noon of Wood-framed Dwellings, Part 2

Tuesday, January 26, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM

What Chimney Sweeps Encountered in 2015 Ashley Eldridge2016 Advanced Electrical Single Phase Bryck Guibor, ACISignificance of Finding Vermiculite Attic Insulation Edward CottinghamASHI Pool and Spa Standards Bruce Barker, ACIMarketing Your Home Inspection Business for Growth Graham Clarke, ACI

Tuesday, January 26, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Defect Recognition, Effective Reporting and SOP JD Grewell, ACIInspecting Old Homes from the Ground Up David Rushton, ACIIndoor Air Quality Testing during a Home Inspection Dr. Steve FroelicherInspecting a Tile Roof and Solar Array Attachment John Jensen Gary ManloveSecrets to Jump Start Your Business Jeff Donaldson, ACIFEMA Disaster Inspections John Botero

Wednesday, January 27, 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Basic Residential Heating and Cooling Dan McLaughlinMajor Home Deficiencies - The 10 Plagues James Nemastil, ACI Marco Vovk, ACIDecentralization, The Future of Water Dr. Richard FordeDrones, Quad Copters/Drone Ground Crawlers Keven Kossler, ACI and Home Inspections Bruce LaBell, ACIIs Your Website Driving Customers Away? Lisa Jensen

Wednesday, January 27, 10:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Defect Recognition & Diagnosing Home Improvement Stephen Gladstone, ACI and Homeowner Cover-upsPre-Fab Fireplaces Skip Walker, ACIResidential Energy Inspections and Energy Audits Jim Hemsell, ACINot your Typical Inspection: CSST Gas Piping Systems Robert Torbin, P.E.QuickBooks Workshop for Home Inspectors Steven Z. Freeman, CPA

Wednesday, January 27, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Causes, Symptoms and Solutions to Jeff Kortan, P.E. Common Foundation ProblemsEIFS- Identify Common Installation Deficiencies Frank Libero, ACI and What to ReportEarthquake Vulnerabilities and Effective Thor Matteson, S.E. Strengthening MethodsFire Protection Claude Lawrenson, ACIRunning a Multi-Inspector Home Inspection Company Reuben Saltzman, ACI

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Thursday, January 28 • Friday, January 29 • Saturday, January 30

Commercial Building Inspection Course Richard Weldon P.E.

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> Home Inspectors, Take Note! What’s Trending in Renovation Nation

Safety systems are popular with aging adults, millennials with young children and people living independently. Electronic alerts allow users to see who is coming to the door even before the visitor rings the doorbell. Some technology allows users to set doors to unlock at a certain date or time so that an aide or neighbor can enter to do housework, deliver groceries, provide health care or check on a pet.

Technology in the bathroom. Home in-spectors typically check exhaust fans in bathrooms—if you haven’t yet seen one that turns on when it senses motion or humidity, you probably will soon. These fans are designed to turn on and off as needed, depending on the relative humidity level in the room. New light fixture designs also sense and react to motion. These features are not only trendy but they also can add value by lowering the risk for mold and saving energy costs.

Home comfort and health. These tech-nology-charged comfort and health-related features are gaining popularity, especially among people with allergies or other medical issues:

• Electronic air purifying devices • Heat recovery ventilation (HRV) systems• Water quality systems

Home Energy Trends Solar power. “We’re seeing an increase in clients requesting solar-generated power as part of their remodeling projects,” said Pekel. As a result, home inspectors should understand some basics regarding solar power at home. For example, some solar systems don’t store the energy; the energy is used as it is generated. Other solar systems are equipped to store energy; people with these types of systems use batteries to store the power until it’s needed. Batteries may be kept on a wall rack, using vertical space.

In a home with solar power, home inspectors could ask these questions:

• Where are the batteries?

• What condition are the batteries in?

• Is there ample air exchange in the location where the batteries are being stored?

Generators. Natural gas-powered gener-ators can be a critical need for people with medical issues that require access to consistent power. Home inspectors can look at the overall functionality of the generator and transfer panels and check whether the unit’s location is safe (for

example, an unsafe location for a generator is directly under a bedroom window).

Spray foam insulation. The sealing of attic space with spray foam insulation should not be too tight; however, adhering to this detail often depends on the installer’s expertise level. Home inspectors may want to note whether the air exchange rate is satisfactory, and if it is not, suggest that the client contact an energy auditor for a comprehensive assessment.

Geothermal heating and cooling. The use of geothermal power is gradually develop-ing, especially in rural areas and among those who can afford to make the major changes required. Issues with geothermal systems are very different than those related to conventional forced-air or boiler systems, and, as a result, home inspectors should recommend that clients contact an expert with appropriate knowledge and training to make an assessment.

Rainwater and gray water recovery systems. In an effort to be ecofriendly, some people install rain or gray water re-covery systems to collect water from their shower and sinks. The system diverts the excess water to a holding tank, and then the homeowner can use the water for other pur-poses, such as watering gardens or plants.

To learn more about any of these types of products or systems, home inspectors can search the Internet or visit a home improve-ment store to compare the examples of remodeling trends on the professional and retail level.

Outdated Trends and Sub-Par Renovations Home remodelers are often hired to redo jobs that were not done by professionals. Pekel said, “To prospective homeowners who are touring a home at 30 miles an hour, it all looks good, but when they start living with it, they see the problems.” And, he added, they often need to call in profes-sionals with the knowledge and practical experience to fix big and small issues.

Home inspectors often are in a position to notice issues associated with poorly executed projects or outdated remodeling trends. Pekel listed the following examples to watch for:

• Atmospheric water venting that routes up through the chimney and wastes energy

• Analog thermostats • Ball valves: Remodelers now recommend

using ¼-turn valves in sinks and bath-rooms.

• Water heaters and washers in condos and in homes built without foundations: These previously had catch basins for leaks, but now they should have electronic automatic shutoffs.

• Shower tiles installed over inappropriate substrates or with incorrect adhesives: This can lead to failure, breakage and ongoing problems.

• Exhaust hoods in the kitchen that “vent to nowhere”

• Breezeways constructed with a lot of creativity, but perhaps not adequate skill

Buyer, Beware… and Home Inspector, Take Care

With the prevalence of DIY projects featured in the media, people feel empow-ered to attempt ambitious renovations in their own homes; however, a “buyer beware” outlook is important for a person planning to purchase a home with these “improvements.” Home inspectors can help prospec-tive buyers go into a new home with eyes wide open.

( Pekel concluded, “Generally, the goal-posts keep moving in building systems and technology. It’s helpful for home inspectors to know what good work-ing conditions look like. It’s also a good idea to expand your horizons so you can look beyond what you’ve seen before and become familiar with what’s to come.”

Carol Dikelsky recently joined the ASHI Reporter editorial team. Her experience includes more than 20 years of editing, writing and managing projects for a variety of association, health care and community-based publications. H

Solar Power

Right: Breezway

Top: Tile renovation

Left: Heat Recovery Ventilation

(HRV) system

10 11ASHI Reporter • November 2015 11November 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org

Note: This article applies to regions with basements that are subject to freezing temperatures.

Houses in cold climates may have an entrance straight into the basement from the outside. Creating this entrance usually requires soil excavation (except on sloped lots). The walls of the stairwell are retaining walls. A railing is needed to protect people moving up and down the stairs. A guard should be provided around the open-ing to protect people passing by the walkout. A drain at the bottom prevents the stairwell from filling up with water. The door opening should have a raised threshold to protect against water or snow from entering under the door.

Although simple to describe, basement walkouts are tricky to build. Basement walkouts, especially if added after original construction, should be inspected with caution. Basement walkouts typically have to resist lateral soil pressure and frost pressure. You will find few walkouts that are perfect. You will have to use your professional experience and judgment to evaluate the performance and identify what should be corrected. You should inspect walkouts from inside the home as well as outside. The illustration and the photo on this page show what things should look like.

A well-constructed basement walkout with no damage to the retaining

walls, a drain at the bottom and railings. Note: In new construction, the

handrails would return to the walls.

Now let’s look at some of the problems to watch for. Problems with walkouts are commonly related to the following:

• Walls cracking, leaning, bowing or spalling, due to soil pressure, hydrostatic pressure and frost pressure

• Steps, railings and guards• Drains• Door thresholds• Covers and roofs

Soil PressureSoil on one side of a wall exerts considerable pressure against foundations, retaining walls and basement walkouts. Wet soil exerts more pressure. Soils that expand when wet exert even more pres-sure. When wet soils freeze, the water expands and the soil exerts more pressure still. Hydrostatic pressure and frost pressure in the soil below also can cause heaving. Let’s take a closer look at frost.

Frost ProtectionFrost goes deeper. In freezing climates, basement walkouts must have adequate frost protection. Frost penetrates deeper where a basement walkout is created. In an area where frost goes down three or four feet into the ground, and the grade level adjacent to the foundation and footing system is dropped five feet by creating a basement walkout, the frost now goes three or four feet down below the bottom of the stairwell. Frost can now get three or four feet below the bottom of the new grade level, below the foundation and footing of the home.

Damage due to frost heaving is a significant risk. Frost damage is likely to be most severe where the soil is wet. Good surface water management, including surface drainage and free draining soils, helps to minimize the risk.

Lowered footings. Including a basement walkout during original construction adds to the expense, but the foundation and footing system can be built lower in this part of the house to account for the greater frost depth.

When adding a basement walkout to an existing house, it’s a huge job to underpin the house foundations and footings in the vicinity of the walkout. A more common approach in many areas is to pro-tect the walkout excavation from frost with rigid insulation before the walkout is constructed. This slows the rate of frost penetration into the soil and, if done properly, will help prevent frost heaving problems to the basement walkout and the adjacent house wall.

