Arizona Home Inspection & Construction Blog ACSI

I sometimes write about people failing to meet the standard of care. It may be a builder that performed in a unworkmanlike manner, how building inspectors fly through a home and miss many defects or how a home inspector failed to identify issues. Today is different, today I want to praise someone for taking pride in their work and doing the job right.

I am frequently retained by home buyers to perform construction phase inspections. The builders all walk the home as well as the subcontractors and the municipal building inspectors looking for defects. However, I have yet to inspect a home where I did not find several issues that needed to be corrected even after all of the other inspections are complete. I recognize that we are all human and we all make mistakes, but if we are tasked with the job of finding others mistakes and looking out for the well being of the workers and end users of a building, I believe that is exactly what we should do.

Today I looked at an Ashton Woods home that is under construction. I must first say that while I perform expert witness work on a regular basis, I have never had a case against Ashton Woods. I have made several trips to this property and found that the work performed on this home is generally better than others I have inspected. Today is the first time I met the superintendent and the first time he became aware that I was performing random inspections on this property. This leads me to believe that this superintendent actually takes some pride in his work and has the knowledge to back it up. I pointed out a few issues and he addressed them appropriately. I am frequently asked who the best builder is and my normal response is; “Most of the builders use the same subcontractors so their quality is the same, the difference is who your superintendent is”. What I am about to say should not be construed as an insult to Aston Woods, in fact after seeing their work I would feel more comfortable recommending them than many other production home builders.

While we were at the site the Town of Gilbert building inspector arrived. I have been in the construction industry for years and have seen more inspections than I care to recall. Some inspectors will perform a framing inspection in a few minutes others will take a little longer. Some inspectors pay attention to the details on the plans, however I have seen as a rule, many just walk through and look for common construction practices. I had never met this inspector before and he introduced himself as Erik Zavala. He took the plans and went to work. He was at the site for well over an hour and he paid attention to the details. He was through, he found several issues that need to be corrected however he was also polite and professional. If more municipal inspectors performed their duties the way Erik did, it would no longer be a question of who is the best builder or superintendent, but who was the building inspector on this project. After seeing him work I would feel more comfortable purchasing a home in Gilbert than most other jurisdictions.

For the record, I have not always felt this way about The Town of Gilbert. I have fought with their permitting process a few times. I have had good inspectors and some that were not so good. I have seen building inspectors assigned over 30 inspections in a day. Yes I said 30, that means in an 8 hour day they need to perform one inspection every 16 minutes and that doesn’t include drive time or time to do the paperwork. That was not the case today. It has been 10 years since I have seen an inspector that paid this much attention to detail.

I commend The Town of Gilbert for having a person like this perform building inspections. The people of Gilbert can sleep better knowing a person of Erik’s caliber is inspecting their homes.
I know this is not my typical post, however I feel if you are going to criticize people for not doing their job, you must also compliment those that meet or exceed your expectations. Today Erik and therefore the Town of Gilbert did just that.

For most of us, our home represents the largest investment we’ll make in our lifetimes. It’ll also be one of the most complex transactions for most of us.

In the center of it all – is the property we’re attempting to buy. Homes are made up of major systems such as plumbing, electrical, refrigeration or heating to name just a few. The home itself is a complex combination of systems and subsystems. Literally hundreds of defects can exist which wouldn’t be obvious to the naked eye. A professional home inspector will inspect the entire structure from roof to foundation, interior and exterior and all electric and mechanical parts of the home.

“Buyer Beware” at one time was the mantra. That’s no longer the case in Arizona. The Arizona Association of Realtors Residential Purchase Agreement provides two significant protections for buyers: First, there is a period of time during which the Buyer can have the property inspected by a professional Home Inspector. Secondly, there is a mechanism in the process that provides for the Seller to disclose all known defects to the Buyer. The Seller’s Property Disclosure Statement (SPDS) is a form that asks every conceivable question related to the property. Unless a Buyer waives the requirement in the original offer, the seller is required to complete the form and provide it to the buyer within 5 days of the contract. Buyers comparing the sellers responses with the Inspection Report have intimate knowledge of the property before the escrow closes. After the inspection, the provision in the agreement allows the Buyer to request the Seller to repair the major systems before the escrow closes.

Arizona Home Inspectors are required to be registered and certified with the Arizona State Board of Technical Registration. This Board is also the regulatory agency for Architects, Assayers, Clandestine Drug Laboratory Site Remediation On-Site Workers and On-Site Supervisors, Engineers, Geologists, Home Inspectors, Landscape Architects, Surveyors and Remediation Specialists.

Certification by the State of Arizona requires a minimum of 80 hours of classroom education, successful completion of the National Home Inspection Examination, and 30 parallel inspections in the presence of a certified home inspector. (THATS RIGHT A WHOPPING 30 INSPECTIONS WITH SOMEONE ELSE)

So the question is: “How does a Buyer choose a home inspector?”

First be sure they licensed by the state then ask the following questions:
Are they members of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI)? ASHI Certified Members have performed over 250 fee paid inspections.

Be aware of the distinction between membership and doing the inspection to ASHI standards or the NACHI Code of Ethics. The State of Arizona Requires inspections be done to the AZ-ASHI Standards of Practice. These are more stringent than just the ASHI Standards.

Are they bonded, insured and do they carry Errors & Omissions insurance? The State of AZ requires they be Bonded OR Insured, not both.

What is their past experience? You want someone that has been in the area for years and is knows about local construction, Our climate is different than other places and therefore we build things differently. If you want to know about common defects found by Phoenix Home Inspectors

What are their rates? Cheaper is not the best route to go when your basing a huge investment on it.

