reporter september 2015
DESCRIPTION
Home inspection news for inspectors, relators and home buyers/sellers.TRANSCRIPT
C IS FOR COR – SPECIAL PULL OUT SECTION P19-22
REPORTERASHI
Inspection News & Views from the American Society of Home Inspectors, Inc.
9.15
7 ASHI’s Education Opportunities and Special Events Offer Something for Everyone
8 Veterans Create Their Future in Home Inspection After Attending The ASHI School
12 Ensuring Safety for Children at Home
26 High-Efficiency Boilers
38 On My Mind: Why Radon Testing Makes Good Sense
Leadership Training Conference Information on Page 32
THEEDUCATION
ISSUE
C is for CoR
ASHI Reporter • September 20152
8
26
Features 7 ASHI’s Education Opportunities and Special Events Offer Something for Everyone Michele George, Director of Education & Events 8 Veterans Create Their Future in Home Inspection After Attending The ASHI School Carol Dikelsky
12 Ensuring Safety for Children at Home Compiled by Carol Dikelsky
16 The Study Guide has Arrived Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors
19 C is for CoR Jim Funkhouser, Speaker, ASHI Council of Represenatives
24 Leadership is What Sustains ASHI Mike Conley
26 High-Efficiency Boilers Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop
September 2015 Vol . 32, #9REPORTERASHI 9.15
Please Support Our Advertisers:EMSL 2 emsl.com National Home Inspector Examination 17 NHIEStudyGuide.org
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America's Call Center 5 americascallcenter.com International Code Council 23 iccsafe.org/2015ashi
The ASHI School 5 theashischool.com Allen Insurance Group 25 allenins.com
ASHI Georgia 6 sehomeinspectorconference.com Buyer’s Protection Gruop 27 bpgwi.com
InspectionWorld® 6 InspectionWorld.org BusinessRisk Partners 35 inspectorinsurance.com
American Home Warranty Co. 9 ahomewarranty.com How To Operate Your Home 37 HowToOperateYourHome.com
RTCA 9 RTCA.com AmeriSpec 37 amerispec.com/franchiseopportunities
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Departments 30 ASHI Community New Inspector Status, Chapters, Education
32 Your ASHI Membership News & More
34 Postcards From the Field It’s Wacky Out There
38 On My Mind Alden Gibson, ASHI President
Use your GI
Benefits!
19
ASHI National Officers and Board of Directors
ASHI MISSION STATEMENTTo set and promote standards for property inspections and to provide
the educational programs needed to achieve excellence in the profession and to meet the needs of our members.
Publisher: Frank Lesh
Editor: Carol Dikelsky
Art Director: Arlene Zapata, Jr. Designer: Juraj Ilavsky
American Society of Home Inspectors, Inc.
932 Lee Street, Suite 101
Des Plaines, IL 60016
847-954-3186 Reporter calls only
847-299-2505 (fax) Reporter only
E-mail: [email protected]
Advertising: Dave Kogan
Phone: 847-954-3187, E-mail: [email protected]
ASHI REPORTER – ISSN 1076-1942 – the official publication of the American Society of Home Inspectors, Inc. (ASHI), 932 Lee St., Suite 101, Des Plaines IL 60016, is published monthly. Annual subscriptions: $44.95 to non-members. Periodical postage paid at Des Plaines, IL 60016 and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to ASHI Reporter, 932 Lee Street, Suite 101, Des Plaines, IL 60016-6546. Copyright© 2015, ASHI. None of the content of this publication may be reproduced, in any manner, without the prior written consent of the publisher. Inclusion of or specific mention of any proprietary product within does not imply endorsement of, nor does exclusion of any proprietary product imply non-endorsement, by the American Society of Home Inspectors, Inc. Opinions or statements of authors and advertisers are solely their own, and do not necessarily represent the opinions or positions of ASHI, its agents or editors. See above for information pertaining to submission of articles, advertising and related materials.
Lisa Alajajian 2013-2015
Milford, MA, 508-634-2010 [email protected]
James Allen 2013-2015 Overland Park, KS, 913-894-5893 [email protected]
Bruce Barker 2015-2017 Cary, NC, [email protected]
Ken Harrington 2015-2017
Delaware, OH, [email protected]
C. Blaine Illingworth III 2015-2017
Harleysville, PA, [email protected]
Keven Kossler 2015-2017
Huntersville, NC, [email protected]
Bruce Labell 2015-2017
Scottsdale, AZ, [email protected]
Mark Londner 2014-2016 Purcellville, VA, 540-668-6339 [email protected]
Donald Lovering 2015-2016 Auburndale, MA, 617-698-3903 [email protected]
Scott Patterson 2013-2015
Spring Hill, TN, 615-302-1113 [email protected]
Robert Peterson 2013-2015
Carmel, IN, [email protected]
Tony Smith 2015-2017 Cedar Rapids, IA, 319-533-4565 [email protected]
Mike Wagner 2014-2016 Westfield, IN, 317-867-7688 [email protected]
Robert Walstead 2013-2015 Colorado Springs, CO 719-495-2652 [email protected]
Kevin Westendorf 2014-2016
Mt. Pleasant, SC, 843-881-7842kevinw@lowcountryhome inspection.com
Speaker, Council of Representatives: James Funkhouser 2015-2016 Manassas Park, VA, 703-791-2360 [email protected]
Alden Gibson, President Breslau, ON, [email protected]
Randy Sipe, President-ElectSpring Hill, KS, [email protected]
Howard Pegelow, Vice President Milwaukee, WI, [email protected]
Tim Buell, TreasurerMarysville, OH, 614-746-7485 [email protected]
Larry Cerro, SecretaryTallahassee, FL, [email protected]
Bill Loden, Immediate Past-PresidentMadison, AL, [email protected]
Officers
Directors
ASHI STAFFMain Phone: 847-759-2820, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Mon. - Fri., CST
Executive Director
Frank Lesh, Executive Director, 847-954-3182, [email protected] Bruno, Executive Assistant, 847-954-3177 [email protected]
Education, CE Approval, Smart Track, InspectionWorld
Michele George, Director of Education & Events, 847-954-3188 [email protected]
Membership, Chapter Relations, Booth Rental, Product Orders
Russell Daniels, Assistant Executive Director, Director Membership and Chapter Relations, 847-954-3185, [email protected] Lester, Membership Services Coordinator, 847-954-3176 [email protected] George, Membership Services Supervisor, 847-954-3180 [email protected] Gallegos, Membership Administrator, 847-954-3175 [email protected] Accounting
Toni Fanizza, Bookkeeper, 847-954-3190, [email protected] Canham, Financial Assistant, 847-954-3184 [email protected]
Website, Information Systems, Database
Mike Rostescu, Director IT & Internet Communications 847-954-3189, [email protected] Publications, Advertising, Marketing, Public Relations
Dave Kogan, Manager of Marketing & Business Development 847-954-3187, [email protected] Arlene Zapata, Graphic Design Manager, 847-954-3186 [email protected]
The ASHI School
Kendra Eiermann, Manager, 888-884-0440 or 847-954-3178 [email protected] Steve Reilly, Senior Sales Representative, 888-884-0440 or 847-954-3181, [email protected] McGraw, Administrative Assistant, 847-954-3198 [email protected]
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ASHI Reporter • September 20154 5September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 5
ASHI Reporter • September 20156 7September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 7
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ASHI’s Education Opportunities and Special Events Offer Something for EveryoneBy Michele George, Director of Eduction & Events
Register NOW FOR January 24-27, 2016
Join ASHI and CREIA in the celebration of 40 years as a leaders in the home inspection industry.
ASHI’s annual meeting and the largest education conference and expo for professional home inspectors.
> Over 45 expertly led educational sessions
> Popular networking and social events > Exhibits providing the latest information on tools and technology
> Earn 20 ASHI CEs, state CEs and many industry association credits
Town and Country Resort, San Diego www.towncountry.com Room rate $148/night (taxes not included) WiFi included. Parking $5/day.
Reservation site: https://aws.passkey.com/event/13855072/owner/27934/home
www.inspectionworld.org A special raffle will be held October 1 when five lucky registrants will receive
complimentary registration to InspectionWorld San Diego.
Professional home inspectors must retain an impressive amount of
knowledge and skills to do their job well. Fortunately, ASHI members have easy access to a wide variety of educational opportunities to keep their skills sharp. Members can use the “Education” tab on the ASHI website to discover a portal of links to program offerings and ways to earn continuing education (CE) units through ASHI. Here’s an overview:
The ASHI Online Learning Center houses more than 50 two-hour online learning modules. Recorded from live presentations conducted at past InspectionWorld® confer-ences, these modules can help ASHI members stay up to date on the latest trends and information. ASHI members can access these online modules and many of the recordings labeled “Past IW” have been approved for CE units in various states.
ASHI members also have free access to the Smart Track Education Program. This online program covers the core subjects included in ASHI’s Standard of Practice: roofing, exterior, heating, electrical, interior, structure, plumbing, professional practice, cooling, wood heating and insulation.
