June 2018 ASHI Reporter

ASHI

6.18

REPORTER

INSPECTION NEWS & VIEWS FROM THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HOME INSPECTORS, INC.

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G N E I H R T G U E IN S K A A G M E M TA R L O F CA

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BALCONIES AND RAISED DECKS: PA RT 2

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PG

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STORIES FROM A RETIRED HOM E INSPECTOR: IN PURSUIT OF...M ON EY?

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TARGETING YOUR S ALES EFFORTS: THE HOMEBUYER?

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PUT YOUR CHAPTE R ON THE M AP!

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FAQS ABOUT ASHI’S BACKGROUND VERIFIED INSPECTOR (BVI) PROGRAM

1June 2018

• www.ASHIReporter.org

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

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ASHI

6.18

REPORTER

June 2018

Vol. 35, #6

FEATURES 8

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Balconies and Raised Decks: PART 2

By Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop www.carsondunlop.com, 800-268-7070

16 Stories From a Retired Home Inspector:

In Pursuit of...Money?

By Keith Swift, PhD

20 Making the Case for Measuring Voltage

By Charles Buell, ACI

24 Targeting Your Sales Efforts: The Homebuyer

By Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop www.carsondunlop.com, 800-268-7070

28

Put Your Chapter on the Map!

By Clay Ridings, Founder of First State ASHI Chapter, Delaware

32 P ull-down Stairs for Attic Access:

Installation and Other Related Defects By the ASHI Technical Review Committee

36 FAQs About ASHI’s Background Verified

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Inspector (BVI) Program

By Jennifer Gallegos ASHI Membership Service Manager

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Smart Inspector Science Why Did That Chimney Fail?

By Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. HowToOperateYourHome.com r

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DEPARTMENTS

6 Being Frank Frank Lesh, 2007 ASHI President

24 Marketing Focus

By ASHI Staff

28 ASHI Community

Chapter Spotlight

40 Postcards From the Field

It’s Wacky Out There

44 On My Mind

By ASHI President Tim Buell

39 June 2018 • www.ASHIReporter.org

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ASHI National Officers and Board of Directors Educated. Tested. Verified. Certified.

A S H I M I S SIO N STATEM EN 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.

Tim Buell, President Marysville, OH, 614-746-7485 tim.buell@gmail.com

Bruce Barker, Treasurer Cary, NC, 919-322-4491 bruce@dreamhomeconsultants.com

Scott Patterson, President-Elect Spring Hill, TN, 615-302-1113 scott@traceinspections.com

Michael Conley, Secretary Anna Maria, FL, 941-778-2385 FLinspector@outlook.com

Mike Wagner, Vice President Westfield, IN, 317-867-7688 mwagner@ralis.com

Howard Pegelow, Immediate Past-President Gilbert, AZ, 414-379-4186 hpegelow@yahoo.com

DIRECTORS Bronson Anderson 2018-2020 Waynesboro, VA, 540-932-7557 2inspect4u@gmail.com

Darrell Hay 2018-2019 Snohomish, WA, 206-226-3205 darrell@safesoundhome.com

Eric Barker 2018-2020 Lake Barrington, IL, 847-408-7238 ebarker@morainewoods.com

Reuben Saltzman 2017-2019 Maple Grove, MN, 952-915-6466 reuben@structuretech1.com

Bob Sisson 2018-2020 Shannon Cory 2018-2020 Boyds MD, 301-208-8289 Fayetteville, GA, 770-461-3408 shannon@rainbowhomeinspections.com Office@inspectionsbybob.com James J. Funkhouser 2017-2019 Manassas Park, VA, 703-791-2360 jfunkhousr@aol.com

Blaine Swan 2016-2018 Columbus, OH, 614-506-0647 goodeyeinspections@gmail.com

Bryck Guibor 2017-2019 Tucson, AZ, 520-795-5300 bryck@msn.com

John Wessling 2016-2018 St. Louis, MO, 314-520-1103 john@wesslinginspections.com

Richard Hart 2016-2018 Conyers, GA, 770-827-2200 Ashi1@comcast.net

Speaker, Council of Representatives Hollis Brown, 2017-2018 Manassas, VA, 703-754-8872 Inspectors@ThoroSpec.com

Publisher: James Thomas Editor: Carol Dikelsky Art Director: Kate Laurent Assistant Art Director: George Ilavsky American Society of Home Inspectors, Inc. 932 Lee Street, Suite 101 Des Plaines, IL 60016

ASHI Reporter • June 2018

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR James Thomas, Executive Director, 847-954-3182, jamest@ashi.org

EDUCATION, CE APPROVAL, ASHI ONLINE LEARNING CENTER, INSPECTIONWORLD, CHAPTER RELATIONS Michele George, Director of Education, Events & Chapter Relations, 847-954-3188, micheleg@ashi.org MEMBERSHIP & PRODUCT ORDERS Jen Gallegos, Manager of Membership Services & U.S. DOE Home Energy Score Assessor Coordinator, 847-954-3185, jeng@ashi.org Janet George, Membership Services Project Coordinator 847-954-3180, janetg@ashi.org George Herrera, Membership Services Coordinator 847-954-3196, georgeh@ashi.org Michael Krauszowski, Membership Services Administrator 847-954-3175, Michaelk@ashi.org Gaby Nava, Membership Services Administrator 847-954-3176, Gabyn@ashi.org ACCOUNTING Toni Fanizza, Accounting & Purchasing Manager 847-954-3190, tonif@ashi.org Beverly Canham, Financial Assistant, 847-954-3184 beverlyc@ashi.org WEBSITE, INFORMATION SYSTEMS, DATABASE Mike Rostescu, Assistant Executive Director & Director of IT 847-954-3189, miker@ashi.org COMMUNICATIONS Dave Kogan, Director of Marketing & Business Development Advertising, Marketing, IW Expo Hall, Public Relations 847-954-3187, davek@ashi.org Kate Laurent, Design & Digital Strategy Manager, “ASHI Reporter” Art Director, 847-954-3179, katel@ashi.org

847-954-3179 Reporter calls only 847-299-2505 (fax) Reporter only Email: jamest@ashi.org Advertising: Dave Kogan Phone: 847-954-3187, Email: 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© 2018, 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.

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Main Phone: 847-759-2820, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Mon. - Fri., CST

Bonnie Bruno-Castaneda, Executive Assistant & Project Coordinator, 847-954-3177, bonnieb@ashi.org

OFFICERS

Skip Walker 2018-2019 San Bruno, CA, 650-873-4224 homeinspection@sanbrunocable.com

ASHI STAFF

Chris Karczewski, Social Media & Digital Strategist 847-954-3183, chrisk@ashi.org George Ilavsky, Graphic Designer & Free Logos, georgei@ashi.org THE ASHI SCHOOL Michelle Santiago, Executive Assistant, 847-954-3198 Michelle@theashischool.com Tracy Vazquez, Sales Representative, 847-954-3181 Tracy@theashischool.com Avery Dinn, Sales Representative, 847-954-3191 Avery@theashischool.com Jimmy Harding, Administrative Assistant, 847-954-3194 Jimmy@theashischool.com

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June 2018 • www.ASHIReporter.org

5

BEING FRANK

PERCEPTION VERSUS FACT

By Frank Lesh, 2007 ASHI President

American Society of Home Inspectors Frankl@ashi.org

T

wo definitions from my online dictionary:

Perception: the ability to see, hear or become aware of something through the senses.

Fact: a thing that is indisputably the case.

The differences between these two words may be similar, but they are not always the same.

For example, a seller’s or an agent’s perception of a home inspector may be negative if a house sale does not go through. That inspector may get the label of “deal killer.” After all, the seller has lived in the house for 40 years and never had a problem with the gas water heater sitting on the garage floor. And if the roof has not leaked since they moved in, why should it be replaced? Also, the furnace flue pipe never caused the wood framing to catch on fire just because it’s touching the wood paneling. Not to mention that the seller hasn’t seen any roof leaks or smelled any burning wood. And that water heater is as solid as a rock (just look at how many times it’s been bumped by the car).

So, the seller’s perception may be that the inspector is just trying to make himself or herself look good to the purchaser.

Needless to say, we call out the deficiencies because we want our clients to know what they’re buying. So, we see those defects as facts.

But convincing someone of his or her inability to see, hear or become aware of something through the senses may be a very difficult task.

But how do we counter the perception? What can we say or do so that our reputations are not forever tarnished? In the case of a homeowner, there’s not a whole lot we can do other than showing articles about fires caused by combustibles that are placed too close to heat sources. I’ve tried explaining pyrolysis to people—it sometimes works and they get it, but oftentimes, my explanations fall on deaf ears. It is rewarding, however, when I get a booking from a homeowner to whom I explained things when that homeowner is ready to purchase a new home. So, maybe we just have to put in some extra effort to educate our clients and communicate clearly about the deficiencies we find.

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

With respect to an agent I know who used the “deal killer” label (on me, no less!), I want to share with you a solution I found that helped remove that moniker. I’d been getting a fair number of referrals from a particular office to do inspections on high-end homes. And because I based my inspection fee on the listing price of the house, I did not want to let my “deal killer” misnomer spread. The advantage to correlating my fee scale to the listing price was simple—it left no guessing on how many square feet the house had (for example, when a purchaser forgot to mention that there was a finished basement with three bedrooms and two baths). I’m sure that all of you have your own systems, but using the listing price worked for me and it was easy to verify the listing price on the MLS sheet.

So, when I noticed that I wasn’t getting as many referrals from that office anymore, I asked to speak at their weekly meeting. As I walked up to the podium, I noticed that most of the agents were rifling through listing sheets, doing their nails or reading the paper, so I started my talk by making this very simple statement, “Don’t use me if you want a home inspection for your client.”

After a pregnant pause* and noticing that all eyes were now fixed on me, I continued, “…unless the inspection is for your son, daughter, mother, father, friend or yourself.” When I saw inquisitive looks, I said,

“I’M GOING TO DO A THOROUGH INSPECTION AND SOMETIMES I DISCOVER THINGS THAT WERE NOT OBVIOUS. SO, IF THERE IS SOMEONE YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT, USE ME.” My point to this story is that a person’s perception may be accurate, but sometimes we can be misled by our senses or by people who are trying to force their perception on us. Do the best job you can, defend your position and beliefs, and let the facts speak for you. * BTW, the champion of “pregnant pauses” is former ASHI President Mark Cramer. He can turn a one-paragraph statement into a novella. I think we can all learn to use that technique occasionally. Thanks, Mark!

