April 2015 Reporter by ASHI

ASHI

Reporter APRIL 2015

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

Mary Anne Tonini Home Inspection of Kentuckiana New Albany, IN

William Dennis Jr. Dennis Home Inspections Newark, DE

Zac Lesh

Zac of All Trades Inspection Services Darien, IL

APRIL â&#x20AC;&#x201D; NATIONAL HOME INSPECTION MONTH

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ASHI

Reporter April 2015

Vol. 32, #4

Features 9 |

The Unseen Drip

An Article From the Moisture Mysteries Series Rodger Hankey, ACI 10 | April — National Home Inspection Month

Sally Chapralis 16 | Success by Association

Approved and Adopted by ASHI CoR at the 2015 Annual Council Meeting 18 | How Public Relations Can Work for You

Alan Carson — ACI, Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd. 21 | Earth Grounding System

Andy Tran — Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd.

24 | UL Firefighter Safety Institute/NICASHI Event

Rudy Schlosser 37 | Connecting with the ASHI School

Jack McGraw, National Director of The ASHI School

Departments 6| 14 |

Report From Headquarters

Frank Lesh, Executive Director

Herspective From the Women of ASHI Interview With Chris Rhodes

27 | You Tell Us

Letters From Our Readers

28 | ASHI Community

New Inspector Status, Chapters, Education

32 | Your ASHI

Membership News & More

34 | Postcards From the Field

It’s Wacky Out There

38 | Building Membership

Alden Gibson, ASHI President

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ASHI National Officers and Board of Directors A S H I M I S S IO N S TAT E ME N T To 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.

Main Phone: 847-759-2820, 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Mon.-Fri., CST

Officers Alden Gibson, President Breslau, ON, 519-648-3963 alden@inspectgib.com

Tim Buell, Treasurer Marysville, OH, 614-777-7922 tim.buell@pillartopost.com

Randy Sipe, President-Elect Spring Hill, KS, 913-856-4515 randy@familyhomeinspections.com

Larry Cerro, Secretary Tallahassee, FL, 850-222-4404 larrycerro@comcast.net

Howard Pegelow, Vice President Milwaukee, WI, 414-545-4186 hpegelow@yahoo.com

Bill Loden, Immediate Past-President Madison, AL, 256-464-7060 insight@knology.net

Directors Lisa Alajajian 2013-2015 Milford, MA 508-634-2010 homequest1@comcast.net James Allen 2013-2015 Overland Park, KS, 913-894-5893 james@sweethomeinspections.com Bruce Barker 2015-2017 Cary, NC, 919-322-4491 bruce@dreamhomeconsultants.com Ken Harrington 2015-2017 Delaware, OH, 614-507-1061 inspectorken@rrohio.com C. Blaine Illingworth III 2015-2017 Harleysville, PA, 610-565-4181 housemechanic@hotmail.com Keven Kossler 2015-2017 Huntersville, NC, 704-875-3200 Team@CastleCheck.com

Frank Lesh, Executive Director, 847-954-3182, frankl@ashi.org Bonnie Bruno, Executive Assistant, 847-954-3177 bonnieb@ashi.org Kimberly McGraw, Project Coordinator, 847-954-3179 kimm@ashi.org

Education, CE Approval, Smart Track, InspectionWorld Michele George, Director of Education & Events, 847-954-3188 micheleg@ashi.org

Membership, Chapter Relations, Booth Rental, Product Orders

Robert Peterson 2013-2015 Carmel, IN, 317-581-0074 inspectorbobp@sbcglobal.net

Mark Lester, Membership Services Coordinator, 847-954-3176 markl@ashi.org

Tony Smith 2015-2017 Cedar Rapids, IA, 319-533-4565 inspecthathouse@netscape. net

Russell Daniels, Director of Chapter Relations, 847-954-3185 russelld@ashi.org

Janet George, Membership Services Supervisor, 847-954-3180 janetg@ashi.org Jen Gallegos, Membership Administrator, 847-954-3175 jeng@ashi.org

Accounting, Human Resources

Mike Wagner 2014-2016 Westfield, IN, 317-867-7688 mwagner@ralis.com

Toni Fanizza, Bookkeeper, 847-954-3190, tonif@ashi.org Beverly Canham, Financial Assistant, 847-954-3184, beverlyc@ashi.org

Robert Walstead 2013-2015 Colorado Springs, CO 719-495-2652 rwalstead@aol.com

Mike Rostescu, Director IT & Internet Communications, 847-954-3189 miker@ashi.org

Kevin Westendorf 2014-2016 Mt. Pleasant, SC, 843-881-7842 kevinw@lowcountryhome inspection.com Mark Londner 2014-2016 Speaker, Council of Representatives: Purcellville, VA, 540-668-6339 James Funkhouser 2015-2016 mark@LBIhome.com Manassas Park, VA, 703-791-2360 Donald Lovering 2015-2016 Auburndale, MA, 617-698-3903 lovering@earthlink.net

jfunkhousr@aol.com

Publisher: Frank Lesh

847-954-3186 Reporter calls only 847-299-2505 (fax) Reporter only E-mail: frankl@ashi.org

American Society of Home Inspectors, Inc. 932 Lee Street, Suite 101 Des Plaines, IL 60016

Executive Director

Scott Patterson 2013-2015 Spring Hill, TN, 615-302-1113 scott@traceinspections.com

Bruce Labell 2015-2017 Scottsdale, AZ, 602-765-2140 inspect@cox.net

Editor: Sally Chapralis

ASHI Staff

Website, Information Systems, Database

Publications, Advertising, Marketing, Public Relations Dave Kogan, Manager of Marketing & Business Development 847-954-3187, davek@ashi.org Arlene Zapata, Communications Design Manager, 847-954-3186 arlenez@ashi.org

The ASHI School Jack McGraw, Managing Director, 888-884-0440 or 847-954-3178 jack@theashischool.com Steve Reilly, Senior Sales Representative, 888-884-0440 or 847-954-3181, steve@theashischool.com Kendra Eiermann, Administrative Assistant, 847-954-3198 kendra@theashischool.com

Advertising: Dave Kogan Phone: 847-954-3187, E-mail: davek@ashi.org

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.

ASHI Reporter | April 2015

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Being Frank From ASHI’s Executive Director

Report From Headquarters HOPEFULLY, YOU’VE HAD A CHANCE TO USE OUR NEW WEBSITE. It’s been a long time in the making and staff has put a lot of hours and effort to it to make it much more user-friendly. One new feature includes videos, one of which will show how to change your membership profile, for example. On the old site, most of the changes had to be done by staff. Now, you’ll be able to make changes with the click of your mouse … new phone number, new email address, new area of expertise … boom, you’re done. You’ll also be able to find timely video information on what’s going on in the inspection industry from Washington, D.C., to San Diego, CA. Top: Inside spread

Of course, San Diego will be hosting InspectionWorld® 2016 … ASHI, 40 Years of Trust.® The warm Southern California sun will be welcome relief for many of us in the middle of one of the coldest, snowiest winters on record. If the snow finally melts by then, many members from the eastern half of North America will be flocking to the West Coast warmth!

Left: Front cover Bottom: Back cover

You may have noticed that our “You Tell Us” page has been receiving a lot of comments. That’s what it’s designed for. Some of the comments about past articles have contradictory opinions and that’s okay. Remember the old adage: Ask two inspectors a question and you’re likely to get three answers! We love reading your replies to articles in the Reporter and we’ll keep printing them so long as your views don’t disagree with mine. Speaking of the Reporter, we’d like you to help us celebrate our 40th anniversary by sending, writing or e-mailing your remembrances from your early days in ASHI. It could be an early conversation with an ASHI member, your first memorable experience with your chapter or the first time you realized how beneficial ASHI membership was for you. We would also like to use old annual conference materials you have. For example, I have the conference proceedings from the 1989 International Conference held in frigid Chicago. If you have old brochures with pricing info or an old report you’d like to share, just send them to us – the older, the better. To start off, I’d like to share a brochure submitted by John Heyn, one of ASHI’s Charter Members. It’s from 1976, the year ASHI was founded. It’s fun to look back to see how far we’ve come! You’re also soon to see a new look for the Reporter. Arlene Zapata is our Graphic Design Manager and she’s anxious to coordinate a more appropriate and innovative format, which will project a fresh new appearance for our popular magazine. All in all, it’s going to be an exciting year for us preparing for ASHI, 40 Years of Trust®. 

Frank Lesh, Executive Director American Society of Home Inspectors

Direct: 847-954-3182 Frankl@ashi.org • www.ashi.org

ASHI Reporter | April 2015

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ASHI Reporter | April 2015

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The Unseen Drip

The Unseen Drip An Article From the Moisture Mysteries Series BY ROGER HANKEY, ACI

The frost, exposed vent pipes and the compressed/displaced insulation were the final clues needed to reach the following conclusion: A large volume of warm water vapor rises in the plumbing vents when the shower is used. When the attic is very cold, some of this water vapor condenses in the vent that is pitched to flow back toward the drain. Condensate flowing back down the vent reaches the poorly cemented joint in the vent behind the hand-sink cabinet. This was confirmed when a second drip formed at this joint about a half hour after wiping away the first drip found.

This case, like many others, begins with a small amount of occasional dampness or drips in a ceiling with small amounts of water damage. We asked our customer, the homeowner, to describe the history of the leak, including as many details as possible about when the leak occurred. The homeowner stated he bought and occupied this older remodeled home around April, 2011 and has had chronic, slight water seepage during the past three winters in the wall and ceiling below the master bathroom. He removed portions of the wall and ceiling to reveal the subfloor and water supply pipes to the hand-wash basin located above the water-damaged area. He stated that the water entering the subfloor is slight, always in the same location, and occurs only in cold weather. The homeowner was unable to find a source for this occasional leak.

The recommended corrections were to have a plumber correct the leaky joint behind the handsink base cabinet, and to improve the attic insulation by attempting to stop warm air leaks into the attic – the source of the moisture creating the frosted roof boards. The owner’s original statement, that the leakdrip only forms during cold weather, led us to examine the attic. Frost had formed on most of the roof sheathing on this cold morning. We also saw several PVC plumbing vents running above the insulation, and areas where insulation was compressed, displaced and not covering the vent pipes close to the ceiling.

Using the copper hot water supply tube and a warm air supply duct as reference points, the main wet spot was found to be slightly left of the hot water supply to the left-hand sink basin. No water supply tube leaks were found, and while the PVC trap and drain were properly configured, the joints lacked purple primer. This is not consistent with a best-practice installation, but no leaks were found in the drain, even when draining a basin full of water. When looking below the hand-sink cabinet, we noticed a hole in the back of the cabinet at the upper left. A PVC pipe was visible through the hole. A close view of this pipe revealed a joint with a water drip on the joint. This joint was also not treated with the PVC primer. The dripping joint is aligned vertically with the water damage in the floor below. We wiped the water off the joint and went on to seek a cause for the drip.

This moisture mystery serves as a reminder that a pressure test of the drain, waste and vent piping is recommended after any additions or alterations are made to the plumbing system. All joints in the system must be tight since a loose joint in the vent can permit sewer gas to enter indoor air, as well as cause an occasional condensate leak.  Roger Hankey has been an ASHI Member since 1982. He has served on the ASHI Board of Directors and received the ASHI President’s Award in 1989 for his work as Chair of the Standards of Practice Committee. He operates Hankey & Brown Inspection Services, Inc. in Eden Prairie, MN, with his partner, former ASHI Member Cheryll Brown, and is Past-President of the Heartland Chapter. Reprinted with permission from www.hankeyandbrown.com, Hankey & Brown Inspection Services, Inc., 952 829-0044,j10 rhankey@hankeyandbrown.com. Copyright © 2015 Hankey & Brown Inspection Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

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April – National Home Inspection Month

April – National Home Inspection Month BY SALLY CHAPRALIS

Home inspectors appreciate the recognition of National Home Inspection Month, reflecting the importance of our profession. This year, as the American Society of Home inspectors looks forward to celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2016, we asked four ASHI members – founders and early members – to discuss their considerable home inspection experience before and after ASHI was established. While they are all proud home inspectors, each offers unique and rewarding approaches and inspiring perspectives.

