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Specialty InspectionsSpecialty Inspections

Coalition Corner:Business training tools for HR staff, real estate licensees and other service professionals in the relocation and real estate industries

© 2005, Employee Relocation Council/Worldwide ERC® Coalition

Worldwide ERCWorldwide ERC®®’s’s Coalition thanks Dave Surette, SCRP, RAL Coalition thanks Dave Surette, SCRP, RAL Inspection Services, Westfield, IN for this editionInspection Services, Westfield, IN for this edition

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Program objectives

• This program supplements a monthly editorial feature in Worldwide ERC®’s Mobility magazine

• This segment will help relocation professionals to:

– Better identify some of the various types of conditions/materials that may require “specialty” home inspections beyond property, pest and/or radon

– Gain a better understanding of when/how/why such inspections may be prudent

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Types of specialty inspections covered…

• Mold

• Stucco

• Fiberboard siding

• Underground storage tanks (USTs)

•Asbestos

•Lead paint

•Structural

•Well/septic

•Pool/spa

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Mold

• Where required by relocation policy, only test when underlying moisture problem is present

• Homes with previous or current water problems, and/or with visible mold or fungus may need testing and remediation, to eliminate moisture source and remove mold/fungus

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Stucco

• All types of synthetic stucco are generally tested with two-phase moisture intrusion test, due to a high incidence of failure, usually not visible until serious damage has occurred

• Traditional hard coat stucco should be tested only when visible problem is present, such as:

– Improper flashing at windows/no kick-out flashing at roof/wall intersections

– Improper caulking at siding penetrations, such as doors or windows

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Fiberboard siding

• Composite fiberboard siding should be inspected for signs of moisture damage at ends and edges

• Can often absorb moisture if improperly installed, possibly expanding, rotting, and/or delaminating prematurely

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Underground storage tanks (USTs)

• Normally found at oil-heated homes

• Can and frequently do leak after 10 years

• Active USTs should be tested

• Abandoned USTs may need to be removed, regardless of condition

• Replaced USTs ideally should be moved to alternative locations, such as:– Basements– Utility sheds– Garages

• If UST must be replaced in ground, a double-walled tank or concrete tomb should be used

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Asbestos

• Homes built before 1978 may have asbestos in some building materials, such as:– heating pipes– duct systems – floor/ceiling tiles

• Suspected asbestos, especially if friable (easily crumbled by hand) or located in high-impact area may need to be tested

• Samples are taken to lab for analysis – and, if positive, either encapsulated or removed by licensed contractor

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Lead paint

• Houses built before 1978 may have lead paint and whether tested or not, require a federal lead disclosure form

• Even if tested, the disclosure form needs to be presented to potential buyer or rental tenant, along with the test results

• Most single-family homes are not tested unless children are involved and elevated lead is suspected, especially at high-impact areas like doors and windows

• Testing should be performed by licensed contractors, using x-ray fluorescence scanners and risk assessments conducted to determine appropriate remediation

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Structural

• Structural inspections are very common in areas with expansive soils, and are normally required when a home inspector, agent or appraiser has noticed such conditions as:

– bowing– twisting– sagging– cracking– heaving, or– something that is not level

• Further evaluation by a licensed professional engineer is recommended

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Well/septic

• Well water testing is becoming increasingly common, and more often required by local and/or state laws

• Water samples are sent to state-licensed labs, and checked for coliform and nitrates (at a minimum)

• Depending on state, water tests can include up to a dozen parameters

• Be sure testing meets local requirements

• Septic inspections should also meet local/state requirements, which increasingly require “full invasive” testing, vs. traditional visual and dye testing

• Full invasive testing requires septic tanks to be:– Exposed– Pumped– Visually inspected by licensed contractors

• Massachusetts currently has the strictest requirements with Title V, with other states beginning to follow

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Pool/spa

• Most homes with pools and/or spas will have a company under contract to service/winterize them, and to whom inspections can be outsourced

• Pools that are more than 5 years old should be inspected

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In summary

– While by no means an exhaustive list, these are some of the types of inspections that relocation professionals may encounter

– While relocation professionals are cautioned not to “over inspect,” any of these types of inspections may be prudent, depending on the property and circumstances