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Balconies and Raised Decks

BALCONIES AND RAISED DECKS: PART 2

By Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop www.carsondunlop.com, 800-268-7070

In last month’s article in the Reporter, we looked at guards, columns and beams as they relate to balconies and elevated decks. This month, we conclude this twopart technical series by examining joists, ledgerboards and floorboards.

JOISTS

Joists and beams both perform similar functions, but joists are smaller and are used to support flooring directly. Joists transfer loads from flooring or decking to beams or walls. Usually, joists are spaced 16 or 24 inches on center. Because typically there are several joists in the structure, the failure of any one joist is less important than the failure of a beam. However, the problems we discussed with beams (refer to the first part of this article in the May 2018 issue of the Reporter) all apply to joists as well.

Most of the time, you’ll see wood joists. There are new products being used in exterior construction; many of these are made of recycled plastic or are mixtures of plastic with wood. The same inspection techniques apply, but some problems (for example, rot) won’t be found and others may develop that are peculiar to these materials. Time will tell.

Joists may be supported on top of beams, ledgerboards or other framing members. Joists also may be supported by metal brackets called joist hangers. A properly installed joist hanger may be a more secure connection than a joist resting on a beam. Joists resting on beams are typically toenailed to the beam. Although gravity provides a good downward anchoring force, there is less protection against uplift than with a joist hanger. Also, the end of the joist is better restrained from twisting or other lateral movement with a joist hanger.

These joist hangers and their fasteners may or may not be resistant to corrosion, although in most jurisdictions, they should be. (Note: Several joist hanger manufacturers denote a hanger for exterior use with a “Z” in the part number; the part number usually is stamped somewhere on the hanger.) Joist hangers should be checked for rust.

Joist hangers also come in different sizes. A joist

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

Balconies and Raised Decks

Look for flush-mounted joists that are nailed without joist hangers or ledgerboards. This is a weak connection—you should recommend reinforcement. Fasteners should be corrosion-resistant. Hot-dipped galvanized (HDG) nails are common and generally required for exterior applications that are directly exposed to weather. Roofing nails, electroplated nails, finishing nails, drywall screws or general construction screws are not appropriate fasteners, for example. Also check the number of fasteners. Are there enough? Are they rusted or loose?

LEDGERBOARDS

The ledgerboard is like a joist attached directly to the house wall. Typically, joists are supported on the ledgerboard. Joists may sit on top of the ledger or be secured to it with joist hangers.

The ledgerboard may be attached to a wood-frame structure by lag bolts into studs or the rim joist every 24 inches. You also may see multiple nails every 16 or 24 inches. For attachment to a concrete or masonry foundation, you may see bolts set into lead plugs (lag shields), sleeve anchors or masonry screws. hanger that is intended to be used on a 2 x 4 will not be effective on a 2 x 10. Some 2 x 8 hangers can be used for 2 x 10s, for example, but this ultimately depends on the manufacturer. The manufacturer’s website generally will have the specifications available for download.

It is very common to find that joist hangers have not been nailed properly. With very few exceptions, all of the holes in joist hangers are intended to have nails. Skimpy nailing or the use of improper nails can lead to failure of the joist hanger and movement of the joist. Aside from specialized structural fasteners, screws are typically very weak in shear and should not be used in joist hangers. The end bearing for joists should be at least 1½ inches, even on joist hangers.

Many elevated decks are built with poor lateral stability and will rack (that is, move side to side) easily. A deck does not have to move very much before connections weaken. Cross-bracing can help reduce racking; in fact, in situations in which the deck height exceeds a certain level, cross-bracing is required in many jurisdictions.

WHEN INSPECTING A BALCONY OR DECK, LOOK FOR SAGGING JOISTS. SAGGING COMMONLY OCCURS BECAUSE OF ONE OF THE FOLLOWING REASONS:

ISSUES WITH LEDGERBOARDS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: • They can become loose over time.

• They can become loose as a result of poor original installation.

• They may have insufficient fasteners, fasteners that are too short or the wrong type, or rusting fasteners.

• They can be attached to a weak material such as a rotting rim joist or stud wall.

• They can be attached to foundations that are too weak to support ledger bolts.

• The ledgerboard itself may crack or rot, causing the fasteners to slip. A loose ledgerboard could cause the deck to collapse. This is a life-safety issue.

Check how and where the ledger is attached to the house. Check for signs of the ledger pulling away from the house or the joists pulling away from the ledger.

• undersized joists • over-spanned joists • joists that are under more load than intended • damaged joists • rotted or insect-damaged joists • joists that are poorly supported due to missing, damaged or sagging beams or walls One of the best ways to check for sagging is to scan the floor surface with your eye at deck level. The other is to bounce while standing on the balcony. If you discover a sag, try to determine the reason. You should have a rough idea of what size lumber on what spacing can span what distance. Look for increased loads such as piles of snow that drifted or were shoveled off the roof onto a deck. If you can access the space under the structure, look for damage and probe the joists for rot. Watch for missing or ineffective beams.

As previously noted, joists usually are toe-nailed to the surface on which they rest (for example, a beam) or are hung in joist hangers.

Fasteners may be missing, rusted, loose or the wrong type.

June 2018 • www.ASHIReporter.org

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Balconies and Raised Decks

Look for rot in the board itself. If possible, probe it with your screwdriver or an awl. The proper ledger construction detail (when installed over a wood-frame wall with siding) is to install a flashing that extends up behind the siding and out over the top of the ledger. This detail is often omitted, however.

CANTILEVERED JOISTS

Some decks and balconies are cantilevered. Usually, cantilevered decks have a series of joists that have most of their length inside the house and up to one-third of their length exposed outside. They support a deck or balcony with no vertical support below.

Although cantilevering can be a dramatic architectural detail, it can be very troublesome, functionally. Many cantilevered joists are conventional-framing lumber such as spruce, pine or fir. These species work well indoors, but they are more prone to rot than cedar and other rot-resistant woods normally used for decks.

Some builders use pressure-treated lumber for cantilevered joists.

Cedar is also rot-resistant, but it is not a particularly strong wood and is not normally a good choice for cantilevering.

PROBLEMS WITH CANTILEVERED JOIST INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: • excess deflection or bounce • rot and weakness of the deck structure • rot and water damage to the house wall and interior • floor unevenness inside the house Many cantilevers are overextended and the deck or balcony is springy.

The most common problem with cantilevered decks is the difficulty in maintaining a weather-tight joint at the point at which the joists pass through the house wall. These joints typically move as a result of expansion and contraction caused by changes in moisture and temperature.

This area is hard to access because it is usually out of sight from above and it may be well above eye level when viewed from below. Caulking is usually the only protection of the joint between the cantilevered joists and the house wall. Caulking may be imperfect when it is installed or it may deteriorate over time. Rot in cantilevered joists and water damage to the wall assembly are common problems.

Where the interior sections of the cantilevered joists are not well secured to other joists and framing members, the inboard ends of the joists can rise, causing bumps in the floor as the outboard ends are depressed.

PROBLEMS WITH CANTILEVERED DECKS OR BALCONIES MAY BE THE RESULT OF THE FOLLOWING FACTORS: • excessive cantilevering and other poor construction details • poor weather sealing at wall penetrations, leading to rot • poor drainage of water Springy decks or balconies are an inconvenience. Weakened framing creates a life-safety hazard; decks or balconies may collapse with people standing on or below them.

Cantilevered decks should be viewed with caution. Many inspectors use a ladder, if necessary, to examine the cantilevered joists at the point of penetration through the wall. Probe the joists with a screwdriver or awl. Look for gaps. Note the location of the cantilever so you can check inside the home for evidence of water damage or a bump in the floor.

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

WOOD FLOORS

Wood floors, whether on decks, porches, balconies or landings, are going to rot eventually. Rotting floors can be a safety hazard.

People often discover rot by accidentally putting a foot through a floor board. When dealing with an elevated deck or balcony, you could be identifying a life safety issue or, at the very least, an injury hazard.

Walk the entire surface of the floors of decks and porches. Bounce on the floors near the midspan to check for excessive deflection. Check for rot with a screwdriver or awl, particularly at vulnerable places. By now you know that those vulnerable places are the horizontal joints where water might get hung up (at a railing post, for example) or where end joints of wood are exposed.

Most decks have adjacent boards butted tightly end to end. This detail always occurs over a joist in the deck so that both boards will be supported. Rot is common here because the vulnerable end grain is exposed. The situation is worsened by the joist below that holds water that can be absorbed into the end grain. Some deck builders protect against rot in these areas by leaving a slight space between deck boards that are butted end to end. Some take additional measures, using double joists under this detail so that the adjacent deck boards are supported by different joists spaced 1 or 2 inches apart.

This allows water to fall past the end grain of the boards. Sealing the end grain with stain is helpful, but it is difficult to do once the deck has been built.

Balconies and Raised Decks

Pneumatic nailers can lead to premature rot. If the nail heads are driven well below the wood surface (as is common), little cups in the deck boards are created at the nail heads. Each of these cups fills with water every time it rains and the water has no place to drain. To make matters worse, the nail heads usually have broken several fibers and the end grain may be exposed here. Decks often rot around their nails because of this problem. We prefer to see deck nails driven flush, not below the wood surface. This also applies to deck screws, which are often driven too deep with a drill or impact driver.

Deck boards should be installed crown up so that if they cup slightly as they dry, the cup will be on the bottom of the board and water will run off the crowned top. Again, we want to avoid holding water against the wood.

Another cause of rot on decks and balconies is carpeting. Carpeting holds water against the wood and prevents it from drying. Carpet will shorten the life of wood decking. Be careful not to mistake polyvinylchloride (PVC) membranes for carpeting. A roof membrane will protect the wood below. Some of these single-ply membranes have a carpet-like surface. The membrane will be flashed at the edges and will extend up walls and down over edges. It is a continuous, single-ply membrane. PVC is a watertight skin, whereas carpeting allows water to flow through it.

Individual deck or porch boards can sag. This is different from joist sagging. Sagging of floors will show up as a repetitive wavy pattern.

