MARCH 2019
REPORTER
INSPECTION NEWS & VIEWS FROM THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF HOME INSPECTORS, INC.
WELCOME ASHI’s 2019 PRESIDENT Scott Patterson
INSPECTIONWORLD ® EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS By James Thomas, ASHI Executive Director P10
TECHNICAL FOCUS SUMP PUMPS By Alan Carson P16
SMART INSPECTOR SCIENCE CAN A FOUNDATION WALL BE DISPLACED AND PLUMB? By Tom Feiza P14
MARKETING FOCUS
BUILDING A REFFERAL STRATEGY By Alan Carson, President, Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd. P36
MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
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MARCH 2019
REPORTER
VOLUME 36, ISSUE #3
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FEATURES 6 M ANAGING RISK
Claim 7: Pests By InspectorPro Insurance
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HES UPDATE: Scoring Made Simple By ASHI Staff
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ASHI’s InspectionWorld®2019 Exceeding Expectations By James Thomas, ASHI Executive Director
14 SMART INSPECTOR SCIENCE: Can a Foundation Wall be Displaced and Plumb? By Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc.
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10
HowToOperateYourHome.com
16 TECHNICAL FOCUS
36
Sump Pumps
By Alan Carson, President, Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd
MARKETING FOCUS Builidng a Referral Strategy By Alan Carson, President,
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Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd
REPORT WRITING MADE EASIER: Know the Meanings of the Words You Use By Keith Swift, Ph.D.
DEPARTMENTS
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36
22 MEET YOUR NEWLY ELECTED ASHI Leaders for 2019
28 Are These Violations of the ASHI Code of Ethics? By Jamison Brown, ASHI Ethics Committee Chair 40 Postcards From the Field
It’s Wacky Out There
MARCH 2019 • 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.
OFFICERS Scott Patterson, President Spring Hill, TN, 615-302-1113 scott@traceinspections.com
Bruce Barker, Treasurer Cary, NC, 919-322-4491 bruce@dreamhomeconsultants.com
James J Funkhouser, Vice President Manassas Park, VA , 703-791-2360 jfunkhousr@aol.com
John Wessling , Secretary St. Louis, MO , 314-520-1103 john@wesslinginspections.com
Mike Wagner, President-Elect Westfield, IN, 317-867-7688 mwagner@ralis.com
Tim Buell, Immediate Past-President Marysville, OH, 614-746-7485 tim.buell@gmail.com
Bronson Anderson 2018-2020 Waynesboro, VA, 540-932-7557 2inspect4u@gmail.com
Rob Cornish 2019-2021 Ottawa, ON, 613-858-5000 robc@homexam.ca
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 R. Sean Troxell 2019-2021 Riverdale, MD, 301-588-1318 RSeanTroxell@gmail.com
Steve Cross 2019-2021 Ortonville, MI, 248-342-4205 crossinspectionservices@gmail.com
Bryck Guibor 2017-2019 Tucson, AZ, 520-795-5300 bryck@msn.com
Nashaat Roufaiel 2019-2021 Ottawa, ON, 613-823-7706 nr1990@hotmail.com
Lisa Alajajian Giroux 2019-2021 Milford, MA, 508-634-2010 homequest1@comcast.net
Speaker, Council of Representatives Donald Lovering, 2019-2020 Wingate, NC, 704-443-0110 stonehouse1@earthlink.net
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
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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ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
Main Phone: 847-759-2820, 8:30 am - 5:00 pm Mon. - Fri., CST EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR James Thomas, Executive Director, 847-954-3182, jamest@ashi.org Bonnie Bruno-Castaneda, Executive Assistant, Human Resources & Project Coordinator, 847-954-3177, bonnieb@ashi.org EDUCATION, CE APPROVAL, ASHI ONLINE LEARNING CENTER, INSPECTIONWORLD, CHAPTER RELATIONS Michele George, Director of Education, Events and 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
DIRECTORS
Michael Burroughs 2019-2021 Monroe, LA, 318-376-0482 mike.qedservice@gmail.com
ASHI STAFF
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 & Human Resources 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, 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 Chris Karczewski, Social Media & Digital Strategist 847-954-3183 chrisk@ashi.org George Ilavsky, Graphic Designer & Free Logos, “ASHI Reporter” Assistant Art Director, georgei@ashi.org THE ASHI SCHOOL Michelle Santiago, Education Manager, 847-954-3198 Michelle@theashischool.com Janna Grosso, Education Coordinator, 847-954-3181 jgrosso@theashischool.com Rhonda Robinett, Marketing and Communications Specialist 847-954-3194 Rhonda@theashischool.com
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Visit inspectorproinsurance.com MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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Managing Risk
Managing Risk Claim 7: Pests By InspectorPro Insurance
M
ore than two years after performing a home and pest inspection, a Florida home inspector received a claim. In it, his client alleged that he failed to identify a termite infestation in the home, which the client discovered after removing drywall to renovate. Removing the drywall revealed significant termite damage to the entire wall, from the floor to the ceiling. Because the client had purchased a wood-destroying organisms (WDO) inspection, the client believed that the inspector should have to pay several thousands of dollars for treatment and repairs.
WHY ARE PEST CLAIMS SO COMMON?
Insects, spiders and other pests dwell right alongside us and have for quite some time. In fact, some scientists believe that pests, like bats and bedbugs, inhabited our ancestors’ prehistoric caves some 26,000 years ago. Modern-day suburbia is no exception to the rule.
LET’S REVIEW SOME OF THE FACTS FROM RECENT RESEARCH:
• In its 2016 study of 50 houses around Raleigh, NC www.peerj.com/ articles/1582/, researchers from North Carolina State University www.ncsu.edu/, found that each home had between 32 to 211 species of arthropods—a scientific term for spineless, hard-shell animals like insects and arachnids. • In 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) www.usda. gov/ Agricultural Research Service (ARS) www.ars.usda.gov/ estimated that termites destroy parts of more than 600,000 homes in the United States annually www.ars.usda.gov/news-events/news/ research-news/2015/learning-what-wood-a-termite-prefers/. • According to Bat Conversation International www.batcon.org/, almost three-fourths of the 47 bat species in the United States and Canada have been documented in structures www.batcon.org/ resources/for-specific-issues/bats-in-buildings. • In their 2013 survey www.pestworld.org/news-hub/press-releases/of-mice-and-men-rodent-infestations-plague-nearly-athird-of-americans/, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) npmapestworld.org/ found that nearly one-third (29 percent) of their 2,000 participants had a rodent problem in their home. With the prevalence of pests in American homes and the lack of awareness of what a home inspection entails, many inspection clients expect home inspectors to report on evidence of pests. 6
ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
Note: The Managing Risk column reviews the most common allegations in the industry and provides tips to make inspectors better equipped to prevent claims.
WHAT CAN INSPECTORS DO?
