mcramer

Ya, some of them even have all their teeth!

Those have integral backflow preventers.

Grounding of the service has nothing to do with grounding of receptacles. The receptacles are "grounded" by connecting them to the grounded conductor at the service. They will be "grounded" even if a ground rod or water line is not connected to the service. Don't worry, it only takes about 10 years to understand these concepts.

That's easy. Define the term you use to descrive things as OK in your pre-inspection agreement. Then it doesn't matter what the words are, you and the client have agreed upon their meaning.

Obviously, math is not among your strong points. Actually math isn't my strong point, but I just didn't do the math here at all before posting, which is why I missed this. I struggled to get the A's in Calculus 1,2,& 3 and the A's in statistics, thermodynamics, etc. I got my undergrad in engineering with nearly a 3.8 GPA. No, I am not the smartest math guy out there, but with an IQ of 130, I survive the math ok. But...thanks for being so kind to point out my error! No offense intended, it just made me laugh.

Obviously, math is not among your strong points.

You guys need to actually read your Code books. The 3-2-10 rule is for solid fuel chimneys, not gas B vents. B vent can be as low as 1' above the roof, depending on slope. Clearance from a vertical wall is 8' or 2' above.

Yes, real estate agents did put us on the map. If it wasn't for the proliferation of disclosure laws and the liability that got heaped upon the real estate community, we would not exist to the extent we do today. I agree that we can influence the consumer, albeit very slowly. It's a 20 year process. Marketing today has to be targeted primarily to the people who influence buyers the most - the agents. Also realize it's not an either or thing. There are agents who want good inspectors. If there weren't, I'd never get an agent referral. I still get 40-50% of my business from agents, without any marketing to them. Should we ignore that group and market only to consumers? ASHI branding is aimed at all segments of the marketplace, as it should be.

Tell them to read the EPA web site and then decide if they want to test: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/molds/moldguide.html

It's no shift at all. If you guys could get past your paranoia and think logically, you would realize that in the context of ASHI branding, the real estate community is nothing more than a vehicle to reach consumers, who have always been ASHI member's primary concern. Nothing has changed. No shift. No drift. Why not advertise to consumers directly you say? (Obviously I've had this conversation before.) Some of the marketing is targeted directly to consumers, and Chapters, who are an important part of the process can direct the marketing where they wish. But it would be foolish to ignore the fact that 70% of home inspections originate from a referral from an agent. That's where 70% of the marketing should be targeted. Otherwise you are throwing away your money.

No

Only if you want the water to drain out.

Look in your Electrical Code Check at the drawing of an island counter top. P. 22

You've already answered your own question. It's leaked in the past. It's poorly repaired. It was poorly installed in the first place. It's leaking again. Seriously, what more do you need to know? What type of underlayment was there? Are the tiles on battens? How are they fastened? What was the headlap? Were all the penetrations flashed to the surface of the tile with lead?

Try calling an electrical supply house. Your electrician should be able to track them down for you.

You need a tombstone style surface mounted receptacle box. They are available.

Try this with your Suretest. Test 10 receptacles in your house with your Suretest. Test the same receptacles again the next day. Compare the results.

Licensing is great! Just ask the people in Mass. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massac ... consumers/

It's technically incorrect, but I can't in my wildest dreams, imagine this causing any problem whatsoever. From a functional standpoint, it's equivilent to installing the grounding bar. I would ignore it and move on.

Congratulations. You actually want to base your decisions on knowledge, rather than arm-waving opinion. You'll find that electrical systems are damn safe, especially compared to other risks in the home. Try the NFPA. They keep detailed stats on the causes of fires. http://www.nfpa.org/Research/index.asp

Mitch, you are trashing ASHI. Your statements are simply not true. As I know you're an honest fellow, I'm sure you believe them to be true in your own mind. Let me gently suggest that you are forming opinions without knowing all of the facts. I'm just sorry to see you fall into that black hole. Now let's get back to something constructive.