Additional testing or inspections that a Buyer may want to consider include those for wood destroying organisms, Thermal Imaging, mold, radon gas, etc. Not all home inspectors are qualified to do these inspections or tests. There would probably be an additionally charge as well since these are above and beyond the inspectors normal qualifications.

It’s important to remember the home inspector is a generalist. As a Buyer, you may also want to consider additional inspections on major systems such as the roof, refrigeration, plumbing and electrical by contractors licensed within those specialties.

While there are no guarantees that all defects will be found and all future problems prevented, the process in place today in Arizona allows home buyers to have confidence in their decisions.

More Information about selecting an Arizona Home Inspector

What You Should Know About Arizona Home Inspections

A home inspection is one of the most important parts of the home buying process, as it goes beyond aesthetic appeal, location, and price — the reasons why most people decide to buy a home — to ensure that the house is structurally sound. Think of it as a way to protect yourself: A house may look inviting on the outside, may even seem like a good deal, but it could still have unseen problems that would cost you a lot of money in the long run.

With so much riding on the home inspection, there are a few things you need to know in order to better protect yourself.

* Only do business with well-known, well-respected home inspection companies. There are a lot of fly-by-night home inspection companies out there and others that used to be in business but they did not maintain their state requirements and therefore are operating illegally , so be sure to do your research and only do business with the respectable ones! You can check the Better Business Bureau, RipOffReport.com, and other online review sites in order to verify a company’s reputation.
* Look for good credentials. Before hiring a home inspection company, find out their credentials and Google them to make sure they are valid. Make sure their credentials are well respected in the industry (for example are they a member of ASHI or NAHI).
* Spring for additional tests. There are several tests that the home inspector can do that will cost you extra, but that may prove to be a good investment. For instance, you can have the home tested for radon, mold, termites, or have thermal imaging performed to locate insulation issues or moisture issues. Although these tests cost more than just the standard home inspection, they are a good idea as they offer additional protection.
* Accompany the home inspector. Even if the home inspector doesn’t find anything wrong with the house, there is a lot to be learned by tagging along during his inspection. He can give you tips such as where more insulation may be needed, how long you have until the roof will need to be replaced, and whether there are signs of repairs or additions that have been made over the years. These may not be deal-breaking structural issues, but they are still good to know.
*

Follow up on any problems the home inspector identifies

. As already mentioned, the home inspection is for your protection. If any problems are found, you will have the opportunity to either back out of the sale OR make the sale contingent on the repair (i.e., the seller fixing the problem will be part of the revised sale contract). You may also want to renegotiate a lower price based on the home inspector’s findings, so that you will have the money to do the repairs yourself (instead of having the seller do them). Even if you are only flipping houses and don’t plan on spending much time in the home yourself, you have to assume that your buyer’s home inspector will find the same problems that yours just did, and you don’t want to find yourself stuck with a home you can’t sell without doing major renovations first.

Don’t underestimate the value of a home inspection. The average buyer or seller often does not recognize the signs of a serious problem, so a home inspector’s expertise is needed to help you steer clear of financial black holes and properties you won’t be able to resell when the time comes.

Source:Go Homing Blog
For more information about home inspections in phoenix Arizona and the surrounding areas please see the following links.
How long is a home inspection?
How to hire a home inspector video
The hard truth about infrared (Real Estate Agents Read This)
General home inspection information

Facebook has become a buy me, try me, join me, hear me, shop me, help me, add me, like me, love me, hate me, friend me, share me, request me, cause me, plead me, receive me, accept me, see me, gift me, hit me, challenge me, build me, feel me, question me, donate me site!

Yikes!

When I log on, it’s right in my face, often visually exhausting.

After joining Facebook, I was excited to reconnect with family and friends and now when I get online and sign in, I am inundated with a barrage of requests, images, suggestions of joining this club and that cause and I guess I’m just not all that interested. It no longer holds the appeal for me it once did, therefore I will be spending less time there. Don’t get me wrong, I like Facebook and will still stop buy but that is because I have blocked most of the games and gifts from posting on my page.

With twitter, there is no Farmville or other games, there are no fake gifts, hugs, flowers, drinks etc. just people sharing information and trying to push their stuff, and I don’t follow those people who push to hard.

I just found WordPress for blackberry and found out how to update my blog from my phone.

If you have a wordpress blog and a blackberry you need to try out this app. Go to the BB app world and download it today.

Toby has been a outspoken supporter of our troops throughout the years, this is one of my favorite songs

Please take the time to thank a solider today, and Please remember those that are no longer with us.

Take time to thank a veteran this weekend

To many people, Memorial Day means a hot barbecue, a much welcome three-day weekend, and the beginning of summer vacation. It’s easy to forget the significance of the holiday, which, originally called Decoration Day, is a commemoration of U.S. citizens who died while in military service.

Memorial Day, originally enacted after the American Civil War, is an historical reminder of the virtues and values that our country has believed to be worth fighting for—equal rights, democracy, freedom.

This Memorial Day, I’d like to pay special homage to the individuals who have sacrificed their lives for the sake of our nation. These courageous warriors have given us the tremendous gift our Western lifestyle.

Many people observe this holiday by visiting cemeteries and memorials. A national moment of remembrance takes place at 3 p.m. local time. Another tradition is to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff from dawn until noon local time. Volunteers often place American flags on each grave site at National Cemeteries.

