Caution to home buyers

[Old Faithful]

Sorry to read, but it happens everyday. Few home inspectors hold a current license in any trade. They may have used to though in one trade or the other. As a HI, they just have a good "general" knowledge of the workings in a home.

And most every HI report will have a disclaimer on their report, stating they are not liable for anything happening or being faulty on the property...post inspection.


So in anyone's case of hiring a HI, expecting them to "size" up a homes HVAC load, electrical load, water usage load, heat loss etc...to see if they are adequate is expecting too much of them. They just turn the water on, run the heat and ac to see if it works. And never stay long enough in very hot or cold temps probably, to see if any system will pass the "added" load tests.

Only a individually hired expert in these fields/trades can give the prospective buyer these unknowns about a property, they may be making an offer on.

And if a person want this much specific information about a home, they will have to pay an independent contractor to get it for them. JMO

Right on.

You cannot find everything in a 4 hour visual examination and it's simply impossible to determine in-depth technical details in the course of a home inspection. Besides, courts recognize that it's unreasonable to expect that from a home inspection. That's why home inspectors always say, if there is something suspicious or if you wish to know more, have the item/system analyzed by the appropriate specialist experts. And yes, you will have to bear the costs and will have to expect sellers to flatly refuse you proceed, if the testing entails risks, unless you assume full responsibility for any damage that could result (like a burnt compressor in this case).

How do I know? Been in that business for 25 years [emoji6]

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[danski0224]

You cannot find everything in a 4 hour visual examination and it's simply impossible to determine in-depth technical details in the course of a home inspection.

Yes, but it is NOT impossible to pick out glaring, real issues, should they present themselves.

I've seen it over and over again.

Big stuff not even mentioned in the inspection report (don't break the deal, so let's not notice these cracked floor joists), while lots of attention is lavished to little things (OMF'nG... no GFCI in the kitchen).

In my opinion, the home inspection industry is mostly a scam.

 

[McFarmer]

Right on.

You cannot find everything in a 4 hour visual examination and it's simply impossible to determine in-depth technical details in the course of a home inspection. Besides, courts recognize that it's unreasonable to expect that from a home inspection. That's why home inspectors always say, if there is something suspicious or if you wish to know more, have the item/system analyzed by the appropriate specialist experts. And yes, you will have to bear the costs and will have to expect sellers to flatly refuse you proceed, if the testing entails risks, unless you assume full responsibility for any damage that could result (like a burnt compressor in this case).

How do I know? Been in that business for 25 years [emoji6]

Sent from my Lenovo TAB 2 A10-70F using The Garage Journal mobile app

I guess you're right, I've never bought a house, never gave home inspections much thought.

I suppose a conclusion to this might be how is a buyer best able to determine if the HVAC system is reasonably sized ? As in, boy, that's too small. Or, should be about right. Or man, there's plenty of capacity there if you ever add on.

Not to get into the minutiae of the whole industry but be able to put it into one of those three categories?

Thanks everyone. Hopefully she won't see -30 for a while.

 

[GTO]

I don't know if this has been posted before,but If you're looking at real estate these days,please do yourself a favor and take a trip down to your local tax office and search for the last transfer.
Everybody is a home builder these days....stay away from anything purchased within the last 12 months.

 

[JRC3]

I don't know if this has been posted before,but If you're looking at real estate these days,please do yourself a favor and take a trip down to your local tax office and search for the last transfer.

Take a trip? Everything is at your fingertips right down to PDFs of every deed from over the past 20+ years or so. You can even search the clerk of courts for foreclosures and any debts owed by or any illegal activities of the previous owners.

Everybody is a home builder these days....stay away from anything purchased within the last 12 months.

Why? There are plenty of quality companies out there who turn homes and do proper work just like any builder. Not every foreclosure is bought to flip by some inexperienced or cheap Joe Blow with just enough cash to buy it and just enough credit to get it done by cheaping out.

I've been through plenty of foreclosure and flips, I've seen just as much proper work as shoddy ****...And I actually know what to look for.

 

[Jim greengo]

Take a trip? Everything is at your fingertips right down to PDFs of every deed from over the past 20+ years or so. You can even search the clerk of courts for foreclosures and any debts owed by or any illegal activities of the previous owners.


Why? There are plenty of quality companies out there who turn homes and do proper work just like any builder. Not every foreclosure is bought to flip by some inexperienced or cheap Joe Blow with just enough cash to buy it and just enough credit to get it done by cheaping out.

I've been through plenty of foreclosure and flips, I've seen just as much proper work as shoddy ****...And I actually know what to look for.

 

[Jim greengo]

So I get a call from a buddy last night because his furnace shuts down and it's giving him code "bla-blah" and another code that it's locked out for 15 minutes. I tell him to cycle the power and of course I tell him to pull the filter, that's when I hear, "holy ****..." Said it been in there for a "few months" (my guess more like 6). He has a wood fireplace, two dogs, and has been remodeling and just finished the drywall in one of his bathrooms. What could go wrong?

 

[Jim greengo]

So whats the static like with this setup Vs 1 proper filter ?

If only the first filter does the work, why put more in there? Enlight me.

To fill in the gap in the oversized filter rack,like said several times already.
You could always build a smaller rack if you have access to the parts.

 

[justinjoyal]

To fill in the gap in the oversized filter rack,like said several times already.

You could always build a smaller rack if you have access to the parts.

Instead of getting the right filter ? Oh well..

Ever measured static pressure ? I’m curious.

 

[850xpeps]

Instead of getting the right filter ? Oh well..

Ever measured static pressure ? I’m curious.

Why do that when you can stack filters because it’s an oversized rack and the smaller ones are cheaper.

Now I don’t know if most systems or even mine would meet the designed static pressure. But I would like to think that I put enough effort out into picking the proper head guy who designed my system with the appropriate filter in mind. And obviously the balancing aspect.


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[walta]

This is no longer true!

My Rheem Heat pump is set to lock out the strip heat above 2° and when it got down to -6° the strip ran 3 cycles for a total of 1 hour on low.

You will need to pay for a variable speed compressor and electronic expansion valves to get this kind of performance.


Walta

Agree, heat pump down here in the south does nothing but run the compressor when it is below freezing. Need Aux strips to fire up.

 

[Jim greengo]

Instead of getting the right filter ? Oh well..

Ever measured static pressure ? I’m curious.

I've never had a problem doing it,use the blue filters for fillers.
They have no resistance to anything smaller than a freaking baseball anyway.