During the home inspection, you will not be able to determine whether the foundations and footings have been lowered, or whether insulation has been added to protect against frost damage. As with many things in a home inspection, you can’t review the design; you can only evaluate the performance.

Basement WalkoutsBy Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop, www.carsondunlop.com

> Basement Walkouts

This crack is consistent with heaving as a result of frost penetration.

Watch for evidence of structural damage to the home and the walkout. Look for walkout doors that don’t open and close freely and those that have been trimmed extensively. Look for doors that have buckled or been crushed. Look for cracks around door frames on the inside and outside of house foundation walls. Look at the house foundation walls for evidence of inward movement. This may be leaning or bowing. These often are accompanied by horizontal cracks.

Cracks, heaving, bowing. Look for bowing, leaning and cracks in the walls of the stairwell itself. The walls of the basement walkout must be built as retaining walls to withstand the lateral soil pres-sure. As previously discussed, the pressure exerted on one side of the wall by the soil can increase dramatically if the soil is wet, if the soil is expansive or if it freezes. The more water there is in the soil, the greater the hydrostatic pressure.

The left side retaining wall has a severe vertical crack due to frost pressure.


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Moisture in soil. Even where there is no obvious damage, pay attention to drainage around the stairwell. If the ground slopes down toward the walkout, the frost damage is potentially great. Soil that contains no moisture won’t freeze and expand. The amount of water in the soil determines how much hydrostatic and frost pres-sure will develop. A granular backfill that is free draining and won’t hold moisture around the basement walkout is good. Silty clay is not as good.

Check the above-grade house wall. Watch for cracks or evidence of heaving of the steps. If the steps are not level, they have probably moved. Watch for cracking or heaving in the floor of the stairwell.

Perimeter drainage tile. The perimeter drainage tile system often is compromised during the installation of a basement walkout. The perimeter drainage tile ideally would be rerouted or extended around the walkout and reconnected at both ends. This is rarely done. Clogging or failure of the perimeter drainage tile allows water to saturate the soil around the base of the walkout. Again, this is a recipe for serious frost damage.

Tough to tell on new work. You won’t be able to see what, if anything, has been done to prevent frost damage in a basement walkout. If the walkout is relatively new, you will have to explain this limitation to your client. Remember that an inspection is a performance-based evaluation. It is not a design review, and it’s not crystal ball gazing. If it hasn’t been around long enough to prove its performance, you simply describe its performance as unproven.

When there is a problem, you may not see the causes, only the result. Repairing a basement walkout typically costs thousands of dollars. Repairing the house foundations may cost even more. Be careful with basement walkouts.

DrainsDrains are needed in the floor of uncovered basement walkouts because rain and snow will accumulate here. Overflowing gutters or poorly arranged downspouts also may dump a good deal of roof water directly into the stairwell.

> Basement Walkouts

Here’s a poorly constructed walkout with a narrow landing, no raised door

threshold and no drain.

No outside traps. Drains at the base of walkouts usually do not have traps because water in outdoor traps would freeze in the winter. The pipe from the walkout drain often connects to an interior floor drain pipe above its trap. This allows the walkout drain to use the trap of the floor drain. In any case, there should be a trap, but it should be inside the perimeter of the building where it is not susceptible to freezing.

Other drainage possibilities. Sometimes the drain discharges to a French drain (buried gravel pit). On a sloping lot, the drain may discharge out through a hillside, well away from the building. Drains discharging to daylight should have grates to keep animals out. All drains must flow by gravity.

Drains may be missing, clogged or broken, or undersized.

Missing drains. There should always be a drain at the base of a walkout unless there is a watertight cover or roof above. The

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The customers always call after a heavy downpour. “You inspected our home last

fall, and now we have a leak in the basement.” If they are reasonable folks, they will add, “What do you think we should do?” If they are upset about a wet carpet and damaged drywall, they may say, “This is your problem. We hired you because we did not want a wet basement. How will you fix this?”

You dig out your report and hopefully find recommendations for proper maintenance and conditions that must be corrected to keep the basement dry. You visit the customer and gently explain that plugged, overflowing gutters and lack of downspout extensions caused the problem. You point out exterior maintenance needs outlined in your report (recommendations that the seller or the new buyer didn’t follow).

What should you do to prevent this common issue? You can’t stop rainstorms, so always check grading, gutters and downspouts, and suggest proper maintenance.

Prevention is key Make sure you note any signs of water in-trusion in the basement and lower level, and specify whether the stains are dry or wet. Suggest that the buyers ask the owners to explain any stains in the basement – they live there, so they may know the cause. Make a note that one home inspection visit will not reveal all issues related to water leaks. Then look to the outside for any source of water intrusion. Many times, simple maintenance will prevent basement leak problems, but your report must identify the maintenance needed.

Even if the basement is totally dry with no signs of water intrusion, always suggest proper maintenance of grading, gutters and downspouts. Check the gutter and down-spouts to ensure that they capture water and direct it away from the foundation. Suggest raising downspout elbows as needed – a detail

basement may flood, or there may be damage to the basement door. Make sure there is a drain if there is no watertight cover or roof structure. If you can’t tell because of snow and ice buildup, for example, let the client know that you could not verify that there is a drain. Explain the importance of a functional drain and recommend follow-up by the client.

Clogged or broken drains. A clogged drain is usually a minor main-tenance issue. A broken drain is more serious and may be the result of building settlement or pressure from tree roots, for example. A clogged or broken drain has the same implication as a missing drain. Look at the drain to see if it’s clear. The drain should have a grate to keep debris out. There should be no standing water in the drain. Look also for a high watermark on the door or on its frame or on the walls or steps, suggesting chronic drain problems. Look for staining or debris accumulation around the drain, which may indicate blockage or damage. The drain may be clogged or broken somewhere you can’t see.

It is beyond the scope of a home inspection to flow-test drains. Never say a drain is working properly or is correctly sized. It’s more appropriate to say that you see no evidence of issues, if that’s the case. Better still, in our opinion, say nothing if you see no issues and only report adverse conditions. Alternatively, you can say that the system was examined and no adverse conditions were observed.

> Basement Walkouts

Undersized drains. Walkout drains and drain pipes should be a minimum of three inches in diameter. Smaller pipes will clog more easily and may not have enough capacity to handle a sudden down-pour. An undersized drain pipe is an installation defect. Check the size of the drain opening, and make sure the pipe under the open-ing is the same size. Although a drain smaller than three inches may have been there for some time and may look like it’s working adequately, you should report this as not consistent with generally accepted practices.

A Word About Basement Egress Window WellsRetrofit basement egress window wells have many of the same conditions we’ve described in this article. Keep these issues in mind when looking at window wells.

SummaryIn this article, we’ve introduced basement walkouts and some of the common issues associated with them. In the ASHI@HOME training program, this discussion is extended to address door thresholds, steps and railings, guards and walkout covers. We also detail the causes of problems, implications and strategies for inspection.

Thanks to Kevin O’Hornett and Roger Hankey for their valuable contributions to this article. H

Insider Tipsfor Smart Inspectors

Wet Basement? Look OutsideBy Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. • HowToOperateYourHome.com

that is often incorrectly han-dled. Sometimes, downspouts extend six feet but tip back into the foundation because the elbow is too low. (See illustration B153C.)

Surface water must drain away Always suggest maintenance of surface drainage away from the foundation. If the soil surface is not sloped away from the foundation at least ½ inch per foot for about six feet, describe the issue and the corrective work needed. If concrete is not sloped away from the foundation about ¼ inch per foot, you must describe this defect and explain that it must be corrected.

Check and describe the condition of the window wells. Are they high enough? (See illustration B131C.) Soil around the window well must slope away from the foundation. The bottom of the window well should be filled with six to 20 inches of free-draining gravel – not weeds and dirt.

Always remind buyers that they need to maintain grading, gutters and downspouts to keep their basements dry. And make a note: during one short visit, home inspectors cannot predict the future performance of a basement. If leaks occur after homeowners perform maintenance, you may need to hire a specialist to evaluate and correct the issue. (See htoyh.com – Free Articles – “Keep Your Basement Dry” for complete information on maintaining a dry basement.)

Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com, he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors boost their business. Copyright © 2015 by Tom Feiza,

Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission. H

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National Home Inspection Manual Tops the AHSI Bestseller ListBy Randy Sipe, ASHI President Elect 2015When I was asked to review the NHIE Inspection Manual and Study Guide, I thought it was just going to be a book to help people pass the National Home Inspector Examination (NHIE). Boy, was I wrong. Not only is this a study guide, it’s also a great reference book for home inspectors. The companion book is the study guide, and the two-inch thick manual is a reference for the home inspector or building professional.

My first impression of the manual and its contents was “WOW.” It’s full of easy-to-read sections on components, systems, typical defects, maintenance, safety and industry standards that you use as a home inspector. It also covers the necessary elements of running a successful home inspection business, including startup, the law, inspection agreements, ethics and marketing.

I can easily see why this book is flying off the ASHI shelves. The manual puts the information in logical sequence just as if you were inspecting a house. It explains and illustrates what you should see and then reviews common defects that home inspectors should identify. For inspectors who have not yet taken the NHIE, the companion guide used with the manual will make studying for the test as easy as reviewing what you do as a home inspector and answering practice questions similar to those you can expect on the test.

It’s no wonder these resources make sense—they were written by home inspectors for home inspectors. Did I mention the principal author is Bruce Barker and that the technical reviewers were Mike Casey and Tom Lauhon? It doesn’t get any better than that when it comes to gray matter and inspection experience.