As with all claims prevention, it’s important to have a thorough pre-inspection agreement www.inspectorproinsurance.com/risk_management/why-pre-inspection-agreement/?utm_source=ASHI%20 Reporter&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=Claim%206 and inspection report. However, to avoid pest claims specifically, there are certain elements you should draw particular attention to during your inspection and in your inspection report. Set expectations: Appropriate expectations are essential for mitigating risk and ensuring client satisfaction. Start by making sure your client understands the limitations of a home inspection and how they apply to household pests. According to the ASHI Standard of Practice (SoP) www.homeinspector.org/Standards-of-Practice, home inspections are visual, non-invasive examinations of the home’s physical structures and systems. Because you can only inspect what you can see, you cannot account for anything hidden from view, such as things obstructed by furniture or personal belongings and things behind walls or below ground. “The thing about pests that’s hard to deal with is that they’re alive, so they move,” said Travis Hill, owner of Premier Inspections www. premier-inspections.com/) in Texas. “And because pests move, they are not always visible at the time of the inspection.” Whenever possible, refer your clients to national, state and local standards to help them have realistic expectations. In many cases, such standards can act as one of your lines of defense. William Chandler, owner of Property 360 www.thebuildinginspector. net/ in Florida, provides this example: “The Florida Department of Agriculture protects us,” Chandler said. “It basically says that we can’t see behind walls and, if there is no visible indication—the wall is not rippled, the paint’s not bubbled, the wood is not rotted—and these termites are in the wall because they came up through the middle of the house, we are not liable.” The most common types of pest claims are allegations regarding termites, rodents and bats. We strongly suggest addressing these types
Managing Risk
of pests in your paperwork by explaining what services you provide to discover these pests, if any. For more information on setting expectations, read our article “How to Set Home Buyers’ Expectations” www.inspectorproinsurance. com/marketing/set-expectations/?utm_source=ASHI%20Reporter&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=Claim%206. Provide exclusions: One of the ways to explain what pest inspections are and are not covered in your inspection is through exclusions. Michael Patton, founder of AA Home Inspection www.aahomeinspection.net/ in Kentucky and Ohio, provides a list of exclusions in both his pre-inspection agreement and his inspection report. He said, “In our agreement, we specifically state: We don’t do bats. We don’t do rats. We don’t do mice. And we don’t do structural pests unless it’s requested. Then, we reiterate our agreement in our inspection report.” If you don’t perform pest inspections at all, it’s wise to include an advisement in your contract’s limitation of liabilities clause. To ensure that your clients read your exclusion, our claims team recommends making the advisement stand out with bold or colored font. It’s also smart to have your client initial any advisement to show that the client agrees to the terms. To learn more about the limitation of liability clause, read our article “Top 5 Things to Include in Your Pre-Inspection Agreement” www. inspectorproinsurance.com/risk_management/top-5-things-to-include-in-your-pre-inspection-agreement/?utm_source=ASHI%20 Reporter&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=Claim%206. Take pictures: For Jim Troth, general manager of Habitation Investigation www.homeinspectionsinohio.com in Ohio, pest claims are uncommon. However, he believes that setting appropriate expectations and supporting those expectations in your report are essential risk management techniques. “We’ve had one complaint about termites, but [the client] tore up the floor in the kitchen to find them,” Troth said. “That’s why it’s so important to put pictures in your report to show what activity is going on [on the day of the inspection].” Note that it’s important to take pictures of not just the defects, but of the non-problem areas. Photographs of non-problem areas can exonerate you when issues arise post-inspection. Protect yourself from claims: After establishing that the home has pest issues, it’s important to effectivelly communicate your findings to the client. Inspectors recommend emphasizing the limitations of an inspection and explaining your findings in terms the client can understand. Even if you do everything right, you can still get a pest claim. Just take it from our home inspector in the example at the beginning of this article. According to the inspector’s limitation of liability clause in the signed pre-inspection agreement, the client had just one year to issue claims. Since the client did not report the issue to the inspector until two years after the inspection, the claim was time barred.
NOTE THAT IT’S IMPORTANT TO TAKE PICTURES OF NOT JUST THE DEFECTS, BUT OF THE NON-PROBLEM AREAS. PHOTOGRAPHS OF NON-PROBLEM AREAS CAN EXONERATE YOU WHEN ISSUES ARISE POST-INSPECTION. In addition, the home inspector’s report clearly stated that the inspection was limited to “the visible and accessible areas of the structure(s) inspected at the time of the report.” Since the termites were behind the drywall, they were not visually identifiable. Furthermore, since the termites were discovered more than two years after the inspection occurred, it was likely the termites were not present at the time of the inspection. Because home inspections are not guarantees or warranties of future conditions, the home inspector did not perform a negligent inspection. Our claims team issued a strong denial of liability on the home inspector’s behalf. The claim closed with no payout costs and at no cost to the insured home inspector, thanks to his simple deductible. Learn more about simple deductibles versus self-insured retentions here: www.inspectorproinsurance.com/risk_management/deductible-determines-what-you-spend/?utm_source=ASHI%20 Reporter&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=Claim%206. It’s essential to carry errors and omissions insurance (E&O) for defense and payout help. Also, if you want coverage for pest-related claims, most home inspection insurance providers require that you purchase an endorsement. In fact, some home inspection insurance providers require separate endorsements for different types of pests. Make sure to review your insurance policy to verify what pest coverage is included in your policy, if any, and what coverage you might add to limit your liability. Want to add pest coverage to your policy? Contact your InspectorPro broker or submit an application www.inspectorproinsurance.com/ application/?utm_source=ASHI%20Reporter&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=Claim%206 with us to receive a quote at no obligation.
UP NEXT MONTH: WOOD ROT CLAIMS InspectorPro Insurance is ASHI’s one and only Premier Insurance Partnership. Through risk management education, pre-claims assistance and straightforward coverage, InspectorPro gives you peace of mind and unparalleled protection. Learn more and apply for a quote at www. inspectorproinsurance.com.
MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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HOME ENERGY SCORE UPDATE
SCORING MADE SIMPLE By ASHI Staff
Already a smart move, new advances make it easier than ever to deliver a
SCORE. Readers of this column—including attendees of InspectionWorld® in San Diego, for that matter—know that delivering the US Department of Energy’s Home Energy Score (HES) is becoming a viable and profitable service for home inspectors working across a wide range of business models. Many business owners have jumped through the DOE’s hoops to become Home Energy Score Certified Assessors™ after deciding that it’s worth the trouble—that the benefits to their businesses in increased sales, better networking and higher customer satisfaction represent a net “win” when compared with the inevitable effort of taking on a new service.
Every business owner knows that cost-benefit ratios like these can “tip” when either the benefit side changes (when homebuyers’ awareness levels shift, for example, or when policies are adopted that encourage the disclosure of energy usage at point of sale) or when the effort required to provide that service is substantially impacted. Important shifts are happening on both of those fronts right now, and this article will focus on the latter part of the equation—on what the DOE and ASHI’s partners have been working on to make the Home Energy Score a much easier service for home inspectors to deliver.
THERE’S (FINALLY) AN APP FOR THAT!
If you were at IW in January and walked past the ID Energy booth, chances are good that you were drawn into the enthusiasm tractor-beam created by Brent Loya as he demonstrated the new Home Energy Score app now being used by ASHI HES Assessors. “We’ve been developing the app since last year’s InspectionWorld® in response to the huge demand for it,” he told us during a much-needed break, “…and it’s finally here. You won’t believe how easy it makes delivering a Home Energy Score!” 8
ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
Brent Loya with ID Energy is excited about easy Home Energy Scores.
ID Energy took its extensive experience with both the DOE program and the home inspection industry to develop a handheld tool that pares down the process to generate a Score to the bare minimum, shaving off many unnecessary steps along the way. “The DOE’s Scoring Tool is a great platform,” Brent told us, “but there are so many redundant extra steps. We built in a lot of the required calculations already, which really speeds up the process and lets the inspector hand over the HES Report right there on the first visit if they want to.” The ID Energy team told us that they’re preparing for a surge in demand from ASHI home inspectors since many have been waiting for the “drop” of this time-saving app as the decisive factor in their own cost-benefit equations.
CONVENIENCE FOR CLIPBOARDERS, TOO
There are plenty of inspectors among us who continue to swear by the timeless reliability of pen and paper, and the DOE wants to show that these inspectors aren’t being left out of the simplicity loop. Collaborating with ID Energy, the Home Energy Score team has created a one-page sheet that contains every item needed to generate a Score, arranged in a way that makes the most sense for an inspector’s work process.
The multi-page “data collection sheets” that have been a part of the program from its earliest days required a lot of shuffling (not to mention a lot of trees), and the DOE tells us that the new sheet will deliver the kind of at-a-glance simplicity that inspectors deserve. The back of the sheet can be used for sketches and notes, and the whole layout is designed to correspond to the “paperless” software used by ID Energy so that clipboard-based inspectors can breeze through that part of the process as easily as inspectors who use the app.
Home Energy Score Update
LESS RED TAPE FROM THE FEDS
It’s a true cause for celebration whenever the federal government makes things less complicated, so we have to give credit to the DOE where it’s due. The latest version of the HES Scoring Tool, released in February 2019, does exactly that by simplifying a few formerly cumbersome functions for Assessors. Inspectors who get on board this year won’t notice the changes, of course, but everyone will immediately appreciate the benefits of easy, calculation-free efficiency standards for mechanical equipment and a handy copy-and-paste function that spares Assessors the chore of re-entering home data for multiple Score runs.
THE ULTIMATE “EASY BUTTON”: SCORING FROM YOUR OWN SOFTWARE
Most home inspections performed by ASHI inspectors across the country generate reports through a relatively small pool of major software products. And although new apps like ID Energy’s offer a seamless stand-alone way to deliver Scores with minimal effort, many inspectors would place the ability to create Scores from within their chosen reporting software even higher on the wish list.