> Ronald J. Passaro, ASHI Charter Member #1, Founder and First President “When I started my business in 1975 the term ‘home inspection’ did not seem to exist. I was a home builder and inspected my homes and other homes if asked. I didn’t know any home inspectors, an association did not exist, there were no standards and the real estate field was not welcoming,” recalls Ronald J. Passaro, first President of ASHI, founder of Res-I-Tec, Inc. home inspection company based in Danbury, CT, and founder of the American Society of Home Inspectors. To find and meet other home or building inspectors, Ron began by having his young daughter Donna look in the phone books (you remember those) for any other home inspectors she could find. They were invited to a meeting, and “It started with six to ten of us who met two or three times in my office in Stamford, CT. Then, as more inspectors joined us, we moved our meeting venue to White Plains, NY, always adding new inspectors and talking about forming a professional association.”

One of the first things that had to be established was to identify what qualified one as a home inspector. “(Remember there were no books, schools or exchange of knowledge at that time.) That was accomplished by combining formal education with life experiences. Another document we needed was a Code of Ethics, which would protect the consumers who would trust in our services. We also began work on a Standard of Practice and establishing most of the committees that were needed to form a professional group. At this point in time, there was no other avenue to further our home inspection education, so we did this among ourselves by sharing knowledge with each other at each meeting. Still doing it today. “The first name we gave for our group was the Tri-State Organization of Home Inspectors. Realizing that name was too limiting, it then became the American Society of Home Inspectors. We were operating on a shoestring budget and when we ran out of money, each of the directors put up $500 to keep ASHI afloat. We were functioning for about two years when we heard that there was another group out of Rutgers University trying to form a group of home inspectors. The officers from the ASHI group went to the meeting at Rutgers and were able to convince the new group to join forces with us, which they did.

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444April – National Home Inspection Month

At the Rutgers meeting we met Dr. Joe McNeil and Ken Austin who later went on to form the Housemaster franchise. We all knew and realized we needed a professional national standard of practice that could be followed by all home inspectors if we were to be recognized as a professional organization.” Because the enthusiastic and dedicated growing group of home inspectors knew they needed direction about creating an association and standard of practice, Dr. McNeil organized arrangements with Rutgers to hold ASHI's first national conference in 1976. It was held at Rutgers University School of Engineering, which could accommodate 100 attendees. “There we were, 100 people meeting other home inspectors for the first time in our lives. It was an incredible experience. The purpose of this meeting was to collect data from the home inspectors to incorporate into the Standard of Practice. John Heyn was selected as Chair of the Standards Committee, which included 12 other members who met once a month in New York City. In 1977, the group returned to Rutgers to introduce to the world the first Standard of Practice and Ethics for Home inspectors, and it is still basically the same.” Because home inspectors worked all over the country, the founders knew they needed local chapters. The Metropolitan New York chapter was established before ASHI officially became an association. Chapters quickly formed around the country, starting with the New England and Connecticut chapters. “Inspectors who had operated in a vacuum and felt as alone as I did and had no one to consult with could now discuss home inspection challenges with other ASHI inspectors, and benefit from ASHI educational resources, books, standards and other opportunities.”

ASHI Membership & Public Awareness Increases Now that ASHI was established and home inspectors were communicating with each other, “we had to increase awareness of home inspections and their importance. After all, as we know, our house is the largest investment we will make in our life. “Caveat Emptor, Let the Buyer Beware” should remind us of the importance of a home inspection, particularly back then, when realtors representing homesellers did not suggest or encourage inspections. Relatives would contact me about looking at a house before they bought it, but most people didn’t think of it. “Today, because of home inspections, the United States housing stock has improved. Prior to home Inspections, once a home was inspected by the local building code inspector, it was never looked at again by a professional. In many locations, not even this minimal code inspection was performed. Earlier in my career, I would frequently find conditions that could be classified as life-threatening, particularly when it came to combustion-type equipment. Now, for the most part, homes do get looked at by a professional home inspector during the real estate sale process. This is not for compliance to the local building code, as this would not apply to most of the homes we look at, but to the home inspector standard. “ASHI members, however, have their own inspection guidelines, codes and Standard of Practice: Is a system performing its intended function safely?” We’re looking forward to celebrating ASHI’s 40th anniversary and as we grow, it continues to be an extraordinary experience … knowing other home inspectors.

> John Heyn, ASHI Charter Member #5, Second President of ASHI “I started my home building and contracting business in the 1960s. Young friends buying their first house would ask me for advice on its construction. Their feedback encouraged me, in 1968, to launch John J. Heyn Associates to serve the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., areas. I charged $35 for an inspection and soon raised it to $55 after a client said it was the best $35 he had ever spent.” (See the brochure on Page 6.) John marketed his home inspection business with a brochure – Buying a Home? We Inspect Everything – and through advertising. His ran his first ad in 1968 – “Be Sure Before You Buy” – in the Baltimore Sun. A Wall Street Journal article featured him in an article: “The high risks inherent in buying home mean business for some new firms.” “When I started to advertise, realtors mostly offered critical comments. But, when one realtor suggested that her daughter and son-in-law get a home inspection, I knew I was on the right track. My business grew steadily – much to my mother-in-law’s surprise!” By the early 1970s, John’s company became the National Home Inspection Service, a franchise in 16 cities. His new, more visible company and John’s proximity to Washington, D.C., also led to interesting and national challenges in home inspection … even before ASHI was established. For example, in 1971, Ralph Nader, early in his career as a consumer advocate, asked John to perform home inspections for him and his parents. Then, in 1973, John 11April 2015

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444April – National Home Inspection Month

was asked to testify during a Hearing, for the proposed Truth-In-Housing Act that would require home inspections of every house being sold. “The Bill was initiated by U.S. senator Philip Hart fro Michigan, to address issues of full disclosure, and I was asked to testify because of my home inspection experience and ownership of a franchise. After the hearing and before the vote, senator Hart died and the Bill didn’t pass.” John did have success with what became known as the “Heyn Clause” by realtors in the Baltimore–Washington area. It was inserted into the sales contracts that “the sale was contingent upon a home inspection report satisfactory to the buyer or all deposits were to be refunded.” Time for ASHI Ron Passaro had seen the Wall Street Journal article about John’s home inspection services. When Ron was searching for other home inspectors in 1976 he contacted John to help set up a national association of home inspectors. “I went to the first meetings at Rutgers University where we discussed formation of an association. By 1976, ASHI was established, and Ron and the other home inspectors asked me to serve as Chair of the Standards Committee to develop Standard of Practice and Ethics. It took a year to develop the SoP and introduce it to ASHI members. “I then became ASHI’s second President, after Ron Passaro, serving in 1978 and 1979. While John Heyn sold the National Home Inspection Service in 1991, he stays on top of home inspections. “Because the cost of housing has increased substantially, and new systems have evolved, home inspections are even more critical now. So is ASHI, its Standards and its ongoing educational activities and resources.”

> Marvin Goldstein, ASHI Member #32, 2012 ASHI President “I’m proud to be a Charter Member of ASHI. I’m also proud of my father, Milton Goldstein, who is the oldest home inspector in the United States He will turn 100 this year and continues to inspire me,” Marvin Goldstein explains. “While my dad earned a degree in Engineering in 1937 during the Great Depression, he always received requests for home inspections. This led him to establish Building Inspection Service (BISCO) in 1938. BISCO is the oldest home inspection company in the United States. “After I graduated from Pennsylvania State University (PSU) in 1965 and attended two years of law school and taught for two years, Dad asked me to join him as a home inspector in 1970. There was a new requirement that all FHA-insured single-family properties would have to be inspected by an experienced inspector. His reasoning was that FHA offered a new home inspection opportunity with great career potential. How did I qualify as an experienced inspector? Well, I accompanied my father on approximately 50 home inspections and consulted with him thereafter whenever I had technical questions. “I understood my future, and home inspection became my passion.” I was hooked!” When interest rates moved up and the home inspection business slowed down in 1973, Marv went to HUD’s repossessed property division and asked, “Do you need home inspection services?” This started an inspection relationship with HUD that has lasted now for over 40 years. He found out about a fraudulent

practice with these FHA-repossessed houses. Marv discovered, that in almost 100 out of 200 houses, either the specified rehab work hadn’t been done, was only partially completed or hadn’t been done as specified. This new relationship with HUD led to Marv being asked to accompany a HUD inspector in 1973 to a house with a serious lead-based paint problem that had poisoned the baby of the new owners. This experience so troubled Marv that he studied the problem, borrowed one of the first portable X-Ray fluorescent analyzers from Princeton Gamma Tech and inspected for free about 100 vacant FHA-repossessed properties to learn the extent of the problem. Again, to make a long story short, this led to Marv testifying before a congressional committee along with the HUD Secretary, about the extent of the lead-based paint poisoning problem and the need to ban the sale of lead-based paint starting in 1978. President Nixon threatened to veto that legislation. But when it was approved by Congress with large majorities and faced with impeachment, Nixon signed the legislation. This resulted in BISCO obtaining its first $1,000,000-plus HUD inspection contract. Ronald Passaro and ASHI Call When Ron Passaro called Marv about meeting to discuss a new professional society for home inspectors, Marv asked the other inspectors in the Philadelphia area to join this effort to create a new profession. “Given my passion for home inspections, my dad’s history and experience, and the fact that, in 1976, the home inspection industry needed more public awareness and development of industry standards, I was enthusiastic.

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What happened next was no less than the creation of the American Society of Home inspectors (ASHI). “I would like to especially recognize Professor Dr. Joe McNeil, who was like a general guiding us through the creation of our Code of Ethics and Standard of Practice at our initial meeting in 1976. “Since then, I’ve been to every InspectionWorld® (IW) except one in Boston. I very much look forward to attending ASHI IW in San Diego for our 40th anniversary. I was, honored to be elected by you and served as your President in 2012. “I would like to express my deep gratitude for all that ASHI has brought into both my professional and personal life. I highly recommend ASHI to all inspectors for the professional status (its testing, experience and ethical requirements) it brings to your career, and the many peers and mentors you will meet who bring important information and great friendship into your life. ASHI raises the bar of the entire inspection profession!” > John Palczuk, ASHI Member #288, 1998 ASHI President “I will never stop working. Although I sold my home inspection company about ten years ago and now focus on real estate, I’m a home inspector at heart and appreciative of my rewarding ASHI experience.” In 1981, after teaching “shop” at a high school in New Jersey, John realized that this wasn’t the right career for him. He had always been interested in housing and construction, and had been involved in bath and kitchen remodeling during nights and weekends. “Around that time, I had a

conversation with Ken Austin, who started one of the first home inspection franchises, AMC House Master of America, in Bound Brook, NJ. He suggested that I go on a few ride-alongs with some of his inspectors. I met his partner, Joe McNeill, fell in love with home inspections and the rest, as they say, is history.” However, after visiting parents in North Carolina, John and his wife, Karen, realized they wanted to live in a warmer climate. In 1982, they moved to the Raleigh- Durham area and he joined ASHI. After working for another home inspection company, John established his own company, Carolina Home Inspection Associates, in 1983. He also helped launch the North Carolina ASHI Chapter in the mid ‘80s, then known as the Atlantic Coast Chapter. This began the era of volunteering on the state and national level. “Two years later, I started a second company that focused on homebuilding, John J. Palczuk Builders. I ran both companies for the next 25+ years. Both professions fit so well together and provided a great deal of challenge. I truly feel I had quite a blessed career.” ASHI Responds to “Pioneers” with Professional Standards “As home inspectors and pioneers in a new industry, it was both rewarding and scary at the same time. I had a thirst to learn more, and we all valued ASHI’s Standard and Code of Ethics, educational activities and goals, and local chapter connections. When the pressure from the state of North Carolina in the early ’90s to license home inspectors started, we decided we needed to be an integral part of the process. Another ASHI member, Steve Smallman, and I volunteered to help author the legislation to license home inspectors in North Carolina. We were determined that the North Carolina licensing law would include the ASHI Standards and Code of Ethics. Most states since have adopted ASHI Standards or a variation thereof.”