If you haven’t taken the NHIE and have put doing it on the back burner, fear no more. This is your ticket to successfully passing the NHIE and running a successful home inspection business. I used to tell inspectors that every home inspector should carry a copy of Code Check in their vehicle for reference. Now I recommend that not only should you own a copy of Code Check, but you also should have the NHIE Home Inspection Manual. It’s the reference book that will make a difference in your career as a professional home inspector.

Order your copy through the ASHI website at www.ashistore.com. H

At OREP, we believe a couple of things. First, we believe that for home inspectors, enjoying a complete package of professional insurance coverage should never be

optional. That’s why our home inspector program includes the most important coverages in the base premium in most states. This means peace of mind for every inspector who chooses OREP, not just the ones with the biggest budget.

Second, we believe in Business by the Golden Rule—putting our clients first. Our mission at OREP is to treat everyone the way we like to be treated—with courtesy, honesty and efficiency.

OREP (Organization of Real Estate Professionals), now in its 14th year, is located in San Diego, CA, and has 10 agents/support staff. OREP also publishes Working RE magazine, which is one of the largest print circulation magazines for inspectors in the country and is free to inspectors. There is also a digital version of Working RE specifically for home inspectors that reaches over 16,000 each month. The company is led by Senior Broker David Brauner, who has over 20 years’ experience helping home inspectors place their E&O insurance.

The carrier for OREP’s flagship E&O/GL program is an “A” Rated, Admitted carrier that has been in business since 1852 and was recently named “One of America’s Most Trustworthy Financial Companies” by Forbes magazine.

In most states, coverage in the base package includes E&O, General Liability, Radon, Termite/WDI/WDO, Lead Paint, Pool & Spa, EIFS/Stucco, Indoor Air Quality Testing, Green Building Inspections, Infrared Thermography, Rodent Inspections and more. Mold Coverage and Septic/Water Testing are available for a small additional premium.

The self-rating application allows inspectors to finish the entire application process in just minutes. In following years, most inspectors enjoy auto-renewal at the same premium or lower with no application required at all.

The carrier’s “First Defense” program defends and protects insureds against meritless and frivolous complaints before they take root, potentially saving inspectors deductible expense, higher premiums and a negative claims history. While every claim is unique, it’s good to have experienced claims adjusters on your side.

Finally, we like to let our insureds speak for us, in this case inspector Henry “Sonny” Toman, who copied us on this e-mail he sent to a fellow inspector:

“Hey Matt, I collected many estimates but the combination of value, flexibility and knowledge was unsurpassed by OREP. Maria patiently answered all of my questions and moved pretty quickly when I pulled the trigger. Let’s hope I can never tell you how good the service is beyond that!”

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Electrical Systems: Questions and AnswersBy Bruce Barker, ACI

A look at terms used in home inspection reports

Once again, The Word invites you to travel into the dark realm of subjects that are sometimes misunder-

stood by home inspectors. The Word hopes you will find this trip informative and maybe a little entertaining.

Our subject this month is questions. The Word finds this topic interesting because he has the pleasure and privilege of answering a lot of them. Questions show what topics remain in the dark realm of misunderstand-ing. Asking questions is a great way to learn. The only better way to learn is to try to answer them. The Word has missed writing these columns in part because he learns so much in the process.

Service AmperageA common question is about determining electrical service system amperage. Our Standard of Practice (SoP) requires that we report service amperage. This is usually easy for a newer system that has one clearly labeled circuit breaker. Older systems, however, can present a challenge. The first lesson to learn about this requirement is that it is okay if you cannot determine the service amperage. In this case, report your best estimate, be sure to clearly report that it is an estimate, and recommend evaluation if the client wants more information about the service amperage.

Electrical service system amperage is determined by identifying the component with the lowest amperage rating. We should be able to identify each component in this system (see Figure 1). An electrical system inspection should include observing each of these components.

The electrical service system begins at the service point. The service point is where the utility’s responsibility ends and the homeowner’s responsibility begins. In service drop configurations, the service point is usually at the drip loops where the service drop conductors connect to the service entrance conductors. In a service lateral configuration, the service point is usually not visible. It is often at or inside the meter base.

The service entrance conductors may be the lowest rated compo-nent. This is especially true of older systems that have been updated without a permit. Some electricians will install a higher rated panelboard and service equipment, but leave the lower rated service entrance conductors. This is a dangerous situation because the new equipment can draw more current through the service entrance conductors than is safe. More current means more heat. More heat can melt the service entrance conductor insulation. Fire and electric shock can occur.

Amperage ratings for service entrance conductors are shown in Table 1. Note that Table 1 does not apply to service entrance conductors installed under the 2014 NEC/2015 IRC. The new maximum ampacities are usually lower than those listed in Table 1.

Table 1: Service Entrance Conductor Amperage Ratings

Copper Wire Size (AWG)

Aluminum Wire Size(AWG)

MaximumAmpacity

4 2 100

3 1 110

2 1/0 125

1 2/0 150

1/0 3/0 175

2/0 4/0 200

3/0 250 kcmil or 2 sets of 2/0

225

400 kcmil or 2 sets of 4/0

600 kcmil or 2 sets of 300 kcmil

400

Before we move on, it should be noted that the visible parts of the service drop and service lateral are also within the scope of an inspection, even though they are not part of the house electrical service system. We should inspect these components for general condition, such as damage to the service lateral riser and the service drop conductors being subject to damage from trees. That is about all we can do.

Figure 1

http://www.NHIEStudyGuide.org


> Electrical Systems: Questions and Answers > Electrical Systems: Questions and Answers

It should also be noted that the conductor amperage ratings in Table 1 do not apply to the service drop and service lateral conduc-tors. These conductors are the responsibility of the electric utility. The utility determines the ampacity for their conductors. It is not uncommon for these conductors to be smaller than in Table 1.

The service entrance conductors run through the meter base and meter. The meter base may be the lowest rated component. The meter base in most systems is the rectangular enclosure in which the meter is set. Newer meter bases are rated at 200 amps or more. The meter base for a very old system may be a small square enclo-sure, an unusually shaped enclosure or a small circular mounting ring. Sometimes an old enclosure has some type of sheathed cable running to and from it. These older meter bases, especially the very old circular mounting rings, may be rated as low as 60 amps and often are rated at not more than 100 amps. These old meter bases are obsolete. Evaluation by an electrician may be an appropriate recommendation, especially if the downstream components have been upgraded.

The meter may be the lowest rated component. The amperage rating of a modern electric meter is usually printed (in code) on its face, but because there are so many different meters and so many different codes, it is hard for an inspector to determine the meter’s amperage rating. Even if you determine a meter’s amperage rating, that fact may make no practical difference because many meters can accommodate current beyond their rating. Perhaps the best thing for an inspector to do is ignore the meter and concentrate on other components that make more of a difference.

The service equipment may be the lowest rated component. The service equipment is better known as the main shutoff, main breaker or the service disconnect, as well as other similar terms. The service equipment may be one device or it may be up to six devices. These devices may be in one enclosure or they may be in different enclosures. If there are multiple enclosures, the enclosures should be near each other so that all electricity to the house can be shut off quickly in case of an emergency.

If the amperage rating is marked on a single device, then the service equipment amperage rating is easy to determine. If the amperage rating is not marked, or if there are multiple devices, things are more challenging. One way not to determine the service equipment amperage rating is by adding the amperage of the individual service equipment devices. Individual device amperage ratings have nothing to do with the service amperage.

If the service equipment serves downstream panelboards, it does so through feeder conductors. Feeder conductors may be the lowest rated component. Feeder conductors that run from the service equipment to a primary panelboard are rated the same as service entrance conductors (as shown in Table 1). These feeder conductors are effectively an extension of the service entrance conductors because they serve the entire electrical load of the house.

The panelboard may be the lowest rated component. The panel-board rating should be shown on the label that is usually located on the enclosure door. This label is often absent or faded to the point of being unreadable on older enclosures. If this is the case, there is not much you can do to determine the panelboard rating.

There is a pattern regarding the amperage rating of a component and its location in the system. A higher amperage-rated component downstream from a lower amperage-rated component is usually a bad thing. The higher rated component can allow too much current to flow through upstream components, creating a fire risk. A higher amperage-rated component upstream from a lower amperage–rated component is no problem.

Is This a Subpanel?Important disclosure: The discussion in this section is The Word’s commonsense approach to a frequently encountered situation. This approach is not sanctioned by the NEC, although it is frequently accepted by code officials. Although this approach causes concern among technical purists, it provides a practical way for inspectors to deal with this situation.

The simple and common definition of a subpanel is any panelboard located downstream from the service equipment. This definition includes situations when the service equipment is in one enclosure and only one panelboard exists downstream. This downstream pan-elboard might be called the main panel by the uninitiated, but it is still a subpanel (see Figure 1). This simple definition works most of the time, but as with many simple definitions, there are exceptions.

One exception occurs when the service equipment is in an enclosure with a panelboard and with the grounding electrode conductor. Another panelboard is located in an adjacent enclosure. Is that ad-jacent panelboard a subpanel? Should it be wired as such with the neutrals separated from the grounding conductors, often referred to as floating neutrals?

To begin answering this question, let’s recall the reason why neutral conductors should not be connected to grounding conductors and should not be bonded to any grounding connection downstream from the service equipment. The reason is that this improper

connection sets up the potential for multiple paths through which current can return to its source. This current can create a shock hazard under certain conditions. It also can create heat while flow-ing through these paths. With enough current, enough resistance and enough time, these paths can get hot enough to cause a fire.