THE USUAL CAUSES FOR SAGGING ARE THE FOLLOWING: • overspanning of the floor boards • floor boards that are too thin • weakened floor boards

The floor will be springy and may be weak enough to break under heavy localized loads. As you walk on the floors, pay attention to localized deflection under your foot. Also, look for a repetitive wavy pattern along the floor. It’s a good idea to walk heavily on a deck or porch to check for bounce or spring. Roughly, 1-inch boards need joists every 16 inches, and 1½-inch boards (2 x 6s, for example) need supports at least every 24 inches.

Carson Dunlop - Consulting engineering firm devoted to home inspection since 1978. www.carsondunlop.com

11June 2018

• www.ASHIReporter.org

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THE EXAMINATION BOARD OF PROFESSIONAL HOME INSPECTORS ANNOUNCES A

NEW SCHOLARSHIP! JD GREWELL EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP APPLY TO RECEIVE FUNDING FOR HOME INSPECTION TRAINING AND RELATED EXPENSES.

ABOUT JD GREWELL, ACI JD Grewell, ACI was a member of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) since 1979. He served on the Standards Committee of ASHI for more than 10 years; as the Standards Committee Chairman 2003-2005, and as the Standards Committee Board Liaison in 2014. JD Grewell was a recipient of ASHI’s prestigious Monahon, Cox, and Ironman Awards. He served on the ASHI Board of Directors from 1990 to 1998 and then again from 2011 to 2014. JD was a licensed home inspector in Maryland who served on the Real Estate Appraisers and Home Inspectors Commission from 2000 to 2015 through four governors. JD chaired many ASHI committees and served on various task forces, including multiple strategic planning efforts.

JD served on the Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors from 2001 to 2006 and was selected as a subject matter expert by the EBPHI, writing valid questions for the National Home Inspector Examination for more than 12 years to help keep the exam current.

JD was a high school teacher before he became a home inspector and his passion in the home inspection profession has always been in education.

To honor his memory and dedication to the home inspection profession and as an educator, the EBPHI created an education scholarship in his name.

TO LEARN MORE AND DOWNLOAD AN APPLICATION, VISIT

http://homeinspectionexam.org/ jd-grewell-education-scholarship/

13June 2018

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

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15June 2018

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15

Stories From a Retired Home Inspector

STORIES FROM A RETIRED HOME INSPECTOR: IN PURSUIT OF...MONEY?

By Keith Swift, PhD

M

oney is a medium of exchange and if we follow the advice in the Pink Floyd song of the same name, we should grab it “with both hands and make a stash.” Like many inspectors, I spent years building my stash, which was reduced a couple of times by scoundrels who knew how to corrupt the legal system. (I first wrote about that topic in the Reporter in 2004 in the middle of my inspection career.) However, I soon learned that one of the ways to avoid frivolous litigation was defensive report writing, which meant not relying on pre-printed information but including statements of indisputable fact whenever possible.

For instance, on the day I heard that an inspector had been sued for water damage by someone foolish enough to fill a second floor tub above the overflow and aware that, like most inspectors, I’d never tested a tub by filling it anywhere near the overflow, I added the following sentence into my report-writer: “We did not fill the tub to the overflow to confirm its function, which would be an irresponsible waste of water.” This sentence appeared with every tub evaluation.

Would any client find this unreasonable?

Of course, my roof evaluations were similar. For those, I made it clear that the inspection was “not a guarantee against leaks” by stating, among other things, “Only installers can sensibly guarantee that a roof won’t leak and they do.”

Anyway, these are just two examples and you get the point, so let’s return to the main subject of money. I didn’t covet money, but it was providing me and my family with many creature comforts and a growing savings account. At the same time, however, I was beginning to reconsider my attitude about inspections and the pursuit of money.

For a few years when I was full of energy, I was doing as many as three inspections a day. During this time, I bought a classic British sports car, dined in the fanciest restaurants, skied at the best resorts and basked on exotic beaches. But in moments of clarity, I began to suspect that perhaps greed was leading me into danger.

It’s just not possible to do three inspections a day. Well, it is, but it means looking for shortcuts and taking risks, as I’ll explain with pictures and stories, ending with a moral.

STORY 1

Look at these two pictures, but be aware that they illustrate only one example of what led me to reconsider what I was doing.

The fireplace (photo on the left) and the top of the chimney stack (photo on the right) are part of a new pre-fabricated chimney that was signed off on by a city building inspector, together with a new roof on a new house that had a Certificate of Occupancy and all the warranties that went with it. So, what could possibly be wrong?

If you haven’t already noticed what’s wrong, take another look at the photo on the left. There’s a painted shroud on the chase cover, but there’s no flue. In fact, the flue terminates in the attic, a few inches below the roof sheathing. I haven’t included a picture of it because the picture of the chase cover tells the whole story. The first fire in this fireplace would likely be a house fire, and I couldn’t help wondering what might have happened if I’d been in a hurry and tried to save time.

For instance, I might not have accessed the roof to view the chimney, knowing that both were brand new and had been signed off on by a city building inspector, and I could even have reported that a recent rain had made the roof slippery and unsafe to access. I also might have disclaimed entering the attic to examine the flue by citing industry standards, and reporting that insulation obscured the joists and made mobility hazardous. I didn’t; however, it did make me realize that doing a thorough inspection is essential and it takes time, a lot of time.

STORY 2

Two other chimney pictures illustrate a similar problem. As you can see, the first thing I saw was an expensive and elegant fireplace and

BUT IN MOMENTS OF CLARITY, I BEGAN TO SUSPECT THAT PERHAPS GREED WAS LEADING ME INTO DANGER. 16

ASHI Reporter • June 2018

Stories From a Retired Home Inspector

surrounding (photo on the left), and the second thing I saw, after positioning my head and shoulders inside the fireplace, was enough exposed wood to add fuel to a fire (photo on the right).

There’s no way to explain or justify this situation and I have even more bizarre pictures than these, but such strange sights were not the only reason I began to change my ways, as I’ll explain with another story.

STORY 3

I’d always regarded myself as a military type, by which I mean professional, respectful and polite, but not warm and friendly. Anyway, I was standing in a garage with my back to my client, who happened to be a young woman, and I was poised to take a picture of an electrical panel when I was startled by a piercing scream. I spun around and saw her staring in horror at a line of ants following a scent path. My first response was anger, which ended when I saw she was terrified and trembling and in the grip of a phobia that was beyond anything I’d witnessed before. Her fear subsided, but she was still trembling.

With tears in her eyes, she pleaded with me to include the observation about the ants in my report. I agreed, but I would likely never have done so otherwise.

Anyway, after reflecting on this unique experience, I began to ask all my clients privately about their concerns—to ask them about their allergies and respiratory ailments, and even about their past experiences in real estate—and what I learned was always enlightening.

Most of the time, clients thanked me for my concern, which a few even defined as compassionate service, but regardless of how it was viewed, it was evolving.

REFLECTIONS ON CLIENTS AND MONEY

Of course, no two clients are the same and all deserve to be treated as individuals. Most of them had some effect on the way I prepared and documented my reports. I began to relax and take more time, and to actually enjoy the process. I became such a believer in the power of photo documentation that I even included pictures of things that were functioning and performing as they should, including such things as functioning pool and spa lights, and the arrangement of wiring in electrical panels and air ducts in attics, which would dispute any claims to the contrary.

It’s said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and I’ll never know how many times one or more of the photos I took prevented a nuisance call or even a lawsuit. However, change is one of the most difficult things to achieve in life and few of us are blessed with a moment of enlightenment, like the Buddha. In fact, I’ve only ever experienced moments in which I saw glimmerings of truth and usually thanks to other people.

Talking about truth and avoiding frivolous lawsuits, which have spread throughout the inspection industry like a disease and made a mockery of justice, I once complained to an executive of a national insurance company that contracts and industry standards had been rendered almost meaningless as legal defense. To my surprise, he agreed and confirmed that the vast majority of lawsuits are settled out of court for the simple reason that it’s cheaper for insurance companies to settle with scoundrels than to pay the exorbitant fees to defend the innocent.

Of course, every attorney understands that insurance means deep pockets and fuels lawsuits. I’ve written a book about this that includes actual case numbers and some hard-to-believe truths. To be objective, I say “the vast majority of lawsuits” because some cases are not frivolous and deserve to be litigated, and others involve huge amounts of money and are rarely settled out of court. However, during the course of our conversation, which became more relaxed over drinks, the insurance executive added that inspection lawsuits are also “a numbers game” and “just a matter of time,” which was yet another indisputable truth.

To add to this truth, I was reminded of the parting words of a retiring inspector, who insisted that the best business decision he ever made was to raise his fees and do fewer inspections, and that’s when I decided to do the same. He also said that there’s a place for everyone in the inspection business—the cheap ones, the expensive ones and those in between—which is undoubtedly true. The old cliché “you get what you pay for” also seems to be equally true.

I decided to systematically raise my fees until I was doing only one inspection a day without lowering my income. I was providing an exemplary narrative report with annotated pictures at a premium price, and I usually delivered the reports and pictures on the same day as the inspection.

In truth, this shift lowered my anxiety, raised my spirits and made me even prouder to be an inspector. In addition, it enabled me to spend more time with my family and to pursue a variety of other interests.

Regardless, I’m retired now and to borrow another cliché, I’m no longer in the race and have more time to sit around and ponder the real mysteries. So, if you have time on your hands and want to chat about the industry or share your stories with me, please feel free to reach out to me at 208-916-8263 or keithswift2@gmail.com.

Keith Swift was born and raised in England, and after traveling through the Mideast and the Far East, he immigrated to the United States. He earned a doctorate in 1982 with a dissertation on the work of W.S. Merwin, who was appointed poet laureate in 2010. After teaching at California State University for a few years, Keith obtained a general contractor’s license, together with a certification in asbestos, and embarked on a career as a residential and commercial building inspector until retiring in 2016. He enjoys reading and writing and working with his hands, and sharing what he has learned with others.

17June 2018

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Making the Case for Measuring Voltage

By Charles Buell, ACI

Charles Buell, ACI, is a licensed home inspector in the state of Washington and he teaches residential home inspection courses at Bellingham Technical College. A long-time member of ASHI, Charlie presented a session at InspectionWorld® 2018 in Orlando and he serves on ASHI’s technical review committee.