Members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars take donation for poppies in the days leading up to Memorial Day; the poppy’s significance to Memorial Day is the result of the John McCrae poem “In Flanders Fields.” gatherings, and sporting events.

The National Memorial Day Concert takes place on the west lawn of the United States Capitol. The concert is broadcast on PBS and NPR. Music is performed, and respect is paid to the men and women who gave their lives for their country.

This weekend pleas make it a point to thank not only those that are serving or have served in our armed forces but thank the men and women that serve in our police and fire departments as well.

These people put their life on the line to keep you safe, let them know you appreciate it.

Construction defects seem to be at an all time high. AZ home inspectors are finding more and more issues every day.

The bank owned homes are frequently sold as is, so the question is, if the builder did it wrong, how long are they responsible for the defect?

New homes have sold at an alarming rate due to low interest rates and builder incentives, but how is the quality holding up.

On average 23% of the items found on a re-sale home inspection are items that the builder did improperly. This raises some questions.

Pop Quiz:

Q. When does the builders responsibility to the home owner end?

• 1. One year from the date of occupancy.
• 2. One year from the date of completion.
• 3. Two years from the date of occupancy.
• 4. Six years from the date of occupancy.
• 5. Eight years from the date of completion

A. 3. 2 years for negligence and Registrar claims (not the same), answer 4, 6 years for breach of express and implied warranty claims, but if not discovered during that time, then answer 5 a total of 8 years after completion.

The State of AZ has said that the builder owes an implied warranty of workmanship and materials and habitability in respect to the home. Kubby v. Crescent Steel, 105 Ariz. 459, 466 P.2d 753 (1970) (habitability) Nastri v. Wood Brothers Homes, Inc., 142 Ariz. 439, 690 P.2d 158 (1984). The state even went further and said that the builder cannot disclaim this even in writing. Hembree v. Broadway Realty & Trust Co., 151 Ariz. 418, 729 P.2d 288 (1986). This applies even if the builder was not building the house originally for resale, such as a model or for himself, Dilling v. Fisher, 142 Ariz. 47 688 P.2d 427 (1984). Even a disclaimer against the very item that is defective contained in the original builders agreement with the first buyer will not affect a successor buyer’s rights against the builder, Nastri, id..

The State has set a Statutes of limitation.

For construction law, there are probably three relevant statutes of limitations.

The first, for torts (like negligence), is governed by ARS 12-542, is a two year statute. A home owner can file suit for construction negligence up to 2 years after the date of discovery and a suit for implied warranty or express warranty (the latter where the builder is has issued a written guaranty—yes some actually do that and sometimes it is even more than the 8 or 9 years and thus it runs for as long as it states in writing) for up to 8 years after completion, not more than 6 years after discovery, but up to 9 years if the defect is discovered in the 8th year. Warranty claims allow for attorneys fees and other litigation costs.

Basically the Registrar of contractors only requires the contractor to come out one time in the first year to repair stucco and drywall, however the registrar requires the contractor to give the buyer a two year warranty on all other workmanship items.

The Registrar can also, CONCURRENTLY, have jurisdiction over the builder for compliance with the Minimum Workmanship Standards promulgated by the Registrar (vastly out of date), but there the only remedy is repair or licensure sanctions. No litigation costs can be recovered even by the winner. In addition, the Standards there are lighter than what are enforced by the Courts.

The second and third may need to be enforced by the consumer and/or the courts.

The second, an action in contract (for patent defects in workmanship and habitability) is six years pursuant to ARS 12-548.

The third is ARS 12-552, which provides a limitation of eight years after substantial completion of improvement to real property. However if the injury occurs in the eighth year (or was not discovered until then), an action may be brought within one year after the date of injury or discovery of the latent defect.

The law excludes some types of cases:  For example, Where claims relate solely to seeking recovery of monies expended for repairs to alleged defects that have been repaired by the purchaser.

The sooner defects are discovered the easier it is to have them corrected. We always recommend having your new home inspected by a company that will give you the evidence you need to motivate the builder to perform all of the repairs. This inspection my include forensic evaluation, Engineering, thermal imaging (infrared) and more.

If you need a home inspectior or require assistance finding out what is wrong with your Arizona Home, please contact us to perform your Arizona Home inspection

This article is for informational purpose only and is not intended to be legal advice. Always consult a legal representative before pursuing legal action.   J. Robert Eckley of Eckley & Associates  provided the information for this article and con be contacted at (602) 952-1177

E-mail eckleyandassoc@aol.com

When you are considering buying a home there are certain steps you should take to make sure the experience is a successful one.

Don’t get me wrong, there will be stress but you can reduce that stress by following these simple tips.

Hire a experienced Realtor, not just a real estate agent.

A Realtor has access to tools that other agents do not and they tend to have more education in real estate than other agents as well.
A Realtor has a code of ethics they need to follow and they have taken the time and money needed to join a professional association. In other words a Realtor is a real estate professional, not just someone that sells houses.

Select a few different agents and interview them, don’t just use someone because they are your sister’s, boyfriend’s, father. Ask them about their last transaction, ask if they work with buyers and sellers, how long have they been in the business, ask for referrals from past clients. This person is going to help you make one of the biggest investments of your life, find someone you can relate to and trust.

Pre-Qualify for your home. Don’t make large purchases on credit.

If you purchase a new car or home entertainment system it can reduce the available credit you have and prevent you from qualifying for the home you want. Wait, or you can pay cash for the item so it doesn’t effect your credit

Don’t get new credit cards before, (or right after)  you qualify for the loan, this will also reduce what you qualify for.