John is a firm believer in mentoring because it helped him learn so much in the early years. “There weren’t any home inspection schools available in the very early years of the profession, so we really had to lean on each other. Everybody had a strength and weakness, so you would help them and they would help you. That’s what made ASHI so special for me. Every day, I would learn something new and that was just fascinating .” He also volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, as well as coaching and fund raising at the YMCA. In addition to serving as ASHI President and other local chapter posts, John’s involvement in ASHI includes: > Ironman Award. During his term as President, John established the Ironman Award, which recognizes a member who has labored quietly in the background, with great dedication, giving of his or her time, energy, talent and determination to ASHI over a long period of time with little recognition. > Monahan Award. John received the Monahan Award in 2000. It is ASHI's most prestigious honor, and recognizes an ASHI Member who is dedicated to its goals and ideals as stated in the Code of Ethics and who, as a member, has rendered outstanding contributions of time, talent and expertise to the Society for a minimum of five years. “The lifelong friendships that I developed are the benefit of membership that goes well beyond words. I am thankful for these friends and experiences every day of my life and smile as I fondly think of those who are no longer with us.” 

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Herspective From the Women of ASHI

Herspective BY CHRIS RHODES

CHRIS RHODES’ INTEREST IN “FIXING things in the house” emerged when she was about 13 years old and her family home had a broken window. She found scraps of materials and fixed it. When the lights went out on a Christmas Eve, she convinced her mother she could fix it; while her mother held the flashlight, she returned power to the home. Today, after military service, college, leading adventure trips, three years in Italy and running her own home repair business, she officially embraced home inspection as her career. She leads Right Angle Home & Building Inspections in Milwaukee, WI. We asked Chris some questions about her path to home inspection. Q: Tell us about your service in the U.S. Marine Corps and government position. A: I served in the Marine Corps in my early 20s, from early 1988 to the end of 1993. During my second enlistment, I was injured and discharged. While I was stationed in Japan, and whenever I was in a position to, I loved the opportunity to look at houses and construction. After my military service, I spent three years in Sicily working for our government. While there, I was also learning about Italian construction and methods. Whether it’s in other countries or other states, seeing the geographic differences is an invaluable experience. 14

Q: What ultimately prompted you to become a professional home inspector? A: When I returned to the United States, I went to college. However, needing money, I was also looking for work. I did not find a job in an established business, but some friends would ask me to fix things on their homes. This grew into a full-time business. When I graduated from college with a B.S. degree in recreation management, I decided I liked working on homes and turned it into a full-time home repair business. After awhile, swinging a hammer caught up to me and I had two shoulder surgeries. I thought that I better find something else, but I really liked construction and helping people with their homes. Home inspection seemed to be a good fit. Q: Your company is located in Milwaukee, but didn’t you begin your home inspection career and join ASHI in Connecticut? A: Yes, my partner and I had been living in Connecticut and that’s where I joined ASHI. Although not at the time, I now appreciate the certification requirements, 100 home inspections under supervision, and ASHI’s professional activities and educational opportunities. Education is important to me and it’s especially necessary to remain current to be accepted by buyers and professional colleagues. I’m learning all of the time and I really enjoy that.

Q: You have discussed differences between states regarding home inspections. What are they? A: Our industry suffers from inconsistencies across the United States, including licensing, education requirements and other credentials. I believe this hurts our profession. When there are few or no credentials, and some inspectors charging $250 for any size home, a large portion of the public doesn’t take the profession seriously and, it seems to me, that some home inspectors also don’t take the profession seriously. While there may be some necessary state-to-state differences, I believe there should be basic requirements common to all states, such as the number of required inspections and hours of education or maybe even a community college degree or certificate. Did you know hair dressers have to be licensed in more states than home inspectors? Right now, I’m training a new inspector in our company. He is fully licensed in Wisconsin and had completed three inspections when I met him. He has stated that he is surprised at what he did not know. Both he and I believe it will be important for him to complete at least 50 supervised inspections to gain onthe-job experience.

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Q: You mentioned that there are still challenges to being a “her” in the home inspection profession from buyers and fellow inspectors. When you attended your first InspectionWorld this year, did you meet other female inspectors? A: Yes, I did. InspectionWorld® was a great experience. The educational programs were

Continue learning at the click of a button! FREE ASHI Member access to past IW sessions.

really good. I connected with several other female inspectors … very nice and inspiring. Your business is growing, you do presentations, write a blog and are active in increasing awareness of Right Angle. Any time for other activities?

A: Yes. We own an 1892 Victorian-style home that we’re restoring and renovating. Chris’ website is www.RightAngleHomeInspections.com



1. Go to www.ASHI.org 2. Under Education & Training 3. Click on:

ASHI ONLINE LEARNING CENTER

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Success by Association

Success by Assocication Approved and adopted by ASHI CoR at the 2015 Annual Council Meeting BY TONY SMITH, ACI

ASHI’S MENTORSHIP INITIATIVE, A MEMBER BENEFIT, is brought to you through the collaboration of The CoR, ASHI’S Chapters and the Special Task Force on Mentorship.

• The mentor also assists with guidance about the marketing practices, professional skills and personal demeanor needed to complete the requirements of The Standard.

Here’s an overview of the Mentorship Initiative, as well as the Special Task Force that has worked on “Success By Association.”

Mentors shall have at least five years of good standing in ASHI and are dedicated to improving their Chapters, ASHI, and the profession through shared knowledge and experience.

The sole goal of ASHI’S Mentorship Initiative, “Success by Association,” is: “To inspire new and existing members to reach the level of ACI and to participate in ASHI at the local and national levels.” ASHI’S Council of Representatives (The CoR), at their 2015 Annual Council Meeting, officially voted to approve and adopt into their Policy and Procedure Manual one of ASHI’S newest member benefits. The initiative establishes the structure for experienced ASHI inspectors to assist less experienced ASHI inspectors successfully achieve key professional development goals.

Protégés are new or existing ASHI members who desire increased professional capabilities derived from a structured one-on-one relationship with highly experienced individuals. Chapter involvement by the protégé is STRONGLY encouraged.

• For example, mentors will assist protégés through the process of passing two examinations.

“Success by Association” will be fully incorporated into a revision of the Council’s Policy and Procedures Manual (P & P Manual) at the Council’s April 2015 online meeting when the Council votes to make changes and additions to their P & P Manual.

• Mentors will also assist protégés though the ACI requirements for completing 250 fee-paying inspections and having their reports verified by an approved ASHI verifier.

• We know who the potential protégés are: ASHI inspectors who have not yet attained the ‘Gold Standard’ of ACI. There are a lot of protégés out there waiting and needing your help.

• A ssisting protégés in understanding how to best meet the ASHI Standard of Practice will be a key role of mentors.

• We need mentors. If you are willing to give back to your Society as a mentor, please submit your name to your Council Rep or to any member of the Special Task Force on Mentorship (the names of these members can be found in the accompanying information on the Special Task Force).

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Mentors, you will be partnered with protégés based upon your and the protégés’ geographical preferences. Let’s get started. It is time for us to see our fellow ASHI inspectors as colleagues rather than competitors. Special Task Force: “Success By Association” It is the aim of the Special Task Force to keep the Mentorship Initiative as simple as possible in order to ‘meet the needs of the members’ and assure the success of the initiative. The CoR and its Special Task Force on Mentorship shall administer the initiative, set and measure the goals and once per year shall update the CoR at its annual meeting, the ASHI BoD at its January meeting and the membership at the annual business meeting at IW on the status of the initiative. “The Special Task Force on Mentorship” was formulated out of an approved motion at the October 17, 2013, ASHI BoD Meeting, shall consist of: • The Council Speaker – Chairperson of the Special Task Force • A ll Council Group Leaders, including the Council Secretary • A first-year ASHI BoD Member – Tony Smith, selected by the Council Speaker • A third-year ASHI BoD Member – Scott Patterson, selected by the Council Speaker • A protégé who is a first-year graduate of the ASHI School and belongs to ASHI and a Chapter – Jacqui Ahn, selected by the Council Speaker • A Past-President of ASHI – Marvin Goldstein, selected by the Council Speaker – Marvin Goldstein - May serve multiple years at the discretion of the Council Speaker,

Mentors shall be ASHI Certified Inspectors (ACI) of at least five years and in good standing with ASHI. Mentors may serve multiple protégés at the same time, providing it is working in the best interest of all parties. The geographical distance between the mentor and the protégé shall be agreed upon between the parties. Any non-compete clauses shall be solely between the parties. Any monetary compensation shall be solely between the mentor and the protégé. Mentors shall be recognized at the annual CoR meeting, at IW via name badge and/or ribbon, at the annual business meeting at IW, in the ASHI Reporter and with ASHI-approved CEs – two per inspection up to 10 annually. Protégés (except for the Special Task Force Member) do not have to be graduates of the ASHI School; however, they need to be a member in good standing of ASHI. It is advised that the parties give each other at least a six month period of time for their association, no end date is advised. Protégés may also have multiple mentors. Protégés shall agree to abide by all of the mentor’s rules and guidelines when doing an inspection with him/her; this includes any insurance requirements. Protégés who have reached the level of ACI and/or participating in ASHI at the local and national levels, shall be recognized: at the annual CoR meeting; at IW via name badge and/or ribbon; at the annual business meeting at IW; in the ASHI Reporter; and with ASHI approved CE’s – 2 per inspection up to 10 annually. The number of ‘supervised,’ ‘ride along’ and/or ‘parallel inspections’ prior to the end of the association between the Mentor and the protégé shall be mutually agreed upon, and the ASHI Parallel Inspection Program may be used as a guide. Chapter involvement by the protégé is STRONGLY encouraged. Amendments to this Mentorship Initiative shall be brought by the Special Task Force to the CoR for approval as needed. The Membership Initiative became Effective January 7, 2015. 