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

The ASHI Standard of Practice (SoP) requires inspectors to “describe” the “amperage rating” of the electrical service. In other words, we should state whether the electrical service is, for example, a 200-amp, 150-amp or 100-amp service. The SoP specifically states that we are not required to “measure amperage, voltage and impedance.”

I think there are issues with not doing some of these measurements, but my focus in this article is on the importance of measuring voltage. I also argue that it is not possible to describe the amperage of an electrical service without measuring and that inspectors should state this in their reports.

21June 2018

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Making the Case for Measuring Voltage

3 PHASE – WYE – TO CONDO UNUSED LEG

(Note: Checking for amperage on grounding electrode conductors or electric furnaces is a really good idea, but I will save that for another article.)

If we could assume that all the electrical services we check would be nominal 120/240 volts, we could probably get away without measuring voltage. However, there are lots of services in some areas of the country that are 120/208 volts (that is, two legs of a three-phase transformer), and there is a good chance that you will not be able to tell or confirm whether what you are seeing is a 208 service if you do not measure the voltage.

THE 120-VOLT SIDE OF THE EQUATION Why is it important to know the actual voltage? Let’s say that we measure the voltage line-to-neutral as 115 volts. This is a little bit on the low side by modern standards, but everything will still work— although the voltage drop over long runs may result in inefficiencies of appliances at the ends of those long runs.

But let’s say the voltage measures 127 volts. This is on the high end and it could result in the shortened life of light bulbs that are rated for only 120 volts. In a situation where the voltage is high, the inspector could suggest that the client buy 130-volt rated bulbs so the bulbs will last longer.

208-VOLT SYSTEMS

Most inspectors probably have heard of 208-volt systems, but it’s likely that they think of them as being related only to commercial electrical installations. The inspectors I talk to are quite surprised to learn that it’s likely they’ve missed noticing 208 systems in the condos they’ve inspected. In addition, 208 systems sometimes can be found in developments that have power fed from underground transformers, so that whole neighborhoods may be 120/208 systems. There are different transformer configurations that can result in 208 volts, but the most common are what are called “wye” transformers. (If you’d like to do bit of homework, I suggest doing some research on high-leg delta transformers.)

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

The diagram shows a wye transformer. Between any two legs (that is, A and B, B and C or C and A), the voltage will be 208 volts. Between any single leg and neutral, the voltage will be 120 volts. In a condo building, this is done to balance the loads throughout the complex.

For example, if there are 12 units, four units might be using legs A and B, another four units use B and C, and the remaining four units use C and A. When you remove the panel cover inside the condo unit, it’s likely that you will see nothing special about the panel to indicate that the voltage might vary from 240 volts unless you do some measurements.

The panel might even be labeled “240 volts” or “208/240 volts.” This data plate, found in a Seattle condo, was labeled “120-240V.”

THREE-PHASE SYSTEMS Three-phase systems can be very complicated, but home inspectors might want to have at least a rudimentary knowledge of these systems in some scenarios to provide the best information to their clients.

Without getting overly technical, what a three-phase system means to the homeowner is that there could be 20% to 25% differences in performance, as in the following examples:

• longer recovery time for the water heater (lowering of functionality)

• longer time for the electric baseboard wall heater or electric furnace to bring rooms up to temperature

• harder work for the air conditioner to cool the home

• longer time for the heat pump to heat the home

• longer time for the dryer to dry clothes

• longer time for the oven to get up to temperature

Besides the performance issues, a 208 system sometimes will end up with inappropriate circuit breakers for the given circuit. For example, instead of expecting to see a 30-amp breaker on a 208-volt electric water heater (as you would expect to see on a 240-volt appliance), the breaker might be limited to 25 amps.

Making the Case for Measuring Voltage

ALTHOUGH NOMINAL AMPERAGES ARE STRAIGHTFORWARD, NOMINAL VOLTAGES ARE NOT—WITHOUT ACTUALLY MEASURING. Since most electric appliances are rated for either 208 volts or 240 volts, the choice of appliances is not generally an issue, but some are rated for only 240 volts (120/240). Some appliances are dual-rated, in which case, you might see numbers like 208/230 or 208/240. Typically, higher-voltage data plate ratings will be more about function than about safety. Technically, a “208-only” rated appliance on a 240-volt circuit would be wrong and the appliance could get damaged or worse—and the voltage rating certainly voids its UL listing. These concerns are problematic, especially for home inspectors who pay special attention to such things, as these systems might be difficult to determine without actually “measuring” the voltages being supplied.

We are not required to insert any probe into electrical panels and yet, some standards of practice (like those required in the state of Washington, for example) require inspectors to “describe the voltage and amperage” of the service. Although nominal amperages are straightforward, nominal voltages are not—without actually measuring.

If you have access to the meter room and condo unit disconnects, you could try to determine if a three-phase system is used in the building or you could make an educated guess. However, there are other types of three-phase systems besides wye-type transformers. So, the inspector is left with saying that he or she “could not determine voltage.”

Without inserting probes into the electrical panels, there are other locations at which voltage can be measured. But keep in mind that these voltages will be a bit lower than what would be expected right at the main lugs or other breakers in the panel itself. It also can be useful to take voltage readings to find imbalances between the hot conductors or the hot-to-neutral conductor.

If probing main lugs makes you uncomfortable, perhaps probing the lugs on any double-pole breaker in the panel might be less unnerving. For example, try this on a dryer receptacle, a window air conditioner receptacle, a dryer receptacle, at the AC/HP disconnect or an RV receptacle. These may be accessible locations at which voltage could be measured and there are other locations as well.

If you are not willing to actually measure the voltage, then my advice is to make it your practice to develop language for your reports that addresses this problem so that you keep your client informed. If you do think it is a good idea to measure voltage on your own, then my advice is to become trained on how to measure voltage safely.

A CASE STUDY A client called me to check out some work that had been done during a remodel. One reason the client wanted my consultation was because they were running out of hot water. They already knew that the electric on-demand heater, due to its size in relation to what was expected of it, was maxed out. They discussed this issue with the builder and decided that they could live with it instead of opting to change the whole electrical service to the unit, which would have made it necessary to install a unit with larger capacity. There simply was no space that my client was willing to sacrifice that could fit a full-size, tank-type heater. (Keep in mind, though, that even with a tank-type heater at 208 volts, it will take 25% longer to heat the water and that water heaters with electric tanks already have the slowest recovery rate.)

A backup plan, if the water heater proved to be insufficient, was to preheat the water going into the heater with a small tank-type electric heater to boost the effectiveness of the on-demand heater. What I found, and what the client was not aware of or prepared for, was that the condo unit’s electrical supply was 208 volts, not 240 volts. So, right from the get-go, the performance was 25% lower than the already anticipated marginal performance.

Even the on-demand heater installation instructions explained how the unit performance would have to be down-rated if the unit was installed on a 208 system. The instructions also stated that the temperature readout on the unit would be 25% inaccurate. This was borne out by the heater’s temperature display indicating 136 degrees F, while the water temp at the tap was 117 degrees F. There was ample culpability to go around in terms of this installation. For example, why did the electrician who installed the unit not say anything?

In addition, the inspector listed the voltage as 120/240 in the original inspection report because home inspectors generally do not measure voltage.

WRAP-UP I think it is a good idea for home inspectors either to measure the voltages or to use clear language as to what they are not reporting—especially as their report relates to condo units that are known to have 120/208 systems. It is common in some areas for housing developments with service laterals to be fed from three-phase transformers, which results in all the homes in the development having a 120/208 service. Ask the electricians in your area if 208 systems are common. Clients deserve to know about this issue.

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Marketing Focus

TARGETING YOUR SALES EFFORTS: THE HOMEBUYER

By Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop, www.carsondunlop.com, 800-268-7070

TARGETING HOMEBUYERS REQUIRES A DIFFERENT PROCESS THAN TARGETING REAL ESTATE SALESPEOPLE AND BROKERS. Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy, direct way to keep the sales funnel full of prospective homebuyers who are interested in home inspection services. This forces you to be more reactive than proactive with respect to prospecting. With homebuyers, the transaction often is done over the phone, usually in a single conversation that takes place when the homebuyer calls you.

The homebuyer is a highly qualified lead. You know the person is looking for a home inspection because they have called you. Because 90 percent of the work is done, all you need to do is take them on the last 10 percent of their journey.

They’ve already made a choice about you—they may have picked your name from a list their agent supplied, visited your website, or saw your name in an ad or article. It’s also possible that they may be planning to call several home inspection companies. You should always assume that homebuyers who call you also have been speaking to several other inspectors unless you know otherwise.

A homebuyer’s needs are different from a real estate professional’s needs. The homebuyer may just be calling to book the inspection; in cases like this, the sales process has been done for you by the real estate professional or by a previously satisfied client. You are now an order taker, not a salesperson.

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

APPROACHING THE HOMEBUYER

Most often, there is no “approach”—the homebuyer simply calls and initiates the presentation. For example, they call and say, “I need a home inspection. Can you tell me about your company and what I get with my inspection?” They have just done the approach for you.

However, sometimes an approach is necessary. The agent may ask you to call the client to set up an inspection. (This does happen, albeit occasionally.) In this case, you would say something like, “My name is Bob Green of Green Inspection Services. June Smith asked me to call you to set up an inspection at 23 Brown Street. May I get some details from you?” This approach assumes a close and generally, it gets one.

When a prospective client calls, they sometimes do so in an adversarial way. For example, “My agent suggested I call you…but your prices are $50 more than Head-to-Toe Inspections.” In this case, your approach is a simple matter of asking permission to sell to them. This approach does two things: It defuses the caller and it sets up your presentation.

You could say to the caller, “That’s a good point. We are more expensive than Head-to-Toe. May I tell you why?”

Marketing Focus

One of the best ways to answer the “too expensive” objection, regardless of the product or service, is to do the following:

• Agree that your service is more expensive than others, but not that it’s too expensive. By agreeing, you make the prospect more comfortable.

• Follow up by telling them about the great value and the benefits of using your inspection service.

Another strategy in overcoming price objection is to uncover the reason the person feels you are “expensive” in the first place:

• You could say, “I know price is very important to you. May I ask why you feel we are too expensive?” or “Is price your only concern?”

