It hard to not be a home inspector

[Charley L. Bottger]

Had two calls yesterday for my B-Cam water intrusion.

Water restoration company called for me to scan two projects and preform mold air test on their job sites. One home was a two story with partial basement that had flooded from water intrustion thru the raised foundation area of the home into the basement. The restoration company had already performed the abatement and I was there to do the mold sample clear.

To make a long story short I was looking inside a return air duct that had the grill removed and the home inspector came out in me could not help my self. This return air chase traveled from the basement where the furnace was located and had the flue pipe from a 80% gas fired furnace traveling inside of the return duct all of the way to the roof.

This was very visible from the furnace location in the basement where this flue was traveling and there had been a full house Home Inspection just performed on this home (not by me). My point being the water intrusion was very visible from the crawl space and this flue problem was very visible also. Me thinks some home inspector is probally in trouble.

Two part question here would you as an inspector rat your brother out or would you help police the home inspector industry from inspectors that should not be inspecting homes.

I would state that I personally believe in the police policy. What is your take.

[Barry Adair]

Mentor or nut cutter, it's your call.

Mentoring is easier to live with and any bridges burnt today will never again be traveled or accessible if and when necessary.

Education is not policing and I don't have the time to be a self appointed zealot.

I will always try to make time, as others have done with me, to share knowledge.

[Charley L. Bottger]

Originally Posted by badair

Mentor or nut cutter, it's your call.

Mentoring is easier to live with and any bridges burnt today will never again be traveled or accessible if and when necessary.

Education is not policing and I don't have the time to be a self appointed zealot.

I will always try to make time, as others have done with me, to share knowledge.

Its hard to mentor your competition don't mind on this board sharing info at all but you guys don't live next door. I would say though if my competition did call for info I would help them. I don't have the time either to follow them around. A person should seek education seek it out you don't have to just hope your mistakes never catch up with you.

[Mathew Hawley]

Barry,

Well said.

[Doug Edwards]

I would have to ask myself that if I see anything that is unsafe with the potential of someone waking up dead "Is it my responsibility to at least inform someone?" (and document whom I informed and the time/date). An exhaust flue inside of the HVAC return air is a disaster waiting to happen. Earlier this month I saw a TV clip in the news of a faulty water heater at a college resulted in 5 girls being found T.U. and unconscious from CO and others suffering from the effects of CO poisoning. Most water heater flues are put together about half *****ed anyway and the reality of having a flue leaking CO inside the air return is better than 50% odds. Essentially what you have is a "cross connection" where poison air is being transported thru something that is supposed to distribute clean air for the buildings occupants. Your call, I know what I would do. If any offended HI called me I would probably just explain the facts and if he/she couldn't deal with it, they could go pee up a rope. Rather that than read or hear later someone had obtained room temperature because of the situation. BTW, good catch. There are many HI that would not have noticed that.

[Bruce M. Graham]

last one in buys the first round

Red Tag it and save a life.

[Charley L. Bottger]

Originally Posted by dedwards

I would have to ask myself that if I see anything that is unsafe with the potential of someone waking up dead "Is it my responsibility to at least inform someone?" (and document whom I informed and the time/date). An exhaust flue inside of the HVAC return air is a disaster waiting to happen. Earlier this month I saw a TV clip in the news of a faulty water heater at a college resulted in 5 girls being found T.U. and unconscious from CO and others suffering from the effects of CO poisoning. Most water heater flues are put together about half *****ed anyway and the reality of having a flue leaking CO inside the air return is better than 50% odds. Essentially what you have is a "cross connection" where poison air is being transported thru something that is supposed to distribute clean air for the buildings occupants. Your call, I know what I would do. If any offended HI called me I would probably just explain the facts and if he/she couldn't deal with it, they could go pee up a rope. Rather that than read or hear later someone had obtained room temperature because of the situation. BTW, good catch.
There are many HI that would not have noticed that.

Thanks Doug I would have rather cut my arm off than left that home with out
saying something about the dangerous situation and I did.

[Brian E. Kelly]

Doug called it perfect Charley.