Chris Bernhardt

I think your right now that I think about it. I did write the service up for no drip loop and exposed service points and no sealant around the mast. Chris, Oregon

I certainly didn't mean to imply that someone other than a qualifed electrician work on the panel. But not all electicians just because they are licensed are qualified to evaluate stuff. I have certainly talked to my share who didn't apparently know the NEC very well. I can't imagine why it would be reasonable to say that rust on terminals is OK. As for the moisture source, that was a mystery. I couldn't see how the moisture had got there. The panel was down in a finished basement and the rust was only on one side of the panel mainly being right on the breakers. Chris, Oregon

Those questions came up because I was looking thru a copy of "Performing Residential Plumbing Inspections" published by the ICC. Their section on sump pumps and sewage pumps indicated that the inspector should check that the pumps were on their own circuit and GFI protected with the exception of sump pumps and that the sewage ejector needed a high water alarm. I couldn't glean from the Oregon code where they were requiring those items to be checked for. Chris, Oregon

I guess I can always write these up for an electrician to evaluate and determine the course of action but I was curious since the NEC says that you can't use a cleaner or do anything that might cause damage and there is the potential here for things I can't see and possibly future contact problems. Shouldn't one just replace the breakers to clear all doubt? Download Attachment: jse_IMG_8278.jpg 49.18 KB Chris, Oregon

Is the ejector pump required to be on its own circuit? Is the ejector pump required to be GFI protected? Is the ejector sump required to have a high level alarm? This appeared to be required under the IRC but not the IAPMO adopted by Oregon. Chris, Oregon

Hmm, those do look like gas connectors and certainly you can't use any corregated flex connector on the TPR like that but there are SS connectors approved for potable water supply use although the ones that I have seen have a larger OD. Chris, Oregon.

Thanks, Kurt The problem that I am trying to get to in all this is our (Oregon's)SOP requires us to indicate whether or not the item of inspection is satisfactory or not and functioning as intended. If a handrail was suppose to have returns on it per the code of the time and it does not then based on the amazing inspection reports that I have seen written up by inspectors playing expert witness someone will say that I should have reported it as not functioning as intended etc. Its because of those guys that I find myself questioning every contravention that I see as to my liability in reporting it or not. These guys sometimes go berserk citing code and standards some that don't even apply because they weren't required at the time of construction. Now I know that a lot of HI's will say "Hey! We don't due code!". Well fine. I use to say the same thing but... I am in business to serve the needs of my clients and at the same time I have to meet the minimum requirements of our SOP. My clients expect me to point out contraventions that might affect them and explain them. Thats why they hire me over the check list/broiler plate guy that might work for less. I remember when in Oregon they were instituting continuing education for HI's that an inspector complained at one of the Construction Contractor Board meetings about giving credit to inspectors who take building code courses. the complaint was that that would lead to the inevitability of inspectors writing up contraventions of the code and raising the standard of care. A person on the board replied in shock why wouldn't you inform your client on contraventions of the code? I mean isn't that in part what you are being hired to do? I think that the example of a handrail missing a return is a good example of a pretty petty contravention and a point of discussion as there are many arbitrary things like this in the building codes where I have never heard of the lack of which has caused injury or damage. I don't know why returns are required but I can imagine that the reason is that people have hung themselves up on the ends of handrails and have been injured. I know I have. Chris, Oregon

Any idea about when handrails on stairs were required to be returned to the wall and does any body write them up if they are not on older construction? I can only go as far back as the 88 UBC and they were required then. For the sake of argument if they were required thru the 70's and a 70's house you were looking at had a handrail that was not returned to wall would your write it up for correction. It seems petty I know. After all on some of the older homes I am lucky to even see a handrail even if its not returned. Chris, Oregon

It would seem that in some cases a light fixture other than a pendant type fixture in dining areas etc. projecting below 7' might be suceptable to causing injury or being its self damaged. Does anyone every write them up? I feel the need to at least comment on it to try and avoid liability if some relative of the client walks into it. I normally only find this kind of stuff where home owner has changed out the original fixture. Chris, Oregon

