Part of the caption from an ad promoting IR services:
[size=5]*" *[size=1][size=5]This is what home inspectors can not see. *The *[/size][/size]wall studs are horizontal instead of vertical and the roof truss is installed improperly going the wrong direction. This home was inspected and passed by a home inspector, they can’t see what we can." [/size]
If the wall studs are horizontal, what supports the roof???
RUN!!! RUN!!! RUN!!! It’s not safe!!!
IMO, the HI field will get worse instead of better as we release more "newbies’ into the public with hardly a clue of what’s going on!!!
This inspector was trained by ITC (Infrared Training Center) (the best)
according to their web page , but if the course certification does not
have an emphasis on home inspections… anything can slip through the
cracks.
Just knowing how to point and shoot the IR camera does not mean you
know what the building is trying to tell you.
This inspector was certified by INACHI (the best from what I hear) according to their web page , but if the online certification does not
have an emphasis on proctored tests and mentored home inspector training… anything can slip through the cracks.
Just knowing how to pass an online certifcation does not mean you
know what the building is trying to tell you.
Your right… it takes both infrared training with an emphasis on home inspecting
to fill the void. I know lots of inspectors who took IR classes without
the proper balance and they struggle to this day.
By picking out one inspector, out of thousands, and making that into an
indictment against InterNACHI would be as dumb as me picking out one
Canadian inspector from their association, who made a mistake, and
saying that all Canadian inspectors in that association have flaws.
I just talked to the owner of the web site and he said the studs were on 5 foot centers
and runners where added going horizontally. It was built post war and was not
proper construction. His choice of words could have been better IMHO, but
he sounded like he found a good catch.
Because it does not meet today’s codes structurally does not mean it’s not proper construction. This building has withstood the test of time…something that’s been added to HI training up here. If it’s not sagging in floor/roof lines, is plumb and level and not racking, what’s the problem?
Examples:
The house I learned a hell of a lot on and that really got me into the HI industry in the early 1980’s was 180-200 years old when I bought it. It stands very straight and an experienced insulation contractor thought it was only 60-70 years old when he visited. The rafters are 4 foot on center. To build this house today, I would have to have a structural engineer stamp a set of plans but it’s been in place now for 205-225 years (the family I bought it from bought it back from me when I moved here). Drove by it a couple months ago on the way to an inspection nearby. (Still get paid to go back to inspect there although not been living there for 16 years.)
The above mentioned house I inspected a couple months ago was a complete shocker again. It was the same vintage and style as the one I renovated. This house was about 3 miles up the road from my old 200+ years house. Upon arrival, I noticed it had a slight sag in the roof but nothing to be really concerned with initially as it comes with the age of the house sometimes. The floors were sagging a bit…4’ on center joists but the rafters floored me…6 feet on center!!! I had to get my camera and tape measure out for this!!! A bit of re-supporting had been done in the new basement for the main floors but the roof was never touched…it has withstood the test of time!!! (and this is in one of the windiest areas around…no tornados though))
The city I now work in has a couple of areas full of post WWII housing built on gov’t grants/subsidies/loans to veterans. The floor systems in some bugalow style homes is doubled 2"x6" joists every 5’ with 2"x4" joists @ 16" OC hung perpendicular to the 2-2"X6" joists. Hardwood flooring is nailed directly to the whole floor joist system with no subfloor. The first time I saw one of these systems 15 years ago, (these homes were 40+ years old then) I was concerned but the longer I was onsite inspecting I felt there were no problems…as I pondered longer, I came to the conclusion it must have been an engineered system to save $$$$ for a money stressed postwar gov’t…proved to be the right conclusion. Did one of these about 2 months ago…still no problems!!!
The Test of Time has a place in home inspection!!!
Where the industry will run into trouble will be with the individual inspector crowing that his IR equipment makes him a SUPER inspector, merely because he has one.
Proper use of this equipment is critical. Focused application is also critical. Properly setting the client’s expectations is most critical.
Just trying to help you.
Isn’t ITC the company that had courses for 995.00 than lowered their price to 500.00, for anybody that was willing to pay nick for his instant HI and IR certification’s, all others are still required to pay the 995.:roll: :roll:
I figure if thats their game plan, to offer a course at 1/2 price to a select group, they have been either ripping other customers off, or were not getting any customers, or their course was never worth what they were asking, or they just figured out nacho inspectors would be the only ones gullible enough to take their course for another instant certification anyways.
Dan, again I implore you to get a freakin’ life. You must be pretty lonely to have nothing better to do than to slam people who are trying to improve things.
And one data point is an anecdote, not statistically significant.
Brian, just because something was OK in the past does not ensure that it is OK now. You sound like a Realtor who, after the inspector pointed out a real stupid defect, states “Well, it has been ok for 10 years! Who are you to say it is wrong?”
If iNACHI is going to claim the best education and CEs and standards, then we really should start policing ourselves. If a member posts silly things, does that not bring shame and derision on all iNACHI inspectors?
Does that apply to the ones that claim to know it all, only to have their expert knowledge proven wrong by non members, time and time again:twisted: :twisted: :twisted:
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Spare me the long sermon on your great knowledge.
The man said there were some defects in the way it was
functioning and this was just one of the items regarding
the wall. We are all home inspectors here so please
understand that we are familiar with your valuable insights.
NO… ITC stands for Infrared Training Center is the training provider
for FLIR. ITC is considered the one of the finest training providers
in the world. I will give them credit where credit is due.
You are thinking of another vendor. Market pressures and volume
can also cause someone to lower prices and still make the same
money. I will explain it to you some day.