Find Your Home

Find the home you will be happy in for the next 5 years, Yes think about the future, if your planning on having children than that one bedroom condo will likely not work very well.

After you find the home check out the hidden fees, like the HOA, property taxes, etc. You may be surprised how different taxes can be from one county to another. For more information about hidden home expenses click here

Make sure the CC&R’s do not prevent you from using the home as you plan. Some places will not let you run a business from your home or they will not let your friends park on your street. Check this out before you buy.

Take photos of the homes you look at.

This will help you remember what you liked about each home as well as help you document what was installed in the home when you made your offer. Today there are a lot of people stripping appliances and ceiling fans as well as other things out of the home. Photos will help you prove what was there when you made the offer and will stop the he said, she said argument.

Hire a professional Home Inspector

Hiring a professional home inspector may be one of the single most important things you need to do.

You may be tempted to hire the inexpensive person, or just have a friend or relative do the inspection, but this is not the same as hiring a professional. Think of the inspector as a Doctor or general practitioner, they will examine the home and determine if it needs repairs or if there is a problem that needs a specialist, like a electrician or roofer.
Again you want someone that belongs to a professional association like ASHI (The American Society of Home Inspectors) or NAHI (The National Association of Home Inspectors) Both of these organizations have difficult tests, standards, ethics, as well as education and experience requirements. The important thing here is these organizations enforce their requirements, if you don’t get your continuing education every year they will remove you from their web site.

If home inspectors in your state is licensed you will want to verify the person you hire is in compliance with the local laws. Since the real estate market has dropped, many inspectors did not renew their state licenses however if they are called they still perform the inspections.

Check the cost of Home Owners Insurance

After you get the inspection contact your home owners insurance agent and see what the insurance is going to cost for this home.

There are several things that may show up on a home inspection report that can have a finical impact on your home owners insurance for example:

• Aluminum or knob and tube wiring instead of copper.

• Is there a swimming pool? Does the pool have a slide or diving board?

These things can make your rates jump and some companies have stopped writing policies on homes with Aluminum wiring or Knob and tube wiring. You don’t want to buy a home you can’t insure.

Many consumers believe that all home inspectors are licensed and trained. Nothing could be further from the truth. In most states, anyone can buy an occupational license and call themselves a home inspector. Less than a dozen states have licensing programs that require experience and recognized testing. Some states have minimal requirements. Caveat Emptor. You can find your state’s licensing requirements on the ASHI web site by clicking here In Arizona simply go to www.btr.state.az.us

For more information on how to hire an inspector click here

Have Additional Inspections and the appraisal performed

This includes Radon inspections, Mold inspections, Termite or pest inspections, EIFS inspections, Energy inspections, Thermal imaging etc. Your Professional home inspector may offer some of these services, however, again you need to check their experience and qualifications. Just because someone spent a few thousand dollars on a thermal imaging (infrared) camera, does not mean they know how to use it or interpret the images.

You will also need a professional appraisal, with all the bank troubles that have been in the news lately the bad appraisers have mostly gone away.

Attend the walk through and closing

At the walk through: Bring the photos from your first visit, verify the appliances and ceiling fans are the ones that were there when you made the offer. If the sellers agreed to repair issues identified on the home inspection, then you may want to call the inspector and get a re-inspection. I always suggest you ask for copies of the receipts for any work the seller had performed and I suggest you discretely call the contractors and make sure that they performed the work. There have been sellers that will get a bid, then do the work themselves, and write paid on the bottom of the bid they give you to make it look like the work was done by a licensed professional.

At the closing: Ask questions, this is the last chance you have to get answers. There will be countless documents that need to be signed, make sure you understand what they are before you sign them. If repairs were agreed to and they were not performed this is where some of the money can be set aside so those repairs can be completed.

The bottom line is hundreds of homes are sold across the US every day, working with professionals can make your home buying experience a pleasant one.

If you want more information about home inspections, what to look for in an inspector, common issues found during a home inspection or how to get your home ready for a home inspection click the links.

It’s warming up and my kids are already getting in the pool.

If you have a pool here are some simple pool tips that I hope will help you maintain your pool and keep your family happy and safe.

ROUTINE SWIMMING POOL MAINTENANCE:

TWICE A WEEK:
1. Check and maintain your Pool Chemicals Such as keep your ph. levels at 7.4 – 7.6.
2. Test and maintain the free available chlorine level at 1.0 – 3.0 ppm.
3. Empty the skimmer baskets and clean tile or pool water at water line with Pool Surface Cleaner, and skim leaves, insects and other floating debris from the pool surface.

ONCE A WEEK:
1. Shock the pool by adding one bag of Shock per 10,000 gallons. Additional shock may be needed after a rain storm, heavy bather load, or exceptionally hot weather.
2. Add a maintenance dose of Algae Preventative or to prevent algae growth.
3. Brush walls and use a pool vacuum to clean floors.

MONTHLY:
Take a water sample to your professional Water Testing Service or take a sample to your local pool supply store for a complete Swimming Pool Chemicals analysis. (Most swimming pool supply companies will do this for free)

MID-SEASON:
Clean your filter with Filter Cleaner Degreaser to remove any oils and grease that may have accumulated on your filter.
After using a Flock or Metal Remover wait 24 to 36 hrs. then use your Pool Vacuum to clean pool floor before swimming.
On Rainy or Windy Days Never Test your Pool Water using test Strips, or any test kit.