ASHI@HOME Training System provides a comprehensive, 10-course, distance-learning education program.
Green Training USA offers discounted training to members who choose from 12 online courses that will help them add new skills and diversify their home inspection business services.
The Building Performance Institute (BPI) offers special pricing on the Building Science Principles Certificate of Knowl-edge reference guide and exam. Earning the Building Science Principles certificate is a first step to inspecting the world of energy-efficient home performance systems.
ASHI chapters will find that the Chapter Educational Resources link contains infor-mation regarding chapter educational events such as ideas for topics, contact information for potential speakers, and field trips and information about conducting peer reviews. We invite all chapter leaders to submit information about your chapter events. We are proud to promote chapter events on the Calendar of Events page of the ASHI website and in the Reporter as space allows; please submit information about chapter events at least two months in advance. Chapter lead-ers are encouraged to send photos and brief reports of past events as well.
InspectionWorld® San Diego – January 24-27, 2016
InspectionWorld® (IW) is ASHI’s annual meeting and the largest education conference and expo of the year for home inspectors. Attending IW gives you a great opportunity to greet friends and meet other home inspectors from all over the country. Last year, 800 home inspectors attended IW Philadelphia.
Make plans to arrive early on Saturday, January 23, to enjoy sightseeing in San Diego or spend time relaxing at the resort. Then, don’t miss the 40th Anniversary Celebration, which kicks off at the Annual Luncheon at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 24.
ASHI and the California Real Estate Inspection Association’s (CREIA) will celebrate 40 years of leadership together in the home inspection industry.
We expect that IW San Diego will be an exceptional conference. San Diego is a great destination city, the Town and Country Resort is a beautiful location and we have plans for a fantastic time.
Attendees will select from a wide variety of educational topics. We have secured 15 new speakers who will offer presen-tations alongside veteran presenters. The educational program offers basic through
advanced technical courses, as well as introductory courses on the topics of radon, thermography, energy audits, tile roofs, solar inspections and more. Some interesting special courses this year cover environmental topics and earthquakes, water shortages and the use of drones in home inspections. The business management track will cover hot topics in methods and technology. The education program offers many ways to earn up to 20 ASHI CE units, 18 CREIA CE units, as well as CE units that can be used for other organizations.
Preconference and postconference training will include comprehensive courses in thermography, California plumbing code exam certification, deck inspection certifica-tion and commercial building inspections.
In addition, attendees can take a guided tour of the Quake Shake Table at the University of California, San Diego, on Thursday, January 28.
The conference provides the opportunity to enjoy days of swapping stories with other home inspectors, learning from industry leaders and gaining information on the latest in tools and technology—all at one time and in one place. The IW experience leaves attendees feeling energized to move forward in their business. Look for all the details on the ASHI website.
Registration for InspectionWorld® San Diego begins September 1. See the ad on Page 6 for details. H
ASHI's Education Offerings and Special Events Offer Something for Everyone
ASHI Reporter • September 20158 9September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 9
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Veterans Create Their Future in Home Inspection After Attending The ASHI School by Carol Dikelsky
In 2013, The ASHI School (TAS), a subsidiary of the American Society of
Home Inspectors (ASHI), was approved by the Illinois State Approving Agency for the enrollment of qualified veterans and/or eligible persons to receive GI Bill Educa-tional Benefits. As a result, veterans using this chapter at our Illinois location, or Chapter 31, Vocational Rehab and Employment, in all locations, have launched careers in home inspection.
The home inspection course combines 40 hours of pre-class study and 80 hours of classroom and field experience. After completing the program, veterans earn college credits that they can apply to their existing career or use to start a new career path. TAS also offers graduates one year of ASHI membership, reporting software and a website to advertise their home inspection business.
Emphasizing the importance of real-world experience in home inspection training, the curriculum centers on fieldwork and provides opportunities for students to perform home inspections on real homes with real home inspectors.
If you are or know a veteran interested in becoming a home inspector, visit www.theashischool.com. Read on to hear how three veterans got started in their careers by attending TAS.
Terry Krebs Tactical Inspections, Woodbridge, VA e-mail tacticalinspections@gmail.comwww.tacticalinspections.com571-393-7470
(�“I like to help people feel good about the purchase of a home. ASHI gave me the confidence to go out on my own.”
In 2014, Terry Krebs spent Veterans Day attending TAS. Terry said, “I’d been thinking about becoming a home inspector for many years. Some of my interest proba-bly came from having moved so many times over the years and relying on home inspectors to tell me about each home.”
Having served in the Air Force as a criminal investigator, Terry had to evaluate systems, look for clues and pay attention to details. “My training matched up well with the skills needed to be a good home inspec-tor,” said Terry. “Plus, I like the bonus of using cool tools and gadgets on the job.”
About two years ago, Terry started look-ing for home inspection courses but only found online training that didn’t appeal to him. He said, “I was used to on-the-job, military-style training. I’m a visual learner and like to learn by doing. So when I heard about ASHI’s in-residence training program, I checked it out.” TAS offered what he wanted, but the required time and cost stood in his way. Several months
later, however, he knew it was time to act when he noticed that TAS’s in-residence program would accept students using GI benefits. “I had never used my GI benefits,” he explained, “but having about 80% of my hotel fees covered as well as all of the course tuition made attending TAS very afford-able. I loved the two weeks of training. The instructors used many of the same teaching strategies that are common in the military.”
“After completing the training, I became certified, attended InspectionWorld® Philadelphia and joined my regional ASHI chapter. The ASHI membership core in-cludes so many helpful people, and some I’ve found have a similar military back-ground.” For example, Terry’s mentor is a retired fighter pilot. Also, Terry has two sons who are interested in taking up a career in home inspection as well, and one of them might follow the same path of using his GI benefits to be trained at TAS after his time in the Army is complete. Terry hopes that someday all three will work together as a home inspection team.
As for what it’s like to be doing the job he’d considered for so long, Terry said, “I like to help people feel good about the purchase of a home. ASHI gave me the confidence to go out on my own. You might think that the VA system is difficult to maneuver, but people at ASHI have figured it out for you, and they’ll help you understand what you need to do. My advice is to make a commit-ment to go to the best program—The ASHI School—and they will guide you as you do the rest.”
Use your GI
Benefits!
ASHI Reporter • September 201510 11September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 11
Excellence in educationGoing strong into its sixth year, The ASHI School (TAS) staff understands that home inspectors have many choices when selecting home inspection training programs. The advantage of choosing TAS among other organizations’ training programs is the ongoing commitment of TAS to achieve excellence in education. Our goal is not simply to enroll a large number of students; instead, we strive to educate and train our students so well that they will hit the ground running in their careers as home inspectors. Going forward, TAS hopes to deliver “one-stop” education offerings by providing pre-licensing preparation as well as ancillary courses on special topics.
Expert instructorsTAS instructors are incredible assets to students. Because we keep our class sizes relatively small, the instructors can get to know each student during training. By doing so, instructors can ensure that each TAS student is confident in their skills and well prepared to pursue certification through ASHI. TAS instructors continue to be accessible resources for their students long after formal training
ends. Experienced home inspectors themselves, TAS instructors want their students to rise to the highest level of success in their careers.
Empowered graduatesTAS strives to see graduates achieve success. To meet this goal, graduates receive a year of ASHI membership as well as ongoing support to continue their training. For example, TAS graduates can retake the entire training course or sessions on specific components of home inspection they feel they need to brush up on, free of charge. Each year, many students take advantage of this perk by attending a home inspection class that will help them review components of home inspection skills.
Helpful staff TAS staff coordinates many administrative details with and for students so the experience of attending TAS is positive. TAS staff strives to meet the needs of any home inspector who
requires guidance or assistance as they go forward in any specific or general area of the home inspection business.
Graduate and instructor reunionsReunions for TAS graduates and instructors are great opportunities to strengthen communication and support among mentors, colleagues and friends. The reunions that have already been held in Tennessee and Pennsylvania have brought graduates and instructors together to share stories from the field. Another reunion is planned and will be held at InspectionWorld® San Diego in January 2016, so be sure to make your plans to attend.
The ASHI School Advantage
> Veterans Create Their Future in Home Inspection After Attending the ASHI School
Stephen RagerChampion Home Inspection Newburgh, INe-mail [email protected]://championhi.org/812-629-3096
(�“Everybody wins when you’re doing your job competently, and The ASHI School teaches you to do that.”
Stephen Rager joined ASHI in January and attended TAS in April 2015 in Des Plaines, IL. After serving in the Army from 2002 to 2009, including two deployments in Iraq, Stephen wanted to make a career change and he’d always been passionate about homes. One day, while browsing ASHI’s online education forum, Stephen saw a posting about using VA benefits to attend TAS. He sent an email inquiry and quickly received guidance and encouragement to navigate the process that led to attending the course.
“With help from ASHI staff, I found that it wasn’t difficult for me to get VA approval for the course. I earned my license when I passed the exam this year, and so far, all is going well. Although I’m just getting started, attending The ASHI School gave me the confidence to pursue this career. My instructors were excellent—some also were presenters at InspectionWorld® Philadelphia.”