The Special Task Force on Mentorship shall meet in conjunction with the monthly CoR Group Leaders meeting and shall do all that it can to encourage the success of the association between the mentor and the protégé. The Special Task Force shall also keep track of the number of parties currently existing within the initiative, and, working together with the ASHI staff, shall keep track of, and report on a yearly basis, of the number of protégés who have reached the level of ACI and/or their participation within ASHI at the national and/or local levels. There shall be NO required agreement/contract between the mentor and the protégée. However, an agreement/contract shall not be prohibited. Legal Counsel was asked and agreed to develop an agreement/contract for the initiative should one be needed. 17 APRIL 2015 Reporter FINAL.indd 17

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How Public Relations can Work for You

How Public Relations Can Work for You BY ALAN CARSON, ACI – CARSON, DUNLOP & ASSOCIATES LTD. WWW.CARSONDUNLOP.COM

PUBLIC RELATIONS (PR) IS A FORM OF MARKETING THAT includes a broad range of communications with the goal of persuading an audience to use your service. It is a promotional activity directed at a target group - homebuyers or real estate sales professionals, for example. The medium may be online, print (e.g. newspapers or magazines), radio, television, or live events. You may or may not pay a fee for public relations. Sometimes, home inspection companies get paid for doing public relations - it’s great to get paid for your services! That happens if you are paid to be a presenter, for example. Here are some examples of public relations activities • Press releases • Newsletters • Blogs • Newspaper and magazine columns • Appearing on radio or television 18

• Speaking at events • Sponsoring events • Exhibiting at events Some PR campaigns don’t cost you any money. Your only cost may be your time. For a new business, this is ideal because many new business owners have more time than money. You can do it on your own or hire a public relations company to help you. The goal is multiple contact points with your target audience. Clients often choose your company because they heard about you from a number of sources. When people say, “I hear your name everywhere!” you know your marketing is working. Not Self-Promotion Public relations messages are not advertising. PR messages do not focus on the features and benefits of your service. They more often

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444How Public Relations Can Work for You

position you as an expert or authority. People assume you are competent and qualified because media or event organizers recognize you. PR can be effective because it is seen as more credible than paid advertising. PR puts you on the Map, Over Time In our experience, PR is a good way to get your name out, but it may not result directly in business. Building brand and credibility take time. Some people refer to PR as background marketing because, unlike advertising, there is typically no immediate call to action. PR Comes Before Asking for Business Public relations is the first step in a two-step process. Many think of it as a door opener. The public relations event introduces you to your target audience, but the next step is the follow-up advertising where you ask for the business. With homebuyers, Step 1 may be a series of events or messages. Step 2 may be homebuyers choosing you because they have seen you speak or seen your messages. Step 2 may also be a follow-up offer to the attendees of a seminar. The public relations efforts alone do not drive business to you. They are a piece in a puzzle. Some home inspectors and home inspection companies do a good job with the first step, but fail to follow through on the second. If you do not follow up, PR is just background marketing and very few businesses will grow quickly with background marketing as their sole marketing tool. If you do not market to the real estate community, skip this paragraph. With real estate agents, Step 1 may be public relations events or a series of messages. Step 2 may be a phone call to top agents inviting them to lunch or offering to meet with them in their office.

PR Bolsters Sales Effort Most home inspectors don’t like making the sales call. They don’t like confronting an agent and asking, “Will you refer business to me?” Many choose marketing campaigns that are less personal, like writing a blog. If you ask a home inspector to list all of the marketing campaigns he or she does in a year, inevitably the campaigns will include “comfortable” events like blogs or newsletters. While there’s nothing wrong with a blog, it’s just not as effective on its own as in combination with other activities. Distribution Blogs can be effective, but are less effective if they just appear on your website. Sharing blogs, sending them as part of newsletters and distributing paper copies are all part of getting the word out. It makes sense to leverage the time and effort you put into writing a good blog in as many ways as you can. Sales calls are hard work for most people. These calls are often easier and more successful if your audience already knows your name and your company as a result of your PR efforts. Summary Public relations can be more effective than advertising because you are taking the position of an expert or authority. Your message is more subtle than advertising and more effective in establishing your credibility. There are public relations firms available to help. PR sets the table for advertising and sales activities, helping to make both more effective. 

Sailor Care Packages ASHI staff celebrated National Hug a G.I. Day March 4, 2015, by sending care packages to six sailors on the USS Carl Vinson. We’re grateful for all the men and women who have served in our armed forces.

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Ear th Grounding System

Earth Grounding System BY ANDY TRAN – CARSON, DUNLOP & ASSOCIATES LTD.

Figure 1

ELECTRICITY IS CONFUSING ENOUGH when we deal with wires that are supposed to carry the current. It’s even more confusing when we talk about wires that normally don’t do anything at all. Most people have some difficulty with the concept of grounding and its cousin, bonding. We’ll try to keep it simple and take the mystery out of it. Two Types Of Grounding Systems There are two types of grounding in homes, with different functions. The equipment grounding system is the network of bare, uninsulated wires that runs through the home as part of residential branch circuit wiring installed since the 1960s. Equipment grounding systems connect to the transformer on the street and protect homeowners against electrical shock from stray electricity in the home. The earth grounding system connects the house electrical system to the earth. For this discussion, we will focus on the latter. Connects Service Box to Earth The earth grounding system uses a wire to connect the service box to the earth with water pipes, grounding rods, etc. This is a path for lightning or static electricity. It is not intended to carry the emergency current from the equipment grounding system to ground. The only time this

earth grounding system would carry electricity from the home would be if there were a fault in the home causing current to flow through the ground wires in the distribution system and the neutral service wire out to the street was broken.

Where does the grounding system end? The goal is to get the electricity to flow to ground. This is done by connecting the earth ground wire to a grounding electrode.

Lightning Earth grounding systems help carry away safely unexpected electrical charges from other sources. For example, lightning strikes can energize components in houses. The earth grounding system can sometimes safely dissipate electricity from lightning. However, large lightning strikes will not be dissipated by a house grounding system.

There are several ways to do this, including: 1. through metal water supply pipes 2. through metal rods driven into the ground 3. through wires (often ½-inch reinforcing bar) buried in the footings of buildings (UFER ground) 4. buried grounding plates or rings 5. the frames of metal buildings (more common in commercial than residential construction) 6. the metal casings of private water supply wells

Static Charges Earth grounding systems also help to dump static electrical charges. The buildup of static electricity within electronic equipment such as home computers can create operational problems. This is a much less important function of the grounding wire, protecting equipment rather than people. Ground Wires/Earth Grounding Conductors (Figure 1) Ground wires are typically copper and maybe bare or insulated. They are typically 8-gauge for 100-amp service and 6-gauge for 200-amp service. It is best practice to avoid splices in a ground wire since every splice is a potential poor connection.

Figure 2 on the next page shows the most common grounding electrodes used. Let’s look at what goes wrong with earth grounding systems. The implications are the same throughout. An ineffective or missing earth grounding system cannot perform its safety functions. There is greater risk of electrical shock, fire and equipment damage in houses where the earth grounding system is not effective. 21April 2015

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Figure 2

A typical connection to a ground rod

1. No grounding 2. Ground wire attached to plastic pipe 3. Ground wire after (downstream of) meters and valves, with no jumper 4. Spliced ground wire 5. Ground wire attached to abandoned pipe 6. Poor connections 7. Ground connections not accessible 8. Ground rod cut off 9. Corroded ground wire 10. Undersized ground wire

Make sure the ground wire is connected as close as possible to the plumbing service entry and upstream of (before) any devices that might interrupt it. Where there are devices such as meters upstream, a jumper should be added around the devices or the ground wire should be moved upstream of these. The jumper should be the same size as the ground wire and clamped securely to the metal pipe.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll discuss three of the most common conditions with earth grounding systems No Grounding A missing earth grounding conductor (wire) is the result of improper installation. If it is missing, this is a serious electrical defect and inspectors should recommend immediate improvements. Clients, real estate agents and existing homeowners may have a tough time understanding how this is important since the house has been operating this way for a long time. Explain that this is an emergency safety device and houses can operate for years without it, but the one time they need it, they wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have the protection they should. Is it worth risking someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life? The good news is that it is typically not an expensive improvement. 22

There is no ground wire coming out of the main disconnect part of this panel.

Ground Wire Downstream of Meters and Valves With no Jumper We talked earlier about how meters, valves and dielectric connectors could interrupt electrical continuity. This is the result of poor original installation or plumbing changeovers.

Metal natural gas piping must be bonded to the grounding system. This applies to new installations or updates involving gas piping or electrical service work. It is common to find this bonding wire connected to the plumbing system at the water heater, where the gas and water pipes are close together. In this case, a jumper should be provided around the water meter to maintain continuity of bonding for the gas piping (although the electrical system may be properly grounded without this jumper). Loose or Poor Connections Loose or poor connections are caused by: 1. poor installation 2. vibration 3. corrosion The ground wire (earth grounding electrode) is typically connected to the service box at

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444Ear th Grounding System

one end and to a pipe and/or ground rod(s) at the other. Make sure the wire is securely fastened at both ends. Where ground wires are attached to pipes, it’s not adequate to just wrap the wire around the pipe. The wire must be secured with a clamp approved for that purpose. The wire should be tight in the clamp and the clamp should be tight on the pipe. Corrosion of the wire, clamp or pipe can result in poor connections. Where you see this, recommend further investigation or improvement as appropriate.

A jumper wire is needed here.

Summary We have introduced earth grounding systems in this discussion and touched on some of the common issues. More information regarding other conditions, their causes, implications and strategies for inspection can be found in the ASHI@HOME training program.

PRODUCT OF THE MONTH: Quill’s 3MTM Half Facepiece Respirator 6000 Series As a home inspector, you end up inspecting crawl spaces and attics and other nooks and crannies that have been building up dust, dirt, animal droppings and other chemical contaminants for years. Even new construction can have an overabundance of chemicals still wafting from various products within the home. You need to make sure that you not only have the correct tools when doing an inspection, but also the proper gear-from face masks to respirators-that will filter out all of the aforementioned contaminants to make sure that you stay healthy and don’t pick up or contract a disease that could have otherwise been protected against. Quill.com/ashi is a great place to pick up respirators of all designs and styles that will help you during the course of your inspection. While a simple face mask may suffice, in most cases you’ll want something that will protect you with better filtration than that simple face mask. Take, for example, Quill’s 3MTM Half Facepiece Respirator 6000 Series. When properly fitted and used with approved 3MTM cartridges and filters, this respirator helps provide protection at concentrations up to 10 times the Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL). Its swept-back design of the cartridges helps improve balance and visibility. It is comfortable, soft and lightweight, with easy-to-adjust head straps. The cartridges and filters are replaceable, allowing reuse of the faceplate for cost savings. Plus, the respirator can be disassembled, cleaned and reused. NIOSH-approved for negative pressure air purifying and supplied air dual airline applications. For cartridges, filters, other accessories or other respirators, go to www.quill.com/ashi, log in to our ASHI page and receive discounts and free shipping on this and all respirators. 

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UL Firef ighter Safet y Institute / NICASHI Event

UL Firefighter Safety Institute/ NICASHI Event BY RUDY SCHLOSSER

UNDERWRITERS LABORATORIES (UL) Firefighter Safety Institute has been conducting a three-year study titled “Study of the Effectiveness of Fire Service Positive Pressure Ventilation During Fire Attack in Single Family Homes Incorporating Modern Construction Practices.” The purpose of the study is to increase firefighter safety by providing the fire service with credible scientific information, developed from full-scale fire testing in representative modern single-family homes, on the usage of positive pressure ventilation (PPV) fans during fire attack. Twentysix members of The Northern Illinois Chapter of ASHI, along with firefighter staff from neighboring communities and across the country, attended a portion of these experiments on Tuesday, February 03, 2015. These research studies are conducted in UL’s Large Fire Laboratory on the UL Campus in Northbrook, IL. The benefits of properly applied positive pressure ventilation, as we learned, is to control the positioning of the smoke, heat and deadly gases produced by residential fires to, first of all, better protect any occupants who may still be in the structure and secondly, to allow firefighters quicker access to the source of the fire, allowing them to extin24

Positive pressure ventilation techniques demonstration

guish the fire sooner to minimize hazard risk to the firefighters themselves.

local communities and municipalities across the country.

There were two fire experiments produced February 03, 2015. Experiment 7 was conducted in the morning, followed by experiment 11 in the afternoon. Sensors measuring interior structure temperatures and various toxic gas levels at various height positions throughout the structure, along with interior surveillance cameras, were utilized. There were monitors in the observation room upstairs so that interior structure conditions could be witnessed before the effects were seen from the exterior of the structure.

