Alright, folks!

The next step in the Homeowner's Newsletter is here.

Here are the changes I've made:

- You can manage your subscribers at http://www.nachi.org/manage-newsletter/
- Now the email uses your company name, not your personal name.
- Your website is now linked prominently with your company name in the first line of the newsletter.
- You can choose, via your InterNACHI profile, whether the newsletter will use your ID photo or your company logo.

Here is my plan for the immediate future:
- A complete redesign of the newsletters. Input from you guys leads me to believe the newsletter will be more effective if we include less text and more links instead.

In addition, we aren't selling any subscriber lists... :)

Keep sending your suggestions to tim@internachi.org. Let me know what you think!

From the hills of northern South Korea, where I'm on a working vacation!

- Tim

Hello everybody...its "the new kid on the block"...I feel priveleged to be a member, and am anxious to complete my required courses and be
InterNACHI certified! Sooo straight to the point, I am looking to hook up with an established Inspector, in the Denver metro area, to let me join an inspection or two so I can get a better idea of what to expect. I have been in the trades for more than 20 years, so I'm not a dumbass by any means . I understand its difficult to conduct a thorough, and professional inpsection if youre trying to train somebody...and probably doesn't look good to the client/customer. I would appreciate any time/advice anyone can extend to me. My shedule is wide open,as I am currently unemployed ,and am devoting all my time to getting my business off the ground. Thank you, in advance to anyone who can help me out.:D

I have a client that is willing to pay a professional fee for a professional service. She bought a condo here and is buying a house or condo on the south side of Boston. She is looking for thermal infrared technology and a good knowledgeable inspector.

She mentioned energy efficiency as well.

She paid a professional price with no hesitation.

Send me a PM with your name and website please...

Thanks in advance

this e-mail rec'd today from a customer's ins. agent:

"Pete Citizens has notify me that the wind mitigation file is corrupt and they cannot see the photos. Can you please forward me a new copy without any securities or passwords. I can open the file and I can see the photos but Citizens has list the file to be corrupted and therefore his wind mitigation credits have been removed and his policy premium has increased."

I don't know WTF this AH is talking about. We send all reports as a simple pdf.

Is anyone else getting this kind of B.S. feedback from AH ins agents?

Are you aware that the new WSIB regulations went into effect on January 1st, 2013. I'm not an expert but here's a few key points to consider:

• Inspections fall into the "construction" category
• Inspectors may remain exempt if:
  • the inspector is only performing residential inspections for the homeowner or prospective homeowner
  • the inspector is paid by the homeowner or prospective homeowner

• If we do any work in commercial inspections, or are paid by anyone else, then exemption is lost for a minimum of 3 months and all revenue (less direct material costs) in that 3 months is subject to WSIB fees
• Enforcement is via usual methods – audits, audits of others, medical injury reports etc

This roof is pretty old and not in great shape what kind of roofing material might this be? the shingle material is pretty thick - maybe an 1/8 to 3/16th. its very stiff, no flex at all. Its not slate or tile. Is it just an old asphalt shingle thats well beyond its life span?
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From NACHI:

This is a message from: David Wicker <dwicker@chinsurance.cc>
Here's his or her message:
Dear InterNACHI member,
I hope that your new year is starting off with great success and good health.
As we enter into the first quarter of the year you may be seeing your renewals coming up for you insurance programs.
I can provide both professional liability (E&O) and general liability insurance programs.
If you would like to discuss your options or to get a quote please feel free to contact me below.
Talk Soon.
David J Wicker Account Executive CH Insurance Brokerage 100 Madison Street., Suite 100 Syracuse, New York 13202-2704 315-234-7500 – Ext: 5334 315-234-7508 – Fax 315-877-3930 – Cell dwicker@chinsurance.cc

No virus found in this message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
Version: 2013.0.2904 / Virus Database: 2641/6206 - Release Date: 03/26/13

Having a *NHI* and *CMI* designations has its advantage...:cool:
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On an inspection this morning I found an odd configuration at the boiler. There was a water heater (gas fired) tied into the boiler (oil fired) that is used to circulate hot water through the old cast iron radiators providing heat.
The water heater had two zone valves linking it directly into the output on the boiler and shared the main return line. It was not providing domestic hot water. Could this just be supplemental because the boiler is undersized?. I have never seen this done before.
Sorry but i don't have any good pictures.