One common situation occurs when the panelboards and enclo-sures are physically and electrically connected (see Figure 2). In this situation, the panelboards are effectively the same panelboard but happen to be located in different enclosures. Assuming that the grounding conductor between the panels and the nipple connecting the panels are properly bonded, everything should be at the same potential. The risk posed by unintended return paths is so small as to be appropriately ignored.

A similar situation occurs when the panelboards and enclosures are very close to each other but are not physically connected. In this sit-uation, the panelboard that does not contain the service equipment is a subpanel. It should be wired as such; however, the risk if it is not wired as a subpanel is very low. The situation should be reported with a recommendation for evaluation and repair; however, the risk is low so there’s no need to oversell the hazard.

Subpanel in a Detached BuildingA subpanel located in a detached building is a completely different situation. A detached building might be a detached garage, a stor-age shed, a barn or, for the lucky few, an airplane hanger. How a detached building subpanel is wired depends on how many feeder conductors are installed.

A subpanel installed in a detached building should be supplied with a four-wire feeder, two hot conductors, a neutral and a grounded conductor. This subpanel should be wired as any other subpanel with floating neutrals and grounding conductors bonded to the enclosure (see Figure 3).

You may find a subpanel in an older detached building that is sup-plied with a three-wire feeder, two hot conductors and a neutral. This subpanel should be wired as if it contained service equipment; neutral conductors and grounded conductors may by connected to

the same terminal bar (see Figure 4). Three-wire feeders have not been allowed since at least the 2008 NEC. Even when three-wire feeders were allowed, metallic pathways between the buildings were prohibited (the old unintended return path problem). These pathways could include metal pipes, fences or even phone or television wires.

The unusual component in both of these situations is the presence of a grounding electrode. A subpanel in a detached building should be connected to a grounding electrode located at the detached building regardless of the number of feeder conductors.

A subpanel is not required in a detached building. One or two 15- or 20-amp, 120-volt branch circuits may be supplied by a three-wire feeder consisting of either #10 copper or #8 aluminum conductors. A single 15-amp, 120-volt branch circuit may be supplied by a three-wire feeder consisting of #14 copper or #12 aluminum conductors.

How Many Conductors in a Terminal?The general rule is one conductor per terminal or lug. A terminal or lug with more than one conductor is probably wrong, unless it is an exception. It is easier to remember the exceptions.

Square D circuit breakers with the plate under the screw that accommodates two conductors may have two conductors attached. Some Cutler Hammer circuit breakers also allow two conductors, but these are less common. As with many things, just because something is allowed does not necessarily mean it is a good idea to do it. The load of two circuits protected by one circuit breaker could exceed the circuit breaker’s capacity and cause it to trip. The in-spector may wish to report this circuit breaker overload potential to the client as information because this circuit breaker may trip more often than others. Since the manufacturer allows two circuits to be connected to these circuit breakers, doing so is not a defect and should not be reported as such.

Continues on page 24

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4


Company Identity: Segmentation, Targeting and PositioningBy Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop, www.carsondunlop.com

Company Identity: Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning> Company Identity: Segmentation, Targeting and Positioning

Segmentation, targeting and positioning are three related concepts that say the same thing—you should narrow

the focus of your marketing efforts.

What do we mean? You are a home inspector, but you could specialize in one or more of the following:

• High-end homes• Old homes• Structures• New homes• First-time buyers

Let’s look at the definitions of the terms. Then we’ll give you a few ideas about how these concepts can help you.

SEGMENTATIONSegmentation divides up the “mass market” into smaller, distinct markets, or “micromarkets.”

Segmentation is the opposite of mass marketing, which is what most home inspection firms practice. Mass marketing is ineffective for any professional service. Segmented marketing is much more effective.

Why do we break down the market into micromarkets? This segmentation process enables us to design a specific marketing strategy for that micromarket.

The idea is to tailor your campaign to fit exactly what the people in that segment are looking for. In other words, you show that you can meet the specific needs of that specific segment. Marketing experts suggest that in a competitive market, you can’t compete effectively in more than one segment.

Here are two things to consider as you look for segments to target:• The market must be large enough. If there are only 500 real

estate transactions per year in your service area, you can’t afford to specialize.

• The segment must be large enough. For example, it does not make sense to target the segment of the market that includes houses over $10 million if there are only a few such houses in your service area.

TARGETINGTargeting means designing a marketing strategy for a particular market segment. For example, rather than creating a general brochure for home inspections, you would create a brochure for new home inspections, another for inspections for first-time buyers and still another for inspection of old homes or any other market segment you decide is worth targeting. The goal is to satisfy each market’s specific needs.

POSITIONINGYour position is how your customers see you. For example, let’s assume you are very good with first-time buyers. You are trying to create your position by targeting a market segment and by building a specific marketing campaign. Understand that the public decides your position, not you. You may guide the public with your marketing campaign and careful segmentation, but in the end, your customers decide. People who use “position” as an action verb are missing the point. The actions are targeting and segmentation. In this respect, there is no such thing as “positioning.”

An Example of Segmentation, Targeting and PositioningWhat do segmentation, targeting and positioning have to do with the home inspection business?

The Generic Inspector: The typical home inspector sets up shop, picks a name for the business, gets business cards, builds a website,

advertises online and is in business. This home inspector is entirely generic. This home inspector does not stand for anything.

The Great Generic Inspector: If this same home inspector is a great inspector who is good with people, puts things into context and does all the other things that clients and real estate agents expect, that inspector eventually will carve out a market share and have a referral base. The problem is, it typically takes three years to build a self-supporting business using this strategy.

A Better Approach: Here’s an example of a home inspector who uses the principles of segmentation, targeting and positioning to create a memorable inspection company and who will enjoy success in a much shorter period of time:

An inspector chooses to be a specialist in first-time buyers. (First-time buyers are the biggest market segment today. The millennials are starting to buy!) Now, rather than trying to create a marketing strategy that appeals to all, the in-spector designs a strategy that appeals to first-time buyers. The inspector’s goal is to create a position in the minds of his or her customers, particularly real estate agents, as being the expert in first-time buyers.

How does the inspector get the message out? With a bro-chure, flyer or letter designed for the real estate agent. The message is that the inspector specializes in first-time buyers. Here are sample statements for such a brochure, flyer or letter (and notes indicating whether the statement conveys a feature or a benefit of the business):

• We are experts at communicating with your first-time buyers. We leave no questions unanswered (feature). At the end of the inspec-tion, your buyers will feel comfortable knowing they are making the right decision (benefit).

• We keep house conditions in perspective to avoid unnecessarily alarming your clients (feature). They should understand all issues and know which ones are typical of homes of that type and age. We help clients see not only the issues, but the readily available solutions. This means that a well-informed client can make good decisions (benefit).

• We help your clients learn how to operate the home and maintain its systems (feature). More knowledge and understanding will help clients control their emotions and make rational decisions (benefit).

• We are available free of charge at any time after the inspection to answer your clients’ questions and concerns (feature). This saves you time and helps you enhance your reputation as an agent with satisfied clients for life (benefit).

The home inspector might have a special first-time buyer package. As part of the inspection fee, the inspector’s clients might receive a free book about maintaining their home or a discount on a follow-up inspection.

Deliver the Goods: You should come up with a number of strategies that prove you are not only saying that you are the right specialist for first-time buyers, but that you also can deliver the goods. Delivering on your promise creates your position in the minds of your customers. With a segmentation and targeting strat-egy like this, you have an interesting story to tell real estate sales professionals one on one, in meetings and at events. The message should outline how this process helps agents streamline the process and saves time and money. Remember, the real message is in the benefits rather than in the features.

Stand for One Thing: The key to a solid marketing position is to stand for one thing. That one thing should be clearly identifiable and presented in a simple, clear message. This thing should differentiate you from other home inspectors.

Let people know what you stand for at every opportunity. For example, you can create a tagline for your company like, “ABC Inspection Services—The new home specialists.” This tagline would appear on your e-mail correspondence, on your letterhead or anywhere your name appears.

Specialize: Why are home inspectors afraid to specialize? They fear that by standing for one thing, they will lose much of the market. For example, why would they want to target only first-time buyers when they want all of the business? It doesn’t make sense to reduce the size of the pool, right? Not necessarily! You will get more business by reducing the size of the pool. In fact, you are not really reducing the size of the pool at all; by saying you focus in one area, you are becoming memorable. You stand out.

Let’s say an agent is working with a client who is not a first-time buyer. Do you think the agent won’t refer this client to you because you are a specialist in first-time buyers? Don’t you think that the agent wants a home inspector to treat every client as a first-time buyer? The agent will most likely think, “If this inspector is an expert at handling tricky first-time buyers, he (or she) will be great with all clients.”

The fear of focus is a common theme in every business. You have to trust the marketing experts in the same way that you ask your clients to trust the inspection expert. You will broaden your appeal by focusing on and targeting a single market segment.

Thanks to Roger Hankey and Kevin O’Hornett for sharing their experience and wisdom to make this a better article. H

ASHI Reporter • November 2015 25November 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 2524 25ASHI Reporter • November 2015 25November 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org ASHI Ad.indd 6 3/25/15 10:33 AM

The ASHI School: Moving ForwardThe ASHI School has had many exciting developments within the last few months that we want to share with you.

Introducing New LocationsWe recently opened three new locations:• Columbus, OH—opened July 2015• Brentwood, TN—opened September 2015• Baltimore, MD—opened September 2015Our new location in Columbus, OH, gives potential students in or near Ohio another place in which to attend The ASHI School. The instructors at our Cincinnati location—John Cordell, Ken Harrington and Tim Buell—will also teach at our Columbus site.