• Once you know the reason for the objection, you can focus on the reasons why your service will satisfy the client’s need.

No matter what approach you use, remember that, from your customer’s perspective, the value of your service must exceed the price. It won’t do you any good to be defensive about trying to justify your price. You should be proud of what you charge; in fact, most home inspectors don’t charge enough for the value of the service they provide. Most people do not base a decision to purchase a service solely on the price.

For example, did you choose your physician or dentist according to price? As home inspectors, we are not selling a commodity; instead, we are offering a professional service that can easily be differentiated from your competitors’ services.

CLOSING THE DEAL WITH THE HOMEBUYER With homebuyers, the close is often done for you. The homebuyer will be satisfied with the information that you have provided and may book an inspection on the spot. If they don’t, you can do a few things to close the deal. If the homebuyer asks you for information, but appears ready to move on to call someone else, you should initiate a close. Say, “Can we set up an inspection time that is convenient for you?”

If the answer is “yes,” then book it! If the answer is “no,” then ask, “What additional information do you need before setting up the inspection?” Try to draw out the objections so that you can overcome them. Very often, even if the homebuyer was not planning to book an inspection immediately, he or she may just go ahead and book it if you suggest it. It’s a simple technique and it is amazing how often it works.

Remember, the person who goes to the effort of calling you wants to be convinced that you are the right inspector or inspection company.

Especially when buying a home, people want to make this decision and move on to other things. Make it easy for them. Assume they want to hire you. End the search for them. Make the decision for them. Relieve them of the chore of selecting a home inspector. If you let them call someone else, chances are they won’t call you back.

Carson Dunlop - Consulting engineering firm devoted to home inspection since 1978. www.carsondunlop.com

MAKE AN IMPACT WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

ASHI

Print–On–Demand Use your Free ASHI logo to print your marketing materials.

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ASHI Chapters and Council News

NORTH CENTRAL ASHI Central PA

www.ashicentralpa.com Second Monday, 6 pm, except Jan. & July, Hoss’s Steakhouse 1151 Harrisburg Pike, Carlisle, PA Kevin Kenny, 717-226-3066 info@midpennhomeinspections.com

Keystone (PA)

www.keystoneashi.org First Monday, 5:30 pm Double Tree, 10 N. 5th Street Reading, PA 19601 Robert H. Conner, 610-375-9675 rhconnerbcs@yahoo.com

Ohio

www.ohioashi.com Ken Harrington, 614-507-1061 ohioashi@yahoo.com

North Central Ohio

www.ncohioashi.com Paul Wancata, 216-571-1074 inspectionsunlimited@cox.net

OHIO SOUTH ASHI Meeting: Last Sat. every month, noon @ Frickers, North College Hill, OH P.O. Box 532197 Cincinnati, OH 45252 Chris Green, 513-939-4036 Email president@ohsoashi.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., Mar., May, Sept. & Nov. Ray Fonos, 412-461-8273 southpittsburgh@hometeam.com

Tri-State (DE, NJ, PA)

www.tristateashi.org Second Tuesday except April, Aug. & Dec., Dave & Buster’s Plymouth Meeting, PA Jules Falcone, julesfalcone@me.com

MIDWEST 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 Jon Vacha, 402-660-6935 jon@hsinspections.com

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

Heartland (IA, MN, ND, SD, WI) www.ashiheartland.org Reuben Saltzman, 612-205-5600 reuben@ashiheartland.org

Indiana ASHI

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

Iowa ASHI

www.iowaashichapter.org Fourth Tuesday, 6:00 - 8:00 pm Iowa City Area Assoc. of Realtors Education Center 847 Quary Road, Coralville, IA Craig Chmelicek, 319-389-7379 elitehomeandradon@gmail.com

Kentuckiana (IN, KY)

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

Mid-Missouri

www.midmoashi.com Second Thursday, 12:00 pm, even months of the year; Columbia Board of Realtors office: 2309 I-70 Drive NW, Columbia, MO Mark Kelsey, 573-356-5305 mark@inspectcolumbia.com

Northern Illinois

www.nicashi.com Second Wednesday (except Dec.) 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm Allegra Banquets, 237 W St. Charles Rd. Villa Park, IL 60181 Joe Konopacki, 630-283-2248 joe@insightpsinc.com

SOUTH MIDWEST Arkansas

MOUNTAIN Arizona

www.azashi.org Bryck Guibor, 520-419-1313 bryck@msn.com Quarterly education on azashi.org

New Mexico

www.ashinm.org Bi-monthly meetings are held on the second Saturday of the month at Drury Hotel (Jan., March, May, July, Sept.) located at I-25 and Jefferson in Albuquerque.

Meeting starts at 8:30 am.

Lance Ellis, 505-977-3915 lellis@amerispec.net

Northern Rockies (ID, MT) Steve Jenicek, 406-949-6461 Steve@taskmasterinspections.com Secretary: Kelly Campeau 877-749-2225 Kelly@inspectormt.com

Rocky Mountain Fourth Tuesday, 6:30 pm Bob Kadera, 303-588-2502 bob@360degreeinspections.com

Southern Colorado

www.ashi-southerncolorado.org Second Thursday each month, 6:30 pm Valley Hi Golf Club, 610 S. Chelton Rd. Colorado Springs, CO 80910 Aaron Hunt, 719-334-5455 aaron@huntproperty inspections.com

Utah

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

Lonnie Moore, 479-530-5792 mhinsp@cox.net

Great Plains (KS, MO)

www.ashikc.org Second Wednesday of even months The Great Wolf Lodge, Kansas City Doug Hord, 816-215-2329 doug@firstchoice.com

Midwest PRO ASHI (KS) Ray Fonos, 412-461-8273 rfonos@hometeam.com

St. Louis (MO)

www.stlashi.org Second Tuesday, 5 pm Creve Coeur Government Center Multi-Purpose Meeting Room 300 N. New Ballas Creve Coeur, MO 63141 Mark Goodman, 636-391-0091 mark@homeinpectstl.com

PACIFIC Alaska Meeting dates: Jan. 1, March 1, Aug. 1, Nov. 1 Location varies each meeting David Mortensen, 907-243-4476 dave@discoveryinspect.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

Golden Gate (CA)

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

Inland Northwest (ID, WA) Vince Vargas, 208-290-2472 vince@vargasinspections.com

Orange County CREIA-ASHI (CA) www.creia.org/orangecounty-chapter Third Monday, 5:30 pm Hometown Buffet 2321 S. Bristol, Santa Ana Bill Bryan, 949-565-5904 bill@rsminspections.com

Oregon

www.oahi.org Fourth Tuesday, 6:30 pm 4534 SE McLoughlin Blvd.

Portland Jay Hensley, 503-312-2105 jay@carsonconstruction.com

San Diego CREIA-ASHI First Tuesday each month Elijah’s Restaurant 7061 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard San Diego, CA 92111 Ray (Cliff ) Sims Jr., 619-334-1138 cliffsims@cox.net

San Joaquin Valley (CA) Third Thursday, 6 pm 1736 Union Avenue, Bakersfield, CA Raymond Beasley, 661-805-5947 rbinspector@aol.com Mail: 3305 Colony Oak St. Bakersfield, CA 93311

Silicon Valley ASHI-CREIA (CA)

www.siliconvalleyinspector.com Skip Walker, 650-873-4224 homeinspection@sanbrunocable.com

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

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

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

Western Washington

www.ashiww.com Chapter Meetings held at chapter seminars in March and Sept.

Karl Nueffer karl@G4inspections.com

NEW ENGLAND Coastal Connecticut

www.coastalctashi.org Third Thursday, 6 pm, Westport VFW Lodge, 465 Riverside Avenue, Westport John Hamlin, 203-912-1917 john.hamlin@pillartopost.com

New England (ME, MA, NH, RI, VT) Third Thursday (usually), 5 pm Hilton Garden Inn, Waltham, MA Michael Atwell, 617-630-5629 mike@jmhi.com

Northern New England (NNEC) (ME, MA, NH, VT) www. ashi-nnec.org Third Thursday of Jan., April, June and Sept.

Tim Rooney, 603-770-0444 homeviewnh@comcast.net nnec.ashi.2016@gmail.com

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

Greater Rochester (NY)

www.ashirochester.com Second Tuesday, 6 pm Jeremiah’s Tavern, 2200 Buffalo Rd. Gates, NY 14624 Jim Brennan, 585-520-5575 jbrennan@independentinspectionservice.com

Hudson Valley (NY) Second Tuesday, 6 pm Daddy O’s Restaurant 3 Turner Street Hopewell Junction, NY 12533 Michael Skok, 845-592-1442 ashistatewide@yahoo.com

Long Island (NY)

www.liashi.com Third Monday, 6 pm, Domenico’s Restaurant, Levittown John Weiburg 516-603-5770 john@greenlinkhi.com

New York Metro

Garden State (NJ)

www.gardenstateashi.com Second Thursday The Westwood, Garwood Ernie Borsellino, 973 761 0050 gsashipresident@gmail.com

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

SOUTH ATLANTIC ASHI Georgia

www.ashigeorgia.com Shannon Cory, 404-316-4876 shannon1943@comcast.net

Ray Baird, 615-516-5511 bairdr@comcast.net

Western New York

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

www.novaashi.com Fourth Tuesday, Associate hour 6-7 pm, Membership meeting 7-9 pm, Northern Virginia Resources Center, Fairfax Tony Toth, 703-926-6213 tony_toth@msn.com

Southern New Jersey (NJ)

Central New York

First State (DE)

NOVA-ASHI (MD, VA)

East Tennessee

www.goashi.com Richard W. Askew, 518-383-4804 rondack1@gmail.com www.cnyashi.com Third Wednesday each month, 6 pm Tony’s Family Restaurant, Syracuse Richard Alton, 315-415-4847 dick@altoninspect.com

www.mac-ashi.com Second Wednesday, Rockville, 6 pm Senior Center, Rockville Mark Mostrom, 301-536-0096 pivotalinspections@comcast.net

www.nyashi.com Last Thursday, 5pm Travelers Rest 25 Saw Mill River Road Ossining, NY 10562 Chris Long, 914-260-8571 pres@nyashi.com www.southernnjashi.com Third Wednesday, 6:30 pm Ramada Inn, Bordentown Rick Lobley, 609-208-9798 rick@doublecheckhi.com

Capitol Region (NY)

MAC-ASHI (MD, VA)

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

MID-ATLANTIC Central Virginia

www.cvashi.org Second Tuesday, 6:30 pm Independence Golf Course 600 Founders Bridge Blvd.

