Dear Barry,
Do you research the issues you write about before answering people’s questions, or do you simply shoot from the hip. In a recent column, you spoke about a home inspector’s liability for unreported safety violations involving a water heater flue pipe. In the article, you failed to mention that home inspectors are not required to cite code requirements or even to know what a flue pipe is. You should have explained that inspections are for informational purposes only. Inspectors cannot certify anything. They can only state opinions. Buyers should hire licensed experts to verify the true extent of defects, rather than relying on generalist home inspectors. How about some honest clarity? – Chris
Dear Chris,
A measure of “honest clarity” is definitely in order. To begin, our respective views of home inspection are not as divergent as your comments imply. We, in fact, share some points of agreement – in substance, if not in demeanor. However, some of your opinions are sorely misinformed; hence, the need for clarity.
Home inspectors, as you point out, are not required to cite building codes, and it is not their job to “certify” aspects of a building or its components systems. But that is where the agreement ends and the clarification begins.
The purpose of a home inspection is to report visible defects. Such disclosures, as you noted, are statements of opinion. But it should not be assumed that these opinions are merely subjective viewpoints. When reported by a truly qualified inspector, opinions are professional findings that are substantive and verifiable – supported by visible evidence. If reported conditions warrant further evaluation and repairs by a licensed expert, the inspector’s job is to advance that recommendation.
When the defects reported by a home inspector involve building code violations, they are disclosed as conditions that warrant further evaluation or repair, without specific reference to the code. For example, common safety violations involving a water heater flue pipe include loose or detached connections, substandard piping, contact with combustible materials, venting near an openable window, and insufficient height above the roof. Each of these issues represents a violation of the plumbing or mechanical code, but home inspectors report them as “defects,” without citing the code by name.
As a final note, home inspectors do in fact “know what a flue pipe is.” Without such elementary knowledge, the practice of home inspection would not be possible.
Dear Barry,
My fireplace provides aesthetic warmth, but not much actual heat. I’d like to install a wood-burning insert and would like to know if this can be done safely in a mobile home? – Earlene
Dear Earlene,
Fireplace inserts, whether they are installed in mobile homes or in conventional dwellings, must be compatible with the built-in fireplaces into which they will be inserted. To verify compatibility, the manufacturers’ specifications for both fixtures should be consulted. But beware: The manufacturers of many fireplace inserts list their fixtures as being compatible with all existing fireplaces. Fireplace manufacturers, on the other hand, often disclaim such compatibility. Exceeding the design specifications of a fireplace can overheat the chimney, thereby posing a fire hazard.
For a combination that incorporates maximum fire safety, fixtures should be mutually compatible, in accordance with their specifications. A qualified professional installer can further advise you in this regard.
To write to Barry Stone, please visit him on the Web at www.housedetective.com.
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