Contact Information
STANDARDS OF PRACTICE
ROOF, GUTTERS, AND GRADING The home inspector shall observe: Roof covering; Roof drainage systems; Roof ventilation; Flashings; Skylights; Chimneys; and Roof penetrations. The home inspector shall; Describe the type of roof covering materials; and Report the methods used to observe the roofing. The home inspector is not required to: Walk on or access a roof where it could damage the roof or roofing material or be unsafe for the inspector; Observe attached accessories including but not limited to solar systems, antennae, and lightning arrestors; Remove snow, ice, debris or other conditions that prohibit the observation of the roof surfaces; Determine remaining life expectancy of roof coverings or number of layers; Geological conditions; or Soil conditions. SIDING The home inspector shall observe: Wall cladding, flashings, and trim; Entryway doors and a representative number of windows; Decks, balconies, stoops, steps, areaways, porches and applicable railings; and Eaves, soffits, rakes, and fascias. The home inspector shall: Describe wall cladding materials; and Operate all entryway doors and a representative number of windows. The home inspector is not required to observe: Storm windows, storm doors, screening, shutters, awnings, and similar seasonal accessories; Presence of safety glazing in doors and windows; the integrity of thermal window seals or damaged glass; Examine the interior of the chimney flues or determine the presence or absence of flu liners or Detached buildings or structures. The home inspector is not required to: Move personal items, panels, furniture, equipment, plant life, soil, snow, ice or debris that obstructs access or visibility. WALKS The home inspector shall observe: vegetation, grading, drainage, driveways, patios, walkways, and retaining walls with respect to their effect on the condition of the building. The home inspector is not required to observe: Fences or privacy walls; Evaluate the condition of trees, shrubs, and or other vegetation; Geological conditions; Soil conditions; Recreational facilities (including spas, saunas, steam baths, swimming pools, tennis courts, playground equipment, and other exercise, entertainment, or athletic facilities). GARAGE The home inspector shall observe: Garage door operators; Operate garage doors manually or by using permanently installed controls for any garage door operator; Exterior and interior walls and ceilings, floors, windows, doors, roof, and foundation; Inspect vehicle doors for type, general condition, and intended function by manual operation or by the use of permanently affixed opener(s). The home inspector is not required to observe: Garage door operator remote control transmitters; Verify or certify safe operation of any auto reverse or related safety function(s) of a vehicle door. ATTIC The home inspector shall observe: the Type of material comprising the roof structure in the visible attic area; Observe the condition of the visible roof structure and attic components where readily and safely accessible; Determine the presence of attic insulation and its approximate thickness; Ventilation of attic areas. The home inspector shall describe: Insulation in unfinished spaces; and Absence of insulation in unfinished space at conditioned surfaces. The home inspector is not required to report on: Concealed insulation and vapor retarders; Operate powered roof ventilators; Enter attic spaces if there are obstructions, trusses, or other detrimental conditions; Break or otherwise damage the surface finish or weather seal on or around access panels and covers. INTERIOR The home inspector shall observe: Walls, ceiling, and floors; Steps, stairways, railings, balconies, and fireplaces; and A representative number of doors and windows. The home inspector shall: Observe the visible condition of the surfaces of walls, ceilings, and floors relative to structural integrity and evidence of water penetration; Verify the presence of steps, stairways, balconies, handrails and guardrails and observe their condition; Observe the condition of fireplaces, dampers, fire boxes and hearths readily visible; and Operate a representative number of windows and interior doors. The home inspector is not required to observe: Paint, wallpaper, and other finish treatments on the interior walls, ceilings, and floors; Carpeting; or Draperies, blinds, or other window treatments; Ignite fires in a fireplace or stove to determine the adequacy of draft, perform a chimney smoke test, or inspect any solid fuel device in use; Evaluate the installation or adequacy of inserts, wood burning stoves, or other modifications in a fireplace, stove, or chimney; Determine clearance to combustibles in concealed areas. BATHROOMS The home inspector shall observe: Fixtures and faucets; piping materials; functional flow; leaks; and cross connections; Interior drain, waste, and vent system, including: traps; drain, waste, and vent piping; piping supports and pipe insulation; leaks; and functional drainage; Observe condition and operation of plumbing fixtures and components. The home inspector shall operate all plumbing fixtures, including their faucets. The home inspector is not required to: Inspect any system that is shut-down or secured; Inspect any plumbing components not readily accessible; Test shower pans, tub and shower surrounds, or enclosures for leakage; Inspect and operate fixtures and faucets if the flow end of the faucet is connected to an appliance; Determine if the bath vent fan ducting exhausts air to exterior of house. PLUMBING The home inspector shall observe: Interior water supply and distribution system, including: piping materials, supports, fixtures and faucets; functional flow; leaks; and Interior drain, waste, and vent system, including: traps; drain, waste, and vent piping; piping supports; leaks; and functional drainage; Hot water systems including: water heating equipment; normal operating controls; and chimneys, flues, and vents; leaks; and Sump pumps. The home inspector shall describe: Water supply and distribution piping materials; drain, waste, and vent piping materials; Water heating equipment, capacity, and fuel source; and Location of main water supply shutoff device. The home inspector shall operate all