GET STARTED NOW!
Jen Gallegos (jeng@ashi.org) at ASHI HQ is always on hand to answer questions and to give encouragement to inspectors looking to get started using the Score. Or you can head right to ID Energy and get signed up at energyscoreusa.com/sign_up.php.
In recognition of that understandable bias, ID Energy has developed a “plug-and-play” information technology (IT) interface that makes quick work of the integration process that many software providers have been hesitant to take on individually. Using ID Energy’s all-in-one package, major software providers can now become fully “Home Energy Score− compatible” for a fraction of the time and expense that this task used to require. Strategic conversations with many of the software majors are already happening, but the DOE and ID Energy tell us that the best way for inspectors to enjoy this level of integration is for them to reach out to their software providers directly to request this function for their businesses.
All told, we at ASHI are encouraged to see that our partnership with the DOE is helping to develop a program that sets ASHI members apart from their competition, and that does so in a way that speaks to the particular needs of our industry. Here’s hoping that this new, easier-to-use program finds itself in your busines’s “benefit” column this year!
MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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ASHI’s ® INSPECTIONWORLD 2019 Exceeding Expectations By James Thomas, ASHI Executive Director
I WAS ANTICIPATING INSPECTIONWORLD SINCE I STARTED IN MY ROLE IN APRIL 2018. I HAD HEARD SO MUCH ABOUT THIS GROUNDBREAKING CONFERENCE THAT HAS PUSHED HOME INSPECTION FORWARD FOR YEARS, SO I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING WHAT IT WAS REALLY LIKE. ®
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ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
My expectations were not only exceeded, but I’ve never been to a conference like it. It was incredible to meet so many members who have links to the wonderful history of ASHI and members who are currently involved in helping ASHI today, and to get insight from all members on where ASHI needs to be in the future. It was wonderful getting to meet partners and explore ways that we can continue to benefit our members together. The exhibitors filled the expansive hall and were focused on helping our members grow their business opportunities and protect them as they impact their communities. It was refreshing to be able to partake in a Gala that offered an opportunity to see beautiful San Diego from the water and get a close-up look at the Naval shipyard.
The Annual Meeting definitely didn’t feel like business as usual. Keynote speaker Kevin McCarthy connected with the audience and educated us on potential blind spots that can lead to pitfalls in both professional and personal relationships. His message focused on data proving his points, and he interspersed them with anecdotes to keep the audience engaged. I was exceptionally humbled at the relaunch of the ASHI Foundation. We had carefully researched how we could impact San Diego in such a way that we would leave it better than we found it. We identified Homes For Our Troops as the partner for IW 2019. Homes For Our Troops builds and donates specially adapted custom homes nationwide for severely injured post-9/11 veterans to enable them to rebuild their lives.
WE SET THE GOAL TO RAISE $15,000... AT THE END OF IW, WE RAISED MORE THAN
$31,000... Staff Sargent Wally Fanene spoke at the Annual Meeting about how Homes For Our Troops changed his life for the better after he returned home from combat with life-altering injuries. We then set the goal to raise $15,000 for Army SPC Joseph Palke at IW. We set up a text-to-donate number and an online website portal to receive donations for this cause, and before the Annual Meeting even ended, we had hit our initial goal! At the end of IW, we had more than doubled our initial goal. We raised more than $31,000 that would immediately impact the Palke family. Construction on their house began Sunday, January 27, right after the conference ended.
MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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MY FIRST INSPECTIONWORLD® WAS DEFINED BY THE GENEROSITY OF OUR MEMBERS, PARTNERS AND EXHIBITORS My first InspectionWorld® was defined by the generosity of our members, partners and exhibitors. Everyone came together to give for something bigger than themselves. This solidified in my mind what I had already been thinking: ASHI is special. It’s not because we are the oldest home inspection association or because we have the industry-defining conference, but because our members impact their communities, protect their clients and do what is right when called upon. I left with a greater appreciation of ASHI leadership, staff, volunteers and, most importantly, our members. I’m already excited about what’s to come for InspectionWorld® 2020 in New Orleans. I’m hoping and planning for the best IW ever, and hope that you all will join me there for exceptional educational opportunities, innovative exhibitors and camaraderie with other home inspectors.
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ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
I’M ALREADY EXCITED ABOUT WHAT’S TO COME FOR INSPECTIONWORLD®2020 IN NEW ORLEANS. I’M HOPING AND PLANNING FOR THE BEST IW EVER
MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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SMART INSPECTOR SCIENCE
CAN A FOUNDATION WALL BE DISPLACED AND PLUMB?
C
an a block foundation wall be displaced, yet still plumb? Yes! This means you should never evaluate a foundation wall merely by checking the condition of interior finishes such as paneling.
CLUES MAY BE ELUSIVE
Typically, a shear crack at the base of a block foundation wall is hard to see (Photo 1). If you shine a light at the right angle, a shadow near the shear crack may be the only visible clue.
THE CONCEPT SEEMS ILLOGICAL
When there’s a horizontal shear crack at the first mortar joint near the floor, the base of the block wall is pushed in (Illustration B120). The joint is “sheared” apart. Normally, this results in lower inward displacement measured as outward tipping of the wall.
(Photo 1) Measuring shear at the lower block mortar joint.
In this case, inward shear movement is visible as a horizontal line parallel to the floor and a crack in the pilaster (Photo 2). This short, perpendicular pilaster reinforces the wall. A crack on the side of the pilaster has been patched and the face of the pilaster has a small hole where the face of the block pulled away. (Illustration B120)
But if the base shear is combined with inward displacement of the upper wall, the wall and its interior finishes could be plumb.
MEASURING THE FINISHES GIVES NO INDICATION THAT THE WALL IS FAILED; YOU WILL NOT NOTICE THE BOW IN THE WALL FROM SIDE TO SIDE. (Photo 2) Shear and pilaster movement.
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ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
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 educate their customers. Copyright © 2019 by Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. Reproduced with permission.
By Tom Feiza, Mr. Fix-It, Inc. HowToOperateYourHome.com
PANELING COMPLICATES THE SITUATION
In this case, 2-fee-by-2-feet furring strips were installed to hold wood paneling. With the paneling in place, none of these cracks were visible. Now, let’s measure the wall with a 6-feet-long level (Photo 3). At the lower end of the level, it’s evident that the wall is displaced about 11/2 inches due to a base shear crack. The paneling was displaced about 3/4 inch because the top of the wall was also tipping inward. In most other areas of this wall, the paneling was not displaced despite significant movement.
THE TAKEAWAY
Never base your evaluation of a foundation wall merely by observing wall finishes such as paneling. This limited observation may indicate moisture issues, but you’ll have no idea of the foundation wall’s true condition. If paneling or some other finish hides the foundation wall, your report should say that the wall is not visible and has not been not inspected. (Photo 3) Foundation wall shear and displacement.
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TECHNICAL FOCUS
SUMP PUMPS By Alan Carson, President, Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd.
S
ump pumps are designed to handle surface water and ground water (storm water) that accumulates around the building. They don’t handle sanitary waste liquids or solids. Sump pumps typically are installed when there is a risk of flooding grade or sub-grade areas. Exterior or interior perimeter foundation drainage systems may drain into a sump pump. Gutters and downspouts do not typically discharge into a sump pump system; this arrangement is risky because it brings outdoor storm water into the building. Downspouts should, of course, discharge above grade several feet from the house. Floor drains do not normally drain into sump pumps because the water may not be as clean as storm water. Some houses need sump pumps because the slope of the land directs water toward the foundations. In other areas, sump pumps are necessary because of a high water table. The municipality may require sump pumps if the storm sewers are above the lowest floor level.
The presence of a sump pump is a warning for home inspectors. Most home inspectors agree that water is the Number One enemy of homes. The presence of a sump pump (or several sump pumps) increases the probability that the home has had or may have water problems. Look carefully for evidence of water problems, especially in sub-grade areas.
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ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
Typical sump with pedestal pump.
THE SUMP
A sump pump system consists of a sump (tank) below floor level. It has one or more side inlets. The sump may be tile, steel, concrete or plastic, for example. Sumps should be at least 18 inches in diameter and 24 inches deep, ideally with a solid floor. Some sumps have gravel floors, which may work if they stay level. Sumps should have a cover to prevent people, pets and objects from falling in and to help keep radon gas, for example, out of the home. Covers should typically be flush with the floor surface.
