Lead Safety for Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP)
How to Perform Energy Audits
I would like to know why these two courses are required on my education list when neither apply to my home inspection business, neither apply to my country, province or district regulations, nor do either properly educate me as a home inspector in Canada to what the governing bodies here do require. Nick has repeatedly and loudly proclaimed judgment against the out of date and misinformation supposedly proffered by Carson Dunlop in their courses. Yet, yet here for the Canadian home inspectors InterNACHI commits the same transgression. I believe that there must be some recognition in course content that HUD among other US governing bodies plays no part in Canadian home inspection and courses based on the Us requirements are ill fitting if not downright misleading for Canadian home inspectors. Frankly, if InterNACHI requires these courses be completed by me prior to my membership renewal this year I will have to rethink my membership. Let me know it is due tomorrow.
Copy of email sent to fastreply
posting for comments re education requirements.
I have completed all the other courses on my list, even the ones that do not apply to my business, but I chose to ignore these two courses for the reasons stated in the email. Now I am going to be cut off if I do not complete them? Guess I will find out soon as I have no intention of contributing funds to be told to bad you didn’t complete the list your out.
A little short sited, don’t you think? (short term pain, long term gain…)
Take or even review the Lead Safety for Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) course and at minimum you will come away with some important information for your clients and yourself. I know I did.
Even though it is US based EPA type course I believe this course applies here in Canada and would be especially important to you in the Muskoka area as homes there that you are inspecting are more than 40 to 50 years old and fall into this category of concern.
As for the energy audit course, it may not apply in your “cottage” area inspections but is also a good course to review and broaden your horizons (and knowledge)!!
Your choice but I think they are good courses to take.
Paul
Bruce while you are at it… I don’t believe that the Radon course ( not one inspector that i know has ever tested for radon) or the energy audit course (license required i believe) are applicable in Ontario/Canada and are not part of any standard home inspection but are a specialized area…IMHO
I will take the courses though as you can never know too much. As far as the lead testing (PAINT) I always keep a kit in my truck when I find out perspective buyer has children I ask them if they would like the test done for an additional charge…of course.
Example: http://www.homeperformance.com/ontario-training-course-for-home-eco-energy-auditor-certification
Yes reviewing a course and or taking one,that does not apply for interest sake or just for knowledge is a good idea. I have done so with many of the courses here and outside InterNachi. As example the pool course here. I know I am never going to delve into that deep end as I have close family that is in the business but I did the course anyway. It does apply to pools everywhere. The information on lead itself is important, A simple swab test may be useful to a client of mine also but this course is a 20 + hr credit because most of the information within the course deals with requirements for control and work place determined by HUD which is useless to me. I believe it is unfair to require it as a part of the course list. I believe for Canadian Inspectors it should be either moved to the optional side or a separate course made for Canada. The same for Energy audits course, either it should reflect accurately the requirements in Canada, perhaps even by province, as some provinces may require accreditation in this field or it should be moved to the optional list.
I personally have no interest in doing this type of testing as the only time anyone in Ontario has an energy audit done is when the government puts on a program and tax rebate for it. No Thanks I don"t need the paperwork.
Ps I am awaiting the results from a lab right now (test samples went in Monday) for a radon test. Client called me specifically for test. I admit I don’t do them often but I do get calls for them and yes the process is the same here as in the US so I have no complaint about taking that course.
This just in in my email, according to Nick “its just an auto pusher”. From that I take it that the program notifying us is not case specific and some discretion would be used regarding tossing someone out for not completing courses. At least that is what I hope it means.
So you have done radon testing Bruce …I am on that course then…I don’t expect much action but I will comply. Allot of homes up here have either a crawl space, no space (slab on grade) or not even a foundation (cottage built on sand…yes you are reading correctly).
I realize that lead paint and remediation must be dealt with in the proper manner such as mold, vermiculite, asbestos…but a 20 hour course! Here is what our government says about lead paint and remediation (not 20 hrs worth) http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/prod/paint-peinture-eng.php
I don’t get the “auto pusher” meaning it is just a course that they “want” you to take but not really necassary?