In Brentwood, TN, just outside of Nashville, we are offering The ASHI School course as our “Fast Track” to learning. The course in Brentwood is 93 hours, with students starting off doing 40 hours of at-home study, then attending five days of in-class instruction and finishing off day six with field events. Our instructors at the Brent-wood location are Scott Patterson and Ray Baird. Both instructors come with many years of experience and home inspecting.

In Baltimore, MD, The ASHI School is teaming up with Bal-timore City Community College. The college will be offering our 120-hour course as part of their curriculum. In addition, the school’s facility offers a full-scale, cut-away house for students to enhance their learning. The instructors are still being reviewed. If you have interest in becoming an instructor at our new Baltimore location, please e-mail [email protected].

Two grounding conductors that are the same size may be connected in one lug. Three or more grounding conductors may not be allowed by some manufacturers, and conductors that are different sizes are not allowed.

Code references for these situations are sometimes requested. The general reference for the one conductor per terminal or lug rule is NEC 2014 110(A), which requires that terminals listed for more than one conductor be identified as such. This identification should be on the panelboard label or on the device itself. The NEC 2014 reference for the one neutral conductor per terminal rule is 408.41. This rule has been around for a long time.

The Bottom LineThe wise person is not afraid to ask questions. Nobody knows everything about everything.

When you ask questions, help the person you ask by providing enough information. Information like your city and the age of the

Continued from page 21Electrical Systems: Questions and Answers

house is often essential. Remember, the person answering the question is not on site with you and does not have the perspective that you have.

Memo to Zeus: The Word does not reside on Mt. Olympus (just at its base) and welcomes other viewpoints. Send your lightning bolts or e-mails to [email protected]. The thoughts contained herein are those of The Word; they are not ASHI standards or policies.

Bruce is the founder and president of Dream Home Consultants, and the author of Everybody’s Building Code, written to help home inspectors understand the International Residential Code.

Bruce has been building and inspecting homes since 1987. He currently serves on the ASHI Board of Directors. He is a certified Residential Combination Inspector and a licensed contractor in Arizona, Florida and North Carolina.

To read more of Bruce’s articles or if you need a presenter at your next

chapter event, go to www.dreamhomeconsultants.com. H

New Programs for The ASHI SchoolThe school is awaiting approval for a four-point Wind Mitigation class at our Tampa, FL, location. This class will be taught by our lead instructor in Florida, Mike Conley. We look forward to offering this new class.

The Level I Thermography Certification course will be offered as an ancillary course with The ASHI School. We will be posting our upcoming schedule of classes in the near future.

Welcome, New Instructors!• Scott Johnson—Cumming, GA • Scott Patterson—Brentwood, TN• Ray Baird—Brentwood, TN

Upcoming ClassesLakewood, CO—November 2-13Leesburg, VA—November 2-13Des Plaines, IL—November 9-20St. Louis, MO—November 9-20Bellevue, WA—November 9-20Nashville, TN—November 9-14Cincinnati, OH—November 30-December 11Tampa, FL—November 30-December 11Cumming, GA—November 30-December 11 H

http://www.InspectIT.com


POINT / COUNTERPOINT

Letter to the EditorSubmitted by Roger Hankey, ASHI Certified Inspector, and Kevin O’Hornett, Retired ASHI member

The September 2015 ASHI Reporter featured an article, “Ensuring Safety

for Children at Home.”

The author of the article, Carol Dikelsky, writes that “ASHI member Skip Walker noted that home inspectors’ No. 1 job is ensuring safety, and that ensuring the safety of children is especially critical. He expressed that [Parents for Window Blind Safety] has raised the level of awareness about what the window covering industry is not telling consumers about safety, [sic] and suggested that home inspectors should be aware of [PFWBS founder Linda Kaiser’s] campaign for pointing out the life-threaten-ing flaws in design.”

Contrary to Skip Walker’s position, “en-suring safety” is NOT the primary task of ASHI home inspectors. To “ensure” means to secure or guarantee; to make sure or cer-tain; to make secure or safe, as from harm. If the primary task of home inspectors is “ensuring safety,” then along with recom-mending modification of window covering cords, inspectors should also be aware of and discuss and document all potential “safety” issues in a home. They should also be familiar with every campaign, movement and organized effort pertaining to potential “safety” issues in homes. This would in-clude recommending that every home they inspect be modified to meet all of the most current applicable building codes as well as all the recommendations promulgated by various organizations such as the U.S. Con-sumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), etc. Only in this way could in-spectors “ensure safety.”

The task of ASHI home inspectors is to conduct a primarily visual examination of a home’s readily accessible systems and components in accordance with the ASHI Standard for conditions which are adversely

affecting or which have the potential to ad-versely affect their normally intended func-tions or operations. The normally intended functions or operations of systems and components can be defined as the cus-tomary and conventional purpose or use for which they were installed and for which they were designed and intended by their manufacturers.

While part of such normally intended functions or operations may include safety of use, installation, assembly and operation, that doesn’t mean and should not be extrap-olated to imply that home inspectors are performing “safety” inspections. The article ends with the statement, “A home inspec-tor’s thoughtful warning about safety issues has the potential to save a child and a family from experiencing tragedy.”

How should such a “warning” be pro-vided to customers? Bringing a custom-

er’s attention to conditions which lie outside the scope of the home inspection through a thoughtful discussion rather than a “warn-ing” is something individual inspectors may choose to do. However, such conditions do not belong in the body of the written report. They should never appear as adverse conditions or include recommendations to address them as such. Otherwise, unless inspectors document every single potential “safety” concern, they are not “ensuring safety.” To “ensure” means to secure or guarantee; to make sure or certain; to make secure or safe, as from harm. The concept that “ensuring safety” is part of the scope of an ASHI inspection leaves inspectors open to the potential for litigation based on a claim of negligence for failing to report a “safety” issue which resulted in an injury or death. Regarding this particular issue, as an attorney with whom this was discussed pointed out, it’s a slippery slope. Once inspectors are in for a dime, they’re in for a dollar.

It is clear from the ASHI Standard that inspectors are NOT required to inspect “window treatments.” We have no objection to verbally discussing risks to children from window blind cords with customers or di-recting customers to resources about home

safety, but placing remarks about those conditions in the report opens the door to the question of “why didn’t you also tell me about these other safety concerns?” Where does it end? While the ASHI Standard includes the term “unsafe” along its defini-tion which, in our view, directly contradicts the Section 13 of the ASHI Standard, subsection 13.2 General Exclusions, part A 8. Stating “safety” is our #1 job increases inspector liability and improperly redirects the purpose of the inspection.

Inspection reports should be limited to the items required to be reported by the Stan-dard. If inspectors want to include more, they would be well advised to check with their attorneys and E&O insurance carriers. The notion that ASHI home inspections should first and foremost focus on a home in terms of safe, unsafe and safety was never part of the original mission of ASHI or of its standards and does not accord with the “Purpose and Scope” as stated in the cur-rent ASHI Standard. It is an idea which has emerged (mission creep) over the interven-ing years. It increases inspectors’ potential legal exposure. Unless the ASHI Standard is modified to encompass the concept of “ensuring safety,” then it should not be pre-sented as or even alluded to as an additional responsibility of inspectors.

The concept of “ensuring safety” may be seen as enhancing the benefits of home in-spection in terms of marketing. However, its unintended consequence is to increase the potential liability of inspectors as well as the potential for buyers to demand of sellers that they make modifications to satisfy the particular safety concerns documented in the report but which are outside the scope of the ASHI Standard.

POINT / COUNTERPOINT

Response to the Letter to the EditorSubmitted by Skip Walker, ASHI Certified Inspector

The impassioned response from Roger Hankey and Kevin O’Hornett to the

September 2015 article on child safety

makes some excellent points. However, I don’t believe the intent of the article was to expand the scope of our inspections, add to our liability or to alter the ASHI Standard of Practice. It was simply an attempt to bring some awareness to a safety issue that impacts nearly a hundred million U.S. and Canadian homes and results in about 30 senseless child deaths in the United States each year. I agree completely that the job of a home inspector is not to guarantee the safety of the home. But I firmly believe that safety is at the heart of what we do as inspectors. For me, the most gratifying days as an inspector are not when I find some framing mistake, but rather when I find an issue where someone might have died had I not been there.

When I heard Linda Kaiser speak at the CPSC about the strangulation death of her

12-month-old child from corded window blinds, I was deeply moved. Out of her personal tragedy, Linda founded Parents for Window Blind Safety (www.pfwbs.org). She became a member of the UL committee that deals with window blind safety design standards. During Linda’s testimony, she recounted how industry and the manu-facturers have undue influence over the window blind safety standards. She has been on the committee for over a decade, yet the committee has been unable to pass any meaningful changes in the standard. In the meantime, 30 kids die needlessly each year. Many UL standard committees are heavily populated by manufacturers and industry consultants. They block effective changes to the very standards their products must meet. This has been a big issue with changes to the smoke alarm standards as well.

The ASHI Standard of Practice represents the minimum level of performance during an inspection. There is nothing that pre-cludes an individual inspector from making the business decision to exceed the stan-dard. Many of us, including myself, do so every day! There are inspectors using carbon monoxide detectors to test indoor air and appliance draft, IR cameras to look at elec-trical panels, test for hidden water leaks, etc. All far beyond the Standard. Every time we use a photo in an inspection report, we exceed the standard.

During the course of a typical inspection, we note many issues: Federal Pacific

Electric and Zinsco panels, solid aluminum wiring, Knob & Tube Wiring, Consol-idated Furnaces, improperly installed or damaged decks, improperly constructed stairs, missing handrails, low or improperly constructed guards, displacement in walk-

> You Tell Us: Point / Counterpoint

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ways, improper drafting of gas appliances. The list goes on and on. At the heart of each and every one of those calls is not some arcane technical issue—it is safety! Every one of those calls poses a safety hazard of some kind to the occupants.