NEC 110.12 © states "Internal parts of electrical equipment ... shall not be ... comtaminated by foreign materials..." now this might be a dumb question but it seams to me that smoke comtamination from a fire, in this case in the garage, would be comtamination from a foreign material. What should an inspector recommend? A) Beat the electician to the punch and recommend panel replacement. B)Recommend licensed electrician to evaluate panel and determine course of corrective action. C)Neither one - some other statement. Chris, Oregon

For some reason I have it in my head that there is a minimum height that a light fixture must be in rooms. Now I know the limitations in closets and bathrooms (wet/damp areas) but I thought that there were limitations for how far a light fixture mounted on a ceiling could be above the floor but can't seem to find anything in the NEC. What I have found is IRC Section R305.1 Minimum Height "... The required height shall be measured from the finish floor to the lowest projection from the ceiling..." But does that imply that light fixtures should not project below 7'? Chris, Oregon

Our Oregon code specifically states that you need to install backwater valve or swing check valve followed by a full way gate valve on the outlet side of the ejector and that these need to be accessible for inspection and service and protected against freezing. I looked at an ejector on a new house this last weekend and there was no visible check valve of any kind and they used a PVC ball valve which was accessible for inspection but not for service since they had asphalted around the small box housing it. Now my questions are these - Should I be seeing a non-corrosive metal bodied swing check valve? I say it that way since there are spring loaded PVC check valves which I believe are not approved for use on sewage ejectors. Also should I be looking for a full way non-corrosive metal gate valve and not some PVC ball valve? And this "full way" business, what does that mean to imply? The PVC ball valves appear to open full way when fully open. Uh, you can tell I am not a plumber. Chris, Oregon

Does anyone attempt to lift up tabs and try and make some assesment as to whether the shingles are properly fastened? Do your look for shiners in the attic and check tar stip adherance all to asess wind resistance? I had a complaint a few months back where the shingles were flying off of roof I inspected. We don't usually have yearly problems with high winds in my area but in the last couple of years we have. This last week I lost 2 bundles of 3 tab shingles on my own roof! We have had years of relative calm and in that time we have had a lot of dumbass fly by nighter roofers nailing on shingles every which way except the prescibed way. I think the cheap 3 tab that they are still throwing on the roofs around here are lucky to make it thru 30 mile an hour winds. From my experience laminated shingles are far more wind resistant. I have been thinking about going with shangles for my own roof. My guess is that in tornado and huricaine contry the roofers do a better job in general then around here but I could be mistaken about that one. Chris, Oregon

When were backflow prevention devices first required at exterior faucets? Does anyone write up older construction without them? Chris, Oregon

Pretty cool but I noticed that it lacks common associations in the construction industry but I imagine this would be true with any sub group and of course with any standard thesaurus. For example I was expecting a link between horizontal and lateral and settlement and consolidation etc. What would be cool is a wikipedia like version where we could edit it to include word associations common in our industry. Chris, Oregon

When Inspecting new construction I do bring to the attention of my clients certain kinds of cosmetic issues. For example uneven door margins or door margins too wide, warped doors or doors not closing flush or not latching properly, separations in jamb joints, cracks in the strike side edge about the strike bolt etc. The clients often ask for it to be included in the report. In some cases the issues are covered in the NAHB Residential Construction Performance Guidelines but as anyone who has read them knows that their standards are rediculously relaxed where it comes to fit & finish. For the sake of my clients I would like to know how I might write narrative that best addresses these issues so that they are not just swatted down as being cosmetic. What suggestions can you give me? Chris, Oregon

What a pain. I hate these. I never know quite what to do. If its easy I will spin in a new bulb or rather an adapted 3 light tester. But so many times taking the fixtures a part to check the socket and thus the circuit is not practicle, unsafe or could cause damage. Realtors and sellers have complained when I do report it as "too picky" and its just a burnt out bulb. But sometimes its not. What say yee on how best to write these up or not? Chris, Oregon

Jim pointed out something to me that hit me like a ton of bricks concerning absent mindingly writing in concession statements. It's like shooting your self in the foot. This has caused me a lot of grief cause it allows the seller a way out. "will, there you go. I guess I don't really have to do that thing that there inspector is saying should be done". Another one that Kurt mentioned was failing to state the facts. I have certainly commited this sin dancing on the issue but not reporting the facts. I am well aware of K.I.S.S but I asking for comment beyond that. What are some of the principles that we might be guided by in writing good HI narative competently? What mistakes do inspectors commonly make in writing narrative? What say yee?