THE PUMP
The pump is in the sump. Pedestal pumps have the electric motor mounted above the sump. Submersible pumps have both the motor and pump at the bottom of the sump. In either case, there will be 120-volt electrical power and a float switch to activate the pump as the water level rises.
Sump with submersible pump and two inlets visible.
MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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Technical Focus: Sump Pumps
Codes now require a check valve on the discharge side, although we see many installations with no check valve. The purpose of the check valve is to prevent water in the discharge pipe from flowing with gravity back into the sump when the pump shuts off. Some sump pumps have an integral check valve. A union is typically installed between the pump and the check valve. This allows for changing the pump without having to cut the discharge pipe. Where the pipe discharges into a storm sewer system (rather than to daylight), a manually operated isolating valve may be provided. Again, we rarely see this.
Float and switch for pedestal pump
ELECTRICAL
Sump pumps typically have 120-volt cords plugged into a conventional receptacle. The receptacle is typically a dedicated circuit. We do not want a sump pump deactivated because of a tripped breaker due to an overloaded branch circuit. GFCI may not be required for sump pump receptacle. All sump pumps should be electrically grounded and a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) −protected circuit may make good sense, although codes may not require GFCI protection for sump pumps on a dedicated circuit. Many believe that the risk of nuisance GFCI tripping, which renders a pump inoperative, outweighs the safety advantages of GFCI protection. Float switch wiring. Sump pumps are typically controlled by a float switch. You may see two wires coming out of the sump pit to a wall receptacle. One wire is a piggy-back float switch. It plugs into the wall receptacle. The other wire is the power for the pump motor itself. It plugs into the back of the float switch plug. When water rises enough to lift the float, the float switch closes and starts the pump motor. The pump runs until the float drops enough to open the switch and turn off the motor.
DISCHARGE PIPING
The discharge line is often polyethylene, PVC or ABS piping, although it can be any approved drainage piping material. Flexible hose is not a good material. Sewer odors are not an issue because we are dealing only with storm water. So, unlike sewage ejector systems, there is often no vent piping.
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ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
Sump pump pipes might discharge: • into a storm sewer or combination sewer (Most municipalities do not want sump pumps discharging into a combination sewer due to the unnecessary load that creates on the sewage treatment system.); • into a ditch; • onto the ground, well away from the home; • into a French drain (gravel pit below grade); or • out through a hillside (to daylight) if the ground slopes down away from the house.
Discharge pipes often are buried just slightly below grade and should slope continuously down away from the house. Low spots may lead to blockages and, in cold climates, the water may freeze, blocking the pipe.
ADDITIONAL PROTECTION
Because sump pumps are not tightly sealed and only handle liquids, they are far less expensive than sewer ejector pumps. Because they play an important role in preventing flooding, many people keep a spare
Technical Focus: Sump Pumps
MANY INSPECTORS USE A VOLTAGE DETECTOR TO ENSURE THAT THE PUMP CASING AND CONTROLS ARE NOT ELECTRICALLY LIVE BEFORE TESTING. WE RECOMMEND USING A WOODEN STICK OR OTHER INSULATOR TO RAISE THE FLOAT. pump on hand. In some cases, the sump is large enough to house two pumps. The redundancy of two pumps reduces the risk of a flood.
Because storms often include power outages, sump pump systems may have battery backup power or may be powered by a generator. High-water-level alarms or no-electrical-power alarms can help prevent flooding. There also are water-operated sump pumps that can be driven by water pressure from the house supply plumbing when the power is out. These need high city water pressure and have limited capacity. They don’t work on homes with wells because well pumps do not work when the power is out.
TESTING A SUMP PUMP
The usual test for a sump pump is to lift the float as though the water level was rising to verify that the pump and motor work. Note: There is an electric shock hazard here because we have electricity and water together. Many inspectors use a voltage detector to ensure that the pump casing and controls are not electrically live before testing. We recommend using a wooden stick or other insulator to raise the float.
In some cases, you may not be able to remove the sump pit cover to access the float switch. A less reliable test is to unplug the pump wire from the piggy-back float switch and plug it directly into the receptacle. The pump motor should start. Once you verify that the pump motor works, unplug it quickly so you do not risk burning out the pump or motor. Most home inspectors only test sump pumps if there is water in the sump. Running a pump with no water can damage the pump. However, even if there is no water, many inspectors lift the float switch briefly to ensure that the motor turns over. The inspection report should document any limitations.
CHECKING THE DISCHARGE POINT
Most home inspectors do not verify that water comes out at the discharge point. There is often not enough water in the sump to do this and the discharge point is not always readily accessible. Again, the limitation should be documented.
Flooding due to inoperable sump pump
COMMON PROBLEMS Inoperative
There is a risk of flooding if the sump pump is not operable. The sump may not work for several reasons: • a defective float switch system • a lack of electrical power • a seized pump • a burned-out motor
Excess Noise or Vibration
Noise or vibration may be caused by a worn pump or motor with worn or damaged bearings. This often suggests that the pump is near the end of its life. There also may be foreign material in the pump, pedestal or discharge pipe.
Short Cycling or Running Continuously
Short cycling or running continuously may shorten the life of the pump. Pumps may short cycle because of the following reasons: • The sump is too small. • The float switches are set incorrectly. • The sump is re-filling quickly after the pump empties it.
Pumps may run continuously because of the following reasons: • There is a control problem. • The float switch may be defective. • A float may be stuck and may not drop when the water level drops. In this situation, the pump may burn out or shut off on thermal overload.
MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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Technical Focus: Sump Pumps
• There is water pouring into the sump continuously. There is a risk of flooding if the pump just barely keeps up with the water coming into the sump. • The discharge line is obstructed or disconnected. The pump may be operating properly, but the water may not be carried away.
If the pump runs continuously, check to see if the pump is running with the sump dry, water is not being moved out of the sump or water is flowing into the sump at a significant rate. If the pump is running continuously, it becomes more important to find the discharge point. That way, you can assure yourself that water is moving properly through the discharge pipe.
Debris in the Sump or Clogged Sump
Sump pits are often collection points for debris. If silt or other foreign material gets into the pump, the pump may be destroyed. At best, it won’t move water as freely as it should. A clogged pump may run continuously without moving any water.
Sump Damaged
If the sump pit is damaged, dirt may get into the sump. This will clog and possibly ruin the pump. Sump walls may be broken, rusted or collapsed.
Discharge too close to building.
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ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
Discharge Pipe Problems
If the discharge pipe does not work effectively, water won’t be cleared from the sump and flooding may occur. Water should be discharged far enough away from the building that it won’t find its way back. The photo below shows a pump discharge immediately adjacent to the building at grade level. The water accumulates against the foundation wall and finds its way back into the sump. This creates a cycle that doesn’t get rid of any water and often results in flooding.
Cover Missing, Damaged, Rotted or Not Secure
A missing or weak cover is a safety hazard. Children may fall into the sump. Objects may fall into the sump, obstructing the intake or fouling the float switch mechanism. Pedestal pumps may have the float switch wires hung up on the cover. This can prevent the pump from running.
CONCLUSION
Sump pumps are inexpensive devices with a critical role. They are an important part of a home inspection. The inspection report should explain the importance of the pump to clients. We recommend quarterly inspection and testing of sump pumps. Alan Carson is President of Carson Dunlop, which is the creator of the ASHI@HOME Training Program, the Home Reference Book and Horizon Inspection Software. www.carsondunlop.com
Inspect Our New Home NEW WEBSITE. NEW TOOLS FOR YOUR TRADE. • NHIE Study Curriculum • NHIE Exam Registration Information • Professional Inspectors Database • Communications & Marketing Toolkit
HomeInspectionExam.org MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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Meet Your New ASHI Leaders For 2019
Officers Who Will Lead ASHI in 2019 The President-elect automatically becomes the President. The winners were installed at the IW 2019 Board Meeting in San Diego, California, and will serve immediately afterward.
