Nolan Kienitz

How about:

Property Inspections or Property Inspector

Hi Nolan,

A year or two ago, there was a big dustup somewhere in TX when an entire subdivision had the CSST running just beneath the roof sheathing in its houses. In at least one case a roofing staple punctured the line and caused a fuss. The media latched on to the story and the builder took a pretty good drubbing.

- Jim Katen, Oregon

Jim,

Yep ... Mansfield, TX ... just a tad South of the DFW Mid-Cities area. Several re-roofs due to hail and the staples hit the CSST lines. Homeowners (in some cases) were out of town when the work was being done and when they came home and opened the doors ... well you can imagine the situation.

Thank goodness no one was hurt.

I was asked to do EW work this past winter on a CSST installation where a homeowner (he was an attorney himself - patent attorney) was filing against the builder, roofer, plumber, etc.. I was not able to take on the job due to timing, busy calendar, etc.. Referred him to a very good EW inspector in our market and it is in process.

Fundamentally they are 'common sense' issues (or more the lack of same) or builders, tradesmen who simply don't read the installation instructions.

While tracing down the CSST runs from the manifold in the attic at today's inspection I was presented with a 'shingle-staple' that could have been a serious headache for the CSST line.

Always need to check the transitions from general open attic to where the CSST will take a dive down an exterior wall to the meter or patio BBQ valve. Usually will always find CSST too close to decking, nails, staples ... and minimal protection plates or obvious routing 'away' from the pointed objects.

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Y'all have pushed me to the edge. I have a TK-11 on order from the Fenix Store with the R18650.

Will be added to my collection of two Ultra-Streamlights.

Kurt - As being arm-twisted above you need to show your holster. Could become a side-line business for you. []

Hi Nolan,

You might have a long wait, ES's profile was locked months ago. He does monitor the forum though; so he'll probably visit your website and reply to you through your contact page.

OT - OF!!!

Mike

Mike,

Tnx. Was not aware. I'll do some more digging the TIJ archives and library.

Cheers,

Nolan K.

I've had a couple of those in the past two weeks. Ugh!

My clients are very appreciative and respectfully acknowledge why I charge a substantial extra fee for crawl spaces.

Generally not a "lot" of crawl spaces in our market and there are many inspectors who refuse to do the inspection because of them.

I just don't do them for free.

That said, I can make some simple test procedures for you and members that may give a little better of a heads up on how a system is actually working. As always, I came to learn and help, not to tout my abilities.

Energy Star,

Where are the documents you keep mentioning that you will post for the heat pump testing guidelines that you follow?

Robert,

AFCIs have been required in sleeping areas of new home construction since January-2002.

All locations, not protected by GFCIs, are now required to have AFCI protection. This per the 2008 NEC. Will come into play as AHJs adopt same.

Per the new TREC SOP that is one of the new/refreshed items we have to inspect for.

My thanks also to Mike, Mike and Rose.

I have and still do appreciate the help, suggestions and support when I've had specific questions about so many things over my short (3-years) time with TIJ.

The learnin' and friendship amongst the TIJ family is extraordinary.

This 'home' is quite comfortable.

And this discussion could also include the "sound" of a falling tree in the forest ... if you are not there to hear it!

Don't ya love it ?

OK ... from the initial video ...

I heard there is a 'flux capacitor' involved and we all know about that!

I'm just not sure about the "girdle spring" or the "dingle arm".

As for the detailed explanation ... I'm looking for Richard's med supply so I can start taking them !!!

Originally posted by energy star

... I would send a certified letter to someone letting them know that a dangerous environment exists. You better c.y.a. it as best you can.

None of that is necessary ... could be warranted but a bit extreme. The inspector I was helping advised client of the situation in the report. It was well-noted and documented.

He also talked with builder and builder was contacting HVAC company to correct.

As I started the thread ... it was noted the installation was wrong/incorrect and not acceptable to the accepted IRC version. The question was relating to possibility of changes that various trades are experiencing or even experimenting with when it comes to such items as the Icynene (aka: foam insulation) installations.

Sometimes I see trades doing 'way strange' things with new items.

It is always an adventure.

Here is a bit more clarification:

HVAC unit is installed in attic over living space of home. Nothing unusual here.

Garage attic space is sealed off from attic over living space of home. This is good.

Normal return air duct(s) in place throughout living space of home. This is good.

Normal supply duct(s) throughout living space of home. None routed to garage.

Return duct (jumper) is routed from garage ceiling to HVAC return plenum chamber on HVAC unit. It is fully connected with no opens or blocks/dampers. The 'weird' one under question.

No supply duct(s) routed to garage. This is good.

Garage walls finished, textured and painted. (Maybe future planning of different use?)

Bottom line, as I noted in original post: It is wrong, was written up as such.

Home is of recent construction ... completed within the past 4-6 months. Located "out in the county" and away from any municiple AHJ or County Seat AHJ. Home was started before the new TRCC rules of phase inspections for "all" construction in the State of Texas no matter the location.

Inspector friend of mine has been digging as well, but we can only surmise that the original builder or buyer of home being built (he dropped out of original contract) may have had other uses planned for the 'garage'.

We're figuring it is one of the "Billy-Bob" moments we all see too often.

To begin with I know the IRC does not allow taking return air from a 'garage':

M1602.2 Prohibited sources.

Outside or return air for a forced-air heating or cooling system shall not be taken from the following locations:

1. Closer than 10 feet (3048 mm) from an appliance vent outlet, a vent opening from a plumbing drainage system or the discharge outlet of an exhaust fan, unless the outlet is 3 feet (914 mm) above the outside air inlet.

2. Where there is the presence of flammable vapors; or where located less than 10 feet (3048 mm) above the surface of any abutting public way or driveway; or where located at grade level by a sidewalk, street, alley or driveway.