Experiment outlines were posted as the following example:

We were allowed access to the structure both before and after each burn to see the before and after conditions of the interior of the structure. This indoor testing arena has massive filtration exhaust systems, which allows for rapid air clearance with no toxic exhaust to the exterior environment. It was impressive that the smell of scorched structure materials was barely apparent. Each experiment was followed by a discussion forum led by Stephen Kerber, PE, Director, UL Firefighter Safety Research Institute and his staff, NICASHI members and various firefighters from

Experiment Number 11 Description: A room and contents fire in bedroom 2 of the single-story structure intended to evaluate the effect of a large number of exhaust points on the effectiveness of positive pressure attack. The front door is the inlet air, the windows of bedroom 2, 3 and the master bedroom are the exhaust points. The bedroom 2, bedroom 3 and master bedroom windows are ventilated by fire department personnel. Suppression occurs via an interior straight stream from the living room into bedroom 2 off the ceiling. Experiment 11 Timeline: Minutes:Seconds. Ignition: 0:00, master bedroom window opened: 8:00, bedroom 2 window opened: 8:15, bedroom 3 window opened: 8:30, front door opened: 9:00, PPV fan on: 9:10, straight stream living room into bedroom 2.

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ASHI Chapters

What’s Happening at the Chapters

444 U L Firef ighter Safet y Institute/

NICASHI Event

Northern Illinois ASHI Chapter members

Research Questions: 1. How does-multiple exhaust openings impact fire behavior and survivability during Positive Pressure Attack (PPA)? 2. H ow does an interior attack affect fire conditions? What we learned was that conventional firefighting tactics have basically been to punch holes in the structure from the exterior, or from limited interior access to flood water into the home first in an attempt to gain control over the fire before further entry by firefighters. These experiments have taught firefighters that if you can safely access the interior and sweep the source of the fire directly, e.g., the underside of a roof structure decking, the fire is extinguished much more rapidly because the source of the fire is being attacked directly and is more completely extinguished. The importance of structure ventilation was also discussed. When it comes to saving lives and minimizing structural damage during house fires, it is common and understood that occupants can easily be panicked and as a result, people most likely are not aware of simple measures that can be taken that can make a difference between life and death as well as minimizing structural damage. When a structural fire in modern lightweight construction with structural components and furnishings that are derived from petroleum products occurs, the average new construction, if allowed enough ventilation, can flash over and become completely involved in as little as 8 minutes. Considering it takes on average 2-4 minutes for 911 to be dispatched, the local fire department needs time to react and travel to the fire house (the term used in the firefighter community of the involved residence) and then assess the structure, exterior wind conditions and other factors, every second is critical. By simply closing as many doors and windows as reasonably possible during egress from the structure, ventilation of the 26

fire is restricted, minimizing the spread of fire and toxic smoke and gases. If trapped in the structure, having as many closed doors between occupants and the fire provides the best chances of survivability. The above scenario is also why the firefighter community strives to petition municipalities across the country regarding the importance of residential sprinkler fire suppression systems in modern lightweight construction. On January 19, 2013, NICASHI invited Peg Paul on behalf of The Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) in Frankfort, Illinois, to present to their chapter meeting important statistical data and the importance of the installation of these systems. For further information, their website is www.homefiresprinkler. org. I contacted HFSC after the chapter presentation and requested that I be sent informational packets explaining the operation and maintenance of residential fire sprinkler systems. It is a very nice packet that comes with a laminated header card and zip tie to attach to the main header pipe of the system explaining the use and maintenance of the system, a tri-fold information brochure and even a very informative DVD. The packets come in a 9" by 12" Tyvek envelope. I keep a couple at a time in my service vehicle and when I run across homes with residential fire sprinkler systems installed, I strap the informative header card to the system’s main valve pipe and give my client(s) the balance of the packet. These are available at no cost and clients really appreciate the information. Height placement of carbon monoxide detectors is not as crucial as smoke detector placement, as studies show that as carbon monoxide levels build in a room, they build evenly from top to bottom. However, when it comes to smoke detectors, it is important that they be ceiling-mounted and not just mounted high on a wall. As fire and smoke spread, it hits the ceiling first, then spreads across the ceiling before filling the room from the top down. Further, placement according to manufacturer’s instructions in close proximity to all sleeping areas, as well as coverage,

as needed, on all levels of both Ionic and Electronic Eye technology smoke detectors, has been proven by various studies to provide the earliest possible warning for occupants of the residence. Interconnected smoke detectors can further provide earliest warning because all alarms throughout the residence will alarm as opposed to an independent alarm that may not be heard under certain conditions such as loud audio, sleeping behind closed doors and other conditions. Further, we learned that when it comes to the fire resistance of various sources of gypsum board, not all gypsum board is of equal fire-resistance. Proper installation of fire resistant assemblies is important as well. The following link provides a PDF document guide produced by U.S. Gypsum for ASTM and UL standards for various fire-resistant assemblies: www. usg.com/content/dam/USG_Marketing_ Communications/united_states/product_ promotional_materials/finished_assets/ usg-fire-resistant-assemblies-catalogen-SA100.pdf. As home inspectors, we all believe in the importance of educating consumers about their options when investing in safe housing and components for their families. Keep in mind that in various municipalities across the country where ordinances in these matters are perhaps based more on affordability of housing as opposed to the safety of their residents, human life is occasionally sacrificed. Our hope is to educate consumers as much as we can to avoid such tragedy. I hope you have found this article and the linked resources useful in your ongoing care and concern for your clients and public safety.  Sincerely, Rudy Schlosser NICASHI Affiliate/Education Services Rudy@AceIntheHome.net

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You Tell Us Letters From Our Readers

MISSION 007 LATOKA Mirowski Inspections is a full-service inspection company in Springfield, MO, and this year our business grew rapidly from three to five inspectors. To ensure that our team is speaking the same language, (customer service and report writing,) we needed to find a new way to measure our individual inspectors, especially since every home, every client and every agent is a unique experience. Now, who doesn’t like a little mystery, a bit of clandestine excitement on occasion? Sure, we see a lot of things that make us scratch our heads – interesting findings of critters and intriguingly repaired projects – but 007 is not the norm in a home inspection business. One of our staffers, Chelsea, had a great idea to accurately compare the steps our inspectors were taking and what our learning curve was going forward. Our owner, Steve Mirowski, knew an investor with a perfect property for a fun and covert inspection operation. “Mission 007 Latoka” was formed. We retrieved the key and began the task of scheduling. Our mission: to have each in-

spector inspect the same house without the others knowing. Now I digress for a moment to tell you that one of the things we try to do at our office is keep the lines of communication open. We found that frequent staff meetings and having our inspectors work together forges better colleague relations. Due to those great lines of communication, our team often discusses properties and things found. Thus the “cat was out of the bag” a little early in the game. Still, the mission was a great success. During our staff meeting, we printed all four summaries for comparison. It was a fantastic learning tool and was exciting to see the inspectors were speaking the same language and following the same standard of practice. Of course, there were some differences in technique, but the founda-

tion on which we conduct our business was solid. Mission 007 Latoka was a fun and interactive training tool that we may keep in the playbook for the future. I would recommend it to any multi-inspector firm! This message will self-destruct in 3, 2, 1... Mirowski Inspections

Springfield, MO 

Ohio Conference

Left to right: Alden Gibson, ASHI President; Troy Bloxom, NAHI President; and Blain Swan, CAPHI President.

Inspectors from Alaska to Florida and Texas to Nova Scotia met for the three day Expo 2015 in Columbus, Ohio, February 27March 1. Leaders from NAHI and ASHI joined together to help promote a great educational seminar that was both informative and fun. The presidents of both national organizations and their executive directors were present. In addition, the president of CAHPI attended and participated in the educational sessions with the other leaders. The annual event had over 100 attendees who thoroughly enjoyed the educational sessions as well as the peer review of a couple of houses. It was great to spend time and break bread with these dedicated inspectors. - Frank Lesh

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ASHI Community New Inspector Status, ASHI Chapters, Council News

New ASHI Associates

As of February 1, 2015.

H D enotes graduate of The ASHI School Mitch DeRemer Dothan, AL

Steven Riggins Riggins Inspection Services Wilsonville, AL

Richard Costello Home Inspections And More, LLC Little Rock, AR

H Laurie Bennett

Raymond Boudreaux

Karl Kellner

Preston Sandlin

All American Home Inspection, LLC Broomfield, CO

Victory Engineering Services Augusta, GA

Karl Kellner Home Inspections Phoenix, MD

Home Inspection Carolina Charlotte, NC

David Frank

Building Specs Hawaii, LLC Kailua, HI

Sean McDevitt

Pillar to Post New Egypt, NJ

H Robert Fossell

Whitetree Enterprises, LLC Montrose, CO

HR obert Ashbrook

Steven Pennington

St. Charles, IL

Germantown, MD

Grothe Home Inspections Frederick, CO

HR udy

Charles "Patrick" Sullivan

De Keersmaecker

H Carl Hesse

H David Bennett

Lakewood, CO

Premier Inspectors USA Orland Park, IL

HK ory Keith

H S cott Masters

Colorado Springs, CO

Bulldog Property Consultants Barrington, IL

Paul Breitkopf

Brighton, CO

Gary Jones

David Kniptash

BPG Inspections Alameda, CA

Pillar to Post Fort Collins, CO

H Robert Bruder

HK evin Lantaff

Escondido, CA

Scott Gage WIN Larkfield Santa Rosa, CA

Michael George Specialty Inspections Pleasanton, CA

H Henry Groves Riverside, CA

Bryan Poe Accurate Inspection Services Inc. Thousand Oaks, CA

H Gary Reese Beaumont, CA

Casey Slaten CTS Inspections Inc. Cherry Valley, CA

Eric Stone Pillar To Post Home Inspection Sherman Oaks, CA

H Natalie Ali Castle Rock, CO

H John Biondo Parker, CO

H Thomas Coalson Rocky Mountain Home Inspections Georgetown, CO

Gaithersburg, MD

Glenn Grothe

David Bennett Property Inspections, LLC Tarzana, CA David Bennett Property Inspections, LLC Tarzana, CA

Discoveries Home Sevices Commerce City, CO

Joe Loyd SharpSight Home Inspections Cripple Creek, CO

H S cott Watters Centennial, CO

Wayne Defino Defino's Home Inspections New Fairfield, CT

Matthew Hix Marietta Inspections Washington, DC

HG ary Dorman Gulfport, FL

HD an Fields E & D Properties of Tampa Tampa, FL

H T homas Handrick Land O’Lakes, FL

H J oshua Holland Home Team Inspection Services Crystal River, FL

HD avid Kennedy

Chicago, IL

Rick Mandar

H L ucas Weigle

Capitol Hill Home Inspection Hyattsville, MD

Andrew Nightingale Saco, ME

Robert Nason

Stephen Worthington

Michael Stepnick

Worthington's Building Consultancy Cronulla, IL

Stepnick Services, LLC Saline, MI

Stephen Rager

Buck Engineering Maplewood, MO

Champion Home Inspection Newburgh, IN

Todd White Thorough Home Inspections, LLC Valparasio, IN

HM athew Hughes

Dan Buck

Jared Buenemann BPG Wentzville, MO

Thomas Flanigan Buyers Protection Group O’Fallon, MO

Pittsburg, KS

Troy Galloway

H P eter Laufer

Galloway Building Services Ellisville, MO

Peter Built Lawrence, KS

Robert Alexander

Chris Cook Vitale Inspection Services, LLC Hamilton, NJ

John Estes Regional Home Inspection Weehawken, NJ

Eric Gulotta Open Book Home Inspections, LLC Manalipan, NJ

Drew Niekrasz True Spec Home Inspections, LLC Point Pleasant, NJ

William Sharo Certified Home Inspectors, LLC Hightstown, NJ

HD errick Fortney Darcon-Inc. Gallup, NM

Louis Smith Eyecon Property Inspections, LLC Santa Fe, NM

Kevin Van Wicklin Van's Home Inspection Albuquerque, NM

Robert Willis

Jason Sobol

Arnold, MO

ActiveHome Inspections Santa Fe, NM

Pheasant Hill Home Inspections Inc. Framingham, MA

HM ark Morgan

Gerry Bayfield

Bruce Baldwin Dependable Home Inspections Nottingham, MD

Gary Christopher Majestic Inspections Co. Baltimore, MD

H J ason Perrott

Capital Hill Home Inspection College Park, MD

H S tephen Sims

HR yan Yarrow

Ludington, MI

Omar Garcia

Palm Harbor, FL

In Spec Property Services, LLC Ellicott City, MD

Arlington Heights, IL

Hudson, FL

Ocala, FL

Kai Maii

Dustin Hagar

St. Louis, MO

Aaron Owens 3Sixty Inspections, LLC Harviell, MO

Charles Rhoades Rhoades Home Inspections, LLC Manchester, MO

Randall Smith Columbia, MO

H J ason Fleege Bozeman, MT

Mark Kahan

Roy Henderson

Buyer Protecion Group Owings Mills, MD

Pillar to Post Home Inspections Clyde, NC

Pillar to Post Home Inspections Sparks, NV

Scott MillerChoice Property Inspections Las Vegas, NV

Marc Chiffert Chiffert CAEC Engineering & Design Construction Services, PC Southampton, NY