“I did reconnaissance in the Army, so home inspection fits well with observ-ing and reporting what I see as part of my background. I did a lot of research about the industry before choosing to pursue it as a career. I found that competent home inspectors have good job security, and now I know that having the ‘ASHI brand’ of cer-tification helps solidify my standing among other home inspectors; at least where I live, real estate agents prefer working with
ASHI certified inspectors who they know have a high level of competence on the job. Everybody wins when you’re doing your job competently, and The ASHI School teaches you to do that.”
As a home inspector, Stephen also draws on his education in accounting and his skills in home maintenance. And he says, “Home inspection pays more than doing handyman work. When I worked as a handyman, I had to compete with people being paid under the table. I wanted a job that was transpar-ent and aboveboard. I realized that home inspection involves several technical skills and is a growing industry. For example, when people in our parents’ generation were purchasing homes, the most complicated system may have been the water heater. But now, homes have more complex systems that are based in technology. The sheer number of appliances that a typical home has now is also much higher than in the past. As a result, good home inspectors have an in-demand skill.”
“I’ve stayed in touch with some of the students and instructors from my class. We had great camaraderie, and everyone was dedicated to doing a great job. I encourage other veterans to use their military benefits to attend TAS. It is an excellent tool to gain experience and knowledge, and the instruc-tors want their students to succeed.”
William Carter III, Vine Grove, KYAmerican Dream Home Inspectione-mail [email protected]
(�“I was fortunate to attend a class with people with great overall construction knowledge.”
William Carter III, currently stationed at Fort Knox, with the Army, is preparing to transition to civilian life over the next few months. At age 33, William noticed that
working hard-labor jobs since he was 16 years old has taken a toll on his body, and he wanted to find a career that would allow him to use his knowledge and experience. He has discovered that home inspection is enjoyable and a good fit with his back-ground in military training.
William said, “It can be really competitive to try to become a home inspector in an established area.” He did some research and found that there was a need for more home inspectors where he lives. William’s wife is a realtor, which has helped him make some connections. And with the added encour-agement brought about by the VA paying for the majority of the course and hous-ing fees, William took the opportunity to attend TAS.
“It was very easy to use my VA benefits for The ASHI School. I just went on the VA website and signed up, and then the school requested some paperwork.” In April, William attended the class in Des Plaines, IL, and in August, he took the exam to become certified. Now he is ready to start his home inspection business.
At TAS, William had excellent instructors and a group of about 12 fellow students with a range of experiences. He said, “The group included construction workers, home builders, electricians like me, HVAC specialists, plumbers and more.” Hearing people in the class share their experiences added to what was already a curriculum designed to provide in-depth knowledge.
“I would recommend that students bring a camera and a laptop. Having those tools on hand is important to keep momentum going at the end of the session when you start learning about the reporting software.”
William’s advice for other veterans is to do research in your region. “If there’s too much competition, it might be hard to break in,” he said. “I didn’t want to waste time and money, so I researched the need for home
inspectors in the area. Now I’m feeling en-couraged to get started once my transition out of the military is complete.”
“I was fortunate to attend a class with people with great overall construction knowledge. We all learned from each other’s skills and input with each topic we covered. I learned what customers are look-ing for, and I will use all the ideas I learned as I get my business under way.” H
TAS Instructors: Gary Monfeli, Tim Buell, and Ken Harrington with their students in Cincinnati, OH.
> Veterans Create Their Future in Home Inspection After Attending the ASHI School
Kendra
Eiermann
Steve
Reilly
Kim
McGraw
ASHI Reporter • September 201512 13September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 13ASHI Ad.indd 6 3/25/15 10:33 AM
Ensuring Safety for Children at Home
Ensuring Safety for Children at HomeCompiled by Carol Dikelsky
By tapping into the media, consumers can receive daily advice about how to
enhance safety for children at home; how-ever, the sheer volume of information, as well as the questionable reliability of some sources, can be daunting. There’s no doubt that people want to keep kids safe from having accidents with dangerous products or home furnishings and experiencing other hazards that can occur throughout a typical home, but how does a home inspector know what to report? Government and public health sources, as well as nonprofit organi-zations, provide some valuable resources.
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC, www.cpsc.gov) outlines federal safety rules and regulations that apply to consumer products, includ-ing those designed for children. CSPC “is charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of injury or death associ-ated with the use of the thousands of types of consumer products under the agency’s jurisdiction…[and] is committed to protect-ing consumers and families from products that pose a fire, electrical, chemical, or mechanical hazard.” CPSC’s website offers research reports, statistics and news as well as information on regulations, laws and standards. Searching the site using terms like “safety gates,” “window blinds” and “magnetic locks” reveals links to news about recalls, legal cases against manufacturers and more.
Many pediatricians and state govern-ments offer information intended to help foster children’s safety. Check with your medical care provider or visit your state government’s website.
The Child Safety page of MedlinePlus (www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/child-safety.html), a resource of the National Institutes of Health produced by the National Library of Medicine, provides readable and up-to-date information about how to keep kids safe from harm at home.
ASHI President-Elect Randy Sipe, along with the Great Plains Chapter of ASHI, are some of the many supporters of Charlie’s House: The Home Safety Site (www.charlieshouse.org/). Located in Kansas City, MO, Charlie’s House is a nonprofit organization named in memory of Charlie Horn, a boy whose life tragically ended at the age of 2 when he attempted to climb a 30-in. dresser in his home and the dresser fell on top of him. In 2007, the supporters of Charlie’s House began their mission to prevent injuries from happening to children in and around the home. The organization’s core beliefs are that home safety is attainable for everyone regardless of where you live or what type of home you have and that maintaining a safe home is a continuous process. Charlie’s House web-site states, “Home safety requires frequent evaluation to look for new hazards and new ways to improve.”
One of the long-term goals of Charlie’s House is to open a safety demonstra-
tion home and training facility in Kansas City in which people can experience first-hand how to avoid preventable accidents from occurring in their homes.
John McCarthy, executive director of Charlie’s House, noted that home inspec-tors can benefit from reviewing the
important suggestions and resources listed at http://charlieshouse.org/safety/. The In-Home Safety Checklist, for example, includes the following suggestions:• Secure dressers (even short ones), bookcases
and other tip-prone furniture to the wall with furniture straps; in addition, secure televisions to the wall with television straps
• Install safety gates at the top and bottom of stairs
• Use plug covers or caps in electrical outlets• Shorten cords on appliances that could be
pulled down• Lock or latch cabinets that children should
not get into• Use doorknob covers• Test smoke alarms and change batteries
every six months• Set hot water heater to below 120 degrees F• Move baby’s crib away from any windows• Install window coverings that are safe for
children (see details in the following section on window blind safety)
• Apply stove and burner covers and use back burners first when cooking
• Keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen• Place knives and matches out of
children’s reach• Store and lock separately unloaded
firearms and ammunition
Parents for Window Blind Safety (PFWBS, www.pfwbs.org) was founded by Linda Kaiser and her husband after their 12-month-old daughter died in 2002 from a tragic strangulation accident caused by the child getting tangled in a window blind’s in-terior cords. Linda had followed the window treatment manufacturer’s safety guidelines to the letter—wrapping and placing the ends of the cords out of the way; however, hazardous cords remained inside the window treatment.
After enduring the ordeal of losing her daughter, Linda found strength by educating herself on this type of accident and standing up to leaders of the window covering industry and the CPSC to demand recalls of products and press for the elimination of the strangu-
ASHI Reporter • September 201514 15September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 15
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lation danger on all products that will help ensure that other children and families do not face the same tragedy she did. Linda asserts that only cordless window coverings are safe for use in any room where children might sleep and play.
Earlier this year, ASHI member Skip Walker viewed a recording of a CPSC hearing (www.cpsc.gov/en/Newsroom/Multimedia/?vid=73806) during which a colleague of his had testified about ion-ization smoke alarms. Before his friend’s presentation began, Skip listened to Linda’s riveting testimony about window treatments and their hazardous cords. Inspired by Linda’s campaign to require safer window covering designs, he contacted Linda and began a dialogue about communicating window covering safety issues to home inspectors.
Skip noted that home inspectors’ No. 1 job is ensuring safety, and that ensuring the safety of children is especially critical. He expressed that PFWBS has raised the level of awareness about what the window cover-ing industry is not telling consumers about safety, and suggested that home inspectors should be aware of her campaign for point-ing out the life-threatening flaws in design.