Hi Jim, I think Housewisperer made the comment in another thread but I might be mistaken. Anyway, the context is home inspections and writing narrative in general. I think I understand hyperbole but editorializing I wasn't sure. One of the things that I have tried to stop doing was guessing from the facts. For example if there is a hole in the ceiling in the kitchen, I had said "theres a hole in the kitchen ceiling probably from a prior leak" only to find out later that it was due to a moved light fixture. So now if I see a hole in the ceiling I describe the hole and in absence of any other evidence I usually make the suggestion to inquire with the seller concerning the history of the hole. But editorializing I think goes beyond this and reports on issues where the evidence simply does not support that conclusion or sometimes any conclusion yet. Housewisper also indicated that a benefit of having a glossary was that it helped an inspector not fall into editorializing by not having to explain the words one was using while writing narrative. Uh, I think. So, what I think is that editorializing is a combination of several things with respect to inspection narrative: 1) Forming opinions not soundly based on the facts i.e.speculation. 2) Elaboration of issues without stating the facts. 3) Obfuscating the narrative with explanations as to what the words mean. 4) Providing concessions which you so excellently pointed out. Now some or all of these points may not be editorializing and be called something else "like bad report writing" You can consider me that kid in class who doesn't get it and seems to make things too complicated. I appologize for that but its just the way my mind works. I am trying to reform my poor writing. For anyone to comment, Is there a top 10 list of mistakes inspectors make in writing narrative so to speak that you can share? Chris, Oregon

Does anyone make it a point to alert thier clients to the presence of unsealed, uninsulated heating ducts even if they are in satisfactory original condition? I do report the heat distribution type which would include noting that the heating distribution system was rigid metal and either insulated or not but I have not heard of whether older systems should be described as unsealed. Now remember I am emerging from an inspection bubble so if its a rediculous question please forgive me. Chris, Oregon

Uh, I pleading ignorant here. What is meant by editorializing? Chris, Oregon

Well thats the way I am feeling now. The advice first set off a few 60 watt bulbs and then later when I was reviewing what I had written at a reinspection I was performing those 60 watters grue into arc lamps and that knot in my stomach tigtened up, you know the one you get when you receive a demand letter from a client or his lawyer. Just about every item that the seller waffled on was due to some dumbass consesion statement I had in the narrative. I have been humbled. I know its been said over and over again "state whats wrong" but like kurt said its funny how we can go on and on and never say that. ugh Chris, Oregon

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! It probably would have taken me another 10 years in my bubble to get a brain. Uh, not saying I got a brain now but at least I have a new path to one. Chris, Oregon

Thanks, Les I have inspected a number of this builders homes and like many builders this guy considers home inspectors like flys on dung. I know its not well written and I know both the client and the realtor pretty well. For a unfamiliar client and realtor I would have been more formal. But I get the "we" thing. I tend to use that too much and need to shed it. The "some" was a good point. I use "some" and "a number of" a lot so the seller doesn't pin me down to a specific number or location. This happens a lot with siding issues, outlets and the such. but there are probably other ways of writing to cover my concerns and be more accurate and clear which I hope to learn here. Chris, Oregon

This is how I wrote it up. OK now, swing away! To those about to rock we salute you. I spent some time before I wrote it and tried to really figure out a better way of doing these particularly joint details better then just to let the WRB do it. This same brand newly constructed house had no insulation in the attic and had passed final inspection. Chris, Oregon