[size=2]To hot too test the furnace… Cookie
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BARRY STONE: INSPECTOR’S IN THE HOUSEFurnace must be checked even in the summertimeContra Costa Times
Contra Costa TimesArticle Launched:08/19/2007 03:05:52 AM PDTQ: When I purchased my home, it was the middle of the summer and very hot, so my home inspector did not test the forced-air furnace. Months later, when the cold weather arrived, I found the heater to be inoperative, and the contractor I called said the system is unsafe. The repair costs are more than I can afford. Should I go after the inspector for negligence, the sellers for nondisclosure, or both?
A: The home inspector may or may not have been negligent, depending on what was stated in the inspection report. Furnace inspections are among the most important aspects of a home inspection because of the potential for hazardous conditions and the high costs of repair or replacement of equipment. Home inspectors should operate and inspect them, regardless of the weather. Unfortunately, some thermostats are unable to activate a heating system when the air temperature is above 90 degrees. But this does not mean that the furnace inspection should simply be dismissed.
If a home inspector, for any reason, is unable to operate a furnace, the inspection report should recommend reinspection prior to close of escrow or evaluation by a licensed heating contractor. If your inspector did neither, then he was negligent and could be liable for the cost of repairs. You should contact him in this regard.
Of equal concern is the question of disclosure by the sellers. If the heating system was inoperable before the property was sold and the sellers were aware of that fact, they should have disclosed this to all concerned parties. Failure to provide such disclosure could render them liable. On the other hand, it is possible that they had no knowledge of the problem. For example, if the home had been used as a rental or had been vacant for a prolonged period, the sellers may not have known that the furnace was inoperative. In any event, the sellers, along with the home inspector, should be notified that this problem has come to light.
Q: I am 68 years old, with relatively good health, and I am looking for another career. What about home inspection? I’ve just signed up for a seven-week course, beginning soon. Am I at that age where home inspection work is too demanding, or do you think I’ll be OK?
A: It depends on what shape you are in. How do you feel about crawling under houses, with barely enough room to move, or through an attic, snaking your way through trusses, ankle-deep in fiberglass insulation, while brushing dusty webs from your face? If those working conditions are acceptable, you’ve overcome the second worst aspect of home inspecting.
The real deterrent is the legal liability. Home buyers will base major purchase decisions on your findings. If you miss any defects in the course of your inspections (and all home inspectors do miss things; especially when they are new to the profession), you could be held liable. Aside from that, home inspection is a challenging and interesting way to make a living, even in the active years of early seniority. Barry Stone is a certified building inspector and nationally syndicated columnist based in San Luis Obispo. Write him via http://www.housedetective.com.
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A: Unless your a retired electrician with a winning personallity and your initials are RDC you just aren’t going to be able to pull it off. 