Home inspectors can help by reporting the hazards of having window coverings
with cords of any kind in the home, espe-cially in rooms where children will be. Here is an excerpt of Linda Kaiser’s story that points to why describing the safety issues concerning window coverings should be on every home inspector’s checklist for discussion with their clients:
Surely every parent has heard about some of the warnings on window coverings. Tie up your pull cords out of the child’s reach; make sure there is no loop in the pull cord as is usually listed in most childproofing checklists. I followed the checklist and went through it. I placed my twins in their cribs and kissed them both good night. I could hear them playing and laughing, those little stinkers. I went in to check on them and found my 12-month-old baby girl hanging from part of the cord on a window blind in their bedroom. I grabbed her and called 911. I knew, I just knew by the lukewarm feeling
of her body she was gone. …I did not understand how she could have died be-cause I had the pull cords tied up, way out of her reach. …How could she get tangled on the other side?
The problem is that the industry keeps telling the public to buy safety kits and to keep the cords out of the child’s reach. A quote from the Window Covering Safety Council, which promotes and gives out free “safety kits”: “Because cord-safety features are now built into window coverings, we believe parents will feel more confident about their child's safety if they replace their older window coverings with the products now available.” Parents are doing what they are told by the safety council; however, what they are not told is that children are getting objects, placing them under the window coverings, reaching the cords that are tied up and strangling to death on them.
Please visit www.pfwbs.org, get educated and take down the corded window treat-ments in your home. There is no way to make a corded window blind, shade, roman shade, magic blind or roller shade 100% safe. There is no reason to feel more “confident” in any product with a cord attached to it. We list safer alternatives on our website, along with in-depth informa-tion about corded window coverings.
How to look for hazardous window covering products and what to say to clients if you find them.Linda Kaiser offers the following how-to guide of questions and checklist items for home inspectors to use as they assess the safety of window coverings: Are there any cords hanging that can be reached?
• A child can reach any cord by climbing onto the windowsill.
• Any short cord can become longer once the window covering is opened.
• Any cord longer than 8 inches, or an average male wrist, can strangle a child.
How old are the window coverings? Any product older than 10 years is no longer compliant with the national safety standard. Check the back shades for hidden exposed cords that run upward.
Check for loose or broken tension devices attached to the wall—most devices don’t outlast the product.Warn clients that products have been recalled if there are loops in the pull cords, exposed cords on roman shades, if tension devices are loose, or if the product is older than 10 years. See http://windowcoveringtesting.org/safe-products/ for examples of cost-effective products starting as low as $7.
This sampling of resources about keeping children safe at home provides a glimpse at the extensive volume of information that is available. By reading the stories of Charlie’s House and Parents for Window Blind Safety, home inspectors can under-stand how critical it can be to report their observations related to commonly used safety products around the home. A home inspector’s thoughtful warning about safety issues has the potential to save a child and a family from experiencing tragedy. H
Home inspectors weigh in on managing child safety devices on the job
Although childproofing devices can keep kids safe, home inspectors often find that expending the energy needed to maneu-ver around these devices in a home can be challenging. When we posted a question about your experiences with childproofing devices on the ASHI forum board, we received these responses. Do any ring true for you?
• There are so many brands and designs of tamperproof or childproof receptacles for outlets; I wish everyone would use the basic little plastic plug-ins. –Dale McNutt, ACI
• I learned that after dealing with so many hidden magnetic locks on cabinet doors with no magnet in sight, it’s best to just carry my own. –Ken Goewey, ACI
Continued on next page...
Continued from previous page...
• Some safety gates installed at the top and bottom of staircases can become trip hazards. –Charlie Rice, ACI
• Even when the gate is open at the top of a staircase, it can be a hazard to anyone wearing a toolbelt or carrying a ladder while trying to pass through the gate. Also, the gate itself is not the easiest item to remove from the wall. –Matthew Steger, ACI
• Many “child safety latches” on kitchen cabinets are sometimes rather difficult to open—even for an adult. –Matthew Steger, ACI
• I’ve inspected homes where all the countertop electrical receptacles in the kitchen have plastic covers, but all the receptacles in the baby’s room are left
open. Or a similar type of problem—some bedroom doorknobs have been turned around so the door only locks from the outside. Doesn’t seem very safe to me. –Bruce Ramsey, ACI
• I’ve seen more eye-and-hook devices on bedroom doors than reversed doorknobs. I’m concerned and surprised whenever I see them. They even show up on the doors of rooms where older parents live. –Fred Comb, ACI
• I like the challenge of figuring out some of the childproof cabinet latches, especially when it’s a new design and I don't know how it opens—it becomes a puzzle that I can't walk away from. Recently it took me at least 5 minutes to figure out one latch. –Fred Comb, ACI
• A house I recently inspected had keyed locks on all the bedroom doors. The home
was only six years old so it was obvious to me that the seller had replaced the builder-installed bedroom doorknobs. Of course, I recommended replacing these doorknobs and locks with proper interior door hardware. –Matthew Steger, ACI
• Personally, I always recommend that all receptacles and outlets in a home be changed out to the new style with the built-in, integral child-safety feature. Add-on caps are only effective when they are plugged in. If you have a lamp plugged in, the plug can be easily re-moved by a child and then you have a conventional outlet that is unprotected. Outlets with integral protection are always protected, regardless of what is or is not plugged into them. –Skip Walker, ACI
> Ensuring Safety for Children at Home > Ensuring Safety for Children at Home
ASHI Reporter • September 201516 17September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 17
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IE Hom
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This NHIE Home Inspection Manual is based on the most recent Role Delineation Study (RDS). This study surveys thousands of home inspectors in order to determine the ser-vices they provide, and the components they inspect. The questions in the NHIE are derived directly from this survey, and constitute the knowledge base for an entry level home in-spector. This manual is the first of its kind to follow this format. It also informs the candidate about the knowledge base behind the current examination questions, and pro-vides a technical reference for the experienced home inspec-tor.
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The National Home Inspector Examination (NHIE) is de-veloped and maintained by the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors (EBPHI). This board has received many requests over the years for a study guide to assist those taking the NHIE. This study guide, and the associated NHIE Home Inspection Manual, were devel-oped to address this need.
The NHIE Home Inspection Manual addresses the technical aspects of the NHIE. This NHIE Study Guide addresses the non-technical aspects. Many come to the home in-spection profession as a second or a third career, and may not have taken a professional entrance exam for many years, if ever. This study guide helps to familiarize the candidate with the examination itself, and with the asso-ciated administrative procedures. It also includes helpful insights into the types of questions the exam contains, and techniques for success.
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The Study Guide has Arrived
One of the frequent ques-tions we’ve received over
the years at the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors (EBPHI) is: “Where can I get a study guide for your exam?” The exam, of course, is the National Home Inspection Exam (NHIE), which is an integral part of ASHI’s NCCA certification program and a requirement for full ASHI membership certification. We are proud to announce we now have a complete and comprehensive study guide available.
Getting StartedThe genesis of this project started several years ago with a market analysis. After taking a hard look at the current offerings we determined, while several were well written, none were as comprehensive as we felt necessary. We then decided to create an affordable, comprehensive study guide geared to preparing users to take the exam.
As we began to outline the study guide, it was decided the best arrangement of the materials would be by technical and non-technical components. The goal was to base the technical components off of the same outline we use for populating the exam. This outline is derived by the latest Role Delineation Study (RDS). The RDS is performed approximately every five years by surveying thousands of inspectors regard-ing the components they inspect in a home and their business offerings. Our first major decision was to find qualified, available
technical writers who would do justice to the technical component of the guide.
The Best AuthorThe author we found was Bruce Barker, one of the best technical writers in our profession. Bruce is author of the very suc-cessful Everybody’s Building Code and is a current member of the ASHI Board of Directors and a long-time contributor to the Reporter. We also had editing assistance from Tom Lauhon of the EBPHI Board of Directors, and Michael Casey, former ASHI President.
It's What's Inside That CountsThe guide began as a single book, but quickly developed into two volumes: the NHIE Study Guide and the NHIE Home Inspection Manual. The Study Guide contains non-technical components in-cluding administrative procedures and exam-taking tips. To assist the candidate in preparing for the exam, there are 200 sample questions. These questions were an-alyzed and vetted much in the same way as the active questions in the test bank. Since EBPHI performs an RDS every five years, we are committed to updating the volumes after each study to ensure the content reflects our current exam.
The NHIE Home Inspection Manual is move than 650 pages of detailed technical
information about the components we inspect, along with common defects and code references. The end result is that this is more like a textbook than just a study guide for it can be used by those candidates taking the NHIE while being an excellent reference for the experienced home inspector.
Serving the ProfessionOne of the advantages of being a nonprofit corporation is that EBPHI doesn’t need to make a big profit on our development investment. This enabled us to keep the pricing of these two volumes very low, as our goal is simply to serve the profession, not our bank account. We are proud we have been able to address this unfulfilled need by offering this comprehensive guide and reference that will serve both the new and veteran home inspector. Go to: www.homeinspectionexam.org for more information. H
Paul StaronPresident of the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors
The Study Guide has Arrived
Examination Board of Professional
Home Inspectors
Examination Board of Professional
Home Inspectors
EBPHI_revisedlogo.indd 1 7/30/15 11:57 AM
ASHI Reporter • September 201518 19September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 19
C is for CoR By Jim Funkhouser, Speaker, ASHI Council of Representatives
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Having graduated from George Mason University (Go Patriots!)
with a BA in Speech Communications, naturally I was destined for a career under people’s houses and “hug-ging” their toilets. Go figure. How I ended up in this profession is a story for another day, but my educational background has given me a valuable perspective. Without going into de-tails about Marshall McLuhan’s “hot” versus “cool” media or the political economy theory of communications, I will say that there is a not-so com-plicated concept for making one’s thoughts known that few of you take advantage of…the ASHI Council of Representatives. Are you sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin.