Every one of us will make a business deci-sion on how we deal with new information. Obviously, no one can know everything

> You Tell Us: Point / Counterpoint

about every possible issue. I accept that. However, that will not discourage me from doing what I can, where I can, when I can. Is there some added liability in doing so? Perhaps. I will gladly accept that risk for the chance to save a child. If a small child were injured (or worse) in a house I inspected, I would much rather be able to say that I did what I could as opposed to saying that I did nothing. I think that as an organization of

professional inspectors, we can bring some awareness to this and similar safety issues. I believe in doing so we elevate the status of our profession.

Personally, I simply cannot justify doing nothing because I can’t do everything.

Personally, I choose not to say that safety is outside the scope of this inspection. H

Services SpotlightBy Mike Lane, Basement Systems, Inc.


page 11 captioned:

“This crack is consistent with heav-

ing as a result of frost penetration.”

If you look at the threshold pictured in that photo, it is evident that water seepage has entered the basement by either going under the threshold, around the threshold or over the threshold.


page 11 captioned:

“The left side retaining wall has a

severe vertical crack due to frost

pressure.”

In that picture, you can see a bowing wall due to frost pressure, hydrostatic pressure or both.

FYI: A TrenchDrain on the inside connected to a sump pump would collect water seepage, keeping the basement floor dry.

FYI: This wall can be permanently stabilized and, in most cases, straightened over time with Geo-Lock Wall Anchors.

FYI: Outside drains are prone to clogging with leaves and debris. It’s always a good idea for the homeowner to peri-odically clean the drain and stairwell to minimize the chances of the drain clogging and backing up into the basement. H

http://www.ahomewarranty.com

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H Denotes graduate of The ASHI School

New ASHI Associates As of September 1, 2015

Michael HigginsHiggins Home Inspection LLCBessemer, AL

Steven BoyleSteven Boyle Home Inspections LLCScottsdale, AZ

Matt MaxwellSilver Hammer InspectionsPrescott, AZ

Jeffrey BarksdaleAPI Inspection, LLCCanyon Lake, CA

H Ken BlurtonIrvine, CA

Michael BoothPillar to Post Rancho Cucamonga, CA

H Shane BowmanHomeGuard IncorporatedSan Jose, CA

Thomas BrickNustart Home Inspections Salinas, CA

Jeff BrownHomeGuard IncorporatedSan Jose, CA

John BurnettUp Country Home Inspections Greenwood, CA

Steven CollinsFull Sail HomeInspectionsSan Clemente, CA

Dominic D’Ambrosio HomeGuard IncorporatedSan Jose, CA

Delfino DominguezHomeGuard IncorporatedSan Jose, CA

Paul HalsellSanta Maria, CA

Samuel HenselmannHomespecSan Leandro, CA

H Mark HooverAguanga, CA

Kenneth KelleyHomeGuard IncorporatedSan Jose, CA

Perry KnowltonHomeGuard IncorporatedSan Jose, CA

Haiying LiElk Grove, CA

H Carlos MartinezLos Osos, CA

Charles MerrittBakersfield Real Estate Services Bakersfield, CA

H Blake MillerYorba Linda, CA

Aaron MirandaWhittier, CA

H Balram SatramLa Mirada, CA

Robert ThurgoodHomeGuard IncorporatedSan Jose, CA

H John WiesenLaguna Miguel, CA

John WilliamsonClovis, CA

Zachary WilsonTahoe Truckee Home InspectionsTruckee, CA

Ben BecknerWalker Home InspectionsMonte Vista, CO

Jonathan CoxA Team Home Inspection, LLCNorthglenn, CO

Robert EndykPillar to PostLittleton, CO

Eric ShafferAround the Block Home Inspections, LLCBrighton, CO

Ronald AsheNewington, CT

Michael BullardSouthington, CT

Cathryn CorningWest Hartford, CT

Nicholas DanburgDanburg InspectionColumbia, CT

Michael DenhamThompson, CT

David LampHome-Pro Home InspectionDanbury, CT

Gerald PorterMeriden, CT

Robert RepassEast Hartford, CT

Raeon BryanEco Safe Living, IncBrandon, FL

David FrechetteJax House Doctor Home Inspections Inc.Orange Park, FL

Frank FulghumF.L. Fulghum Design Builders Tampa, FL

Steve GagnonSteve GagnonThe Villages, FL

Robert DowdPillar to PostDuluth, GA

Lee GarrettHome ProbeDecatur, GA

H Jeff GilbertSouthern Comfort Home InspectionsCartersville, GA

David HazeltonAdvanced Property Inspections Pooler, GA

Corey JohnsonFirst Choice Home InspectionsAugusta, GA

Jason MaloyPinnacle Home InspectionsBonaire, GA

Jerry PratoAtlanta’s ChoiceEast Point, GA

Eric TaglioliBuyers Protection GroupAlpharetta, GA

Carlos Ward4Ward Property Inspections, LLCDouglasville, GA

Brian ZeisHome-Probe,Inc.Decatur, GA

Jeremy GatesPremier Home Inspections of O’ahu, LLCEwa Beach, HI

Michael HendricksonInspect First Home Inspections LLCNorth Liberty, IA

Charles WiemannWiemann Home InspectionDes Moines, IA

H Justin LoveMeridian, ID

H David DavisWIN Home Inspection Carbondale Elkville, IL

Joseph MarshJMJP Inc./ NPITonganoxie, KS

Ken NovinskiBuyers Protection GroupWichita, KS

Randall WomackLeawood, KS

Najja ThumbutuTwo Thumbs Up InspectionsShreveport, LA

Arthur StaffiereStaf Inspections LLC dba Pillar to PostArlington, MA

Reginald AndrewsRLA Home ServicesLaurel, MD

Nick MikulaBlue Crab Inspections Joppa, MD

Robert MoodyDiligent Home Inspections, LLCWestminster, MD

David CampbellNew England Home inspectionsKennebunk, ME

Matthew VerrillBanger, ME

Cameron BowmanGrand Rapids, MI

Brian DesJardinCutting Edge Home Inspections LLCHillsdale, MI

Bradley DeVriesJeffries Inspection Services, LLCSylvan Lake, MI

Bradley Dicks Universal Home Works LLCBloomfield Hills, MI

Blake JeffriesJeffries Inspections Services, LLCFarmington Hills, MI

Joseph McDadeA.P. InspectionsPullman, MI

Brett BoeseBrett Boese Home Inspections IncBrooklyn Park, MN

Matt KarrHeartland Inspections Elk River, MN

Nick KoenigHeartland Inspections Richfield, MN

Bill OelrichStructure Tech Home InspectionsSt. Paul, MN

Doug PetersonDependable Home Inspection LLCDover, MN

Stephen NewsomeBallwin, MO

Ronald OwensAbsolute Home ServicesEldridge, MO

Jon TomichJon Tomich Home InspectionsMissoula, MT

Robert BuettnerRKB Properties Papillion, NE

Walt FickKnow Your Home Inspections and Services LLCKearney, NE

William FluhrFreedom Home Inspection Services LLC.Antrim, NH

Sean ConahanHouseMasterWest Caldwell, NJ

Vincent LeeTop to Bottom Home InspectionsJackson, NJ

John RagnoHamilton, NJ

Sven BalcPoughheepsie, NY

Ryan BergamiBergami Building InspectionsRexford, NY

Brian ChampagneChampagne Home InspectionPatchogue, NY

Steven CollierCollier Home InspectionPoughkeepsie, NY

Richard GirouxTALGPlattsburgh, NY

Anthony GrecoHolmes, NY

Jon KeeslerSalt Point, NY

Todd MikusWappingers Falls, NY

RossRelyeaSweet Homes Chittenango, LLCChittenango, NY

Pierre ValesIntegrity InspectionSouth Fausburg, NY

M. Rustam AliMJA Home Inspection ServiceWesterville, OH

David AntulisNEO Home Inspections LLCCanal Fulton, OH

Scott BlatnikLiberty Township, OH

Matt DildyM D InspectionsWapakoneta, OH

Rodney DysertAda, OH

Gerald ErwinNorth Lewisburg, OH

Kevin GarlandGarland Inspection Services, Inc.Mineral Ridge, OH

H Charles HillClarksville, OH

Tony LippsSpot On Home InspectionCinncinati, OH

Eric PayneBuyers Protection GroupHamilton, OH

David RhodesCincinnati, OH

Steven SalyerCenterville, OH

DonSmith Cincinnati Certified Home Inspections, LLCLoveland, OH

The Chapter Listing is Online Please visit: www.homeinspector.org/Chapters/ListingI WANT

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INSPECTOR

To submit your materials for moving up, please contact Janet George at 847-954-3180 or [email protected]

New ASHI Inspectors As of September 1, 2015

Robert GarfinkelTop Flight Home InspectionsPeoria, AZ

Eric StonePillar To Post Home InspectionSherman Oaks, CA

John BottoElite Property InspectionsSpring Hill, FL

Todd ColeInspect-All ServicesConyers, GA

Brett CortezAcademy Home Inspections, LLCNewton, MA

Smith PaulGeneral Inspections LLCFlorissant, MO

Hagar DustinApple Inspections LLCSt. Louis, MO

Smith John 7 Oaks Home Inspection, LLCWarrenton, MO

VanWicklin KevinVan’s Home InspectionAlbuquerque, NM

Blanke BrettAll Pro InspectionsLas Vegas, NV

New ASHI Certified Home InspectorsAs of September 1, 2015

Mid-Missouri ASHI Chapter Educational SeminarWhen: November 6, 2015, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Where: Columbia Board of Realtors Office

Columbia, MO

CEUs: 8 ASHI CEs

Contact: www.midmoashi.com

NOVA ASHI Chapter NADRA Deck Evaluation Certification CourseWhen: November 7, 2015

7:30 am – 5:00 pm

Where: Best Western, Fairfax City, VA

CEUs: 8 ASHI CEs

Contact: Fred Heppner at

[email protected]

MAC-ASHI Technical SeminarWhen: November 7, 2015

Where: Johns Hopkins University

9601 Medical Center Drive

Rockville, MD 20850

CEUs: 8 ASHI CEs

Contact: www.mac-ashi.org

OAHI/CAHPI-ON 2016 Educational ConferenceWhen: March 4 - 6, 2016

Where: Holiday Inn Burlington Hotel and

Conference Center. Burlington,

Ontario, Corporate Head Office /

Training Centre 1515 Matheson

Blvd. East Suite 205

Mississauga, ON L4W 2P5

CEUs: 18 ASHI CEs

Contact: 416-256-0960 [email protected]

Fourth Annual Hampton Roads ASHI Holiday Season Tech-TalkWhen: December 5, 2015

Where: Chesapeake, Virginia

Mike Casey Presenting

ASHI National President

Alden Gibson and more.

