RSpermo

I do not believe you should run a heat pump in the heating cycle above a certain degrees.

NFPA 72 - Smoke detector on a ceiling shall be no closer than 4" to the adjoining wall.

Randy, It does not require a HERS rating. The requirements are set by Austin Energy and are a toatl leakage duct blaster test and a specific energy audit checklist. I am on the approved list but have not yet done any. I think it will take about 1 1/2 hrs plus 30-45 mins at the computer filling out the report for $200 - $300.

In order to make these "inspections" economically feasible they have to be located in a small geographic area. To do 14 in an 8 mile radius is good but 5 in a 120 mile radius is bad! I did them for awhile but south Texas is too large, the diagrams required for large houses were time consuming and it was not worth the time spent/required.

Let me gently offer: If the NEC is going to require AFCIs, and TREC is going to require that you "write up" TX houses without AFCIs, do you really want to tell clients that "this is not a large safety concern?" That's a hard -- well, impossible -- position to back up. If, heaven forbid, a house you inspected burns down, what will you say when it comes time to back up your "not a large safety concern" statement? Why not just tell the customers what NEC and TREC say, and let NEC and TREC hold the hot potato(es)? Why offer a personal opinion when citing respected authorities would work better? WJ Should I also tell them that 14 gauge wire is no longer allowed in their jurisdiction? Should I have them install the new tamper resistent receptacles? Should I apologize to them because I have to rip off a shingle to see the nailing pattern (a new TREC rule)? Why don't I write it up if in their 20 year old house their smoke alarms are not wired together? I do explain to them the reason behind the 2008 NEC AFCI requirement. The problem with the rule is that I am required to write this particular "code violation" on every house no matter when it was built. Inspectors have said for years that they are not code inspectors and I avoid that word as much as I can. I do not think this "write-up" makes the house any safer but it does put concern in the buyer's mind. I guess my problem is why did TREC pick this one particular code area to singlke out. It is also impossible to retrofit many panels with AFCIs.

THe 2008 NEC requires AFCIs in all living spaces not protected by GFCIs for new constrcution.. I know there is still a question about bath and kitchen light circuits. The agency that licenses us in Texas (TREC) requires us to "write-up" older houses which are not AFCI protected (almost every house). I tell my clients this is not a large safety concern and live with what you have! Many panels cannot accomodate the AFCI breaker.

A pre-pour inspection as part of the county inspection program is a phase inspection. You need to be a licensed inspector, a TRCC approved third party inspector or an engineer to do a phase inspection. I let the designing engineering firm do the slab preparation inspection - they design, they inspect it and they are responsible! If I do anything as part of the pre-pour I measure the drains (IAW the plan), check for electrical conduits, ground, plumbing rough-in, etc. Who would inspect for? The builder or the buyer. You need to research the TREC and TRCC rules.

Try buying 130 volt bulbs rather trhan the standard 125 volt bulbs.

I interpret the 2008 NEC as requiring all receptacles in the garage to be GFCI protected. It does not grant an exception for the garage door openers.

Do you just use BTUs to determine if the furnace is sized correctly? Is there any consideration given to ceiling and wall insulation and to window U-factors and SHG? Do you do a blower door and duct blaster to check the leakage? I do not think using BTUs alone will give use an accurate answer. Use Manual J to properly size a ubit.