Scott L. Patterson PRESIDENT
Trace Inspections, LLC Spring Hill, TN
Mike Wagner
James Funkhouser
PRESIDENT-ELECT
VICE PRESIDENT
RAL Inspection Services Westfield, IN
INSPECTIVE Manassas Park VA
John Wessling
Bruce A. Barker
SECRETARY
Wessling Home Inspection Services, LLC St. Louis, MO
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ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
TREASURER
Dream Home Consultants, LLC Cary, NC
ASHI Leaders for 2019
Candidates Identified Issues in Matrices Officer and director candidates for 2019 were asked what they considered to be the two most pressing problems ASHI would be facing in the next 12 months. Each candidate was asked to submit their matrices to be considered by voting members for their respective offices. Links to all the matrices can be found in this section of the March 2019 issue at www.ashireporter.org.
Michael Burroughs QED Service Spring Hill, TN
Robert Cornish Homexam Inc. Ottawa, ON
Sean Troxell
JD Grewell & Associates Riverdale, MD
Five new Directors and one Alternate will take their seats at the April Board meeting. Steve Cross
Cross Inspection Services, LLC Clarkston, MI
Nash Roufaiel
All Over Home Inspection Ottawa, ON
The Council of Representatives elected five new ASHI Directors and one Alternate for three-year terms. Links to the candidates’ full matrices are available via the online March 2019 ASHI Reporter, www.ashireporter.org.
Lisa Alajajian Giroux HomeQuest Consultants Milford, MA
MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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2019 ASHI AWARD WINNERS
All awards were presented during the Annual Business Meeting and President’s Reception at InspectionWorld® 2019 in San Diego California.
JOHN COX AWARD 2019 Winner: Miki Mertz
John Cox served on a national committee, taught week-long seminars and routinely inspected homes, although numerous operations on his legs due to diabetes meant using crutches and a wheelchair to do so. Nevertheless, it was dedication and service to two ASHI chapters that earned the greatest respect from his peers.
IRONMAN AWARD
2019 Winner: Jack Feldmann Accepting special assignments and working behind the scenes, he was the perfect fit for an award described as follows: Every organization has its unsung heroes, who labor quietly in the background, but with great dedication. The Ironman Award, established in 1998 by John Palczuk, recognizes an individual member who has given time, energy, talent and determination to ASHI over a long period of time and with little recognition.
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ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
View & Download Photos
Relive the conference or see what you missed! Photos are available free of charge for download or to order prints. Go to www.inspectionworld.com
PRESIDENT’S AWARD
2019 Winners: Scott Patterson & Mike Wagner
Tim Buell, 2018 ASHI President, chose Scott Patterson & Mike Wagner as the recipients of the President’s Award, which is given for outstanding service to the President and the Board of Directors for a specific year.
PHILIP C. MONAHON AWARD 2019 Winner: Gerald Simmons
ASHI members take pride in receiving the award created in memory of the man who led the society in its early years as Executive Director. Described as a visionary who maintained the organization’s focus on valid standards, combined with strict conscientious business practices, Philip C. Monahon set the bar high for the leaders who have followed.
In addition to recognizing an outstanding member every year, ASHI donates $500 to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Newton, Mass., in the name of deceased member Philip C. Monahon.
DEDICATED SERVICE AWARD 2019 Winner: Janet George
Janet George receives a Dedicated Service Award from 2018 President Tim Buell for her service to ASHI. Janet has been working at ASHI since September 2010. She has been providing stellar customer service as part of the membership team. If you have placed a call to ASHI HQ, there is a good chance you might have spoken to her!
MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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Request for Interpretation: Ethics for Home Inspectors In this column, ASHI’s Ethics Committee addresses dilemmas faced by home inspectors.
Are These Violations of the ASHI Code of Ethics? By Jamison Brown, ASHI Ethics Committee Chair
Jamison Brown is the owner of Home Inspections by Jamison & Company, Poquoson, VA. Before becoming an ASHI member in 1988, Jamison was a project manager, and supervised the construction and remodeling of more than 10,000 housing units for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Jamison is a former member of the Carpenters and Joiners of America, and a former licensed plumber in the state of Virginia. He is a member of the International Code Council, International Association of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI) and a certified member of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI). He has been a member of ASHI’s Technical and Membership Committees, and was chair of the CEPP Committee. Currently, he chairs the ASHI Code of Ethics Committee. Jamison has personally inspected more than 18,000 residential and commercial properties. Contact him at jamison.brown@gmail.com.
QUESTIONS Question: Can an inspector conduet a prize drawing Interpretation by the ASHI Code of Ethics Committee: for real estate agents who refer business? Home inspectors need to be cautious about offering or providing After each paid home inspection (by the buyer or client), we would like to give a free car wash ticket (approximately a $10 value) to the client’s real estate agent, regardless of how the client chose to select our inspection business. This ticket would be given as a thank-you to the real estate agent for their time spent waiting during the home inspection. Would giving a gift like this to real estate agents be a violation of any ASHI Standard?
Interpretation by the ASHI Code of Ethics Committee: No, this is not a violation of the ASHI Standard of Practice because the ASHI Standard does not address this issue. However, if by “any ASHI Standard” you intended to refer to the ASHI Code of Ethics, then yes, such a gift would certainly be considered by many to be a potential violation. Members should check the applicable laws in their states regarding gratuities and referral fees passing from inspectors to real estate agents. A gift that does not clearly fit into the normal category of “promotional items” such as calendars, pens or coffee cups with a business logo could be viewed as an improper payment. The Code states: “Inspectors shall comply with this Code, shall avoid association with any enterprise whose practices violate this Code, and shall strive to uphold, maintain, and improve the integrity, reputation, and practice of the home inspection profession” (https://www.homeinspector.org/Code-of-Ethics). It is the committee’s recommendation that inspectors avoid providing potentially questionable gifts to real estate agents.
Question: Can an inspector offer an incentive or a “finder’s fee” to individuals who are not real estate agents? In other words, do incentives for inspection referrals (such as a finder’s fee) to friends, friends of friends and past clients (not real estate agents or brokers) violate the ASHI Code of Ethics?
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ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
referral incentives because this activity may violate the ASHI Code of Ethics (Section 1B or 1C) if the incentive is detrimental to clients.
A modest incentive for an inspection referral (including a finder’s fee) to a third party may not be in conflict with the ASHI Code of Ethics if the recipient has no occupation that may involve conflicting interests with the home inspector’s clients, has no interest in the property being inspected and has no interest in the outcome of the inspection. Incidentally, any referral incentive must comply with state and federal laws applicable in the jurisdiction where the inspection occurs, and any applicable provisions of the federal Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA). Inspectors should periodically consult their attorney regarding legal issues.
Question: Can I sponsor a table at a real estate office awards program? I would like to sponsor a table ($300) at a breakfast awards program at a real estate office. There will be additional sponsors other than home inspectors who will have tables. Does this table violate the ASHI Code of Ethics, Section 1C? Does buying a table at a breakfast awards program for a real estate office differ from buying a table at a home show or street fair?
Interpretation by the ASHI Code of Ethics Committee: This is not a violation of the ASHI Code of Ethics if the ASHI associate member’s purchase of the $300 table is not exclusive. Is the program open to all home inspectors in the service area? If other inspectors have the opportunity, but choose not to participate, that is their marketing decision; however, if the associate member has been assured unexclusive, and if this or exclusive right to market also comes with an assurance that his position on any in-house referral list will be placed above other qualified inspectors, then it is a violation of Code of Ethics, Section 1C.