3. A room or space, the volume of which is less than 25 percent of the entire volume served by such system. Where connected by a permanent opening having an area sized in accordance with ACCA Manual D, adjoining rooms or spaces shall be considered as a single room or space for the purpose of determining the volume of such rooms or spaces.

Exception: The minimum volume requirement shall not apply where the amount of return air taken from a room or space is less than or equal to the amount of supply air delivered to such room or space.

4. A closet, bathroom, toilet room, kitchen, garage, mechanical room, furnace room or other dwelling unit.

5. A room or space containing a fuel-burning appliance where such room or space serves as the sole source of return air.

On a recent inspection (new home construction) a fellow inspector noted a return jumper from a garage to the main return on the HVAC system plenum. Not hard to make note of ...

However, the home has the spray foam (possibly Icenyne) throughout and he (and myself) are wondering if changing the building envelope with the foam insulation has also opened up some possibilities for changes in HVAC design/installation?

I've been doing searches, but can't come up with anything that gives me direct link. I'll be making some calls to some HVAC contacts I have to help learn more, but thought I'd toss this out for observation here.

Another likely always automatic 'deficiency' now! Seldom have I ever seen 4 different warning labels on garage door operator systems.

Add it to my AFCI deficiency list.

The above comments will be well recognized by the TX HIs who are migrating over to the new SOP.

Thanks for the information Barry. Most appreciated.

I've been using this application for many years.

Database driven, has your sidebars to click to section you want to go. Fully customizable. Comes with many templates, you can build your own. Not 'just' for the Texas 7A-0 or 7A-1 forms.

When done with report a couple of clicks and it generates a final PDF.

Whisper Reporter from Whisper Solutions

Attached is a form (OP-I) that has been in Texas since ~2000 and was updated last month. It is an approved/promulgated form by TREC (Texas Real Estate Commission) and is available for "voluntary" use/distribution by inspectors or agents.

Sort of fits with above.

Download Attachment: 10-27-2008 op-i.pdf

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Erby and others interested,

Sry for delay. Here are the official documents related to the Texas TREC updated SOP and 7A-1 report form.

Download Attachment: 10-27-2008 op-i.pdf

26.62 KB TREC Consumer Notice

Download Attachment: 535.222.pdf

15.18 KB TREC Rules

Download Attachment: 535.223.pdf

25.87 KB TREC Rules

Download Attachment: 535.227-233.pdf

93.97 KB TREC Updated SOP

Download Attachment: REI-7A-1-PropertyInspectonReport.pdf

51.47 KB TREC 7A-1 Report Form

Erby,

TREC will post the official documents likely within the next couple of weeks.

I have copies of what was approved, but am hesitant to link to them pending TREC posting.

The Texas Real Estate Commission met today in Austin, TX and approved the new SOP and 7A-1 report format.

Mandatory compliance is set for 02/01/2009.

Texas Inspectors ...

Just a reminder that the updated/proposed SOP and 7A-1 Report Form is an agenda item for the TREC meeting in Austin, TX on Monday - 10/27/08.

It will likely be approved and a time-line for transition provided.

Here are the documents posted at the Texas TREC website and the Texas Registry that are open for review and comment. These were presented to the TREC board on 08/18/08.

I've pasted the verbiage from the TREC website concerning the review of these documents and possible date of adoption.

===================

Proposed: New Standards of Practice and a Revised Standard Report Form - At its meeting on August 18, 2008, the Commission proposed new Standards of Practice and a revised standard report form, as recommended by the Inspector Advisory Committee. These drafts were developed based on comments TREC received about the previous drafts, proposed on April 28, 2008.

Please review the Standards of Practice, the form rules and the proposed new standard inspection report form

If you wish to comment on these proposed rules, please state your comments clearly. If you have one or more concerns about the rules, we suggest that, for each issue, you specify the concern, the reason you believe it is a problem, and any suggestion(s) for improvement. We request that you do not simply submit a draft of the rules with your suggestions made within the text.

The Inspector Advisory Committee reviewed and considered all of the comments submitted in response to the April proposals. If you submitted comments at that time and would like the Committee to consider the same comments again, you must resubmit them.

The Inspector Committee will meet on October 10, 2008, to discuss comments received regarding these proposed rules before the Commission considers adoption on October 27, 2008.

Download Attachment: 081808_proposed-535.227-233-new.pdf

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Download Attachment: 081808_proposed-535.222.pdf

17.66 KB.

Download Attachment: 081808_proposed-535.223-new.pdf

30.08 KB

Download Attachment: 081808_drft-REI7A-1.pdf

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Originally posted by SonOfSwamp

Finally, this: Never ask home inspectors for legal advice. You could get better legal advice from a sponge. WJ

WJ - That is the best advice!

Legal folks have counseled me to get my IA to the client ASAP and as much "before" the HI as possible.

I e-mail the IA to the client (with tracking software attached) as quickly as I can.

Legal folks have advised that handing the client an IA "at the inspection" is about one of the worst things to do ... should there ever be a complaint filed. They have also suggested that attaching an IA to a report and delivering at that time is close to worthless.

This is not the say that "any" IA will fully protect any HI.

I focus on the HI and try to work closely with my clients in the hopes that the HI education I provide them will keep any such litigious thoughts out of their mind.

Originally posted by inspector57

Nolan, no later or no earlier than 1/1/09?

Jim

From what I've heard "if it is all approved, signed off and put into play" you can immediately work from the new SOP and 7A-1 report template.

The suggested 01/01/09 date is to allow software companies and HIs update the report templates and report comments.

I hope to get copies of the documents presented at the 08/18/08 TREC meeting in the next few days. They ought to be pretty close to the final.