Terrance Morgan Morgan & Morgan Home Inspection Syracuse, NY

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New ASHI Certified Home Inspectors

As of February 1, 2015

Michael O'Malley

Jere Moyer

Justin Fulbright

Lixin "Luke" Wang

Brooklyn, NY

Moyer's Property Management, LLC Berwyn, PA

AmeriSpec Inspection Services Omaha, NE

LX Inspections, LLC Westfield, NJ

Chaney Becker

Richard Alvord

Louis Rinaldi

Certified Real Estate Inspections Arroyo Seco, NM

Alvord Home Inspections San Diego, CA

Justin Andler Your Whole House Inc. Amelia, OH

H J oseph Barber Canton, OH

David Beck Cornerstone Inspections Westlake, OH

Sean Boyle Pillar To Post Professional Home Inspection Perrysburg, OH

Michael Conley Advantage Home Services Middlefield, OH

Matthew Guba Leading Edge Home Inspections, LLC Lakewood, OH

Eagle Eye Home Inspection Services, LLC Royersford, PA

Skip Sanders Honey Badger Inspections Pittsburgh, PA

David Teter Down Home Inspection, Inc. Orwigsburg, PA

ChadFeiock Knoxville, TN

HM ichael Koenig

Richard Taylor

Galloway, OH

Diligent, LLC Old Hickory, TN

H T erry Peirano Cincinnati, OH

Marc Whitmer Affordable Inspection Service Gates Mills, OH

Mathew Engler Allied Inspection Services Inc. Macungie, PA

Larry Grove Grove Home Inspection Services, Inc., DBA HouseMaster West Chester, PA

Anders Hyatt First Choice Home Inspection Co. Inc. Huntingdon Valley, PA

Layne Kihle Pillar to Post Collegeville, PA

Gregory Swank

Michael Nagell

Diligent, LLC Nashville, TN

AAA Complete Home Inspections, LLC Goodlettsville, TN

Cincinnati, OH

Delaware Property Inspection Wilmington, DE

Riley Curry

Full Service Property Inspection, LLC Clinton, OH

Jonathan Lutz

Richard Hiddemen

Rock Hill, SC

Jason Haggard

Yorkville, OH

Structure Tech Home Inspections New Brighton, MN

Diligent Home Inspections Inc. Soldotna, AK

Jacob Stegall

Brenda Julian

HR obert Kuhn

Barry Eliason

Donald Masters Master Building Inspections Arlington, VA

Scott Wharton HouseMaster Richmond, VA

James Murphy Jim Murphy Property and Home Inspection Shoreham, VT

Robert Twaddle WIN Home Inspection Woodinville Edmonds, WA

Michael Howard Jefferson, WI

HM ark Montonati Menomonee Falls, WI

HW illiam Stearns Milwaukee, WI

Nagell Home Services, Inc. Minneapolis, MN

Avi Levy Avi Levy LLC Silver Spring, MD

Daniel Kreps Kreps Home Inspection, LLC, DBA HouseMaster West Chester, OH

James Percy Spector Home Inspections LLC Ft. Pierce, FL

Beau Petrone A Sound Mind Home Inspection Kihei, HI

Vernon Holpuch Building Inspectors of America Germantown, MD

New ASHI Inspectors As of February 1, 2015

Douglas Cook House 2 Home Inspection Services, LLC Lenexa, KS

Brett Moore Inspect-All Services Alpharetta, GA

LucasWorosilo Allview, LLC Kennesaw, GA

INSPECTOR Nick Bruno Detail Home Inspections Hillsborough, NJ

Marc Gazaille

Gregory DeLor

Nantucket, MA

Five Bugle Inspections Crown Point, IN

Reese Hamilton

Rob Conley

Buyers Protection Group Chicago, IL

Protech Home & Property Inspections Inc. Buford, GA

ASHI Chapter Education ASHI Great Lakes Chapter Spring Conference

ASHI Great Lakes Chapter Fall Conference

When: July 10-11 Where: Holiday Inn 200 E. Rand Road Mt. Prospect, IL 847.392.0123 Contact: carol@greatinspectors.com

When: September 25-26 Where: Holiday Inn 17201 Northline Road Southgate, MI 734.283.4400 Contact: carol@greatinspectors.com

ASHI New England 266 CMR 6.00 Standard of Practice When: September 14-15, 2015 CEUs: 4 ASHI CEs Contact: rmulloy@verizon.net

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ASHI Chapters

Find the Chapter Nearest You and Join Today Chapter meetings and contacts are subject to change. Please contact the chapter to confirm meeting time and location.

NEW ENGLAND/CANADA British Columbia

www.cahpi.bc.ca Gary Poirer, 604-220-0305 gary@walkaboutinspections.com

CAHPI Atlantic

www.cahpi-alt.com Blaine Swan, 902-890-0710 goodeyeinspections@gmail.com

Central New York

www.cnyashi.com Second Wednesday, 6 pm, Tony’s Family Restaurant, Syracuse Peter Apgar, 315-278-3143 peter@craftsmanhomeinspection. net

First State (DE)

www.oahi.com Donald Beneteau, 519-995-0235 don@beneteauinspections.com

www.firststateashi.org Third Wednesday, 7 pm The Buzz Ware Center, 2121 The Highway, Arden Mark Desmond, 302-494-1294 mark@delvalleyhome.com

Coastal Connecticut

Garden State (NJ)

CAHPI Ontario

www.coastalctashi.org Third Thursday, 6 pm, Westport VFW Lodge, 465 Riverside Avenue, Westport Gene Autore, 203-216-2516 gene.autore@gmail.com

www.gardenstateashi.com Second Thursday, The Westwood, Garwood Bret Kaufmann, 973-377-4747 bretkaufmann@optonline.net

New England (ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)

www.ashirochester.com Second Tuesday, 6 pm, Murph’s Irondequoit Pub, Irondequoit John White, 585-431-0067 john@iihomeinspections.com

www.ashinewengland.org Fourth Thursday, 5 pm The Lantana, Randoph, MA Michael Atwell, 617-630-5629 mike@jmhi.com

Greater Rochester (NY)

Hudson Valley (NY)

www.nnec-ashi.org Bob McDonald, 207-475-7758 omnispect@gmail.com

SecondTuesday, 6 pm, Daddy O’s Restaurant 3 Turner Street Hopewell Junction, NY 12533 Michael Skok, 845-592-1442 ashistatewide@yahoo.com

Prairies (Alberta) (CAHI)

Long Island (NY)

Northern New England (ME, MA, NH, VT)

www.cahpi-ab.ca Bert Bruinsma, 403-348-5550 Red.deer@homealyze.com

Quebec AIBQ

www.aibq.qc.ca Germain Frechette, 514-694-4350 Insp.glf@sympatico.ca

Southern New England (CT)

www.snecashi.org First Tuesdays, 6:30 pm Billy T’s, 150 Sebethe Dr. Cromwell, CT Richard W. Hall, 860-281-4238 rhall@usinspect.com

NEW YORK/JERSEY/ DELAWARE Capitol Region (NY)

www.goashi.com Third Thursday, 7 pm, Doratos Steakhouse and Pub, Guilderland Robert Davis, 518-885-7949 rdavis@home-inspection.com

www.liashi.com Third Monday, 6 pm, Domenico’s Restaurant, Levittown Steven Rosenbaum, 516-361-0658 inspector@optonline.net

New York Metro

www.nyashi.com Last Thursday, Eldorado West Restaurant-Diner, Tarrytown Raymond Perron, 914-329-2584 pres@nyashi.com

Southern New Jersey (NJ)

www.southernnjashi.com Third Wednesday, 6:30 pm Ramada Inn, Bordentown Rick Lobley, 609-208-9798 rick@doublecheckhi.com

Western New York Second Thursday, 6:30 pm Tony Rome’s West Seneca Andy Utnik, 716-636-9676 esimail@aol.com

MID-ATLANTIC Central Virginia

First Thursday, 6:30 pm, Independence Golf Club, Midlothian Ray McMurdy, 804-639-1171 ray@capitolinspections.com

Greater Baltimore (MD)

www.greaterbaltimoreashi.org Third Thursday except July & Aug., 6:30 pm, Snyder Willow Grove Restaurant, Linthicum Stephen R. Dallmus, 410-323-7600 dallmus2inspect@yahoo.com

Hampton Roads (VA) Second Thursday, 7 pm, Cypress Point Country Club, Virginia Beach Guillermo Hunt, 757-245-3100 huntshomeinspections@gmail.com

MAC-ASHI (MD, VA)

www.mac-ashi.com Second Wednesday, Rockville Senior Center, Rockville John Vaughn, 800-767-5904 John.vaughn@yahoo.com

NOVA-ASHI (MD, VA)

www.novaashi.com Fourth Tuesday, Associate hour 6-7 pm, Membership meeting 7-9 pm Northern Virginia Resources Center, Fairfax Ferando Barrientos 703-255-6622 fernando@abodecheck.com

Piedmont ASHI (VA) Robert Huntley, 540-354-2135 rwhuntley@cox.net

SOUTH ATLANTIC ASHI Georgia

www.ashigeorgia.com Gregg Allen, 770-745-7574 gregg@totalhomeinspections atlanta.com

East Tennessee

South Carolina First Saturday of Feb., May, Aug. & Nov., 8 am Roger Herdt, 843-669-3757 herdtworks@msn.com

GULF ASHI South (AL)

www.ashisouth.org Quarterly, Homewood Library, Homewood Derl Nelson, 205-529-1657 dbnelson@bellsouth.net

Central Florida

www.centralfloridaashi.org Second Tuesday, 6:30 pm Bill Labita, 407-977-9182 hbis@cfl.rr.com

FLASHI (FL) First Tuesday except July, 6 pm Golden China, 11112 San Jose Blvd., Jacksonville David Sorge, 904-484-4847 safetekk@comcast.net

Florida Wiregrass

www.ashiwiregrass.org Second Wednesday, 6:30 pm Hyundai of Wesley Chapel Nancy Janosz, 813-546-6090 ProTeamInsp@aol.com

Gulfcoast (FL) First Thursday, 7 pm, The Forest Country Club, Fort Myers Len Gluckstal, 239-432-0178 goldenrulehi@comcast.net

Gulfstream (FL) Ralph Cabal, 305-256-7369 info@cabalinspections.com

Lone Star (TX)

www.ashitexas.org Craig Lemmon, 817-291-9056 craig@reioftexas.com

www.etashi.org Third Saturday of Feb., May, Aug. and Nov. Paul Perry, 866-522-7708 cio@frontiernet.net

Louisiana

Mid-Tennessee

Suncoast (FL)

Ray Baird, 615-371-5888 bairdr@comcast.net

Quarterly Michael Burroughs, 318-324-0661 Mburroughs2@comcast.net

Steven Campbell, 901-734-0555 steve@memphisinspections.com

www.ashisuncoast.com First Tuesday, 6:30 pm, Please see our website for meeting locations. Steve Acker, 727-712-3089 steve@buyersally.com

North Carolina

Southwest Florida

Mid-South (TN)

www.ncashi.com Third Wednesday, 3 pm, Quality Inn at Guilford Convention Center, Greensboro Larry Conway, 336-669-0679 ncashi@triad.rr.com

www.swashi.com Second Wednesday, 6 pm Holiday Inn, Lakewood Ranch 6321 Lake Osprey Drive, Sarasota Michael Meesit, 941-321-6962 mike@acu-spect.com

www.cvashi.org Continues top of next column ...