Contact: Kenny Hart at theplumbing

[email protected] or

www.facebook.com/

plumbingandhvacguy

and click on Upcoming Events

ASHI Chapter Education

To have your chapter

seminar listed in this

section: Email all in-

formation about your

chapter seminar to

[email protected].

Be sure to include all

information: when,

where, CEUs & a link

for more information

or contact information.

The deadlines to submit info are:

January 2016 - 11/18/15

February - 12/22/15

March - 1/22/16

Jerry SouthallRES ResourcesDelaware, OH

JoeTimmerCincinnati, OH

Larry CoatesWall-to-Wall Home InspectionsTigard, OR

Carrie StevensPDX Home Inspections LLCPortland, OR

Joel Van DykeJV Home Inspections, LLCPortland, OR

Robert AmesState College, PA

Herman ChatmanPhiladelphia, PA

T-Doe CooperPittsburgh, PA

Daniel DeStefanoDeStefano Home InspectionsIrwin, PA

Keith PfenderPillar to Post Bulger, PA

Jonathan SantiagoPillar to PostPhiladelphia, PA

Jeffrey ZimmermanBerks Realty ServicesKutztown, PA

Chris BassfordBassford Home Inspections LLCAiken, SC

Michael MerrittAll Around Home Inspections, LLCLadson, SC

Bradley HorstmanHouseMasterSioux Falls, SD

Shane RandleRandle Home Inspection, LLCOoltewah, TN

Scott BingamanCherry ParkProfessional Home InspectionsHouston, TX

AlexFloresAnna, TX

Earnest BakerRichmond, VA

Mike DobrowotskiLynchburg, VA

Darren HallRichmond, VA

Jaime HunttFreedom Home Inspections, LLCPartlow, VA

Joaquin MartinezAxiom Home InspectionsRichmond, VA

Marcos PinaKED Home Inspections, LLCChesapeake, VA

David RapoportPillar to PostNorfolk,VA

Paul ScrivnerTrademaster Home Inspection, LLCCatlett, VA

H Scott ShumanAcquaint Home Inspections, LLCHerdon, VA

Alan SteinmetzVertex Home Inspection LLCManassas, VA

Doug SteinruckN. Chesterfield, VA

Frank TaylorRadford, VA

Mark VaughnVaughns Home Inspections LLCWood Bridge, VA

Adam ParotMilton, VT

Michael DoyleMDD Home Inspections, LLCMarysville, WA

Timothy SteinkeClintonville, WI

Andy McKeeHuntington, WV

Pat CosentiniPillar to PostBaltimore, MD

William CavillHouseMasterBelleville, MI

Matthew BrownHomeSight Inspections, Inc.Inver Grove Heights, MN

James Holl5 Star Home InspectionsHillsborough, NC

David CassavaughAdvanced Home Inspection LLC Manchester, NH

Steve AgenbroadNational Property InspectionsTroy, OH

John DenisonHouseMasterCranberry Twp, PA

George Richardson HouseMaster Cranberry Twp, PA

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS OF THE IW SAN DIEGO FULL CONFERENCE REGISTRANTS RAFFLE:

Adam Vujovic Aurora, IL Sidney Carter Marietta, GA Max Polsak Livingson, MA

Don’t risk losing your ASHI benefits. Renew your membership no later than November 30, 2015. You can renew online at www.ashi.org or call 847-759-2820. No other membership speaks more loudly than being a part of the oldest and most prestigious home inspection association in North America. No other home inspection association:• Lobbies for home inspection

professionals so you have a voice in Washington, D.C.

• Provides top-tier education whether you are just beginning your career or looking for continuing education

• Delivers industry experts in all aspects of home inspection during an annual education conference and expo

• Boasts nearly 40 years of home inspection experience and keeps you abreast of the latest trends

• Has knowledgeable and accessi-ble staff to help answer whatever questions you may have

• Connects you with thriving chap-ters all across the United States and with other home inspectors

• Verifies your home inspection reports to make sure you are ready to represent the home inspection profession

• Certifies their home inspectors after they have worked hard in the field, have been tested and have truly attained the right to be called Certified

Education-Smart Track program

ASHI will be discontinuing the smart track program that allowed members to get up to 10 hours of free continuing education hours. This program will not be available after December 31, 2015. Please print out any certificates that you need by this date as they will not be available afterwards. H

Education-ASHI Online Learning Center

Now available unlimited free continuing education hours for your ASHI CE requirements. Just log on to the ASHI website, put the mouse on the education tab, click on the ASHI Online Learning Center, log on to the Learning Center with your member number and the word password and begin taking these exciting education modules. You earn two CE’s upon successful completion for each module. You can also view a list of State approved online education under each of the past IW course descriptions. A certificate of completion will be available to print out. H

LAST CHANCE TO RENEW YOUR ASHI MEMBERSHIP! WE DON’T WANT TO LOSE YOU!

Earn $50 in gift cards for every new member you recruit. Download the membership application form, have the new member fill it out (including your member number in the referral field), scan and email it to [email protected] or fax to 847-759-1620. Questions? Contact Russell Daniels, [email protected].

HELP ASHI GROW & Earn $50 in

Gift Cards

ASHI’s Recruit-a- Member Program

(Who knows best how to sell ASHI membership?

YOU!

Who deserves to be rewarded for helping ASHI grow?

YOU!


CURRENT ASHI

MEMBERSHIP

ASHI Certified Inspectors: 3,416

Inspectors/Logo: 101

Associates: 2,351

Retired Members: 108

Affiliates: 59

Total: 6,035 Members as of 10/10/2015

ASHI’s E&O Insurance Program: Target Professional Programs www.targetproins.com 860-899-1862

ASHI Personal Lines Insurance Program: Liberty Mutualwww.libertymutual.com/ashi

ASHI Service Program BuildFaxTricia Julian, 877-600-BFAX [email protected]://go.buildfax.com/ASHI

ASHI Customer Appreciation Program: Moverthankyou.comBrent Skidmore, [email protected]

HomeAdvisor.comBrett Symes, 913-529-2683www.homeadvisor.com [email protected]

LegalShieldJoan Buckner, 505-821-3971buckner.legalshieldassociate.combuckner@legalshieldassociate.com

InspectionContracts.comDave Goldstein, 800-882-6242www.inspectioncontracts.comdavid@inspectoreducation.com

OneSource Solutions877-274-8632www.osconnects.com/ashi/

Porch.comEliab Sisay, [email protected]

ASHI Rebate ProgramQuill.comDana Fishman, 800-634-0320 x1417www.quill.com/[email protected] Platinum Provider Millionaire Inspector CommunityMike [email protected] that you are an ASHI member

ASHI-ENDORSED EXAMSASHI Standard and Ethics Education ModuleGo to www.homeinspector.org, click on Education and Training, then click on the link for the ASHI Standard of Practice Education Module. NHIE Exam: 847-298-7750 www.homeinspectionexam.org

ASHI-ENDORSED TRAINING PROGRAMS ASHI@Home Training System 800-268-7070 [email protected]

The ASHI SchoolKendra Eiermann, 888-884-0440 [email protected] www.TheASHISchool.com

ASHI Event Calendar � December 10, 2015

AEI Board Meeting ASHI Headquarters Des Plaines, IL

� January 24-27, 2016 InspectionWorld® and ASHI Board Meetings San Diego, CA

ASHI-ENDORSED MEMBERSHIP BENEFIT PROGRAMS

Forty Years Edward CharkeyRonald Passaro

Twenty-Five Years James DunsingJay BalinFrank LeshRobert BrennanRichard AskewThomas Morgan

Twenty Years James CallicuttRobert DavisTom FlaniganMark KachurDonald PyleThomas HeylRichard MartelRonald PetersGlenn ChurchJames OrphanosJeff BurkmanTerrence GallagherRaymond CamossePhillip WellsJames BooteDavid MielkeRandy WestLowell LeemkuilKenneth SteppJung LeePaul Staron

Fifteen Years Craig LynchMarc SiroisJohn SimanskyKevin Turner

Ten Years Greg JenkinsTim HarrigerLuciano MarquezJerry EmeryMichael BoegerTom TerryRaymond BeasleyKen Colter Todd HoustonFrank HoptonRobert LissendenDonald CockerRobert JohnsonRobert PanionDavid BelisarioJoseph ToomeyEdward CastroDaniel TuckerJ.D. FullerJohn RustJoe KelleyBrett KayzarMichael AmosLester BoyntonBrian WilcoxGeorge MillerJerry FreitagTom Comer

Five Years David RitchieNicholas GoodmanJames ChungMatthew DrifmeyerGuy BrandJames WaldronErwin WhiteGary McDonald

November Anniversaries

WE ARE COLLECTING PHOTOS FROM ASHI'S 40-YEAR HISTORY FOR A PHOTO AND MUSIC PRESENTATION AT INSPECTIONWORLD®.