TEST THE WATER REGULARLY

The best time for testing your swimming pool water is at dusk. Remember if you are using test strips, when you open the container and get your strip do not dripped any water in the container or it will contaminate. Selects an area of the pool where there is no water coming back to the pool from the filter. You should dip the strip at elbow depth, wait 30 seconds and then compare the colors. If you’re using reagent type of a test kit selects a suitable area in the pool, and dip the tester elbow depth, put in the proper amount of drops and compare to the chart.

The next steps are very important to pay attention to. First wait at least four hours after swimmers have left the pool to perform your test. Try to test the water at least four times a week, you should wait at least 8 to 12 hours after a rain storm or a windstorm. Usually weekends are not a good time as your neighbors are mowing the lawn, fertilizing or other summer activities in which the contents of could get in your pool and affect the reading.
Should you get a pH reading of normal for three weeks or more and then suddenly you’re pH reading is either low are high, take no action until you can check it again in 24 hours. If you’re getting the same reading 24 hours later then make your adjustments. Remember small adjustments do not overdo it. Make your adjustments and test in six hours, and then repeat if necessary. Do not test immediately after putting chemicals in your pool, you should wait at least six to eight hours before testing.

Always keep safety in mind when installing chemicals, never put chemicals in all at the same time. Chemicals should be installed four to six hours apart. Never put calcium hydrochloride in a chlorinator especially with other chemicals such as Tricor or other types of chlorine tablets, this could cause an explosion. Never put chlorine shock in a skimmer as this will damage the internal parts of your filter.

It is best to shock your pool late on Sunday as it is most likely nobody will be swimming for at least 24 hours which is the recommended time to swim after shocking. Shocking your pool should only be done at dusk, this will give the shock time to take affect before the sun comes out. Install any algae inhibitors at least four hours before shocking this will give you the greatest affect.

LOOK FOR LEAKS

▪ Loose tiles or cracks in the pool deck may be an indication of a leaking pool.
▪ Cracks and gaps in the bond beam may be an indication that your pool is leaking. If you notice water-saturated soils in the area around the pool, pool pumps or plumbing, your pool may be leaking.
▪ If you see bubbles in the return water when the pool’s pump is running, it’s likely there’s a leak in the suction side of the filtration system.

If you have leaks contact you pool professional.

FILTERS
Cartridge Filters – When cleaning cartridge filters, soak them in a cleaning solution for 24 hours, then hose them off before reinstalling.

D.E. Filters should be disassembled and cleaned at least once per season.

Sand Filters – Is your sand filter 3-5 years old? If so, ask your pool professional if it’s time to replace the sand. If your filter pressure gauge indicates that pressure has dropped below the normal reading for a clean filter, check to see if you have a clogged pump or skimmer basket.

GASKETS, O-RINGS, & RUBBER FITTINGS
If your pool has a deck-mounted junction box, check the condition of the gaskets regularly–and replace as needed–to make sure the box cannot be penetrated by water.
When closing your pool for the season, coat all accessible o-rings, rubber fittings, and gaskets with a silicone O-ring lube to keep them from drying out.

HEATERS
To maintain your heater’s heating efficiency, follow a regular program of preventive maintenance, including annual inspection and de-liming of the heat exchanger when necessary.

LIGHTING
Check the lights for proper operation. Don’t forget to check the GFCI for the underwater pool light to make sure it is functioning properly

PUMPS
Turn the pool pump off before operating the multiport valve. If your pump starts running louder or making unusual noises, shut it off and contact your pool professional. If your pump motor hums but will not start, turn off the power and check to see if the impeller is clogged with debris.
Make a habit of checking and emptying skimmer and pump baskets regularly.

SKIMMERS
To prevent your skimmer basket from tipping over when the pump switches on or off, place a small weight or rock in the bottom (the weight must be larger than the suction pipe below the basket). Check to make sure the skimmer weir is in place and is moving freely. Make a habit of checking and emptying skimmer and pump baskets regularly.

POOL  SAFETY

Install barriers to make the pool or spa area safer and delay entry of unsupervised children. Fences should be at least four feet high with self-closing, self-latching gates, which are kept in good working order. Power safety covers or doors equipped with an alarm system or self-closing and self-latching devices are other effective safety features. While these measures do not replace supervision, they can prevent or detect access by young children to the pool. Use these barriers in “layers,” with each layer adding to the safety of the pool.

Don’t leave toys in the water: Toys could lure a child back when a parent is not present.

Enroll in a water safety course with your child: Your decision to provide your child with an early aquatic experience is a gift that will have infinite rewards.

Watch the weather: Know local weather conditions and prepare for electrical storms. Because water conducts electricity, stop swimming as soon as you see or hear a storm.

I hope these tips are helpful for you and I hope you have a safe and happy summer, If you have any questions about your pool or any other component of your home considering hiring a professional home inspector to check things out and provide you with recommendations for maintenance or repair.

For more information about Arizona home inspections or our other services please visit the Phoenix Home Inspection Web site

Scott Warga of ACSI American Construction Specialists & Investigations in Phoenix AZ. has been asked to teach two classes at the Inspection World Conference put on by ASHI, The American Society of Home Inspectors, in Atlanta Georgia in January of 2011.

The classes will be on construction forensics and expert witness as well as a class on social media for your business.

Scott has been performing Home inspections, as well as expert witness and construction consulting services full time for the last 5 years and has recently turned the focus of his marketing to social media with exciting results.

For more information about the conference go to www.ashi.org

It’s getting hot and last night my wife turned on the AC for the first time this year.

Do you ever dread that thought? Do you wonder if the unit will actually work the next time you flip the switch?

Here are some helpful tips to help your air conditioning unit last as long as it should.