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MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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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
www.ashiomaha.com Jon Vacha, 402-660-6935 jon@hsinspections.com
Heartland (IA, MN, ND, SD, WI)
www.ashiheartland.org Second Monday, 6:30 pm, except November & April. Frankie’s Pizza 3556 Winnetka Ave. N, New Hope, MN Reuben Saltzman, 612-205-5600 reuben@ashiheartland.org
Indiana ASHI
www.inashi.com Quarterly Bill Halstead, 765-465-6185 hhinspect@outlook.com
Iowa ASHI
www.ncohioashi.com Paul Wancata, 216-571-1074 inspectionsunlimited@cox.net
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
OHIO SOUTH ASHI
Kentuckiana (IN, KY)
North Central Ohio
Meeting: Third Tues. every month, 6:30pm @ Kriemer’s Bier Haus, OH-128, Cleves, OH 45002 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., March, 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/ Janni Juhansz, 734-284-4501 greatlakes.president@gmail.com
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Greater Omaha (NE)
ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
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 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) David Mason, 316-393-2152, david@allprohomeinspec.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
Lone Star (TX)
www.ashitexas.org Bud Rozell, 214-215-4961 goodhomeinspection@att.net
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 4630 Pam American Freeway NE 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
ASHI Hawaii
www.ashihawaii.com Oscar Libed, 808-330-2302 oscar@inspecthawaii.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 Brian Cogley, v 510-295-8021 f 510-355-1073 CogleyInspections.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 Jon Nichols, 503-324-2000 housedetective@hotmail.com
San Diego CREIA-ASHI
Fourth Tuesday, 6:30 pm Bob Kadera, 303-588-2502 bob@360degreeinspections.com
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
Southern Colorado
San Joaquin Valley (CA)
Rocky Mountain
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
PACIFIC Alaska Meeting dates: Jan. 1, March 1, Aug. 1, Nov. 1 Location varies each meeting David Mortensen, 907-243-4476 dave@discoveryinspect.com
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 Tammy Nicholas, 408-771-4939 tnicholas490@gmail.com
Southwestern Idaho Second Monday David Reish, 208-941-5760 dave@antheminspections.com
Los Angeles-Ventura County ASHI-CREIA Third Wednesday, 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 Alex Steinberg, 617-924-1028 alex@jbsinspections.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
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
www.nyashi.com Last Thursday, 5pm Travelers Rest 25 Saw Mill River Road Ossining, NY 10562 Chris Long, 914-260-8571 pres@nyashi.com
Southern New Jersey (NJ)
MAC-ASHI (MD, VA)
www.mac-ashi.com Second Wednesday, Rockville, 6 pm Senior Center, Rockville Mark Mostrom, 301-536-0096 pivotalinspections@comcast.net
NOVA-ASHI (MD, VA)
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
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
East Tennessee
www.etashi.org Third Saturday of Feb., May, Aug. and Nov. Paul Perry, 866-522-7708 cio@frontiernet.net
Mid-Tennessee
www.southernnjashi.com Third Wednesday, 6:30 pm Ramada Inn, Bordentown Rick Lobley, 609-208-9798 rick@doublecheckhi.com
Ray Baird, 615-371-5888 bairdr@comcast.net
Capitol Region (NY)
Western New York
North Carolina
Central New York
Second Thursday, 6:30 pm Tony Rome’s, West Seneca Andy Utnik, 716-636-9676 esimail@aol.com
NEW YORK/JERSEY/ DELAWARE 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
MID-ATLANTIC Central Virginia
www.firststateashi.org Third Wednesday, 7 pm The Buzz Ware Center 2121 The Highway, Arden Mark Desmond, 302-494-1294 mark@delvalleyhome.com
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
Garden State (NJ)
Hampton Roads (VA)
First State (DE)
www.gardenstateashi.com Second Thursday The Westwood, Garwood Ernie Borsellino, 973-761- 0050 gsashipresident@gmail.com
Second Thursday, 7 pm, Cypress Point Country Club, Virginia Beach Gregory Murphy, 757-535-4355 gmurphy@coastalinspect.com
Mid-South (TN) Steven Campbell, 901-734-0555 steve@memphisinspections.com www.ncashi.com Meeting TBA Bruce Barker, 919-322-4491 bruce@dreamhomeconsultants.com
South Carolina First Saturday of Feb., May, Aug. & Nov., 8 am Roger Herdt, 843-669-3757 herdtworks@msn.com
Gulfcoast (FL) First Thursday, 7 pm, The Forest Country Club, Fort Myers Len Gluckstal, 239-432-0178 goldenrulehi@comcast.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
CAHPI Ontario
www.oahi.com Rob Cornish, 613-858-5000 robc@homexam.ca
Alberta Professional Home Inspectors (APHIS) 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
GULF ASHI South (AL)
www.ashisouth.org Quarterly, Homewood Library Homewood John Knudsen, 334-221-0876 jgknudsen111@gmail.com
Florida Wiregrass
www.ashiwiregrass.org Second Wednesday, 6:30 pm Sleep Inn Hotel, Wesley Chapel Nancy Janosz, 813-546-6090 ProTeamInsp@aol.com
MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
31
ASHI Chapters and Council News
CHAPTER EVENTS MAC-ASHI TECHNICAL SEMINAR
When: April 27, 2019 CEUs: 8 ASHI CEs Where: 9 601 Medical Center Drive Rockville, MD 20850 Contact: Sean Troxell, rseantroxell@gmail.com
IMPORTANT REPORTER DEADLINES: • APRIL 2019 ISSUE - 2/7/19 • MAY 2019 ISSUE - 3/7/19 • JUNE 2019 ISSUE - 4/7/19 The Reporter is produced 6-8 weeks ahead of the week it arrives in your mailbox.
TO HAVE YOUR CHAPTER SEMINAR LISTED HERE, EMAIL ALL INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR CHAPTER SEMINAR TO: micheleg@ashi.org.
ASHI-ST. LOUIS FALL SEMINAR When: November 2, 2019 CEUs: ASHI 8 CEs Topics / Presenters:
Moisture, Fire Damage and Heat Loss – 3-hour block presented by David Goldstein Defensive Report Writing – 1-hour block presented by David Goldstein Street Creep – 2-hour block presented by David Birenbaum, PE & ASHI ACI New Construction – 2-hour block present by David Goldstein
COMMERCIAL INSPECTION CLASS
When: November 3-4, 2019 CEUs: ASHI 16 CEs The commercial inspection class is an ASTM/ASHI hybrid commercial inspection class taught by David Goldstein. Contact: Mark Goodman 314-409-3991
JOIN THE TEAM OF PRESENTERS AT IW NEW ORLEANS 2020 CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS IS NOW OPEN INSPECTIONWORLD® NEW ORLEANS, JANUARY 19-22, 2020
will provide a forum for attendees to learn the profession’s best practices and to expand their knowledge, improve their professional skills and explore emerging issues relevant to the profession. ASHI invites those interested in presenting at InspectionWorld New Orleans to submit a proposal for review by the IW Education Committee. Locate a Call for Presentations form at www.homeinspector.org under Education. Complete the form electronically and submit it with materials.
THE DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY, MARCH 15, 2019 Contact Michele George at micheleg@ashi.org with questions.
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ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
MARCH ANNIVERSARIES
CURRENT ASHI MEMBERSHIP
Twenty–five Years
Fifteen Years
Five Years
R. Steve Boersma Richard Healy Paul Hutt Michael LaBarre Tom Maides John Quintal Todd Radloff Robert Ripke Kevin Rose Kelly Thompson Robert Walstead James Zack James Zaloudek
Scott Barnett Bobby Beers Mike Blackman Arnold A. Bojak Michael J. Brooks Scott Cowan Manass Hochstetler Jim Hughes David Jolly Eric Mills Jason P. Mitchell David Roos Rob Wetterstroem M. Earl Whatley Rod T Whittington Jerry Woznyj Michael Yeager
Bruce Albach Jon W. Anderson Darrin Bachman Christopher J. Bandy Arthur Bateman Pat Cosentini Derrek Denard Brian J. Dressler Barry Eliason Rick Glassman Frank Glomb Jay W. Gorder Michael Larry Gray Adam D. Jones James A. Jones III Bob Kadera John Kline Dan Lindeman Duane Longenecker Michae S. Lovell H. Tyler Mahley Andres Martinez Ken Mitchell Michael S. Olszewski Raymond Overton Travis Palser Anthony Perjanik Tyler Potter Alex Seligsohn Vincent E. Wesney Ryan White Donny Williams
Twenty Years Michael J Ambrose Stephen L. Ballasch Kevin Bird Joseph Cmar Shannon Cory Michael Edmonds Dale Feb Jonathan Haven Scott Johnson John Miller Bruce Spencer Niemi Fred Root Tony Signorello
Ten Years Michael Cantor Steve Carroll Geoffrey Clark Randy Freiburg John Grinnan Brian C. Henley Dave Jobe Richard Pack Marcus L Richter, ACI John Schneider Bud Stanton William H. Tuthill
ASHI Certified Inspectors: 3,427 Inspectors: 231 Associates: 4029 Retired Members: 114 Affiliates: 75 Total: 7,876 Members as of 2/10/2019
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
ASHI MEMBERSHIP BENEFIT PROGRAMS ASHI-ENDORSED PROGRAMS ASHI’s E&O InsuranceProgram: InspectorPro Insurance inspectorproinsurance.com/ashi/ 866-916-9419
ASHI Customer Appreciation Program: Moverthankyou.com Brent Skidmore, 864-386-2763 www.moverthankyou.com Brent@POWRsoft.com
ASHI Personal Lines Insurance Program: Liberty Mutual www.libertymutual.com/ashi
HomeAdvisor.com Brett Symes, 913-529-2683 www.homeadvisor.com ashi@homeadvisor.com
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
LegalShield Joan Buckner, 505-821-3971 buckner.legalshieldassociate. com buckner@legalshieldassociate. com
ASHI Service Program BuildFax Tricia Julian, 877-600-BFAX x161 TJulian@BuildFax.com www.buildfax.com http://go.buildfax.com/ASHI
InspectionContracts.com Dave Goldstein, 800-882-6242 www.inspectioncontracts.com david@inspectoreducation.com 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
PLATINUM PROVIDER Millionaire Inspector Community Mike Crow www.mikecrow.com dreamtime@mikecrow.com Mention that you are an ASHI member.