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444ASHI Of f icers for 2015

NORTH CENTRAL ASHI Central PA

www.ashicentralpa.com Second Monday, 6 pm, except Jan. & July, Bonanza Steak House, Walnut Bottom Rd., Carlisle William Weitzel, 717-919-5087 bill@centralhomeinspections.com

Keystone (PA)

www.keystoneashi.org First Monday, 5:30 pm The Crowne Plaza, Reading David Artigliere, 610-220-1907 artihi@gmail.com

Ohio

www.ohioashi.com Howard Snyder, 330-929-5239 ohashi@neo.rr.com

North Central Ohio

www.ncohioashi.com William Stone, 216 308-9663 wstonehomeinspection@gmail.com

Pocono-Lehigh (PA)

www.pocono-lehighashi.org Third Tuesday, Tannersville Inn, Tannersville Ronald Crescente, 570-646-7546 amerispec@pa.metrocast.net

PRO ASHI (PA)

www.proashi.com Second Wednesday of Jan., March, May, July & Nov. George W. Kasimirsky, 724-747-7321 www.npiweb.com/kasimirsky

Tri-State (DE, NJ, PA)

www.tristateashi.org Second Tuesday except April, Aug. & Dec., Dave & Buster's Plymouth Meeting, PA Vince Tecca 215-527-5710 bioainsp@aol.com

MIDWEST Central Illinois

www.cicashi.com Second Monday, 6 pm Kevan Zinn, 309-262-5006 info@inspectwithzinn.com

Great Lakes (IL, IN, IA, KY, MI, MN, OH, WI) For monthly meetings: www.greatinspectors.com/ schedule-of-events/ Carol Case, 734-284-4501 carol@greatinspectors.com

Greater Omaha (NE)

www.ashiomaha.com Rick Crnkovich, 402-779-2529 Rick2@cox.net

Heartland (IA, MN, ND, SD, WI) www.ashiheartland.com Todd Wiessner, 612-747-6382 twiessner@comcast.net

Indiana ASHI

www.inashi.com Quarterly Danny Maynard, 317-319-7209 danny@inspectinc.net

Iowa ASHI

www.iowaashichapter.org Fourth Tuesday, 5:30 pm Clarion Inn, Cedar Rapids Mike Tomash, 319-310-1557 tomashprohome@mchsi.com

Kentuckiana (IN, KY)

www.ashikentuckiana.org Allan Davis, 502-648-9294 elitehomeinspections@ insightbb.com

Mid-Missouri

www.midmoashi.com Second Tuesday, 12:00 pm Daniel Boone Regional Library 100 W. Broadway, Columbia, MO Joe Pangborn, 573-228-4509 jpangborn@mchsi.com

Northern Illinois

www.nicashi.com Second Wednesday, 5:30 pm Associate Corner Dinner, 6:30 pm, Main Presentation, 7:00 pm Crazypour,105 E. North Ave. Villa Park, IL Steve Reilly, 630-248-6500 owlinspection@comcast.net

SOUTH MIDWEST

MOUNTAIN Arizona

www.azashi.org Tony Hecht, 480-507-0837 tony@tonyhecht.com

New Mexico First Saturday, 10 am Charles Smith, 505-670-4442 prevuesf@gmail.com

Northern Colorado

www.ncc-ashi.org Second Thursday, 6:30 pm Fairfield Inn, Loveland Chris Elliott, 970-567-7393 chris@homelandinspectionservices. com

Northern Rockies (ID, MT) Lamar Rase, 406-531-4848 completehomeinspectionsinc@ msn.com

Rocky Mountain

Great Plains (KS, MO)

www.ashikc.org Second Wednesday of even months, The Great Wolf Lodge, Kansas City Miki Mertz, 913-268-0222 mikimertz@aol.com

Midwest PRO ASHI (KS) Jack Koelling, 316-744-9990 jackkoelling@cox.net

St. Louis (MO)

www.stlashi.org Second Tuesday, 6:30 pm Spazio’s at Westport Frank Copanas, 314-456-0783 Acropolis-inspection@live.com

Chris Munro, 208-290-2472 chris@peakinspections.net

Orange County CREIA-ASHI (CA) Third Monday, 5:30 pm Hometown Buffet, 2321 S. Bristol, Santa Ana Ralph Bertke, 714-317-3792 ralphbertke@msn.com

Oregon

www.oahi.org Fourth Tuesday, 6:30 pm The East Bank Saloon, Portland Jon Nichols, 503-324-2000 housedetective@hotmail.com

San Diego CREIA-ASHI First Tuesday each month Dave and Buster's, San Diego Sean Blasius, 619-804-8111 sean@bestpropertyinspections.com

San Joaquin Valley (CA)

Fourth Tuesday, 6:30 pm Phil Tatro, 303-838-5175 phil@fspiinc.com

Third Tuesday, 6 pm Rice Bowl, Bakersfield, CA Sam Jabuka, 661-664-8629 jabuka@sbcglobal.net

Southern Colorado

Silicon Valley ASHI-CREIA (CA)

www.ashi-southerncolorado.org Second Thursday, 6:30 pm Valley Hi Golf Club, Colo. Springs Mike Meyer,719-686-8282 mikehome07@msn.com

Utah

www.ashiutah.com First Tuesday, 7 pm Marie Callender’s, Midvale Fred Larsen, 801-201-9583 Fred.larsen@pillartopost.com

PACIFIC

Arkansas Richard Kirkman, 501-327-9794 homeinspectionplus@conwaycorp. net

Inland Northwest (ID, WA)

Alaska Second Thursday, Jitters Coffee House, Eagle River Jim Foss, 907-522-2378 jim@inspectbest.com

ASHI Hawaii

www.ashihawaii.com Alex Woodbury, 808-322-5174 Woodburya001@hawaii.rr.com

California Randy Pierson, 310-265-0833 randy@southbayinspector.com

Central Valley CREIA-ASHI Peter Boyd, 530-673-5800 Boyd.p@comcast.net

www.siliconvalleyinspector.com Felix A. Pena, 510-573-0367 homesavvyinspections@comcast.net

Southwestern Idaho Second Monday David Reish, 208-941-5760 dave@antheminspections.com

Los Angeles-Greater San Gabriel Valley Second Tuesday, 6 pm Old Spaghetti Factory, Duarte Larry Habben, 714-685-0321 habbenshome@earthlink.net

Los Angeles-Ventura County ASHI-CREIA First Thursday, 5 pm Holiday Inn, Woodland Hills Bob Fuywe, 805-501-0733 guyerinspections@roadrunner.com

South Bay (CA) Webinar meetings Randy Pierson, 310-265-0833 randy@southbayinspector.com

Western Washington

www.ashiww.com Michael Brisbin, 425-742-1735 seaviewinspections@comcast.net

Golden Gate (CA)

www.ggashi.com John Fryer, 510-682-4908 johnfryer@gmail.com

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Your ASHI Your Link to Membership News and Information

ASHI's New Website is Live We've been talking about it and now the talk is done. The new and improved ASHI website is here. Please bear with us as we iron out the final details. Feel free to take a look around at www.ashi.org.

CE Audit Begins This Month ASHI staff is charged with conducting an audit (every year) of Continuing Education (CE) hours. A list of 300-400 ACIs, Inspectors and Associates is randomly generated from the ASHI database, including at least one member from each chapter. Members on the list are notified to turn in documentation supporting the CE hours they claimed. Certificates of completion, invoice and certificates of attendance are accepted. Keep your certificates in one place throughout the year so you're prepared, if audited. If you need CEs, please go to the ASHI website at www.ashi.org and click on the education tab or contact the Director of Education & Events at micheleg@ashi.org. If you have questions, contact Janet George, janetg@ashi. org or Russell K. Daniels russelld@ashi.org.

APRIL ANNIVERSARIES Twenty Years Ron Cook Alex Lockstead Steve Beliveau Ken Kelton Darwin Wissink Eric Barker Michael Wilhelm George Fair John Karsnia Fred Cook Christopher Hunt Jack Sullivan Neal Fuller

Fifteen Years

Steve Ronollo Frank Poliferno Sean Price Matthew Gill David Birenbaum Ralph (Woody) Havener Jr. Kenneth Giblin Robert Barclay Jr. Steven Armstrong Emmanuel Stratakis Dominic Caronna

Ten Years

Sam Jabuka David Reish Floyd Gage Sergey Belov William Stone Lesly Pierre James Kubeck Rocky Banks Allan Cooper Robert Aber Charles Panellino Alan Carli Douglas Adams Nathan Feldwieser Michael Bluestein Doug Thornton

Five Years

David Jameson Gerry Hooper Timothy Smith Kris Novik Travis Cantrell David Schmoker Brian Arrington Martin Newmark Frank D'Angelo Marco Dermith Robert Pellegrino Peter Ottowitz Bryan Naff Joseph Matthews Lucas Emeigh Jason Horn Michael McCarthy David Van Vuren

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444Your ASHI

ASHI-ENDORSED MEMBERSHIP BENEFIT PROGRAMS ASHI’s E&O Insurance Program: Business Risk Partners (BRP) www.inspectorinsurance.com 866-268-1327 ASHI Personal Lines Insurance Program: Liberty Mutual www.libertymutual.com/ashi ASHI Service Program BuildFax Susan Ward, 855-237-8711 http://land.buildfax.com/buildfax-specialpricing-for-ashi-members/ support@buildfax.com ASHI Customer Appreciation Program: Moverthankyou.com Brent Skidmore, 864-386-2763 www.moverthankyou.com Brent@POWRsoft.com HomeAdvisor.com Brett Symes, 913-529-2683 www.homeadvisor.com ashi@homeadvisor.com LegalShield Joan Buckner, 505-821-3971 buckner.legalshieldassociate.com buckner@legalshieldassociate.com InspectionContracts.com Dave Goldstein, 800-882-6242 www.inspectioncontracts.com david@inspectoreducation.com OneSource Solutions 877-274-8632 http://www.osconnects.com/ashi/

ASHI Rebate Program Quill.com Dana Fishman, 800-634-0320 x1417 www.quill.com/ashi dana.fishman@quill.com Platinum Provider Millionaire Inspector Community Mike Crow www.mikecrow.com dreamtime@mikecrow.com Mention that you are an ASHI member

ASHI-ENDORSED EXAMS ASHI Standard and Ethics Education Module Go 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 education@carsondunlop.com The ASHI School Jack McGraw, 888-884-0440 jack@theashischool.com www.TheASHISchool.com