A Brief History of the CouncilOnce upon a time, ASHI was made up of a handful of chapters, and each chapter sent a representative to the ASHI Board of Directors. As ASHI grew, so did the board, and before anyone realized it, there were 50 or so Directors. As you can imagine, this group was just too big to be effective, and the number of Directors was certainly out of line with boards of similar membership size.
As a result, the governance of ASHI was altered to create the Council of Representa-tives (CoR). The Council’s mission was to provide input from each chapter into the governance of ASHI so the number of the Directors could be reduced and elected at-large from within the membership.
According to the ASHI Bylaws, the Council was created “to provide members with a vehicle to participate in the gover-nance of the Society and to communicate with its leadership.” Today, the Council consists of a Speaker, an Alternate Speaker, 10 Group Leaders and 69 Chapter Repre-sentatives, for a total of 81 members. Most importantly, the Council is the primary preparer of ASHI’s future leaders. Although the Council has experienced some bumps in the road over the years, it has stood the test of time and remains a powerful tool for the membership.
How the Council worksThe CoR operates as a “bottom-up” communications link. Representatives in the CoR attend your chapter’s meeting and events to hear your concerns and ideas and bring those to the Council. The Council also operates as a “top-down” communica-tions link by providing a way for the ASHI staff and the Board of Directors to convey information directly to your chapters.
For example, Tony from the Great State of Iowa (a completely made-
up, fictitious ASHI member charac-terization bearing no resemblance to any person, living or dread…um dead) has this really great idea. He contacts his chapter’s representative to the CoR and tells the rep his idea. The rep says, “Great idea, Fictitious Tony! I’m going to share this with my Group Leader!” Pay attention now, it’s starting to get interesting…
CoR Group Leaders meet monthly with the Speaker and the Alternate Speaker to discuss news from ASHI, ideas, proposed actions and communications from their Chapter Representatives. In this case, the Group Leaders decide that Fictitious Tony’s idea of having an ASHI-wide “Hot Dog Thursday” is a fun, but impractical, idea. They decide, however, that hot dogs are a great American food and, since we are part of the American Society of Home Inspectors, it might be appropriate to see if we could offer hot dogs at the Leadership Training Conference in October. So, the Speaker reaches out to the Chapter Rela-tions Committee. Now, this has been a completely ridiculous (but delicious) scenario that serves to describe the way you can get your ideas to the CoR and shows that the CoR will consider every communication it receives and will act on ideas whenever it can.
Positions in the CoRThe Speaker: The position of Speaker is a two-year term and is an ex-officio (non-voting) member of the Board of Directors. During Board meetings, the Speaker can bring up ideas from the Council and chap-ters, as well as report back to the Council about the workings of the ASHI Board. The Speaker is required to attend the quar-terly Board meetings, to set the agenda for the Council for the upcoming year, and to write and submit the budget requests for the Council. The Speaker also holds the monthly meetings for the Group Leaders, Continued on Page 22
JIM
ASHI Reporter • September 201520 21September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 21
> C is for CoR SPECIAL PULL OUT AND SAVE SECTION: 1. Please close these two pages. 2. Then hold both pages in your right hand. 3. Place your left hand on page 18 on a table and GENTLY pull the pages away from the staples.
> C is for CoR
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ASHI Reporter • September 201522 23September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 23
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Continued from Page 19 prepares the meeting agendas, selects the Director and Officer Nominating Commit-tee chairs, prepares quarterly reports to the Board and oversees any other projects that come before the Council.
The Alternate Speaker: The Alter-nate Speaker is responsible for all of the Speaker’s duties that he or she is unable to perform and special assignments as assigned by the Speaker. The position of Alternate Speaker is a two-year term.
The Group Leaders: Each year at the annual meeting, Group Leaders are selected by the members of the CoR according to their geographical groups. They are charged with maintaining contact with their Council Reps and with being the conduit between the Rep and the Speaker. They also are responsible for all duties of the Council Reps. There are 10 Group Leaders, one for each of the following groups: Pacific, Midwest, New York/New Jersey/Delaware, Mountain, Gulf, New England, North Central, South Atlantic, Mid-Atlantic and South Midwest.
The Council Representatives: Council Representatives are selected by your Chapter President or by a vote of your chapter’s membership. The position carries
a two-year term. The Council Representa-tive is responsible for reporting news from ASHI as well as news from the CoR at chapter meetings, and for reporting the ideas and information they receive from their chapter members to the CoR Group Leaders. They are responsible for attending the annual CoR meeting at IW and are en-couraged to attend the Leadership Training Conference. They are responsible for voting for new Directors. The number of Council Reps that each chapter may have is deter-mined by the number of voting members in the chapter. For example, if a chapter has 10 to 35 voting members, that chapter has one Rep in the CoR. If a chapter has 36 to 70 members, the chapter has two Reps in the CoR. For each additional 35 voting members in a chapter, the chapter has an additional Rep for the CoR, up to a maximum of five Reps per chapter. Finally, Council Representatives help select the recipient of the John Cox Award, which is an honor presented annually to an ASHI member who has made exemplary contributions to his or her chapter.
What you should expect from your Representative
Your chapter’s Rep is of great importance to you and your
chapter’s leadership. When you have
> C is for CoR
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]
Please see the complete CoR listing on pages 20 and 21.
ASHI Council of Representatives Speakers and Group Leaders
a gripe or an idea, let your Rep know it! In the middle of the Reporter, you will find a list of all of the current Council Representatives. USE IT! When you contact your Chapter’s Rep, you should expect a timely reply and that your message will make it to the Group Leaders. Don’t be bashful; we work for YOU!
What the CoR expects from you
The ASHI Council of Representa-tives expects to hear all of your
ideas and concerns. We expect you to hold us accountable for convey-ing your ideas and concerns to the appropriate people within ASHI. We expect you to tell us your thoughts—by phone, via e-mail or by using the CCG Forum Board on the ASHI web-site. We expect you to use the list of your Council Reps on Pages 20 and 21. (The center four pages of the magazine are a pullout sec-tion. Pull gently.) We expect you to contact the appropriate Group Leader or the Speaker if you do not get a timely response from your Rep. Finally, we expect you to find ASHI membership increasingly beneficial as a result of you using the Council of Representatives. H
Jim Funkhouser Speaker of
the CoR
ASHI Reporter • September 201524 25September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 25
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What is leadership and how do we prepare for it? If we are so
inclined, some of us pick up leader-ship skills as part of life’s experience. For others, leadership is inherent; it comes naturally. For some, being a leader is learned and reluctantly applied to a situation.
Without leadership within ASHI, what are we? A bunch of people who are loosely associated with a national organization or a state chapter for the benefit of getting together once in awhile.
ASHI is and should be more than that. It is an influencer of standards, a guider of policy, a representative of our profession and a visionary for the future. How is any of this relevant? Without having anyone in the lead looking ahead, our paths are unmarked and we move forward helter-skelter with no real vision of what’s to come. Business op-portunities are missed or go unrecognized. We become adrift in a sea of uncertainty, and our fate is determined by those who have no connection with our profession and those who have a skewed concept of what a home inspector is.
However, with unity and same-mindedness, we have a voice and can determine our destiny as we (as collective members of an industry) see it. That voice comes with experience and dedication of purpose—a love of what we do and the desire to better our profession for future inspectors.
Leadership starts with volunteering on a local level—perhaps with a local chapter or any organization that needs direction and guidance. Maybe you are participat-ing with a chapter of ASHI, moving up
the ranks and taking charge, improving the profession and the membership. Not only does offering this type of leadership contribute to your profession, but it also changes and focuses you. I have never come across anyone who volunteered or held office (whether reluctantly or not) who was not enriched by the experience. I have met many people who volunteered or held office for “one time only” and who, at the end of that time, wanted to go another term. Some of these “reluctees” either volunteered again or moved into an officer position. I’ve seen this happen at the chapter level and the national level.
So, what’s my point? Every year, ASHI offers a Leadership Training Conference (LTC). It’s designed to train those who attend to bring that leadership experience and information back to their chapters so they can use it and continue to improve their chapter. LTC allows for continuity and creates a pool of leaders who are better informed and better prepared to lead their chapters.
No one person or leader knows every-thing. We can all benefit from being exposed to other points of view and others’ experiences. Just socializing with the other attendees is an experience in itself. We can learn from each other and from the top-notch speakers that ASHI brings to the party.