ASHI-ENDORSED EXAMS ASHI Standard and Ethics Education Module Go to www.homeinspector.org, click on Education, 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
MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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35
Marketing Focus
MARKETING FOCUS
BUILDING A REFERRAL STRATEGY By Alan Carson, President, Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd.
T
his is my favorite inspection: an agent who knows us well books an inspection either online or over the phone in less than five minutes. There is no selling, no negotiation, no explaining features or discussing fees or limitations. It is easy, fast and pleasant. The inspection goes smoothly because the client is well-prepared by the agent who knows what to expect. The report is well-received, and the client is delighted, again because expectations are aligned. That’s why referral inspections are my favorite!
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ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
When people refer a client to you, it is a great compliment and it suggests a strong relationship. Referrals are simply a great source of business. Most home inspectors like doing business that does not require a marketing or a sales process. Referrals are very powerful.
Referrals build your business because they are repetitive, creating a revenue stream rather than a single inspection event. They are inexpensive in that they are not like buying advertising. However, referrals require a significant time commitment, good communication and a consistently high level of operations. Referrals are earned, not solicited. You have to make the commitment and put in the time.
Marketing Focus
Alan Carson is President of Carson Dunlop, which is the creator of the ASHI@HOME Training Program, the Home Reference Book and Horizon Inspection Software. www.carsondunlop.com
WHO HOW TIME RELATIONSHIPS THANK YOU
Staying in touch and maintaining a relationship with clients can be an excellent referral strategy
WHO
Most inspectors think of real estate agents when they think of referrals. We would suggest that the best referral relationships are top-producing agents—those who do the most business and are the most professional. We should point out that it is sometimes difficult to reach the very top agents because they are often well insulated by their teams, and can be difficult to contact and build a relationship with directly. The very top agents also may be set in their ways, following a formula that works well for them. Who can blame them? For many of us, working with strong second-tier agents makes good sense. Plus, there are more of these agents than the very top producers.
There are lots of ways to identify the agents you want to target. The conventional wisdom is to stay in the top 20 percent. Here is a statistic that startled me: Our real estate board has more than 45,000 members. Roughly 50 percent of those members average less than one transaction per year. That provides a strong clue as to where you should focus your efforts.
HERE’S ANOTHER WAY TO BUILD YOUR REFERRAL NETWORK: Ask the agents you work with if there are others in their organization who would be a good fit for you. Like-minded people tend to come together. Referrals also can come from many other sectors. Lenders, attorneys and mortgage brokers are examples of allied professionals working on real estate transactions. For some inspectors, these are significant sources of business. Service providers also can be referral partners. These might include your contacts who work for mold remediation companies, those in radon mitigation, HVAC contractors and others who help people solve home-related problems.
An often-overlooked referral source is your client base. Many inspectors think that because people only buy a home every few years, it does not make sense to keep in touch. We believe that staying in touch and maintaining a relationship with clients can be an excellent referral strategy. Although the client may not be buying a home for several years, the odds are high that a family member, friend or work colleague will buy a home. If your name is at the front of the mind of your past clients, and if they believe you bring great value, they are very likely to refer you to others. There are many products and services available to home inspectors that make it easy to stay in touch with clients and provide real, ongoing value. ASHI is a great resource in this regard. Another referral source can be the home inspectors in your working area. Do you have someone with whom you share work when you are too busy or on vacation? Is the relationship reciprocal? Do you trust each other not to steal each other’s inspections? I much prefer the word “colleague” to “competitor.” This creates a win for both of you. Raising the bar in this profession helps everyone.
HOW
We’ve talked about some of the people with whom we like to develop referral relationships. How do we go about it? Strategies with the real estate community might include one-on-one meetings with successful agents at their convenience, on their turf, perhaps over a meal. This is a first step. You need to make the ongoing effort to develop the relationship.
You might consider joining, and actively participating in, real estate community boards and associations of other allied professions. Business networking groups are another tool. Be selective; look for groups with strong players that are important to you. Again, here is a gentle reminder that it takes time to build relationships. MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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Marketing Focus
WHAT WORDS COME TO MIND WHEN ENVISIONING A GOOD REFERRAL PARTNER? Honest, reliable, positive, problem-solver, solution-oriented, empathetic, generous, accommodating, non-judgmental, patient, easy to work with. TWO-WAY STREET
The best referral relationships are a two-way street. You may not be able to provide referrals in return, but you have to offer something of value. It might be a service you provide or some other form of consideration. It may be fulfilling the role of technical expert, providing answers to technical questions for agents and their clients. It might mean solving problems based on a phone call and a photo. It might mean free advice or reviewing another home inspection report to help provide clarification. (We never bad-mouth other inspectors.) It might include being available after hours. Referral relationships typically include supporting people’s events, perhaps by contributing, perhaps by participating. Playing a role in firsttime buyers’ seminars, providing continuing education and sponsoring events are all strategies to build a strong referral network.
The world needs more unbiased, trusted advisors. You are uniquely positioned to be just that.
WHAT PEOPLE LOOK FOR
What words come to mind when envisioning a good referral partner? Honest, reliable, positive, problem-solver, solution-oriented, empathetic, generous, accommodating, non-judgmental, patient, easy to work with—and more along these lines. You have to live these words to build relationships that result in referral business.
When people refer a client, you have a responsibility to take great care of them. You should exceed the client’s expectations and make the person who referred you look like a hero for referring you. Treating clients like a favorite relative is never a bad idea and is particularly important in this situation.
When you have a strong relationship, you can be proactive when there is bad news on an inspection. You can deliver it honestly and evenly without fear of repercussions. The difficult discussions are much easier when you have a relationship. When it comes to difficult discussions, provide perspective and solutions. You are in the problem-solving business, not the problem business.
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ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
SAY THANK YOU
Say thank you in meaningful ways. Email or text is not ideal. Take some time to think about what is important to them—a Starbucks gift card might seem like an easy answer, but it does not make an ideal gift if the recipient doesn’t drink coffee. One size does not fit all! Personal and thoughtful gifts speak volumes. In my experience, the power of a handwritten note has not been lost.
IT TAKES TIME
We mentioned earlier that good referral relationships are earned. We should add that they are not earned overnight. Trust builds over time. It is never given instantly. The bad news is that it takes a while. The good news is that so do most other effective business strategies. It is a chronic failure among small businesses to bounce from strategy to strategy looking for instant results. The frequent, impatient conclusion is that business development efforts don’t work. The reality is that we should plant the seeds, even if it will take time for them to grow, and remember to nurture them along the way.
CONCLUSION
Building a referral strategy should be a key business development activity. It is not complicated, but it is not easy. It takes time and thought. There are several ideas in this article. It’s best to select a couple of ideas that feel right and concentrate on those, rather than trying to do a bit of everything and not doing anything well. We encourage you to make referrals part of your business growth strategy.
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NEW POSTCARDS EMAIL! Please send your name, city, state, photos, headings & captions to: postcards@ashi.org
Postcards from the Field r… up your ca Warming ay w d ashione the old f
ACE BRADLEY GR ome Inspection H a m ba All Ala L A , va do or C
The always refreshi ng “Barf” shower
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.
Do you sme ll smoke?
