Part III, Testing Water Pressure

When the Standards of Practice changed for Texas Home Inspectors on February 1, 2009, a new inspection procedure was added as a requirement. Inspectors must now put in the Report the location of the water meter, the location of the main house shut off valve (when there is one provided), and record the water pressure present at the house at the time of the inspection. The new procedure is meant to provide further information for the client in their decision to purchase, as well as to help set a base-line measure in case plumbing problems occur in the house later.

If you are wondering what difference the water pressure makes, ask yourself if you prefer a lot of pressure when you take a shower, or just a dribble. If the pressure is too low, you have run back and forth in the shower to get wet. If it’s too high … Well, come to think of it, most folks like strong pressure in the shower.

So, what’s the problem? The folks who engineer and manufacture plumbing fixtures and fittings, design those fixtures for optimum performance between 40 and 80 psi (pounds per square inch). If the pressure is too high, the seals and seats and gaskets that make those things work like they are supposed to can (and do) wear out quicker. I was talking to a plumber recently about recording a reading of 110 psi at a recent house. he asked, “Have you ever seen what 110 psi will do to a toilet fill valve?” I did a search of the topic and came across this Chat site: Is my home’s water pressure (90 psi) too high?

Yesterday, February 4, 2009, I tested a house where the pressure was 135+ psi. The Buyer (my Client) was not a happy camper, but after we talked about options, he decided to proceed with the contract and ask the Seller to pay for the plumber to install a pressure reducer at the water meter. It’s reasonable request. That’s what we help our clients to do: figure out what to do next. We’re not trying to scare anyone, or sensationalize about anything we find. We just want to help you make the best decisions on how to proceed.

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Part II, Detailing the Deficiencies We Find

Standards of Practice for Texas home inspectors has changed as of February 1, 2009. This means a different set of rules for inspectors to follow in inspecting a house for you, but especially a raising of the bar across the home inspection industry. Also, inspectors will have a different form to fill out in reporting inspection findings.

In the new Property Inspection Report form, instead of reporting that a given item is “in need of repair” (a phrase that has been in wide use for a long time), inspectors will now list deficiencies. A deficiency can be a hazard, or a system or component that is not working properly, or an item that is in need of regular or ongoing maintenance.

“Deficiency” is defined as “A condition that, in the inspector’s reasonable opinion, adversely and materially affects the performance of a system, or component, or constitutes a hazard to life, limb, or property…” The Standards go on to say, “General deficiencies include, but are not limited to inoperability, material distress, water penetration, damage, deterioration, missing parts and unsuitable installation.” Deficiencies in the home are what Clients want to know from home inspectors. When folks are about to make a major purchase like buying a home, they want to know what might be wrong with the house. So, they hire a home inspector.

So, why would the language in the inspection process change? If something is in need of repair, why not say it is “in need of repair”? Well the short answer is: we can, and we will. But, if you think about it, not all the problems inspectors identify in a home inspection require repair. Some things are simply in need of upgrading or updating. Maybe this example will clarify. An electrical outlet in a kitchen of a 1975 home may be working just fine. But, as originally built, it would have had no ground fault protection provided. It was not required then. The electrical outlets don’t “repair,” they need to be upgraded, in order to properly protect the folks who use that kitchen from electrical shock.

At House Exam Inspection and Consulting, we’ve been letting you know about such things for years, way before it was required by the Standards. We serve our Clients and their home buying needs. We let you know what to expect if you buy the house we inspect for you. We’ll be honest and open with you. We work for you, and we don’t apologize for that. Buyers love us because we tell them what we see, and explain it in plain English. Realtors love us, because we don’t scare their clients with what we see. We explain things in a calm and rational way, so that folks have the facts they need to decide.

So, Call NOW (817) 797-2461, or click at the right to Schedule Your Home Inspection.

Part I, Changes in Home Inspection, February 1, 2009

Standards of Practice have changed for Texas inspectors. On February 1, 2009, inspectors must follow a new set of Standards AND use a new Property Inspection Report. This is the first in a series of articles designed to help you understand how things will change, and how those changes will affect Texas home Buyers, Sellers, Realtors, and home inspectors.

Some changes are relatively minor. For example, the capacity of a water heater now has to be reported. There is a blank for it on the report. Understand, most companies (such as House Exam Inspection and Consulting) provided this information all along. What’s the difference? Now ALL inspection companies will be required to do so. Why didn’t the other guys do it all along? Hmmmm.

Now, (after February 1, 2009) inspectors will have to tell you what kind of roof covering you have. We did that long ago. Inspectors will now have to tell you how much and what type of insulation is in your attic. If you read any of the Sample Reports provided on this site, you’ll see that we’ve thought you needed to know that all along, and told you how much and what kind.

Don’t misunderstand, we’re glad everybody has to do all this reporting. But, at House Exam Inspection and Consulting, we have been providing service above and beyond the Standards of Practice for a long time. It’s our promise to you, that we will continue to provide you with more information than required, so that you can make the most confident decision possible about that home purchase. With our Reports, hundreds of our Clients have re-negotiated for hundreds of thousands of dollars in costly home repairs before they closed on purchases. Sound good?

Call NOW (817) 797-2461 or click over there on “Schedule Your Home Inspection”

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Tags: attic insulation type, home inspection reporting, new inspection report forms, roof covering, water heater capacity