AbsoluteInspector

I made my own, using microsoft word I made a large detailed template for narratives and pics and then added hundreds and hundreds of text fill boxes and drop down lists of pre written narratives, it took me a very very long time to create the whole thing but it didn't cost me anything.

Not yet

My residential reports are guaranteed within 24 hours of the end of the inspection (but I usually get them there that evening after the inspection)

I am a home inspector for about two years now in the Saint Louis area. One thing I have had a very difficult time with while trying to constantly become a better inspector is estimating the age of the roof shingles, and it seems to be one of the most common questions I get. I can obviously tell when shingles are at or near the end of their useful life and I can also tell when they are less than six months old or so but everywhere in the middle is very hard for me to be sure and I often try to guess if my client really wants to know (while also notifying them that I can in no way be certain) but I don't want to have to guess at all. How confident are some of you at estimating the shingle age and how do you do it and how do you express that to your client?

Thanks for the assurance by the way I thought I was right I just wanted to be sure, I always wonder about that tinned copper cause I have never seen it and I don't want to mistake it for aluminum.

Well I have seen aluminum a couple of times on the entire home (been inspecting for just slightly over two years now) and I have a narrative I put in there for that to use all the proper connections and have it inspected every year by an electrician, but in this case these circuits only go to DIY electrical work in strapping (without finished walls in the basement) and I am going to recommend it be entirely removed and properly installed with permits by a licensed electrician.

Inspected a home today and I think it might have aluminum branch wiring but I am not 100% sure. The reason I am not positive is because the vast majority of the box is obviously copper but there are a select few breakers that look aluminum (however I know they make coated wiring that kind of looks aluminum even though it isn't) and because the diameter still looks 14 gauge and not 12 gauge but I only eyeballed it. This home had a lot of shoddy DIY work and I am thinking he added aluminum wiring to the bottom of the box for an addition in the basement and I just want to be sure it's not just some type of coated 14 gauge copper before I advise my client. Click to Enlarge 62.08 KB Click to Enlarge 58.94 KB Click to Enlarge 82.86 KB

Thanks for the link, I am always looking for places to expand my knowledge.

thanks

Thanks I don't need any CE credits but I am relatively new to the inspection industry and Im always looking for places to expand my knowledge.

AL along with a few other online promoters have started calling me relentlessly, I have told them several times to stop calling with no effect, at this point I can recognize their numbers and simply not answer. If you have to work that hard to get customers what your selling probably isn't worth what youre charging.

I would be so afraid the seal on that plastic would break

I've only been inspecting for about a year and a half but I saw this large antennae in the attic, it looks much newer than anything else in the attic and I can't think of anything it could be hurting I was just wondering if an antennae would properly work in an attic, if so why doesn't every antennae go there? Click to Enlarge 37.54 KB

where I live that is not code but even if it is a code requiring a fan there even if there is a window it shouldn't apply to you unless it's new construction.

Can they even be "seen" I was always under the impression they were very very small and were usually discovered only after symptoms.

I've never come across that before, but now I need it for my living room.

I just came across a home last week with a huge leak from a missing facia board near the ridge running snow and rain right into the attic and through a huge hole in the living room ceiling (they didn't need an inspector to spot that) It was all iced over at the time.

Ive never seen that in my area but I would imagine if there is nothing to seal between the brick and wood it will rot over time without a doubt and I would mention it for sure.

I am relatively new to home inspections but I am pretty sure this is a problem and wondering how others would write this up? There is insulation paper in contact with the HVAC combustion ventilation from the furnace, I know this paper is designed to be very ignition and combustion resistant but I am pretty sure there is a required clearance from the vent that applies to anything, however it looks as though it has been there for very long (50 year old home) and hasn't caught fire yet. I wrote it up as potential Asbestos paper (that couldn't be confirmed without laboratory testing) that is breaking clearance requirements from the HVAC combustion vent and is a potential fire hazard. Click to Enlarge 20.67 KB

Definitely check for water damage if there was none I would just not a precaution in the report that they should recess it or put a panel to block it from the window.

They're very expensive, personally I wouldn't bother, I either walk the roof or if it's very steep or bad weather conditions I just climb a ladder up to the roof in three or four spots and see as much as I can see from there which is probably more than I would see with that camera and I'll save a load of money.

I have always just used Microsoft word in a template that I created when I started but it takes me about 3-4 hours to write each report to my satisfaction, I have been considering learning some reporting software myself to cut that down to 2 hours or less.

That's some lazy plumbing, I saw some long runs held up by duct tape one time, wish I still had the picture in my records.

I thought it might be something like that, thank you

2006