Dear Barry,
I’ve got two general complaints against home inspectors. The last two inspectors I hired inspected the roofs from the ground only, and neither reported any defects. That’s problem number one. I have also found that home inspectors won’t admit to errors made during their inspections. When problems are discovered after the purchase, they often dismiss them as “normal conditions.” For example, when I found that my main water-shutoff valve was leaking, I called my home inspector, and he said that was normal. How would you rate this kind of performance? –Gary
Dear Gary,
Some home inspectors are definitely more professional than others, and your inspectors have apparently been on the lower end of that spectrum. All home inspectors miss a random sampling of property defects. That’s the human aspect of doing business. But when errors and omissions are discovered, inspectors should respond in a forthright manner, rather than making excuses. That is the honest and acceptable standard in any business.
Inspecting a roof from the ground is little better than not inspecting it at all. Walking the roof, or at least inspecting it from atop a ladder, is essential to performing an adequate evaluation. The only acceptable excuse for not walking on a roof is inaccessibility due to steepness, height, roof type, or weather conditions. When a roof-walk is not possible or is deemed unsafe — when it might cause damage to the roofing material or to the inspector — a ladder provides the second-best perspective. By placing it against the eaves, at various positions around the building, most roof surfaces can be reasonably viewed. If eaves are too high to accommodate a ladder, high-powered binoculars provide the only means of adequate roof inspection from the ground.
Common roof defects of all kinds can go entirely unnoticed when viewed from the ground. Examples of unapparent roof problems include weathered and worn shingles, cracked tiles, displaced tiles and shingles, rusted flashing, packed gutters, and much more. This is a matter of common knowledge among home inspectors, leaving no plausible excuse for those who perform ground-view roof inspections. Home inspectors who compromise the quality of their work in this way should clarify this in their reports by stating that the roof inspection was limited in scope and that further evaluation of roofing conditions is recommended before the property purchase is completed.
Dear Barry,
Our house is about 15 years old and has a brick fireplace. Whenever it rains hard and long, the bricks get wet and water sometimes drips into the firebox. How should we address this problem? –Jackie
Dear Jackie,
The solution to fireplace leakage depends upon the specific cause of the problem. It there is no chimney cap, the solution may be simple: Have an approved cap installed by a qualified fireplace specialist. If there is a design flaw in the fireplace construction, evaluation by a qualified expert is necessary to determine what repairs are needed. This can be done by a licensed masonry contractor or other fireplace specialist.
To write to Barry Stone, please visit him on the Web at www.housedetective.com.