Midlothian, VA 23113 John Cranor, President 804-873-8537 cranorinspectionservices @gmail.com

Hampton Roads (VA) Second Thursday, 7 pm, Cypress Point Country Club, Virginia Beach Gregory Murphy, 757-535-4355 gmurphy@coastalinspect.com

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

Mid-Tennessee

Mid-South (TN) Steven Campbell, 901-734-0555 steve@memphisinspections.com

North Carolina

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

Lone Star (TX)

www.ashitexas.org Bud Rozell, 214-215-4961 goodhomeinspection@att.net

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

Suncoast (FL)

www.ashisuncoast.com First Tuesday, 6:30 pm; Please see our website for meeting locations.

Steve Acker, 727-712-3089 buyersally@gmail.com

Southwest Florida

www.swashi.com Serving Manatee, Sarasota & Charlotte Second Wednesday, 6 pm Holiday Inn, Lakewood Ranch 6321 Lake Osprey Drive, Sarasota Michael Conley, 941-778-2385 FLinspector@outlookcom

CANADA CAHPI Atlantic

www.cahpi-alt.com Lawrence Englehart 902-403-2460 inspections@eastlink.ca

www.ncashi.com Meeting TBA Bruce Barker, 919-322-4491 bruce@dreamhomeconsultants.com

CAHPI Ontario

South Carolina

Alberta Professional Home Inspectors (APHIS)

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 John Knudsen, 334-221-0876 jgknudsen111@gmail.com

www.oahi.com Rob Cornish, 613-858-5000 robc@homexam.ca

www.aphis.ca Meetings held 3 times a year Alan Fisher, 403-248-6893 admin@aphis.com

Quebec AIBQ

www.aibq.qc.ca Pascal Baudaux, 450-629-2038 info@almoinspection.ca

Florida Wiregrass

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

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Chapter Spotlight

Chapters and People: Outside of the Framing

By Matt Smith

W

hat do people think of when they hear the words “entrepreneur,” “business “or “success”? The majority of people will link these words with adjectives to describe a person who is wealthy or who makes lots of money.

Although this may be true to some extent, often our way of thinking about these words stops there. These words are not able to describe someone unless the person undrstands one thing: people. Understanding people and how they operate is the single most important attribute needed in entrepreneurship, business and, ultimately, success.

Too often the world is jaded by money, wealth and power. This distracts us from what is most important, and that is people. Money, wealth and power are large obstacles in our conscious and subconscious minds that can damage our ability to make connections with other humans.

This only sets a bad standard for new home inspectors to build upon: the standard of the misconstrued conception of business. Where else can they look for guidance? An episode of Shark Tank?

This digs the industry into a deeper hole. Maintaining what is already in place is hard enough, but now, contending with new blood, ideas and technology, building upon a hollow base will inevitably not hold up.

The only real way to build anything associated with the word “business” is through human connections, emotions and understanding one another.

This is exactly why we do not want to listen to automated messages or talk to a computer to solve our problems.

Several ways.

Solving this problem takes much more than showing up as a group of inspectors in a room. The disappearance of active chapters also can be attributed to the lack of passion.

The comradery of the industry (as well as the planet) has shifted. Comradery is now seen as hitting a “like” button, sending an email or doing live chats through phones and computers. We are substituting face-toface contact with social media and computerized methods. The most important piece missing to all of this is emotion.

Many people perceive real estate as a way to make money, but more attractively, on the side. In a world that lacks retirement planning or pensions, people are looking for other ways to provide income to sustain their lifestyles. Often, the industry of real estate is the first fruit tree that gets sized up for picking. This includes home inspectors.

Emotion is what drives us to do what we do. Without emotion, we are insouciant words on a screen. The connections are not real, and they feel artificial. Although technology is an amazing tool for expediting business, it should not be a substitute for developing business relationships.

Again, we are circumvented to the misconception of business. Home inspections are a great way to make additional income on the side.

Unfortunately, most motives stop here. People forget why they became involved in the industry in the first place—to help people achieve the purchase of the single most expensive investment of their life.

So, how does this relate to the home inspection industry?

The world thrives on building relationships. They are essential to survival and require emotion, which can be felt best through face-to-face connections.

I have seen the demise of local chapters, inspection companies and businesses from this very mistake. I know, because I was privy to its actions through my own local ASHI chapter.

When I first began attending meetings, the room was filled. Inspectors drove from hours away to meet in a room and discuss the industry. The goal was to make ourselves better by making the people around us better.

This would raise the standards of the industry as well.

Unfortunately, it did not take long to see the dissection of the group.

Seemingly, each month the group got smaller, and the pile of excuses grew higher. They included “no time,” “too busy,” “no value” and “I can’t afford it.”

Based on what we know about how humans can be productive, these are actually the reasons to stay in the group. Staying as part of a group will provide everything essential for survival. Instead, like dominos, they began to fall from the group and even retire!

Providing a culture of similarity allows a sense of “we,” and when this is provided, trust is created, as well as fulfillment. However, society has shifted from a “we” culture to a “me” culture. Focused on revenue, this is where the demise begins. People stop showing up, it becomes about the bottom line and no new ideas are brought to the group. What message 28

does this send to the rest of the industry? How will others perceive the home inspection industry?

ASHI Reporter • June 2018

Now, combine this with the weakened culture of local chapters and organizations, and we have a whole new crop of mistaken businesspeople.

A harvest fed the ideology that business and success are achieved by making money, while the emotions and feelings of our comrades, business partners and clients are neglected and allowed to wilt.

The days before advanced technology are far behind us, and they will never return. However, technology will never replace the fulfillment of human connection and the spirit of giving.

We are certainly in a new era, with new problems. It is up to the true leaders in the industry to help solve them and, most importantly, influence others to do the right thing by working together to remove the obstacles of money, power and wealth, which seemingly are the driving forces behind the vague use of the words “entrepreneur,” “business” and “success.”

Any superpower in the world is not achieved through a single person, but by the harmonious acts of several people together who share the same ideas and beliefs.

Matt Smith is the owner of Ace Home Inspections of Upstate New York, an ASHI Associate member and a home inspector mentor. Check out his website (Acehomeinspection1. com) and his YouTube Channel (Matt S).

WHAT’S NEW IN THE ASHI ONLINE LEARNING CENTER?

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Enjoy interesting sessions recorded at IW 2018 and past IWs. Find Basic and Advanced Technical, Specialty/Diversification and Business Management topics.

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Trade-up to better inspecting Call 800 745 6126 and ask about our special trade-up offer for competitor software or check

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ASHI CHAPTER EDUCATION St. Louis Chapter Educational Event

FABI Conference

When: June 12, 2018 Topic: CertainTeed Roofing Manufacturing facility tour and Low Slope Roofs presentation CEUs: 4 ASHI CE hours Contact: Mark Goodman, mark@homeinspectstl.com

ASHI 2018

LDC DES PLAINES, IL

When: June 9 & 10, 2018 Where: Hilton St. Petersburg Bayfront, Florida Topic: Advanced Mechanical Inspections,Four Points, Roof Certification course, Wind Mitigation Certification and Live Peer Review CEUs: ASHI CE hours offered Contact: for more information, visit: http://www.fabi.org/fabi-conference/

Keystone ASHI Educational Event

When: October 12 &13, 2018 Where: DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel 701 Penn St., Reading, PA 19601 CEUs: 16 ASHI CE hours Contact: amanda@brsinspect.com

OCTOBER 25-27, 2018 IMPORTANT REPORTER DEADLINES: • JULY 2018 ISSUE - 5/7/18 • AUG 2018 ISSUE - 6/7/18 • SEPT 2018 ISSUE - 7/7/18 • OCT 2018 ISSUE - 8/7/18 • NOV 2018 ISSUE - 9/7/18 The Reporter is produced 6-8 weeks ahead of the week it arrives in your mailbox.

30 30

ASHI ASHI Reporter Reporter •• May June2018 2018

To have your chapter BE SURE TO INCLUDE seminar listed here, ALL INFORMATION: email all information seminar subject, when, about your chapter where, CEUs & a link for more information or seminar to: contact information. micheleg@ashi.org.

NEW! 2018 $295

• Over 1800 Illustrations • 300+ Color Illustrations • JPEG Digital files • Dowload, Flash Drive or DVD • 368 Page Reference Book • 400+ NEW Illustrations of decks, stairs, railings, siding, flashing and structural details HOW TO OPERATE YOUR HOME www.htoyh.com | 262-303-4884

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Pull-Down Stairs for Attic Access

PULL-DOWN STAIRS FOR ATTIC ACCESS: INSTALLATION AND OTHER RELATED DEFECTS By the ASHI Technical Review Committee

P

ull-down stairs for attic access are a common addition in many homes and they are, in fact, becoming more common as they are being placed in many new homes as well. When improperly installed, however, they present a high level of risk for the homeowner and others who use the stairs.

efficiency codes, pull-down ladders in newer homes need to be sealed (usually weather-stripped) and sometimes insulated to meet these requirements. Home inspectors can recommend adding insulation and weather-stripping for older homes to improve the weather envelope.

INSTALLATION

Fasteners: A common deficiency in installation is the use of dry-

Location: The first consideration when installing a set of these stairs is location. The installer must determine a convenient location and consider which framing considerations might make the installation more difficult, if not impossible. A common deficiency found with attic pull-down stairs is that the lower chords of trusses (and often the web members) may be cut to allow installation. Trusses cannot be modified without doing an engineering analysis, however. Another defect is improperly installed headers between ceiling joists if the installation required that they be cut.

wall or other screws in situations for which the installation instructions specifically call for 16d nails or lag screws. Often, you’ll find clearly visible stickers on the ladder frame detailing fastener requirements. Understand that most screws have much less shear strength than nails; they break instead of bending when stressed.

This is certainly the case with drywall screws, which are hardened and brittle. As we know, lag screws are “beefier” than drywall or deck screws.