• Change the filter every month. I don’t care if you use a two inch pleated or a one inch fiber filter, they both have the same amount of  air and particulates trying to pass through them. an easy time is every time you pay the electric bill, go change the filter.
• Clean the return air grill and filter box. Most people have vacuums with all kinds of fancy attachments they never use. Put one of those attachments on the vacuum and clean the grill in front of the air filter, then open the grill, remove the filter and clean the area behind it. (Now that the attachment is already on the vacuum, clean the ceiling fan blades too, you can’t believe the amount of dust on the top of some of the blades)
• Clean the area around the outside air conditioning unit. These units pull air through the sides and blow it out the top. Anything that restricts the air from flowing in the sides (or out the top) will make the unit work harder and reduce the efficiency. I recently was in a subdivision where the builder located the laundry dryer vent right next to the outside AC units, The units had lint restricting air flow on one side.
• Check the units clearances. Anything that restricts the airflow around the AC unit will effect its performance, make sure the clearance around the unit is at least what the manufacture recommends. If you get the model number off of the unit you can typically find the installation manual on line.
• Check to see what is above the unit. Anything less than five feet directly above the unit  can effect how the unit functions, this includes roofs, trees, structures etc.
• What drains on the unit.  This is one of the most controversial topics about air conditioning in Arizona. The outside unit is designed to be outside (duh) it can get rained on too, however most all manufactures put in the installation instructions not to place the unit under roof that will direct water on to or in to the unit. This make a lot of sense when you think about it. We have a balanced fan at the top of the unit blowing air up, in monsoon season we have a heavy rain and you have a huge section of roof diverting the water on to the spinning electric fan. I see units installed like this all the time and if they are over 5 years old they typically have already had the fan motor replaced, however homes where the units do not have the roof water draining on them don’t seem to need to have the fans replaced. You can decide if this is an issue you wish to address, it is not a difficult thing to correct, simply place a gutter at the roof that directs water away from the unit (and the foundation)
• Have the unit serviced on a regular basis, if your refrigerant is running low you may not know it but running the unit that way for a long time can reduce it’s life so have it serviced. It is typically cheaper to do this before it gets too hot outside.
• Check your duct work. Most of the homes in the phoenix area have flexible round duct work. Think of this duct has a hose that has air flowing through it. If the hose is kinked, pinched, restricted or not supported it will effect the amount of air that flows through it. I frequently see duct work improperly installed. Have a licensed contractor tune it up if needed. If you have not changed your filters on a regular basis you may want to have the ducts cleaned.

Remember when you purchase the home to have a home inspector look at the air conditioning, not just the unit but the ducts and registrars as well and verify that there is air flow in every room. For additional information about air conditioning .

For more information about Arizona home inspections or our other services please visit the Phoenix Home Inspection Web site

Everyone living in Arizona understands the importance of having a working air conditioning.  Having an AC that works is vital to surviving in this desert heat. If you are buying a home, it is vital that the home inspection company you choose does a complete inspection of your air conditioning units

If you are buying a home built prior to January 2006, you should invest in a home warranty package that covers your air conditioning units and find one that include a 13 SEER modification option. This is important for two reasons.

• The Department of Energy (DOE) mandated that all air conditioners manufactured and installed in the United States after January 2006 be 13 SEER. This is a 30% increase in efficiency over the current 10 SEER standard set back in 1992.
• As of January 2010 manufactures of air conditioners are prohibited from using R-22. The new environmentally friendly R-410A is now standard. This means if your compressor goes bad, you will have to get the new R-410A that cost significantly more than the R-22. Make sure your home warranty has this coverage available to purchase.



I recently read a blog post from the Phoenix Real Estate Guy about preferred vendor programs and it got me thinking about this again.

Why does someone refer someone else for business?

In the Home inspection business it could be for several reasons;

• The inspector is top notch, spends as much time as needed at the site and their report is easy to understand.
• The inspector is fair to the home and does not scare clients or kill deals.
• The inspector is a friend, or  family member.
• The inspector paid the real estate office to be on their preferred vendor program. Yes you read that right, it happens more than you think.

Arizona Home inspectors are regulated by the AZ. Board of Technical Registration (BTR) and the BTR strictly prohibits inspectors from paying to be on a preferred vendor list. However many Real estate offices and Home Inspectors get around this by calling it a joint marketing program. Just advertise in the offices relocation guide and we will allow you to put your marketing materials in our office. The BTR has also said this is prohibited if the number of inspectors that can advertise is limited.

The bottom line is not all referrals are provided because the person does the best job.

I track all my marketing and I have found a disturbing trend. There are several agents that have hired me to inspect their own home and referred me to their family members that do not refer me to their other clients.

Why is that? Why would there be a double standard when giving referrals?

If your looking for a home inspector, ask the agent if this is the inspector they would use on their own home. You can also get some additional tips by viewing How to hire a home inspector and feel free to read my other posts for some other tips and tricks.

For more information about Arizona home inspections or our other services please visit the Phoenix Home Inspection Web site

Home ownership, part of the American Dream, but if you don’t plan right your home could keep you up at night.

Did you get a professional Home Inspection? Great, now get out the report and read it. A professional home inspector will note the condition of many components of the home. They may tell you if the component is near the end of it’s life, if that is the case there are a few things you can do.

Research local home warranty companies.

There is a difference between home warranties and home insurance, your insurance is not going to fix the furnace or air conditioner when it quits at the worst possible moment.