Hogwash. Any member can attend any meeting of the Board, or other meetings for that matter. Hogwash again. ASHI is the ONLY organization that has a staff position devoted to chasing down violators. But as you know, that kind of stuff is just about impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. But at least ASHI has tried. Hogwash. No, one person was kicked off the forum for bad behavior. Believe me, there is still plenty of questioning that goes on there. Your choice, of course. And I can respect that. But please don't go trashing ASHI or its members by saying things that are not true. Love and kisses,

Posted on Fri, Apr. 30, 2004 It's not all about me. ASHI makes stuff like this article happen, every day, all around the country. If you can't see the value in that, I guess you can't really see any reason to belong to any organization, because there's nothing in it for you. From the San Jose Mercury News: Home inspection crucial in buying process DESPITE HOT MARKET, SKIPPING STEP NOT ADVISABLE By Caille Millner Mercury News Home inspector Roger Robinson has a tip for home buyers: Stop looking at the paint. ``That's one of the biggest mistakes my clients make,'' said Robinson, who owns the Star Inspection Group in Oakland. ``They get caught up in the house's new paint job or whatever looks good to the naked eye, when they need to be concerned about the foundation and the electrical wiring.'' At the very least, home buyers need to take the crucial step of walking through the home on which they've made a successful bid with someone like Robinson before they buy. This process is known as a home inspection, and it's a crucial step in the home buying adventure. It's also a step many buyers are tempted to skip in the Bay Area's heated housing market, where homes are often snapped up within 24 hours of being listed. But in a housing rush, getting an excellent inspection with the right inspector is even more important. A pre-purchase home inspection is a complete physical exam of a home's safety and working order. The inspector will evaluate the house's foundation, wiring, roofing, framing, drainage, plumbing and heating, along with important fixtures such as the fireplaces, stairs, ceilings and floors. It's the buyer's chance to learn exactly what she is purchasing before completing the deal -- and to give her the chance to back out in case the house turns out to be a lemon. ``Home inspectors are the buyer's best friends,'' said Stephen Gladstone, president of the American Society of Home Inspectors. ``We can discover things about the house that the average buyer would never find out from an agent or seller, and we can tell them what to do about it.'' But the buyer only gets that magic from a good home inspector, so it's imperative to pick the right one. The two most common options are to get a recommendation, usually from a real estate agent or a friend, or to find one yourself. If you decide to go with a recommendation, it's important to do the same research you would if you were looking for an inspector on your own. That means asking questions and checking credentials. ``In every instance, you need to know how many years the inspector's been in business, what he has in the way of background and experience, and what kind of specialties he has,'' Gladstone said. ``If possible, get a list of references -- and call them.'' And don't forget to check with professional associations. An experienced inspector should be part of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) or the California Real Estate Inspection Association (CREIA). These organizations enforce standards of ethics and provide continuing education for their members. They're also great ways to find experienced inspectors yourself. For an inspector to get full membership in ASHI, for example, he must complete at least 250 inspections. Both organizations have Web sites that enable buyers to locate local members. The inspection generally lasts between two and four hours and costs $200 to $500. Buyers should be present -- it's the perfect opportunity to ask specific questions. Some of the most common red flags include any problem having to do with moisture (which spells rot, mold and water damage down the road) or sanitation (especially plumbing, which can be very expensive to fix). If your house has major problems, you should ask the seller to fix them, for a break on the sales price -- or even to get out of the purchase, if your contract allows it. ``If you don't ask, you won't get it,'' said Don Norman, president-elect of ASHI. ``And you must negotiate -- you don't want to buy a house with major structural problems that you can't afford to fix.'' That possibility is the reason it's vital to get an inspection, even in a crazed housing market like the Bay Area's. Some buyers, feeling a need to make their bids stand out, are offering to take houses ``as is'' and forgoing inspections. That's a mistake, Norman said. Robinson, who has weathered 25 years of the inspection business and many different real estate cycles, encourages buyers to look at a home inspection as part of the long view. ``Even now, buyers need to be aware of what they're purchasing and be prepared to ask the sellers for high-cost improvements,'' he said.

You'll get it. Eventually. Think Borg.