Best practice is to install the ladder assembly parallel to the ceiling framing whenever possible. Keep in mind, due to modern energy

The cautionary note for these stairs specifies to use nails, yet see the use of a screw on the right.

These stairs are installed perpendicular to the attic trusses. The lower chord of the trusses was cut to allow for installation of the stairs. In many cases, diagonal truss chords also are cut to provide headroom above the stair opening. Cutting trusses is never allowed without an engineering assessment to ensure an increase in the strength of the remaining roof members.

A single-cut truss can result in catastrophic roof failure. Repairs for cut trusses must be specified by a licensed engineer.

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

Pull-Down Stairs for Attic Access

These installation instructions state to use nails in a specific pattern.

Another installation with drywall screws instead of nails.

Measurements: Pull-down stairs need to be measured so that the stair section matches the height requirements at a proper angle for safe use. Often, the stair section is too short to properly reach the floor below or the bottoms of the stringers are not cut at the proper angle to meet the floor flush. Point-loading the corner of the stringer causes stress that might result in splitting. These are all reportable safety hazards.

HOME INSPECTORS OFTEN ARE TEMPTED TO USE A DAMAGED STAIRWAY. RESIST THIS TEMPTATION!

Attic stairs must be adjusted for proper length. After installation, the bottom leg must be cut flush to the floor so that the legs extend fully and the joints close flush. Joints that stay open, like the one shown in this photo, cause excessive stress at the crushing point of contact where the legs come together. This stress crushes or cracks the legs and significantly weakens the stairs. Stairs like this may not support their rated weight.

Example of attic stairs that are missing the lower section.

USING CAUTION WITH PULL-DOWN STAIRS

Before traversing the ladder, carefully check the hardware and the stairs, stringers and treads. Often, components are bent, broken or otherwise damaged, and these components should be repaired or replaced prior to use. Be sure to check that the steel rod is in place under the treads (some have this feature).

Home inspectors often are tempted to use a damaged stairway.

Resist this temptation! We are aware of several home inspectors who have been injured—some permanently disabled—when using damaged ladders. We’re also aware of lawsuits against homeowners after service personnel were injured when the stairs failed.

Some older attic ladders use counterweights to make the stair assembly easier to use; however, these old-style ladders can be clumsy to use and often the counterweight system is damaged. For example, the ladder may slide quickly in an uncontrolled manner, so use extra caution when opening one of these ladders.

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Pull-Down Stairs for Attic Access

This hinge arm is bent, which causes rubbing between the parts and excess stress on the hinge. The arms can be bent in such a way that the stairs cannot be easily opened or closed. This damage can cause failure of the stairs.

If any part of the stairs is cracked or broken, the stairs should be replaced.

This primary stair member was held together with a plastic zip tie. This is not an approved repair and it will likely fail when the stairs are heavily loaded, as they could be when a person carries a heavy item up the stairs.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE LADDER MAY SLIDE QUICKLY IN AN UNCONTROLLED MANNER, SO USE EXTRA CAUTION WHEN OPENING ONE OF THESE LADDERS. PULL-DOWN LADDERS IN GARAGES AND FIRE SAFETY

We frequently see attic pull-down ladders installed in garages.

Aside from the defects already noted, the most common problem with pull-down ladders in garages is that these ladders may breach the fire envelope separation between the garage and the house attic.

The inspector should first determine where the envelope exists; often a drywall separation is installed from the floor to the roofline between the house and garage, including any attic space. In this case, a standard non-rated pull-down ladder can be installed in the garage because the garage and attic are separated from the house.

In many regions of the United States, there is no requirement for fire separation between a garage and attic, aside from ½ inch drywall (or equivalent), unless there is living space above the garage.

Many times, attic pull-down doors are added in garages when the garage drywall ceiling is part of the separation envelope from the dwelling. In this type of case, the inspector typically can see the house attic when entering the garage attic via the pull-down ladder.

There are two choices for this type of case: Install vertical drywall to the underside of the roof at the house juncture or install a rated pull-down ladder assembly. Simply laminating drywall to a standard pull-down ladder is inadequate, as it makes the unit heavier so the springs may sag and it is not a rated assembly.

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

Important note of caution: Your local Authority Having Jurisdiction

may interpret this requirement differently. Some may allow laminating drywall to the underside of a standard pull-down; others may simply allow a standard pull-down to be installed in the ceiling of a garage. Best practice is to obtain the interpretation from your local building department so that you are not reporting a defect (or a non-defect) when the local building department representative would disagree.

Most rated pull-down ladders in garages come in 20- or 30-minute models. Generally, a 20-minute model would be the minimum, per the International Residential Code (IRC). These ladders are clearly labeled as rated for the appropriate type of use.

Non-rated pull-down stairs installed in a garage, with spring fatigue that has caused the door to sag when closed.

Pull-Down Stairs for Attic Access

Non-rated pull-down stairs, installed in a garage.

Non-rated pull-down stairs, installed in a garage with drywall laminated to cover it.

Non-rated pull-down stairs, installed in a garage (the same house as the previous photo), as seen from the attic common to the house and the garage.

Don’t try this at home!

FINAL THOUGHTS

Certainly, we could go on to describe many more potential defects. We hope this article has provided some insight regarding pull-down attic stairs. Stay safe!

Contact: Mike Casey, ACI, MCI, Mike@MichaelCasey.com.

Members of the 2018 Technical Review Committee: Charles Buell (Charles Buell Inspections Inc., Shoreline, WA), Michael W. Casey (ASHI Past-President; Michael Casey & Associates, Fallbrook, CA), Mark Cramer (ASHI Past-President; Mark Cramer Inspection Service Inc., Indian Rocks Beach, FL), Peter G. Engle, PE (Almost Home, Rumson, NJ), Victor G. Faggella, PE (Centurion Home Inspections, Inc., Woodbury, CT), Steve Nations (Nations Home Inspections, Oak Park, IL), Randy Surette (Cornerstone Inspection Services, Carmel, IN) and Mike Twitty (Homescan Property Inspections, Mount Juliet, TN).

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FAQS ABOUT ASHI’S BACKGROUND VERIFIED INSPECTOR (BVI) PROGRAM

By Jennifer Gallegos, ASHI Membership Services Manager

Summer is here and many of you are busy, busy, busy. This month, I’d like to tell you about the Background Verified Inspector (BVI) program. You might have noticed advertisements for this benefit in the Reporter in the past few months.

What is the Background Verified Inspector (BVI) program?

The BVI program allows current ASHI members to voluntarily undergo a criminal background check using Sterling Talent Solutions.

(Note: A criminal background check is now mandatory for all new ASHI members.) If the member’s information clears the process and is approved, ASHI authorizes the member to use the trademarked BVI logo. Promoting your BVI status can be part of your business marketing plan.

BVI status lasts for two years. After that time, members can renew their BVI status by submitting to another criminal background check with Sterling Talent Solutions. ASHI then notifies the members of their renewed BVI status. Other rules for the program apply, such as how members may publicly use the logo and badge. All rules are outlined in Section 3.1B of the ASHI Policy Manual.

What is the cost for the background check?

The base cost for the background check is $27.25; however, it could cost more depending on the state in which you live. Some states have a specific process that requires more research to produce the results needed.

What do I receive when I clear the background check process?

Once you’ve cleared the process, ASHI will add the BVI logo to your membership badge and you will receive a digital badge through Credly. You can use this digital badge on your website, in profiles on social media (for example, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn) and as part of your email signature.

What is a digital badge?

A digital badge is a verifiable logo. When you use it with your name, a client can click on the digital badge and be linked to the verification of your credentials. Also, when a person clicks on the BVI logo, the person is led to information regarding the badge. This information will verify whether your use of the logo or the badge is active.

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

Why should I become an ASHI BVI? The benefit of having a BVI designation is that you will have one more credential to show to your clients and real estate agents. It can be hard for clients to determine which inspectors to trust or allow into their home. By becoming a Background Verified Inspector, you will earn the trust of real estate agents and homeowners. The designation gives peace of mind to all parties.

How do I become a Background Verified Inspector?

It’s easy! Visit our webpage at www.homeinspector.org and click on the Members-Only tab to find the BVI Program link. There, review the program information, and use the direct link to complete the online form from Sterling Talent Solutions and pay the associated fee. Once Sterling Talent Solutions provides ASHI with the positive results of your report, we will provide you with a new badge and assign you the digital BVI badge.

What if I have a felony or misdemeanor on my background check—will I still qualify for membership?

If a felony or a misdemeanor is found during your background check, the ASHI Membership team will reach out to you to conduct a phone interview. We will discuss the details and, depending on the severity of the case, we may send your application for BVI status to the ASHI Membership Committee for review. For more information on this matter, please contact me directly (jeng@ashi.org or 847-954-3185).

Questions?

Please feel free to send an email to membership@ashi.org if you need more information or have any questions. We are happy to serve you!

YOUR KNOWLEDGE YOUR EXPERIENCE

THEIR TRUST

Become a Background Verified Inspector® today!

ASHI is pleased to announce the launch of the Background Verified Inspector®(BVI) program. Our program will allow current ASHI Members to voluntarily undergo a criminal background check using Sterling Talent Solutions.

SOME BENEFITS OF BECOMING A BACKGROUND VERIFIED INSPECTOR® (BVI): • Give your clients a peace of mind when booking an inspection • Receive a BVI digital badge for your website and email signature • Set yourself apart from the competition For more information and to sign up please contact us at membership@ashi.org

APPLY TODAY!

FREE ASHI Member access to past IW sessions.

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

ASHI ONLINE LEARNING CENTER

CURRENT ASHI MEMBERSHIP ASHI Certified Inspectors: 3,544 Inspectors: 226 Associates: 4,428 Retired Members: 122 Affiliates: 88 Total: 8,408 Members as of 5/3/2018

ASHI MEMBERSHIP BENEFIT PROGRAMS ASHI-ENDORSED PROGRAMS ASHI’s E&O Insurance Program: Target Professional Programs www.targetproins.com 860-899-1862 ASHI Personal Lines Insurance Program: Liberty Mutual www.libertymutual.com/ashi ASHI’s Protecting Home Inspectors From Meritless Claims Program: Joe Ferry – The Home Inspector Lawyer 855-MERITLESS (637-4853) contact@joeferry.com www.joeferry.com/ashi ASHI Service Program BuildFax Tricia Julian, 877-600-BFAX x161 TJulian@BuildFax.com www.buildfax.com http://go.buildfax.com/ASHI 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

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

OneSource Solutions 877-274-8632 www.osconnects.com/ashi/ Porch.com Eliab Sisay, 206-218-3920 www.porch.com Eliab@porch.com ASHI Rebate Program Quill.com Dana Fishman, 800-634-0320 x1417 www.quill.com/ashi dana.fishman@quill.com ASHI-ENDORSED EXAMS ASHI Standard and Ethics Education Module Go to www.homeinspector.org, click on Education, then click on the link for the ASHI Online Learning Center.