Read the home warranty information completely. understand what they do and don’t cover and do not pay for the additional coverage unless you know exactly what it covers. I found one local company that will cover the air conditioning registers for an extra $60 a year. If a register fails you pay a $50 service call and they will come out and replace the $20 register. Yes that means you are going to pay $110 to replace a $20 register on the rare chance it should fail.

Don’t get me wrong, home warranties can be a good thing, I have one on my house. I have a 25 year old heat pump that I am just waiting for it to fail then they can replace it.

Budget for repairs.

Again look at the home inspection report and figure out what is going to need to be repaired soon, find out how much it will cost and start setting money aside now. When you have the money, it may be a good idea to have the item repaired or replaced before it fails. there are some pretty nice tax incentives to upgrade appliances these days and I would much rather decide when I am going to replace a water heater than wait till it floods the house.

Perform routine maintenance.

So many homes age before their time due to poor maintenance. There are several checklists online to help you decide what to look at, and even videos on You Tube that will show you how to perform the work. Don’t wait, do the little work while it is still little, if you fail to take care of the house it will come back to bite you in the end.

So what are you waiting for?

Go take care of your home so it will provide you years of comfort.

If you need someone to help you decide what needs to be done, call a ASHI Certified Home Inspector.

For more information about Arizona home inspections or our other services please visit the Phoenix Home Inspection Web site

The weather is beautiful and the weeds, insects and allergies are all going to try and keep you from enjoying it. don’t let them. Here are some simple tips you can use to help keep your home happy.

Check your exterior paint. Now is the time to fix it before it gets too hot.

Caulk the exterior, not just the joints around your doors and windows but also where the concrete joins with the perimeter of the home. This will help prevent moisture from entering those cracks and help keep the ants from using the concrete sidewalk or driveway as the roof to their new condo.

Check the weather stripping around the doors and replace it where needed. This nice weather isn’t going to last and you don’t want to be cooling the great outdoors this summer. (Did I sound like your mother?)

Check the wood trim around the windows and doors for damage. Use a screwdriver or ice pick and probe the wood, if it is damaged the metal will puncture it. Replace the damaged wood then caulk and paint.

Check out your roof. Look for birds nests, loose shingles or tile. You may not even need to go on the roof. Walk across the street and use a pair of binoculars to view the roof. Not only is it safer but it will make the neighbors wonder what your doing. (I don’t recommend looking at your neighbors roof with binoculars, they may not understand)

If you have gutters, clean them and make sure they are secure. If you don’t have gutters I would consider adding them. I see lots of damaged foundations that could have been prevented with gutters and downspouts directing the water at least 5 feet away from the home.

Change your air filter. While you are there, get out the vacuum and use the attachments to clean the box the air filter goes in as well as the accessible duct work.

Have the Air conditioning serviced now before it gets too hot and the contractors are too busy to get to you. While your at it check the outside of your air conditioning unit and make sure it is clean and free from debris and damage, dirty coils restrict air flow and end up costing you more money.

Trim the plants away from the home. This prevents the plants from damaging the home and keeps those pesky insects from using the branches as a bridge to get to the home.

Check out your toilets, place a few drops of food coloring in your tank and wait a few minutes to see if it drains into the bowl, if it does then it is time to change the flush valve or you will be wasting lots of water over the next few months.

If you need help determining what needs to be done, think about calling a home inspector. Unlike a contractor, the home inspector does not make money off of the repairs so they are likely to be a little more practical.

For more information about Arizona home inspections or our other services please visit the Phoenix Home Inspection Web site

I recently say another blog where someone commented that a home inspection should take about an hour and a half, I almost had iced tea come out my nose when I read that.

Buying a home is one of the biggest investments you will make in your life, and you want someone to check it out and tell you what the condition of the home and all it’s systems are. A quality inspector will take much longer than an hour and a half. Most homes that are under 2000 square feet will take 2.5-3 hours depending on the age and condition of the home.

I spend almost an hour on just the exterior and roof. I can’t imagine a home inspector passing off a one hour inspection as a professional job.

Arizona Home Inspectors (like many other inspectors) are required to follow a Professional Standards of Practice. These standards require the home inspector to observe and describe several components of the home and/or  their condition.

Fro example on the exterior they have to inspect the:

Wall cladding, flashings and trim

entryway doors, windows

Garage doors and their operators

Decks, balconies, stoops, stairs, areaways, and portches including railings

Eaves, soffits and fascias

Vegetation, grading, drainage, driveways, patios, walkways, and retaining walls with respect to their effect on the condition of the building.

We haven’t even gotten to the roofing section yet.

I looked at a home the other day and includes some of the photos here for your review.

The roof had several issues but there were hidden issues throughout the home.

The home had new carpet and new interior paint, this almost prevented me from seeing where the master shower had leaked under the living room wall.

The wood shingle roof was shot, the patio cover had a hole in it.

Tthe duct work in the attic was falling apart and you couldn’t see the duct work unless you crawled through the attic.

There were open electrical boxes in the attic as well as lights hanging from the wires.

The garage door opener was plugged into an extension cord that ran across the attic, through the ceiling and plugged into an outlet in the laundry room.

The bottom line is you should a professional home inspector to take 2.5-3 hours to inspect your home, longer if they are preparing the report on site.

One of my favorite advertising ploys is the big home inspection company that promotes the fact that they inspect over 400 item when they look at a home. Some will do the inspection in two hours and print the report on site. 400 items in 120 minutes, that is 7200 seconds or 18 seconds per item. How good do you think that inspection is.

I know many fine home inspectors and they will schedule their inspections 4 hours apart, it they get a home over 3000 square feet they might just schedule that one inspection for the day.