TO HAVE YOUR PHOTO CONSIDERED EMAIL IT TO [email protected].

Speaker: Jim Funkhouser 571-214-4039 [email protected]

Alternate Speaker:John Wessling St. Louis, MO [email protected]

Secretary:Brendan Ryan 724-898-1414 [email protected] Group Leaders

New England/CanadaMike Atwell 617-630-5629 [email protected]

New York/New JerseyKevin Vargo 732-271-1887 [email protected]

Mid-AtlanticHollis [email protected]

MidwestMichael J. Von Gunten 262-945-2446 [email protected]

South AtlanticRichard Hart 770-827-2200 [email protected]

GulfJohn Knudsen 334-221-0876 [email protected]

South Midwest John Wessling 314-520-1103 [email protected]

North CentralDave Haught 304-417-1247 [email protected]

MountainKurt Salomon801-523-6060 [email protected]

PacificDarrell Hay 206-226-3205 [email protected]

ASHI Council of Representatives Speakers and Group Leaders

From The Speaker of the CoRAround the CoRner

This is the section of the ASHI Reporter where you get to gripe, bemoan, extoll, champion and share those ideas about ASHI you’ve been annoying your fellow inspectors and your wife or

husband with for years. Let’s face it, sometimes the things ASHI does can boggle the mind, right? So we’ve figured out a way to make your voice heard. Here’s how it works:

1. Collect your thoughts carefully and clearly. Relax. Be especially aware of anything you may be grasping with an ever-tightening grip…such as a hammer or your wallet.

2. Open an e-mail and address it to [email protected]. Place only the words “Around The CoRner” in the subject line. (Please do not use the words Kenya, ED, CIA, Dear Beloved, or Sagging in the subject line as I already get a lot of those.)

3. In the body of the e-mail, clearly write your idea or problem. Please fully expound on your subject, as e-mails consisting of simply “Dues Stink” make it difficult for the staff to fully grasp your “Stink.”

4. Do everyone a favor and let your e-mail rest for 24 hours, reread it and, if you are still happy with what you wrote, send it. Otherwise, take that opportunity to rediscover the English language free from expletives.

5. Relax. Your thoughts are rummaging around in our heads now. On second thought, don’t relax.

All e-mails will be read and responded to by my staff of gruff, but lovable, minions. The letters most pertinent to the membership will appear in upcoming issues of the ASHI Reporter, and responses will be completely unvarnished. Here’s your chance to gain the attention of ASHI leadership. Even if your idea does not appear in the Reporter (and no whimper- ing!), every idea or concern will be brought to the Council of Representatives Group Leaders for discussion and a decision will be made as to how we can proceed. H Jim Funkhouser

The Chapter Listing is Online Please visit: www.homeinspector.org/Chapters/Listing

1. VISIT: www.homeinspector.org

2. Hover over the Members Only tab, scroll down and click on chapters

3. On the chapter page, scroll down to the 1st bullet and click on: Find the closest chapter here.

4. When you see the screen pictured on the left, click on the state where you wish to find a chapter and the information will appear below the map.


We Call These Widow Makers

Ken Meyer Portico Home Inspection LLCPortland, OR

Safety Last!

Bill J. Loden Insight Building Inspection Inc.Madison, AL

Daniel DodgeTop Notch Home InspectionsMyersville, MD

Thomas R. BattoePerfromance Home InspectionsDeBary, FL

James BrockBoston Home Inspectors, Inc.South Boston, MA

DIY Danger!Yeah, We had a Leak in the Supply Pipe,but it was Fixed!

What! Something’s Gotta Hold up the Lawn Preparation for the Impending Mouse Zombie Apocalypse

Aluminum wiring mixed with copper, no junction box and loose tape.

David Maudlin Indy Pro Inspection Service, Inc.Carmel, IN

NEW POSTCARDS EMAIL!! Please send your name, city, state, photos, headings & captions to: [email protected]

TARGETPROFESSIONAL

PROGRAMS

ASHI is pleased to announce that Target Professional Programs is now our endorsed partner for Professional Liability Insurance.Serving Home Inspectors Across the U.S.

Target has been serving home inspectors’ professional liability insurance needs for over 22 continuous years. Their Professional Liability coverage (aka: Errors & Omissions or E & O)includes General Liability (for bodily injury and property damage), and optional Inland Marine Coverage (to cover inspection tools and gadgets). Target even includes Identity Theft Coverage at no additional premium.

In addition to offering all ASHI members a 15% discount on insurance premiums (the highest discount available in the marketplace), Target is now offering a $25 CE credit to home inspectors who are ASHI Members and Target Customers. The CE credits must be earned at an ASHI event (national or regional), and the credit is offered one time per year to one inspector from the insured business.

GET A QUOTE!

We encourage you to support all of our endorsed business partners. In this case, we suggest you get a quote (or a premium estimate) from Target Professional Programs. Visit their website www.TargetProIns.com for program details and applications, or contact Lisa Belz, Senior Underwriter at 860-899-1870 or [email protected]

15 % Premium Discount and $25

CE Credit

Target will be exhibiting at Inspection World, January, 2016 in San Diego.

Stop by and say hello!

© 2015 Target Professional Programs is a division of and operates under the licenses of CRC Insurance Services, Inc. CA Lic No. 0778135. No claim to any government works or material copyrighted by third parties. Nothing in this communication constitutes an o�er, inducement, or contract of insurance. Financial strength and size ratings can change and should be reevaluated before coverage is bound. This material is for educational use only. It is not meant to be an o�er of insurance directly to insureds or business owners. Equal Opportunity Employer – Minority/Female/Disabled/Veteran.

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HOME INSPECTORSEducated, Tested, Verified, Certified.

http://www.targetproIns.com


By ASHI President, Alden Gibson

Increasing the Bottom Line

The world is constantly changing and the home inspection industry is keeping

up with the changes. In addition to the standard home inspection service, home inspectors can offer a variety of other services including water softener testing; radon, mold and air testing; well and septic testing; pool testing; wood-burning appli-ance inspection; asbestos testing; termite and rodent inspections; sprinkler system inspections; and stage inspection for new construction. One of the newest ways to expand the list of inspection services is by using drones to take aerial photos of the house or property.

When offering these services, please keep in mind that these additional services provide value and therefore merit additional charges. Offering expanded services also may require you to make changes to your insurance coverage to ensure that you have appropriate liability coverage in place to protect your business. Both the client and the insurance company may require docu-mentation as proof of your qualifications to perform additional services.

A first step toward diversifying a home inspection business might be to offer some-thing simple, like providing a water softener test. This test takes only about five minutes and nets $25 to $50. Test kits are available from many companies. I use the Hach hardness and iron test kit. There is very little training involved to use the test kit; basically, you can follow the enclosed in-structions. Whenever I do a water softener test, I provide a separate letter to my client, revealing the results.

Offering other services might require additional training and investment in more expensive equipment; however, remember that the return on the investment will increase as well.

Radon testing is another service that home inspectors could provide. An additional return trip to the property is required to retrieve the testing equipment. Becoming a Residential Measurement Provider is suggested. In Canada, membership in Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST) and in the United States, membership in National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP) is recommended. Successful completion of an exam is required, as well as continuing education. Inspectors will need to rent or own special equipment and should provide a separate letter revealing their findings. This type of testing generates additional revenue for the business, but more importantly, it can save lives.

Conducting pool inspections is another source of revenue that, again, requires

additional training. Although I do not per-form these inspections, I’ve been present when others have performed such tests. The time required to complete a pool in-spection varies from company to company, and an additional fee is charged for this service. Again, please make sure to get the proper training to do a thorough and professional job.

Increasing the bottom line of a home in-spection business can be accomplished by offering additional services. These services also can be beneficial when there are down cycles in the real estate industry. Please be sure to remember to acquire proper training to become qualified to perform any addi-tional services, confirm that you have appropriate and adequate insurance cover-age for the services you offer, and charge an appropriate amount for the additional service that you provide.

Diversifying the inspections you offer in your business is one way of increasing your bottom line. Another way is through word-of-mouth advertising. This type of advertis-ing can make or break a business. Including the client in the actual inspection process has allowed me to optimize word-of-mouth advertising regarding my inspection busi-ness. The client attends the inspection and goes everywhere I do, with the exception of the roof. I give thorough explanations to the client regarding the function and main-tenance of the building, bringing attention to any deficiencies of the building. At the end of the inspection, the flaws of the house and requirements for future replacements are apparent. A buyer of a home that I have inspected will have a good understanding of how to maintain the home. This thorough and inclusive approach with clients has netted me many referrals.

This thoroughness also allows me to charge an increased rate for the inspection, thereby increasing my bottom line, even though I only perform two inspections per day, com-pared with other inspectors in my area who perform three or four inspections per day.

Having a reputation of being thorough also attracts a high-er-end client—one who is more concerned with a complete and thorough review of the home, rather than simply being charged a specific fee.

Until next month, work safely. H

http://www.sunradon.com

40 ASHI Reporter • November 2015 PBNovember 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org

http://www.HomeGauge.com

november 2015 reporter

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