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 Russell Daniels, 888-884-0440 Russelld@theashischool.com www.TheASHISchool.com PLATINUM PROVIDER Millionaire Inspector Community Mike Crow www.mikecrow.com dreamtime@mikecrow.com Mention that you are an ASHI member.

June Anni versa ries

Thirty Years

Five Years

Harry Janssen

Sean Abreu Michael Bazemore Bill Best Charles Branch Loren Chewning Kevin M. Cody Joe Docter Jon France Anthony Gervasi Andrew Griffin John C. Hamel Steve Hendricks Jack Hogue Clifford Keister Daniel Lin Anthony Lupinacci Tom McDonough Robert M. Morrow Kevin K. Vescovo Stephen Williamson Wen Wei Yao

Twenty-five Years Jeffrey Reilly

Twenty Years Greg Galeota Gordon G. Glidden Ron Greene Ronald R. Lang Scott Mitchell Howard A. Pegelow Holly Rankin Glenn Woertz Kevin Young

Fifteen Years Charles Adams Eric T. Almquist John J. Browning Lawrence Coha David DuBose John Feehan Timothy J. Gentry Kyle D. Hardy Patrick Leahy John M. McLoughlin Frederick Ruziecki Timothy Sponsler

Ten Years Paul J. Burback Kenneth Davis Aaron D. Despres Travis J. Hoverter Thomas Peterson David G. Sawyer

SMART INSPECTOR SCIENCE

WHY DID THAT CHIMNEY FAIL?

By Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. HowToOperateYourHome.com

A

ny crumbling or other damage to chimney masonry can easily be attributed to water. Once water enters the brick and mortar, freeze and thaw cycles occur. Water expands when it freezes, breaking apart brick, mortar and even concrete.

Masonry chimneys are exposed to weather extremes and all five surfaces of the structure take a beating. But why does water enter the structure in the first place? Because someone decided to save a few dollars during construction by installing a cheap mortar wash cap instead of a thick cap that protects the structure from water.

WHY THIS CHIMNEY FAILED

Take a look at the details of a damaged chimney in Photo 1. You will see a thin mortar wash cap that has cracked, allowing water into the porous brick and mortar. This poorly designed cap also lacks an overhang to protect the sides of the chimney from water.

GOOD VS. POOR DESIGN

Now take a look at the illustration that shows one good and one poor chimney design (Illustration F008).

A poorly designed chimney has a thin mortar wash cap. There is no sealant to the flue tile and the cap does not overhang the brick sides.

The thin mortar wash is cheap to install and it begins to fail within a few years. No homeowner climbs on the roof to maintain a mortar wash cap, so the damage continues.

The good design for a chimney has a thick, solid cap that overhangs the brick. This protects the top of the structure and the sides of the chimney. Note that the good mortar cap includes a drip edge or groove that prevents water from sticking to the underside of the cap and running inward to the brick.

Photo 2 shows the point of view looking up from under the cast cap—a thick cap and a groove running underneath the cap overhang.

This groove, a “capillary break” that is at least 3/8-inch wide, prevents water from running under the cap to the brick.

Photo 1. Failing masonry chimney

THE HOME INSPECTOR’S ROLE

Damaged chimneys are easy to identify. You should always report a damaged chimney as an issue. And now that you understand the process behind water damage, you also may want to include notes about an improper mortar wash cap that is likely to cause more damage in the future, as well as a sketch or photo of a proper chimney cap with an overhang and a capillary break.

Tom Feiza has been a professional home inspector since 1992 and has a degree in engineering. Through HowToOperateYourHome.com, he provides high-quality marketing materials that help professional home inspectors boost their business. Copyright © 2018 by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.

Photo 2. Chimney with drip

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Postcards from the Field How many boots does it take to flash a vent?

Raj Hayden Cardinal Home Inspection Seattle, WA

NEW POSTCARDS EMAIL!! Please send your name, city, state, photos, headings & captions to: postcards@ashi.org Note: By sending in your postcard(s), you are expressly granting ASHI the right to use the postcard and your name with it in the ASHI REPORTER and in other publications ASHI may select.

Lending a helping hoof

Jerry Kelly Southern Home Inspection, LLC Birmingham, AL

Life will find a way.

Asbestos blows!

Matthew Steger WIN Home Inspection Elizabethtown, PA

No animals were harmed during this inspection.

James Brock Boston Home Inspectors, Inc. South Boston, MA

I forgot to load straps on the truck.

Peter Ottowitz The Hawkeye Companies Stow, MA Matthew Steger WIN Home Inspection Elizabethtown, PA 40

ASHI Reporter • June 2018

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41

Postcards from the Field

NEW POSTCARDS EMAIL!! Please send your name, city, state, photos, headings & captions to: postcards@ashi.org Note: By sending in your postcard(s), you are expressly granting ASHI the right to use the postcard and your name with it in the ASHI REPORTER and in other publications ASHI may select.

Creative way to cool your roof.

Homeowner says: “Zipa-dee-doo-dah done!”

Ryan O’Mara A Sound Mind Home Inspection Maui, HI Jerry Kelly Southern Home Inspection, LLC Birmingham, AL

It’s gonna blow, captain!

Water removal system OR local brewery?

Ryan Baum 1 Step ABOVE Home Inspections Littleton, CO

Drain the swamp.

Devin Childers HERO Home Inspection Services Adairsville, GA

A decade of dust.

Randy Via Charles L. Geich & Associates Columbus, OH

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

Matthew Steger WIN Home Inspection Elizabethtown, PA

June 2018 • www.ASHIReporter.org

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ON MY MIND

CHARGE IT, PLEASE

By ASHI President, Tim Buell

Q: Is it true people spend more money when they use a credit card than when they use a check?

A: On average, people spend 17% more when they pay with a credit card.

N

one of us enjoys paying those credit card fees; however, during my 13 years as a home inspector (I’m now retired), we never had any accounts receivable…thanks to credit cards.

Even though we used an answering service, my wife always followed up with a confirmation phone call. During the course of the conversation, she would tell the client to bring a check to the inspection. This helped keep the credit card fees down, but with out-of-town buyers or clients who show up at the inspection without their checkbook, credit cards became a lifesaver.

What is the best way to use credit cards? To answer this question, I called on Aaron Fuhriman, owner of Guardian Financial, an ASHI affiliate specializing in credit card services.

That is true at a clothing store, at a restaurant and even when tipping.

It can be true for home inspections as well. Although accepting credit cards will not increase how much you get for your home inspection, it will increase the percentage of ancillary services that you sell per inspection. So, if you offer add-on services like radon testing, mold inspections or pool inspections, and if you make sure that you tell your customers right upfront that you accept credit cards, you will see your average price per inspection go up.

Q: Are there devices that accept both a “swipe” and a “chip”?

A: Yes, you can get mobile card readers that will accept both the

swiped transaction and a chip card. They will interact with a mobile app on your phone or tablet. When you sign up with Guardian, we give you a mobile card reader for free, so there is no need to purchase any additional devices or software.

Q: What are the typical costs associated with using a credit card?

A: There are two types of accounts available to you: ones that have

Q: Are all companies charged the same fees from the financial higher percentages and no monthly fees, and accounts that have lower percentages and monthly fees. If you are not doing a lot of volume institutions?

A: Yes, all credit card processors have the same costs from Visa, Master- (four inspections a month on credit card or less), then you want the Card, Discover or American Express. The cost is called “Interchange,” and no matter what, it is the same for everyone, no exceptions. What is charged to you, the home inspector, above and beyond Interchange, can vary dramatically, however. Just because all processors cost the same doesn’t mean that they all charge the same fees. It’s worth it for you to shop around and make sure you are getting the best deal possible.

Q: Will offering credit card payments help increase the number of inspections?

A: Absolutely. Your referral partners know whether or not you accept

credit cards. When clients ask them if they can pay for the home inspection with a credit card, they are less likely to send those clients to you if you don’t take credit cards. Statistically, the majority of millennials do not have and do not use checks. Simply adding the ability to accept credit cards to your business and letting your referral partners know it is an option can increase the number of inspections you get.

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

first type of account with no monthly fees, even though the percentages charged are a bit higher. If you are being paid with credit cards for more than four inspections a month, then you want the accounts that have the lower percentages even though there are monthly fees.

On an account with no monthly fees, you typically pay around 2.75% for swiped transactions and 3.5% for keyed-in transactions. On an account with monthly fees, you typically have approximately $10 in monthly fees, as well as a minimum. However, the percentage you pay is approximately 1.3% to 1.9% for swiped cards, and 2.2% to 2.9% for keyed transactions.

Q: What advantages do ASHI members have when using Guardian versus another provider?

A: I think the number one advantage you get, even more so than the

fact that we guarantee the lowest rates, is that all we do is work with home inspectors. That is 100% of our business. This gives you a couple of advantages.

(Continued on Page 46)

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(Continued from Page 44) First, we work with most home inspection software programs and can help you integrate your processing with your inspection software (including ISN, Home Gauge, Horizon, Spectora, Nxt Inspekt, Home Inspector Pro, InspectCheck, Home Hub Zone and many more).

Second, because we exclusively work with home inspectors, you have leverage. We know that the home inspection community is a tight-knit group of men and women, which means we have a vested interest in making sure that every inspector has a good experience with Guardian.

On top of that, we never lock you into a contract, we don’t have any startup costs and, like I said before, we guarantee the lowest rates.

Q: How can our members learn more about your services?

A: Please give me a call at 1-800-608-7363 or visit our website at www. smallbizguardian.com. Thank you!

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018

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ASHI Reporter • June 2018