If you have a home inspector that is performing inspections in two hours or less, check to see how well they are insured, they are going to need it.

Hire someone that is educated, experienced, and ethical, or hire the cheap fast guy and after you move in you might find this in your attic.

For more information on how to select a home inspector or answers to other home inspection questions please visit our Arizona home inspection site.

If you are not in Arizona and you need a professional home inspector check out ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors

As an Arizona Home Inspector living in the valley of the sun one would think that window leaks are not a very common occurrence. unfortunately the opposite is true.

I see more and more homes with leaks around the windows all the time.

There are several different types of windows but since I live in the desert south west and aluminum framed windows are the norm, that is what I am focusing on in this blog.

There are several reasons for it. Poor drainage, blocked weep holes and flashing issues top the list, I will cover each of these items in a little more detail.

Most windows have weep holes. these are small openings at the bottom of the exterior side of the window that allows any moisture that makes it into the window track to drain back out. Sometimes when performing home inspections I notice these weep holes are blocked by dirt, debris (dead insects) or covered by shade screens. Sometimes they have been sealed by the home owner to prevent dust from coming in the hole. NEWS FLASH That dust will not cause damage to the home, failure to allow the moisture out will cause damage, you can damage the drywall, framing, baseboards, flooring, help create a mold issue and more simply because you didn’t want to clean a little dust.

I tell my home inspection clients to use the attachments on their vacuum cleaner to literally suck the dirt and debris out of the window track. (it works well on the air return grill also)

Another reason is Arizona desert doesn’t get much rain so many contractors either didn’t install window flashing or they didn’t install them properly. The flashing is what keeps the water out if it makes its way through the stucco or exterior cladding or maybe it simply enters between the window and the siding.

The flashing should be installed so it directs water back out of the wall. So if the flashing is above the window the building wrap (Tyvek or building paper) should be on the outside of the flashing however if the flashing us under the window, the wrap should be behind the flashing so the flashing direct water from the window back outside of the flashing. This picture shows flashing under a window that is installed backwards.

When I perform expert witness work we cut into the wall to investigate the damage and the leaks. I will mark the areas that are stained with chalk then spray test the exterior of the window and see if there are leaks and if the leaks are in the same areas as the stains. This picture is of a window that was being spray tested for about eight minutes before I took the photo. You can see the chalk and even see the drip splash as it hits the bottom of the wall. This home is about 5 years old.

If you want to know if you may have window leaks in your home there are some things you can do:

• Clean the windows and tracks, make sure the weep holes are not blocked.
• Look for stains around the sides and bottom of the windows and at the baseboard and carpet tack strip as well.
• Hire someone with a thermal imaging camera to inspect the home right after a rain or spray test the windows and have either thermal imaging or destructive testing performed by competent qualified contractors.

Thermal imaging is a great tool if used correctly but the operator needs to have proper training and a firm knowledge of building science before they perform the testing. If the wall is dry the camera will not show leaks, if the water is not in contact with the inside of the sheet rock the camera will not show it either. I have spray tested windows and waited over an hour before the moisture made it through the exterior cladding, insulation and came in contact with the interior surface, therefore the only way to know absolutely is to open the wall.

I understand that scares some people but some are even more shocked when I open a wall and show them what is inside.

Mold and rot in wall from window leak

Rotted wood removed by hand

If you have questions or comments about how to find window leaks, how to find a competent inspector or what to do when you have window issues please feel free to contact me through our Arizona Home Inspection Website

Lately my job stinks.

I am not talking about the economy (however that may that is part of it) I am not talking about my boss (I’m self employed) I am talking about odors. The kind of smells that make your nose hair curl.

I have been called out on several cases lately that have to do with odor, here are some examples.

1. Moisture causes mold and mildew in a custom home and it stinks. They hired someone to remove the damaged material and perform repairs but they forgot to stop the moisture. Now the smell is back (so is the mold)

2. Office space that has moisture coming up through the slab, they have plastic chair mats at the desks that prevent the carpet from drying and the mildew smell will turn your stomach, for some reason people don’t want to work in this environment.

3. A preschool that has sewer odor entering the building to the point that the City actually closed the place one day this year due to hydrogen sulfide levels. The owner of the building keeps applying band-aids to the problem instead of identifying and fixing the issues.

4. A Arizona Home Inspection where the 4 year old water heater has been sitting and the sulfur smell (rotten eggs) is so bad that when I turned on the hot water the agent ran out the door and refused to come back in.

What do all four of these places have in common? (No I don’t mean the fact that they stink)

All of these issues could have been addressed with proper planning, all can be repaired easily with a simple process, Identify the source , (Mold, bacteria, etc) Identify the cause, (Moisture, sewer vents, anode rod in a water heater) plan repairs that address the cause and the source.

This is where most people fail, they treat the symptom and not the cause of the problem, then the problems come back. Honestly, many times the reason they take this short cut is to save a few dollars. I need to tell you that doesn’t work. Not when you figure that the problem will return, you will be paying to fix it again, these issues tend to get worse with time and you lose valuable time dealing with the issue over and over.

Many time the problem comes down to building science, how do the different building components work with each other. For more information on that see our blog on Building science.

Over the years I have learned lots about building science as well as home and building construction and inspections but this is the first time I can remember where I can honestly say my job stinks.

It is so easy a home inspector can do it.

Here is my dream. One day people will search for home inspectors on the internet, when they do I will be the first one they see. They will call me and I will book lots of inspections.

Money flows in and I hire others so my wife and I along with our family can travel and help others.

To make your own go to http://www.youtube.com/SearchStories

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