I urge any and all interested ASHI members and associates to come and see what’s going on. It’s open to anyone and everyone, not just people associated with the Council of Representatives or chapter officers. The event and food are free, so all
you have to do is get yourself to Chicago, October 22-23 and attend. ASHI offers a stipend to a chapter representative who at-tends to help the chapter offset the costs of travel and hotel. If no one steps up in your chapter, you could be that representative. If you’re really ambitious, plan to stay an extra day (October 24) and attend ASHI’s national Board of Directors meeting.
So, you say you’re too busy to take time out for this event. Well, we’re all busy, so that’s no excuse. Take this opportunity to contrib-ute to the profession. Let’s give something back to a profession that has served us well.
We should, as an industry, aspire to better and brighter things
for ourselves and for the future of the profession. To do that takes lead-ership. Come on up to Chicago and feel the surge of energy. Many will be there…will you? H
REPORT OUT ASHI Board Meeting July 24 & 25
Membership: Russell K. Daniels, Director of Membership & Chapter Relations, updated the ASHI Board on the current membership totals. He highlighted that membership is at 5,604, updated from 5,477, which was given at the time the report was sent.
Motion: Motion was made to accept Target Insurance as an Endorsed Program.
Drone Task Force: Will be attending the InterDrone Conference in September and will be reporting all new information at the October ASHI Board Meeting.
Leadership is What Sustains ASHIBy Mike Conley
Leadership is What Sustains ASHI
ASHI Reporter • September 201526 27September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 27
W e’ve talked a lot about high-efficiency furnaces, but there are high-efficiency
gas boilers as well. High-efficiency boil-ers are not as common as high-efficiency furnaces, however. High-efficiency boilers can cost twice the price of regular boilers, whereas high-efficiency furnaces cost only 30% to 40% more than lower-efficiency systems. There are fewer manufacturers of high-efficiency boiler equipment. Let’s look at some of the advantages and disadvan-tages of high-efficiency hot water heating.
ADVANTAGES No chimney needed High-efficiency equipment needs no tradi-tional chimneys. The combustion products are vented out through the house wall, typi-cally through a plastic or metal vent.
we deal with condensation. In a high-efficiency boiler, just like a high-efficiency furnace, corrosion may occur because it produces an acidic condensate.
High Maintenance Costs and Poor Reliability Maintenance costs for high-efficiency boilers are typically much higher than for conventional equipment. Just like high- efficiency furnaces, high-efficiency boilers are complex and full of high-tech compo-nents. So far, the reliability of high- efficiency boilers has not been great. The exhaust gas path through the heat ex-changer is longer and more restricted than with conventional heat exchangers. We expect problems with clogged heat exchangers.
Mismatch with Distribution System Another common difficulty with high-effi-ciency boilers is the incompatibility of the boiler with the existing distribution system. You’ll remember that high-efficiency fur-naces use the latent heat of vaporization to grab heat from the exhaust gases to achieve their high-efficiency ratings. The combus-tion products of natural gas condense when the flue gas temperature drops to roughly 125°F. If the flue gases are hotter than that temperature, the boiler will not condense and efficiency diminishes.
Radiators Designed for Hot Water Many radiator systems are designed to be supplied with water leaving the boiler at 150°F to 200°F. The temperature drop as the water goes through the system may be 20°F to 30°F. This is a typical temperature rise across a boiler as well.
Return Water too Hot to Cause Exhaust Gases to CondenseThe return water temperature in many piping systems may well be higher than 125°F. Obviously, it’s tough to cool the
High–Efficiency BoilersBy Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop, www.carsondunlop.com
Direct Vent High-efficiency boilers are typically direct-vent systems. Not only do the exhaust gases go straight through the wall, but combus-tion air is piped in from outside and the combustion chamber is sealed from the house air.
Low Operating Costs The operating costs of high-efficiency boil-ers are considerably lower than conventional boilers. Seasonal efficiencies in the range of 85% to 95% are possible. The seasonal efficiency of conventional boilers may be 55% to 65%.
DISADVANTAGES Costly High-efficiency boilers come with a high cost for installation.
CondensationHigh-efficiency boilers are associated with the corrosion issue that comes up any time
ASHI Reporter • September 201528 29September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 29
than the dew point. Sometimes we get con-densation at startup, but none when the system heats up to a steady state.
Small-Volume Boilers Another difficulty encountered with high-efficiency boilers is the small heat exchanger volumes. Traditional boilers hold several gallons of water, but in most high-efficiency boilers, the volume is much smaller. This can cause problems. The rate of water flow through the boiler is critical on high- efficiency systems. The boiler may overheat if the water flow rate is not adequate.
Different PumpsTypically, the water flow requirements of high-efficiency boilers are considerably higher than conventional boilers. As the water must move through the pipes faster, increasing the friction losses in the piping, the pump capacity of the new boiler may have to be considerably larger than the old pump. This needs to be sized for the existing distribution system.
Short Cycling It’s not easy for the boiler manufacturer to determine what pump is needed for all systems. If the boiler overheats because the water flow is too slow, the boiler will “short cycle.” This means that the burner will go off and on several times before the thermo-stat is satisfied. This shortens the life of the heat exchanger and wears out the mechani-cal components in the system faster.
Similarities to High-efficiency FurnacesHigh-efficiency boilers use many of the same components that high-efficiency furnaces do. There is often a second heat exchanger, as well as some form of intermit-tent ignition and a low-temperature venting system. Because the ignition systems are the same, the safety controls are also similar.
Forced-Draft rather Than Induced-DraftBoilers tend to differ from furnaces in that there are some forced-draft, high-efficiency boilers. So far, forced-draft technology has not been widely used in high-efficiency furnaces.
Cupro-Nickel Heat Exchangers Heat exchanger materials also can vary. Stainless steel is a common heat exchanger material for both boilers and furnaces, but some boilers also are made from copper-nickel alloys (for example, cupro-nickel). These alloys are more corrosion-resistant than stainless steel and have good thermal conducting properties.
Pulse Systems We’ve talked about the Lennox Pulse high-efficiency furnace. Pulse combustion is used on the Hydrotherm HydroPulse or Mul-tiPulse boiler, a high-efficiency hot water system. This boiler uses the same combus-tion process as the Lennox Pulse furnace. There is no burner, no pilot, no vent connector and no chimney.
Direct-Vent The direct-vent system pictured here uses PVC pipe (or aluminum dryer vent or gal-vanized steel in some areas) to bring com-bustion air from the outside into the sealed combustion chamber. Exhaust is sidewall-vented through CPVC pipe, typically 1½ to 3 inches in diameter. The pipe size depends on the boiler capacity and the length of the vent. Both intake and vent pipes should slope down toward the boiler at ¼ inch per foot of length on the horizontal runs. Piping should be supported every 5 feet (in Canada, every 3 feet).
Condensing The HydroPulse is a condensing boiler and uses condensate drain piping.
Noise HydroPulse boilers, like Pulse furnaces, can be noisy. Vibration damping connectors on the distribution piping often are used to minimize the noise and vibration through-out the house. Mufflers can be used on the exterior of the house to reduce the outdoor noise.
EfficiencyCondensing boilers have efficiency ratings of over 90%. Non-condensing or partially condensing boilers have efficiencies in the 80% to 88% range. H
Direct-vent system using PVC pipe. Direct-vent using galvanized steel.
A quick list of conditions or problems associated with high-efficiency boilers. • Cabinet problems• Fuel supply and burner problems• Combustion air and venting problems• Ignition problems• Heat exchanger problems• Safety and operating control problems• Induced-draft and forced-draft fan
problems• Condensate handling problems• Distribution system problems (for
example, expansion tanks, pumps, piping, radiators, convectors and baseboards)
• Inadequate water flow rate through the boiler (This problem is unique to high-efficiency boilers. You won’t be able to recognize it during a home inspection.)
• Noise (Noisy operation is easy to detect. This is most common on pulse systems. This can be an issue inside and outside of
the home.)This boiler has a plastic intake and a steel
exhaust–the condensate line on this one is
not properly attached.
> High-Efficiency Boiler > High-Efficiency Boiler
Adapted from LENNOX illustration
ASHI Reporter • September 201530 31September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 31
SoutheasternInspectors ConferenceWhen: September 9-13, 2015
Where: Gwinnett Center, Duluth, GA
CEUs: Earn 20 ASHI CEs
Radon Certification: 16 ASHI CEs
Thermal Imaging: 16 ASHI CEs
Mold Sampling and Protocols for
Inspectors: 8 ASHI CEs
7 Surprisingly Simple Ways to
get More Business: 8 ASHI CEs
Contact: Shannon Cory,
www.sehomeinspector
conference.com
New York Metro Annual Seminar 2015When: September 11-12, 2015
Where: DoubleTree Hotel
455 South Broadway
Tarrytown, NY 10591
CEUs: 16 ASHI CEs
Contact: Vic Faggella
www.nyashi.com
ASHI New England 266 CMR 6.00 Standard of Practice When: September 14-15, 2015
CEUs: 4 ASHI CEs
Contact: [email protected]
Great Plains Chapter Annual Fall SeminarWhen: September 18-19, 2015
Where: Great Wolf Lodge
10401 Cabela Dr.
Kansas City, KS 66111
CEUs: Earn 16 ASHI CEs
Contact: www.ashikc.com
North Central Ohio/Ohio ASHI Fall Seminar 2015When: Saturday
September 19 2015
(with optional Friday,
September 18
Radon continuing
education course)
Where: Holiday Inn Akron West,
4073 Medina Rd.
Akron OH, 44333
conitinues in next column
ASHI Chapter Education conitinued from second column
What: Don MacBride:
The international fuel gas code for safe
installation of piping and equipment.