plumbing fixtures, including their faucets and all exterior faucets attached to the house, except where the flow end of the faucet is connected to an appliance. The home inspector is not required to: State the effectiveness of anti-siphon devices; Determine whether water supply and waste disposal systems are public or private; Operate automatic safety controls; Operate any main, branch or fixture valve, except faucets, or determine water temperature; Inspect any system that is shut-down or secured; Inspect any plumbing components not readily accessible; Operate sump pumps equipped with internal/water dependent switches; Test shower pans, tub and shower surrounds, or enclosures for leakage; Inspect gas supply system for materials, installation or leakage; Observe: Water conditioning systems; Fire and lawn sprinkler systems; On-site water supply quantity and quality; On-site waste disposal systems; Foundation irrigation systems; Spas; Swimming pools; Solar water heating equipment; or Observe the system for proper sizing, design, or use of proper materials. KITCHEN The home inspector shall observe and operate the basic functions of the following kitchen appliances: Permanently installed dishwasher; Range, cook top, and permanently installed oven; Trash compactor; Garbage disposal; Ventilation equipment or range hood; and Permanently installed microwave oven. The home inspector is not required to observe: Clocks, timers, self-cleaning oven function, or thermostats for calibration or automatic operation; Non built-in appliances; or Refrigeration units. The home inspector is not required to operate: Appliances in use; or any appliance that is shut down or otherwise inoperable; Determine if the kitchen vent fan ducting exhausts air to exterior of house. BASEMENT The Home Inspector shall observe structural components including foundations, floors, walls, columns or piers and crawlspace ventilation. The home inspector shall describe the type of Foundation, floor structure, wall structure, and columns or piers. The home inspector shall: Probe structural components where deterioration is suspected; Enter under floor crawl spaces, basements, except when access is obstructed, when entry could damage the property, or when dangerous or adverse situations are suspected; and Observe subfloor crawl space ventilation and vapor barriers. The home inspector is not required to: Enter any area or perform any procedure that may damage the property or its components or be dangerous to or adversely affect the health of the home inspector or other persons; Enter subfloor crawl spaces with headroom of less than 3 feet, obstructions, or other detrimental conditions; Move stored items or debris or perform excavation to gain access. The home inspector does not report on the presence or absence of fungi, mold or bio-aerosols and is not part of this inspection. HVAC The home inspector shall observe permanently installed heating ventilating and air conditioning (HVAV) systems including: HVAC equipment; Normal operating controls; Automatic safety controls; Chimneys, flues, and vents, where readily visible; Solid fuel heating devices; Fuel storage and distribution systems including: interior fuel storage equipment, supply piping, venting, and supports; HVAC distribution systems including fans, pumps, ducts and piping, with supports, insulation, air filters, registers, radiators, fan coil units, convectors; and the presence of an installed HVAC source in each room. The home inspector shall describe: Energy source; and HVAC equipment and distribution type. The home inspector shall operate the systems using normal operating controls. The home inspector shall open readily openable access panels provided by the manufacturer or installer for routine homeowner maintenance. The home inspector is not required to: Operate HVAC systems when weather conditions or other circumstances may cause equipment damage; Activate or operate heating or other systems that do not respond to normal controls or have been shut-down; To inspect or evaluate a heat exchanger; Inspect heating system accessories, such as humidifiers, air purifiers, or motorized dampers; Operate digital-type thermostats or controls; Inspect gas-fired refrigeration systems, evaporative coolers, or wall or window-mounted air conditioning units; Operate automatic safety controls; Presence or condition of buried fuel storage tanks; or Observe: The interior of flues; or The uniformity or adequacy of HVAC supply to the various rooms. ELECTRICAL The home inspector shall observe: Service entrance conductors; Service equipment, grounding equipment, main overcurrent device, and main and distribution panels; Amperage and voltage ratings of the service; Branch circuit conductors, their overcurrent devices, and the compatibility of their ampacities and voltages; lighting fixtures, switches and receptacle; The operation of ground fault circuit interrupters; and Smoke detectors. The home inspector shall describe: Service amperage and voltage; Service entry conductor materials; Service type as being overhead or underground; and Location of main and distribution panels. The home inspector shall report on presence or absence of smoke detectors, and operate their test function if accessible, except when detectors are part of a central system. The home inspector is not required to: Insert any tool, probe, or testing device inside the panels; Activate electrical systems or branch circuits which are not energized; Test or operate any overcurrent device except ground fault circuit interrupters; Dismantle any electrical device or control other than to remove the covers of the main and auxiliary distribution panels; Move any objects, furniture, or appliances to gain access to any electrical component; or Observe: Inspect ancillary systems, including but not limited to: burglar alarms, home protection systems, low voltage relays, smoke/heat detectors, antennas, electrical de-icing tapes, lawn sprinkler wiring, swimming pool wiring, or any systems controlled by timers; Low voltage systems; Security system devices, heat detectors, or carbon monoxide detectors; Telephone, security, cable TV, intercoms, or other ancillary wiring that is not a part of the primary electrical distribution system; or Built-in vacuum equipment.