CHRIS KENN ED Kennedy Hom Y e Cumming, GA Inspection
’s new Rubbermaid e cover of receptacl ro rp e h t a e w
DAVE BELL cC M ammon, ID
CHRIS MCDOUGALL Apex Home Inspection Aromas, CA
ut Talk abo nd” er grou “improp
CKER GARY TU pection s In r Tucke , CA le il v ry e m E 40
ASHI Reporter • FEBRUARY 2019
All stacked up
JEFFREY AMOS Peace of Mind Home Ins pections Florence, MS
3
MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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NEW POSTCARDS EMAIL! Please send your name, city, state, photos, headings & captions to: postcards@ashi.org
Postcards from the Field What’s that? Chimney cap?
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.
Living on t he edge
JIM HYNES JH Building LLC Brighton, MI
JIM Home Pro Prof YOUNG ession Home Inspec al Cleveland Hei tions ghts, OH
Adapt. Improvise. Overcome.
mbing HomeOwner Plu DIY Special
MATTHEW MORGAN Morgan Home Inspection Hoopeston, IL
dry… ement is The bas for now.
IELLO RICHARD A Inspection LLC e I-Spy Hom A M Winthrop,
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ASHI Reporter • FEBRUARY 2019
MATTHEW STEGER on WIN Home Inspecti Elizabethtown, PA
Never buy before see the hom you e…
ROGER D’ANGI NA RTD Home an d Building Insp ections Crooksville, OH
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MARCH 2019 • www.ASHIReporter.org
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Report Writing
REPORT WRITING MADE EASIER: KNOW THE MEANINGS OF THE WORDS YOU USE Keith Swift, PhD
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.
Many years ago, at an inspection conference, I was enjoying a conversation with an executive of a national company that was insuring me, while we sipped frosty beers. A disclaimer in my reports repeated the word “mold” and he was concerned. It’s a word that everyone understands and one with which I was familiar with growing up in the damp climate of England I wanted to continue using it, but he cautioned me against using it. “You have to be careful,” he warned, “because you’re not a specialist, you’re a building inspector, a generalist.”
We both knew that we weren’t talking about common sense anymore, but about legal jargon. “Alright,” I said, “what would you want me to say?” Perhaps inspired by a few more sips of beer, he asked: “Why not just say a dark stain or an unusual substance?”
I considered it and saw how common sense was being eclipsed by legal concerns. “Okay,” I said, “I can see where this is going, and maybe one day I’ll find myself pointing to a dark stain under a sink and saying to a client: ‘See that? It’s a biological organism of unknown origin that needs to be identified by an industrial hygienist within the contingency period, and for which I disclaim any further responsibility whatsoever.’” 44
ASHI Reporter • MARCH 2019
We chuckled and resolved our friendly dispute when I agreed not to use the word “mold” by itself but instead use the phrase “a mold-like substance.” I was satisfied because I could still use the word “mold,” but only sampling and laboratory analysis can actually confirm if a substance is indeed mold or just a harmless stain.
Now let’s consider the use of some other abstract words. Many years ago, shortly after being drawn into a bogus mold lawsuit with several others, I received four identical letters from my insurance company’s adjusters. The letters warned about a threat to things I’d worked hard for and cherished, but the threat was cleverly muted in carefully chosen words and phrases. Pay attention to the use of abstract words in this long sentence: If coverage is available to you, the claimant’s demand may be substantially in excess of the limits of liability under the terms and provisions of your policy of insurance, and assuming a judgement or verdict is obtained in excess of said limits of liability, your own personal assets could be looked upon to satisfy any such judgement or verdict.
Continued on Page 46
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Report Writing
Continued from Page 44 “Your own personal assets,” the writer says. What a mouthful, what a waste of words. As soon as the writer used the word “your,” the “assets” were confirmed to be my “own” and “personal.” Why not simply say “your assets,” two words that deliver the same meaning as four? I’ll tell you why—this is what I wrote on this subject in my book Inspect and Protect (available at www.lulu.com): Lawsuits are all about words, and I happen to be interested in words and pay close attention to them, so let me explain how these phrases were carefully constructed so as not to awaken the primitive animal that lurks just beneath my skin and that of most civilized people. For this reason, professionals choose their words very cautiously. For instance, a doctor might say that he intends “to make an incision in your abdomen,” but he certainly won’t say that he intends “to slice open your belly,” and legal professionals are no different. Subjects are concealed through the use of the passive voice instead of the active, and the real meaning is hidden in words derived from Greek and Latin instead of the more common Anglo-Saxon ones. Consider these phrases taken from the form letters: “looked upon,” “personal assets,” and “satisfy a judgement.” They’re abstract words that don’t name things that exist in the real world in the way that concrete words do. And what they do is attempt to disguise a very real threat to the things that I cherish. Can you imagine what I might do if I was told that someone might try to take the modest house I’d installed a roof on and renovated with my bare hands, and the classic Jaguar I’d lovingly restored, or the money I’d worked hard to save over the years?
By this time, you’ve probably noticed some interesting things about words and how their use can help someone to become a better writer. And you’ve seen how some legal language has nothing to do with effective communication, about revealing things, but more often about concealing things. But let’s get back to talking about report writing—I frequently rely on the advice in George Orwell’s essay “Politics and the English Language,” and in a more recent work by William Zinsser, On Writing Well (Harper & Row Publishers, New York).
Zinsser states that the secret to good writing is simplicity, which means getting rid of words that do not contribute to the meaning, getting rid of what he calls “clutter.” For instance, think about what a waste of words it is to say: “In my personal opinion,” or “I’d like to take this opportunity” or “it should be pointed out,” and many other phrases. It’s even more wasteful to inflate one’s writing—for instance, to say “we were currently experiencing precipitation” when one could write “it was raining.” This leads us back to one of Orwell’s most astute observations: “The greatest enemy of clear language is insincerity.” So be yourself, be sincere and don’t use big words when small words will do. Now, let’s explore organization, which is fundamental to good writing and facilitates understanding. It really doesn’t matter which organizational principle you use as long as you use one. For instance, the movement can be from general to specific, from large to small, from outside to inside, or simply movement in a logical sequence that’s often anticipated by words in the last sentence of a paragraph that are repeated in the first sentence of one that follows.
Here’s an example on the subject of roofs, which appeared in every report when I was doing inspections. It’s not the best example, but it’s mine, and you’re welcome to use or adapt all or any part of it. There are many different roof types, which I commonly evaluate by walking on their surfaces. If I’m unable or unwilling to walk on a roof, I’ll explain the method I used to evaluate it. Every roof will wear differently relative to its type and age, the quality of its material, and the regularity of its maintenance. When it comes to leaks and regardless of its design life, every roof is only as dependable as its waterproof membrane, which is concealed and cannot be examined without removing the primary covering, and this is true of almost all roofs. In fact, the majority of roofs are not designed to be waterproof and only water-resistant. However, what remains true of all roofs is that although they can be evaluated, it’s virtually impossible for anyone to detect a leak except as it’s occurring or by specific water tests, which are beyond the scope of my service. Even water stains on ceilings or on framing within attics could be old and would not necessarily confirm an active leak without corroborative evidence, and such evidence can be deliberately concealed. Consequently, only installers can credibly guarantee that a roof won’t leak, and they do. I evaluate every roof conscientiously and may even attempt to estimate its age, but I will never predict its life expectancy or guarantee that it won’t leak. Naturally, the sellers or the occupants of a residence generally have the most intimate knowledge of a roof and its maintenance history. Therefore, I recommend you ask the sellers about the roof and that you include comprehensive roof coverage in your home protection policy or that you obtain a roof-certification from an established local roofing company.
This is one example of expository prose and an organizing principle that moves from general to specific. This was not a narrative written at the time of a report, but one that prints automatically with all my reports, to educate clients and contribute to a legal defense. This means, of course, that there’s time to prepare and refine such prose.
Meanwhile, be prepared to write small sentences, be yourself, be sincere and stay away from big words and passive constructions. Say what you have to say with simple words in short sentences and get rid of every word that’s not essential to the meaning. I suppose I could have said this at the beginning of this article, but I hope that you have enjoyed reading these examples and suggestions to help you improve your report writing. In the words of an ancient Chinese aphorism: First the feathers, and then flight. If you need a little help or want to chat about the industry, I am a retired home inspector with time on my hands. I can be reached by email at keithswift2@gmail.com or by phone at 208-916-8263.