Dave Tamny: Breaking into Commercial
Inspections ICAA representative: Insula-
tion and the home inspection.
CEUs: 8 ASHI CEs
ASHI Great Lakes Chapter Fall ConferenceWhen: September 25-26
Where: Holiday Inn
17201 Northline Road
Southgate, MI
Speakers:Kenny Hart; Plumbing & Boiler
Presentation
Craig Ceccarelli; Foundations,
Failures & Repairs
Contact: [email protected]
734-283-4400
Tri-State ASHI ConferenceWhen: October 9, 2015
Where: Temple University Ambler
Campus
Learning Center
580 Meetinghouse Road
Ambler, PA 19002
CEUs: 8 ASHI CEs
Contact: www.tristateashi.org
Keystone ASHI Inspection SeminarWhen: October 30-31, 2015
Where: Crowne Plaza Reading
1741 Papermill Road
Reading, PA 19601
CEUs: 16 ASHI CEs
Contact: dave@thehomeinspecto
rinc.com
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
H Denotes graduate of The ASHI School
New ASHI Associates As of July 1, 2015
Craig SingleyCS Inspections, LLCAtlanta, GA
Nash Strudwick All Point Inspections, LLCNantucket, MA
Erich FaulstichHouse to Home Inspections, LLCFenton,MO
Bruce Albach Pyramid Home Inspectors St. Louis, MO
Alex GinglesGingles Inspections Belton, MO
Mark ConnerHome Inspection Matters, LLCGreenville, SC
Robert TwaddleWIN Home Inspection - WoodinvilleEdmonds, WA
Michael MarzionFive One Home InspectionsWauwatosa, WI
Daniel HalseyCornerstone Home Inc.Wasilla, AK
Connor BurkeValue HomeInspection, LLCHuntsville, AL
Justin RobinsonAuburn, AL
Christopher CookAmerican Construction Specialists Litchfield Park, AZ
Robert GarfinkelTop Flight Home InspectionsPeoria, AZ
Berry GriffinNorthern Arizona Home InspectionsPrescott, AZ
Craig RhynePro View Property Inspection LLCAnthem, AZ
Travis WeddleTRW Inspections Benson, AZ
H Dave BlockBorrego Springs, CA
H Sean McGeeSTM Property InspectionsAlameda, CA
HMarshall MichaelRancho Dominguez, CA
HJoseph PowersSacramento, CA
Matthew SainsburySainsbury Home InspectionMorro Bay, CA
Daniel SengStackhouse BuildersWalnut Creek, CA
James SonesTrue View Home InspectionsAuburn, CA
Mark GabodaPeak 2 Peak Inspection PlcFort Collins, CO
HCurt GrantParker, CO
HAlan DaiglePalladian Home Inspections LLCSouthbury, CT
INSPECTOR
To submit your materials for moving up, please contact Janet George at 847-954-3180 or [email protected]
New ASHI Inspectors As of August 1, 2015
Kevin PowerCoastal Home InspectionMystic, CT
Eric SimsCapital Inspection ServicesWashington, DC
John MicaliAllied Building Inspection Services, Inc.Miami, FL
Garry BarnetteCumming, GA
Dolly BrennanSavannah, GA
Jeremy DillardResidential Inspector of AmericaCanton, GA
Amos LovettA-One Home Inspection Fairburn, GA
Richard WhitmerYour New Home Inspection LLCNorcross, GA
Christopher IkedaGrey Owl InspectionsHonolulu, HI
Kevin LyonsArchitech Inspection Systems Kailua, HI
Bryan ThomasHonokaa, HI
Duane WongArchitech Home Inspection Kailua, HI
Gordon CampbellProfessional Home Solutions, LLCGrimes, IA
Paul CampbellProfessional Home Solutions, LLCGrimes, IA
Derek TidballFull Trust Home InspectionsDes Moines, IA
Mark UeckerPillar to PostBoise, ID
David BrauerWhole Property ServicesAurora, IL
*Carsten Franck IIArlington Heights, IL
Robert JirsaMinooka, IL
Ben SchatzDunsing Chicago, IL
Robert CariGiovanni Inspections, Inc.Indianapolis, IN
H William MarcumMarcum Construction, LLCFlat Rock, IN
Tom MinerChrysalis Home InspectionsGreenwood, IN
Kevin CollinsCollins Home Inspections Olathe, KS
Chris PruittIntegrity Home Inspection, LLCWichita, KS
Brian MahoneyPillar to PostConcord, MA
Brandon BadgleyProTec Inspection ServicesPoolesville, MD
Tim BrietenbackAllSafe Inspection Services, LLCMonkton, MD
Cary CooperCary Cooper Home InspectionsColumbia, MD
John MeyersJohn Meyers Inspections Kalamazoo, MI
James SestoJames Town Construction LLCMacomb, MI
Matthew BrownHomeSight Inspections, Inc.Inver Grove Heights, MN
Mark BerraBerra Home InspectionsSt. Louis, MO
Dan BurkeWhite Wolf Construction & Home Inspection Columbia, MO
Blake FridleySt. Charles, MO
Phil HowardPillar to PostSt. Louis, MO
Tyler Scott7 Oaks Home InspectionWarrenton, MO
James St. VrainBPGSt. Louis, MO
Natalie UnkeferPillar to PostSt. Louis, MO
Gianina KuykendallOld Country Home InspectionsBelgrade, MT
Jean DeshaiesTimeline Home Inspections LLCMerrimack, NH
Robert ChangBluehill Home Inspection LLCCarteret, NJ
Jamilla CanoAll Inclusive Appraisal & InspectionsAlbuquerque, NM
Steve RicheyRichey HomeInspection, LLCUtica, OH
Gary SommersGreystone Inspections Ravenna, OH
Daniel KrieghEveryday Home InspectionTulsa, OK
Adrian SchauerForest Grove, OR
Stephen BartekBRIXBrentwood, TN
Louis WernerPrecision Home Inspections, KnoxvilleKnoxville, TN
Thomas BallEnlighten Home Inspections, LLCAnnandale, VA
Ryan CastilloBill's Home Inspection ServicesGreen Valley, AZ
James DuncaniSPEC Home InspectionCarmel, CA
Bryan PoeAccurate Inspection Services, Inc.Thousand Oaks, CA
Randy HooserSuperior, CO
Michael LovellPillar to PostNorwalk, CT
To have your chapter seminar listed in this section: Email all information about your chapter seminar to [email protected].
Be sure to include all information: when, where, CEUs & a link for more information or contact information.
Information also will be picked up from CE applications.
John ReissSURECHEK Home Inspection ServicesWoodridge, IL
Rudy SchlosserAce in the Home Inspection Services Glenview, IL
J. David RiddleMKC Associates LLCSalem, MA
Jeff BroussardProTec Inspection ServicesPoolesville, MD
Scott Broussard ProTec Inspection ServicesPoolesville, MD
Patrick BrennanStructure Tech Home InspectionsMonticello, MN
John HamelJC Hamel Inspections, LLCCarmel, NY
Greg NewmanPillar to PostNazareth, PA
Scott HochAllied Inspection Services Bethlehem, PA
Bart HamiltonPillar To PostCleveland, TN
Casey ArnoldArnold Home Inspections LLCAlexandria, VA
Charles BranchPillar to PostRichmond, VA
Timothy GabayCapitol Home InspectionsRichmond, VA
New ASHI Certified Home InspectorsAs of August 1, 2015
Joe Kelly August 28, 1957 - August 10, 2015
Joe Kelly, long time ASHI member passed away suddenly 8/11/15. As owner of Advanced Home Inspections, Joe was always a voice of the profession whether it was on the job, teaching Realtor CE classes or on his TV show Ask The Home Inspector. He was a founding member of Keystone ASHI and continued to serve ASHI as a Director and on several committees including Legislative, Chapter Relations and Certification. In his home state of Pennsylvania he was a founding member of the PHIC, keeping eye over attempts at licensing. Joe testified at State House and Senate hearings and was involved in authoring State Laws regarding home inspection. As true champion of ASHI and the profession, his efforts are appreciated. To those who knew him, his friendship will be missed even more. Our sincere gratitude and condolences to his wife Wanda and family.