RE: UMVI Inspection - Wind Mit

I have a client that has hurricane clips installed with only one or two nails securing the clips to the sides of the trusses. He is asking if he could add screws rather than nails to meet the 3 nail requirement. I told him that I thought 1.5" or 2" stainless steel screws would be permissible.

Does this sound like good advice? I could not find much on the topic.

Craig Howard

InterNACHI's free online "How to Perform Wind Mitigation Inspections" has been approved by DBPR to include 4 hours of Hurricane Mitigation.

See course approval at http://www.nachi.org/florida-dbpr-wi...n-approval.htm.

How do I know if it was converted to be in contact or not?
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Does anyone have any idea what this might be? Its the first time i ever seen anything like it. It was attached to a copper water line.
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For gas appliances, why do the smaller exhaust vents need to be connected to the vent above the larger appliance connector? I am looking for a scientific explanation.

Personally I use "Inspect It". Its OK, one thing I dislike about it, is the fact that it takes me forever to find common defects and preset information that I use regularly.

I feel like its quite lumbering at times.. but I do like how it makes my reports look in the end. :mrgreen:

What about you guys?

A client of mine has immediate openings for home inspectors (multiple inspectors, yes). Experience is a plus, though training can be provided. More inspections than they can handle are coming in every single day, they can fill your schedule!

Competitive splits, all their guys enjoy great pay, about the only downside is that you'll have to do this whole thing where you take down model numbers while you're checking the appliances anyway! Something about checking for recalls...

Anyway, if you're interested or know someone who is, email me at Nathan@NathanThornberry.com with some details about you and any inspection experience you have and expect to be interviewed in the next couple weeks for sure.

This is difficult to search for - when you put the words "Grounding Electrode" and "concrete" together, you get UFER.

This is not an UFER. The concrete was poured around the driven grounding electrode. I remember a reference some time ago that this was not acceptable, but maybe I'm incorrectly confusing that it's not OK if you can't see the connection.

Is either/both/neither of these scenerios acceptable?

Thanks
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http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/after-four-years-is-bc-home-inspection-licensing-failure-by-craig-hostland-rhi-cahpibc-1772825.htm



March 27, 2013 18:20 ET
After Four Years Is B.C. Home Inspection Licensing a Failure? By Craig Hostland, RHI and CAHPI(BC) President

KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - March 27, 2013) -The end of January marked the four-year anniversary of the province's announcement of a licensing program for B.C. home inspectors.
On January 30, 2009 a news release issued by the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, John van Dongen, announced the regulation of the home inspection under Consumer Protection BC, declaring, "… consumers need to have confidence that the person who is doing the inspection has the qualifications to make a professional assessment".
Unfortunately, this has become less of an assurance and more of a hollow statement due to the methods used for legislating home inspectors and the failed way decisions are being made to address the many serious problems in the home inspection industry.
If not corrected, licensing will continue to only benefit those who want to make a fast buck off recession-weary B.C. consumers.
What has happened?
It took ten years of aggressive pushing by the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors of British Columbia - CAHPI(BC) - media focus, and unified support from more than 50 B.C. municipalities, before the provincial government finally found the resolve to listen and regulate the industry - and to exclude from licensing a U.S. based fly-by-night group whose anti-consumer practices were reported on by The Sun and Global TV in 2006.
As recently as the one-year anniversary of licensing, we wrote in The Sun that Consumer Protection in BC was off to a strong start.
A great deal has happened since, but much of it as disturbing to the legitimate B.C. home inspection industry as it is dangerous for B.C. consumers.
In February of 2010, an Ontario-based home inspection association was accredited for licensing in BC.
This organization was formed out of that U.S.-based group whose online quizzes - in which a person could sit down, take the quiz, and for $200 be pronounced a 'qualified home inspector' - attracted Vancouver Sun and other media attention and perhaps was key to the BC government's announcement of a licensing program.
Yet this organization now "met all the necessary criteria" and that its associate members qualified for licenses to inspect BC homes.
As a result, this new group began accepting for membership home inspector candidates who did not meet the high qualification standards of the two organizations initially recognized by Consumer Protection BC - CAHPI(BC) and the Applied Science Technologists and Technicians of BC (ASTTBC). Reputable home inspection training providers, including B.C. community colleges, were reporting that students were bypassing rigorous training in order to join this new group, where they could immediately be granted licenses to perform home inspections in British Columbia.
Therefore, under-trained and under-qualified individuals were being supplied with B.C. licenses, and able to enter people's homes and provide assessments on a condo, a house, or a property, so long as they promised to get training and education at some future date.
The shame is that the very people that B.C. government licensing was supposed to protect consumers from were being licensed through a loophole in the licensing regulation that has now allowed yet another out of province licensing body.
We saw this as a broken promise to BC consumers and brought this to the attention of Consumer Protection BC.
On our recommendations and diligent prodding, they implemented basic criteria that needed to be met by all new inspector applicants: 150 hours of formal home inspection education; academic examinations with a passing grade of 70%; a minimum of 50 hours of supervised field training; Peer Reviewed Test Inspection, an inspection by a qualified examiner who is aware of the deficiencies and safety issues of the property; and minimum continuing education hours of 20 per year.
CAHPI(BC) knew that, although a good first step, these qualification requirements were still woefully inadequate.
But then, Consumer Protection BC advised that in the future they would not change inspector entry criteria unless all 4 approved associations agreed in unison.
At the urging of Consumer Protection BC, in December, 2011 the four associations came together and spent a day ironing out critical changes that we all agreed were essential for the protection of the public.
Those changes included: a minimum of 300 hours of formal home inspection education; academic examinations with a passing grade of 80%; and a minimum of 100 hours of supervised field training prior to licensing. When the letter addressing these issues was prepared, one of the 4 associations declined to sign the document.
Since the Government requires unanimity amongst the 4 associations, the one association (comprising of less than 20% of the BC home inspectors) was allowed to stop progress.
After much delay and no sign of moving forward, in July of 2012 CAHPI(BC) took it upon ourselves to address these issues and a letter was sent to Consumer Protection BC explaining the crisis level need for these stiffer requirements in the industry, outlining our positions, and calling for early adoption and leadership in this drama.
To date, our initiative and efforts have been stymied by a rule that makes no sense. CAHPI(BC) comprises the majority of inspectors in BC but only has one vote - which is worthless when the only means of adoption is by unanimity and one player refusing to participate.
The fact is, the crisis in the home inspection industry is not about having only one association, although we wrote legislation for it more than 10 years ago, and it's not about only having one standard, it's all about not being able to implement logical important critical changes in licensing to ensure more demanding and powerful standards are adopted promptly and without stonewalling by a very small portion of the industry.
Consumer Protection BC is all about protecting consumers; but is severely limited by the Government of BC setting unattainable decision making criteria.
The home inspection licencing system should be continually enhancing consumer protection, not undermining it by allowing the continuation of accepting unqualified people into B.C. homes where they can influence the biggest spending decision British Columbians are ever likely to make.
One thing is certain.
Licensing has set a bare minimum standard that is woefully inadequate and has painted every home inspector in BC with the same brush.
Consumers beware - it's just like before licensing - the wild wild west - except now inspectors are licensed to pull the wool over your eyes.
We call on the BC Government to convene a meeting of the 4 associations and hammer out the necessary higher standards, or let those who want to work with Consumer Protection BC implement these important and critical changes.
Why do CAHPI(BC) home inspectors care?
Because for over 20 years, CAHPI(BC) has led the charge for higher standards in the industry - now 275 Province-wide Professionals linked arm in arm - and I for one am proud to be a part of this grass roots effort and will never, never, never give up.

Craig Hostland is an Okanagan home inspector and president of the Canadian Association of Home and Property Inspectors of British Columbia