Porch.com Eliab Sisay, 206-218-3920 www.porch.com Eliab@porch.com

Current ASHI Membership ASHI Certified Inspectors: 3,202 Inspectors/Logo: 96 Associates: 1,700 Retired Members: 90 Affiliates: 71 TOTAL: 5,159

as of March 7, 2015

ASHI Council of Representatives and Group Leaders Speaker: Jim Funkhouser 571-214-4039 jfunkhousr@aol.com

South Atlantic: Richard Hart 770-827-2200 ashi1@comcast.net

Alternate Speaker: John Wessling St. Louis, MO 314-520-1103 John@wesslinginspections.com

Gulf: John Knudsen 334-221-0876 jgknudsen111@elmore. rr.com

Secretary: Brendan Ryan 724-898-1414 brendan@csahomeinspection.com

GROUP LEADERS New England/Canada: Mike Atwell 617-285-8554 mike@jmhi.com New York/New Jersey: Jerry Sanangini 856-232-6607 jsantangini@comcast.net Mid-Atlantic: Jim Funkhouser 571-214-4039 jfunkhousr@aol.com

North Central: Brendan Ryan 724-898-1414 brendan@csahomeinspection.com Mountain: Marcus Richter 520-271-8582 info@handsonhome inspection.com Pacific: Scott Swickard 949-454-1389 scott@inspectoc.com

Midwest: Michael J. Von Gunten 262-945-2446 mike@ashigroup.com

ASHI Event Calendar

April 23-25, 2015 Finance Committee, AEI and ASHI Board Meetings Des Plaines, IL

J uly 23-25, 2015 Finance Committee, AEI and ASHI Board Meetings Des Plaines, IL

October 22-24, 2015 LTC and ASHI Board Meetings Des Plaines, IL

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

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South Midwest: Paul MacNeill 314-392-9313 paul@appleinspections. com

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444 Preparing for an IRS Audit

NEW POSTCARDS EMAIL!! Please send your name, city, state, photos, headings & captions to: postcards@ashi.org

An ice Cone in Connecticut

Extreme Pipe Burst From the Inside ... This is an icicle from the condensation drip coming from my furnace. About 18" of it is buried in the snow. The vent pipe is about 8' above the stalagmite.

... that seeped to the outside. Remember, disconnect your garden hose in the Fall. Ohio Chapter Peer Review Columbus, OH

Ron Passaro Res-I-Tec, Inc. Danbury, CT

Parking Lot

A Really bad Idea! And I was the only one in the room who thought so! Jim Foss Best Inspection, Inc. Anchorage, AK

There is a reason I insert my camera into a duct register: some are parking lots, others are just plain nasty, disgusting IAQ gross. Jim Foss, Best Inspection, Inc., Anchorage, AK

Heat Recovery Water Heater

Good Calk Lasts a Lifetime In case you are wondering what that strange smell is, or why the family room is so much hotter than adjoining rooms. Jamison Brown Home Inspections by Jamison & Company Poquoson, VA

This is a classic example of how not to install shingles in a valley.

Jamison Brown Home Inspections by Jamison & Company Poquoson, VA

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Get a Free

Phrases & Comments book* with the purchase of 3D Inspection System Premier edition software

ASHI Suggestion Box Do you have a great idea for the ASHI organization or Reporter magazine? All suggestions are welcomed. Please e-mail Frankl@ashi.org.

OFFER CODE ASHIPC Contact us 800-745-6126

www.3dinspection.com *Book value of $95. Contains over 6000 comments from full time ASHI certified inspectors. Offer available while supplies last.

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444 Preparing for an IRS Audit

NEW POSTCARDS EMAIL!! Please send your name, city, state, photos, headings & captions to: postcards@ashi.org Correction: The credit for the top-left postcard non page 36 of the February 2015 Reporter should read: Alan Bechtol, BCHI, Inc., Covington, GA.

Color Blind Electrician

Electrician? I Think not This is what happens when Cu/Al are improperly spliced.

Newly installed service panel. White neutral wires that are hot. Red hot wires used as hot and neutrals!!

Chuck Melocco Inspect Services Longmont CO

Santa Broke the Chimney

Craig Lemmon Real Estate Inspections of Texas LLC Colleyville, TX

Ingenuity at its Best I found out why the draft is low on the chimney. David Grudzinski Advantage Home Inspections Cranston, RI

They had to put stairs at garage door opener, so they cut out panel and cut out steps so stairs could go up and down.

Gerry Aubrey Blue Bell Consulting Co. Blue Bell, PA

Does it Matter Which way the Trap Faces?

Loop-d-Loop At least the handyman used a marker to line up the parts. Matthew Steger, ACI WIN Home Inspection Lancaster, PA

Someone said I needed a P-trap, but they didn't tell me how to install it. Matthew Steger, WIN Home Inspection, Lancaster, PA

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Connecting with The ASHI School

Connecting with The ASHI School BY JACK MCGRAW, NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF THE ASHI SCHOOL

THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO CONNECT

with The ASHI School (TAS) and American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). Knowing the history and how both are helping the home inspection field will open up doors of possibilities. It will help others see the support we give and how we provide opportunities for potential growth in business. We help networks of people know more about certified home inspectors and ASHI. The home inspection field is growing and so are home inspectors, but where can you find a certified home inspector whom you can trust? ASHI and TAS have created trustworthy, certified home inspectors who others know are professional and the best in the nation.

to apply their new expertise (see testimonials below). The growth doesn’t stop there. In 2013, TAS received approval for veterans to use their Vocal Rehab Chapter 31. Most recently, TAS, Des Plaines, IL, location was approved by the Veterans Association for veterans to use their GI Bill and Post-9/11 GI Bill to pay for tuition. This will help our heros across the country start exciting new careers.

Interesting Facts TAS is a subsidiary of ASHI Education Inc. which is owned by ASHI. It was started in 2009 and is taught with the ASHI Mission Statement, Standard of Practice and Code of Ethics in mind. As of January 2015, TAS has graduated over 800 students and provided a pathway of support to help them enter the industry with the knowledge and support needed to be successful.

Student Graduation – Benefits, Opportunities and Success Stories Once students graduate from TAS, they receive their national membership to ASHI, which provides many wonderful benefits and opportunities to take their home inspector business to the next level. We recommend they join a local chapter to take advantage of the up-to-date education, knowledge and camaraderie from experienced home inspector professionals who are the best in the industry. At these meetings, opportunities to network and learn golden nuggets about this field are priceless lessons that truly help.

TAS’ 120-hour pre-licensing, all-encompassing course provides comprehensive, in-depth training with clear descriptions; detailed technical illustrations and useful summaries of products; hands-on experience in the field; and is the most exhaustive training available. This intense training and support continues to bring a new or experienced inspector the tools needed to build a strong foundation they can continue to enhance with support from ASHI.

Graduated students need to decide what business model they want to effect, which can vary from the level of responsibility they want to have and how they want to start off in the home inspection field. They can become entrepreneurs (working for themselves), work for a multi-inspector firm (learn from others who work in the field) or join a franchise. Franchise companies respect and trust TAS and send students or hire students after graduation.

In 2011, TAS celebrated the graduation of international students from three different countries: Georgia, Tbilisi and Austria. The international students researched The ASHI School on the Internet and chose to make the long trip to the United States after reading about the school's learn-by-doing approach to acquiring home inspection skills. They found the combination of classroom and field sessions fulfilled their expectations, and they returned home ready

From the hands-on learning through the school and chapters, free online education for all our members, top certified speakers talking about serious content and sharing their knowledge – there are many great opportunities to connect and grow with TAS and ASHI. Even a single home inspection company interested in growing could hire a TAS graduate and grow their business, knowing they received the best training in the country.

We have many success stories of students hired immediately after graduation by an individual company that expanded to a multi-inspector firm. John Cordell is an amazing, educated instructor for TAS out of Ohio and has hired two exemplary students to work for his company. Tim Glisson, another phenomenal TAS instructor out of Florida, has expanded and hired a TAS graduate right out of The ASHI School to work for him. Owner Michael Skauge with Kinship Inspection Services, a multi-inspection company in Wisconsin, paid for a student to take the class because he knows the support and comprehensive training TAS and ASHI provide. We have even had an insurance company from Michigan pay for students to attend TAS for knowledge of components and systems they work with and to be more educated in their fields in order to decide if they are going to insure a property. Many ASHI members choose to send their children to the ASHI School because of exceptional training. There are many opportunities to connect yourself with TAS and ASHI and to challenge your business and to continue to grow. Every morning is a new day! We learn and reflect from our experiences and can always make little changes in our daily lives to make an active difference. We can do this in many areas of our lives and the amazing growing field of home inspection. When we use the support of the entire amazing ASHI team, we will make the impossible, possible and make it easier to continue to grow the home inspection field with certified, trusted home inspectors.

New opportunities will emerge when you connect yourself with TAS and ASHI. It’s time to challenge your business and continue to grow. Every morning is a new day! Testimonials from international students

Irakli Chkhubianishvili: "It was very interesting, very professional and gave me perfect knowledge to improve my skills. Excellent. I made my choice online and it was the best choice." Giogi Kakhnizshvili: "The handson experience really helped me understand the inspection process." Neale Selwood: "The training was very enjoyable and informative." 

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On My Mind By ASHI President Alden Gibson

Building Membership

THE MAIN PRIORITY FOR MY TERM AS ASHI PRESIDENT is to build membership. ASHI is the oldest and most respected home inspection society in the world, but obtaining membership is not easy. Some members have asked me, “Why do you want to get your competition into our society?” My answer is simple. I do not look at members as competition. I look at them as colleagues – colleagues who are using the same standard of practice and code of ethics that I use as an ASHI inspector. As ASHI inspectors, I know these colleagues are doing a fair, thorough and professional job. Knowing that all ASHI inspectors follow the same practices and ethical code, I can rely on them to assist me in times when the need arises. Just such an occasion happened several years ago. I was doing an inspection on an old house with a walk-up attic in a small, rural town. My normal routine is to inspect the attic last in my procedure. As we were about to go up into the attic, the agent warned that there were a lot of mouse droppings in the attic. Unfortunately, they were not mouse droppings; they were bat droppings commonly known as guano. We were in the attic for less than two minutes because of the danger of the fumes from the guano. Two days later, I had a lung infection from the guano. Under doctor’s orders, I was ordered to bed for several days. However, my calendar was booked full with upcoming inspections. Luckily, I had an ASHI colleague who was available to do my inspections for the next two days. If that colleague had not been available, my clients would have been left without an inspector, which would have affected my reputation, and pending sales would have been in jeopardy. Having an ASHI colleague making inspections in my area was a benefit to the ASHI organization, to the homeowners who hired me, to the other related industries relying on the inspections and especially to me.

of practice and code of ethics. This is significant. The nearly 6,000 ASHI members complement the quality of the ASHI membership. Imagine the increased recognition of the ASHI logo if ALL members used the ASHI logo on ALL their vehicles, business cards, reports, stationery and emails. That increased recognition definitely increases the value of all ASHI members’ businesses. Soon, ASHI could be as readily recognized as Pepsi or the U.S. Postal Service. ASHI also has an incentive program to bring in members. ASHI will pay any current member $50 for each new approved member brought to ASHI. Over the years, this program has enabled me to have my membership dues covered. Take advantage of this program. Bring a new colleague to ASHI – increase the membership, improve ASHI recognition and strengthen the ASHI organization. Ultimately, the strength of ASHI is a direct reflection of your own home inspection business. Make it count! 

A S

ASHI has invested many resources in the branding of the organization. As members, we all should be taking advantage of this branding investment. The ASHI logo signifies that the member is certified, meeting strict, thorough and comprehensive standards

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