ASHI Reporter • September 201532 33September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 33
CURRENT ASHI
MEMBERSHIP
ASHI Certified Inspectors: 3,377
Inspectors/Logo: 105
Associates: 2,010
Retired Members: 92
Affiliates: 75
TOTAL: 5,659 Members as of 8/7/2015
ASHI’s E&O Insurance Program: Business Risk Partners (BRP)www.inspectorinsurance.com 866-268-1327
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 Solutions877-274-8632http://www.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 � October 22-24, 2015
LTC and ASHI Board Meetings Des Plaines, IL
� January 24-27, 2016 InspectionWorld® and ASHI Board Meetings San Diego, CA
Thirty-Five Years Robert J. Golden
Thirty Years Dexter Varnell
Twenty-Five Years Jamison BrownDavid DrewryThomas GreenwaldtClawson Jernigan
Twenty Years Jeffery PriorJohn OsterbergJohn Kerrigan
Fifteen Years Carl FowlerNick IellamoDavid GlickThomas BalaiDon GrenierRuss HumeRobert GouldJohn Losquadro
Jan ThompsonJerry SantanginiRaymond ComeyBryan Tubbs
Ten Years Steve CastanedaDavid BlockMichael EmeryStephen ButzerBruce LaBellSusan WalkerRobert CookTroy Harrison
ASHI-ENDORSED MEMBERSHIP BENEFIT PROGRAMS
Chapters Invited to Send Representatives to ASHI’s Leadership Training Conference 2015“Back to the Basics”
The invitations have gone out. Each chapter has been invited to send a representative to the 2015 Leadership Training Conference to prepare them to fill leadership roles in the chapter. This conference is going to be power-packed with a Fred Pryor speaker who will be giving presentations on mentoring, communication and more. Chapters will realize the greatest value if they send their up and coming leaders.
Radisson Hotel & Fountain BlueConference Center1450 E. Touhy Avenue, Des Plaines, IL 60018
Thursday, October 22, 2015 Friday, October 23, 2015Program begins 1:00 pm Breakfast & Lunch includedCocktail Reception & Dinner follows Conference ends 4:00 pm
The program theme will be “Back to the Basics.” Here’s what will be covered:> Team-Building, Mentoring & Coaching Skills > Organizing successful chapter events > Social Media for Chapters > Thoughts of being successful> How to handle legal issues in your chapter
Chapters that send at least one member to the conference will receive $300 to help defray the cost of attending.
Contact the Radisson Hotel at 847-296-8866 to book a room (King room with breakfast buffet) at $104.00/night (tax not included). The group room rate deadline is October 5th.
IW Raffle to be held at LTC: Each Leadership Training Conference attendee will receive one chance to win the following:> IW 2015 package: includes one full conference registration and three nights at the Town & Country Resort in San Diego
(Sunday, January 24 to Wednesday, January 27, 2016.> An iPad Mini
To win, the attendee must be registered as an LTC representative of an ASHI Chapter and have paid their ASHI membership dues for 2015-2016. The winner must be present to win. The drawing will take place and the winner announced at the LTC on Friday, October 24. Questions? Contact Russell K. Daniels at 847-954-3185 or by email at [email protected].
James RaglandJim JavierThomas ClineRon SneddenBob ClarkPeter WeberJory LannesSteven RosenbaumRay ThoromanMorgan CohenRon Ladd Stephen Handback
Five Years Terry DennisonRass WilliamsBill IncorviaDavid BoulterChris Duphily
The Results are in!The bylaw vote to reduce the size of the ASHI board was approved:
1,009 - in favor56 - opposed
Currently, the board has 15 Directors. Beginning in the next election cycle, the membership will elect one less Director over the next three years until the board consists of 12 Directors.
Curently, the Immediate Past-President is a voting member of the Board. Beginning in 2016, the Immediate Past-President will no longer have a vote.
Larry CerroASHI Secretary
learn
skill
s
homes
learnlearn
member
inspect INSPECT
September
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].
ASHI Reporter • September 201534 35September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 35
444�Preparing for an IRS Audit
NEW POSTCARDS EMAIL!! Please send your name, city, state, photos, headings & captions to: [email protected]
Must-Read Baby-Proofing Article on Page 12!
Antiquated OOOOMPH.
Don FischerExtra Eyez InspectionsWoodstock, IL
The Water Pressure Isn't What it Used to be
What is the R value of the insulation in this attic?
Dan Prescott Buyers Protection GroupSaint Louis, MO
Sink was draining very slowly…no wonder! Couldn't see where the two 3/4-inch copper lines terminated.
Jeremy ProvanPro Vantage Columbia, MD
Brian SnowbergHeartland InspectionsMahtomedi, MN
This is a baby's room with a 1500-watt portable heater hanging at a 45-degree angle over the baby's sleeping and changing area. What were they thinking!
Bill JacquesAmerican Inspection Svc. Inc.Ravenel, SC
Probably Should Have Serviced the HVAC UnitWell, at Least They get Points for Symmetry....
Slow GoingPlenty of Light in the Attic
Jeremy ProvanPro Vantage Columbia, MD
ASHI Reporter • September 201536 37September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 37
Throw the book at ’em!
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160 pages, 350+ illustrations, helpful indexGuides to seasonal maintenanceHot and cold climate informationExplains the operation of all systems in a home Custom cover printing available
Cable TV Conduit Strike, You're Out!
Ken MeyerPortico Home Inspection LLCPortland, OR
Michael ChambersThe BrickKicker of St. LouisSt. Louis, MO
Just in case the house is under water.
Ken MeyerPortico Home Inspection LLCPortland, OR
Tired of seeing cables? Just run them through the DWV pipe.
Jerry Kelly Southern Home Inspection LLCBirmingham, AL
Buzzzzz…zaaaaap!Up Periscopes
This Must be the Latest in Wireless Technology. Here’s a Street NameJoke That Only a Home Inspector Would Appreciate.
Just to clarify, jamb and strike are terms related to doors.
Ken MeyerPortico HomeInspection LLCPortland, OR
There are a lot of dead bees in your breaker panel.
Matthew StegerWIN Home InspectionElizabethtown, PA
ASHI Reporter • September 201538 39September 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 39
By ASHI President, Alden Gibson
In April, I attended the conference of the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST) in Vancou-
ver, British Columbia. The presence of radon in Canada had not been addressed as a concern until late 2007 when the Canadian government lowered the tolerances in Canada from 800 Bq/m3 (21.6 pCi/L) to 200 Bq/m3 (5.4 pCi/L). At that time, I became a member of the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) and a Residential Measurement Provider through the National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP). I obtained equip-ment to perform short-term tests for radon in residential homes. I know many of my colleagues in the United States perform radon testing along with home inspections and have been doing so for more than 20 years. Radon testing fits in naturally with the home inspection.
For anyone unfamiliar with radon, radon is a gas formed by the breakdown of uranium, a natural radioactive material found in all soil and rock. Long-term exposure to radon is the second lead-ing cause of lung cancer after smoking and is the leading cause of lung cancer in people who have never smoked.
In short, the radiation produced by radon causes damage to our DNA. Our DNA is packaged carefully, wrapped around pack-aging proteins to form chromatin, which keeps DNA generally stable and amenable for use by the cells. When we breathe in radon, we also breathe in two radon byproducts—polonium 218 and polonium 214—that are produced from decay and are es-pecially troublesome. These two particles release a high-energy particle called an alpha particle. When alpha particles come into contact with our lung tissue at a certain time, their decomposi-tion can cause damage to our lungs. Ultraviolet (UV) light, metabolism, inflammation, air pollution, smoking and ionizing radiation can damage DNA. When DNA is damaged, our cells usually repair it correctly. However, errors may occur that can cause genetic mutations, which, in turn, can result in cancer. Any exposure to radiation can be harmful to our health. Being exposed to high amounts of radiation can result in mutation or death. Increased exposure to radon can increase a person’s chances of getting lung cancer. Radon is everywhere, and we breathe it in and out of our lungs.
Currently, the only recognized hazard from breathing in the decaying products of radon (polonium 218 and polonium 214) is an increased potential of developing lung cancer. No other health effects have been traced directly to radon.
As home inspectors, we can offer a simple, short-term test to determine the amount of radon in the house at that particular time. If the levels are higher than the recommended minimum government standards, the home inspector can recommend either that a long-term test be done to obtain a more accurate reading or that remediation be performed.
If you currently test homes for radon or if you plan on doing radon testing in the future, I recommend that you become certified for the use of passive measurement devices through NEHA if you live in the United States, or certified through the Canadian–National Radon Proficiency Program (C-NRPP) as a Residential Measure-ment Provider if you live in Canada. In addition, being a member of either of these organizations can only enhance your credibility and protect your reputation when you perform the radon testing according to the proper inspection protocols.
To find out more about radon, visit the websites of the American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST, www.aarst.org) and the Canadian–National Radon Proficiency Program (C-NRPP, www.c-nrpp.ca). To become a qualified Residential Measurement Provider in the United States, visit www.nrpp.info, or if you live in Canada, visit www.carst.ca.
Currently, home inspectors routinely check homes for smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. Testing the level of radon in homes makes sense as well. H
Why Radon Testing Makes Good Sense
