Last month we had a meeting with local Utah inspectors and the topic came up with turning on the utilities on a vacant home. I sat in amazement listening to inspectors say that they turned them on all of the time. One particular inspector talked about how high his comfort level was with doing it because he used to be employed by the relocation companies to winterize and dewinterize the HUD housing.

The conversation continued and I admitted to turning on gas for the occasional shut down sealed gas fireplaces, but this was far more the exception than the norm. When I asked the winterization inspector why he always took the liability to turn on the utilities he stated that it really wasn't that big of a deal. While he spoke, I flashed back in my mind of all the disasters that I had personally witnessed when it came to turning back on the water in a home. I then questioned him about how he was being recompensed for his added liability. He had no answer. I continued to point out that this was beyond the scope of any national inspection standards and that he had nothing to gain and everything to lose he sat there just a bit shocked. He had never given it any real thought and figured that all of us just buckled to the pressures of the real estate industry to go ahead and turn on the shut down utilities.

The pressures applied to inspectors can be great. Lines like "Every other inspector turns them on, how come you don't?" Or the ever popular "Are you giving a discount or coming back for free since you haven't completed the inspection?" Well Chris Burkhart was in attendance at this meeting and he had struggled with these issues and was not completely set in his convictions. I shared some of my war stories with him as well as some of the exceptions that I have made over the years. The most convincing stories were those where the bullheaded agents went ahead and turned the utilities on themselves. It was during this conversation that I realized that this was probably a great MMM topic and sure enough, within a couple of weeks came this incredible story from Chris Burkhart.

Michael I would like to share this story with the MMM readership, as you and I have discussed with each other and at our UPIC meeting this month in regards to turning on water systems, valves, pilot lights etc..

My client called me on a Monday and needed to schedule for Tuesday and I explained that Friday was my earliest opening, so she set it up for Friday. As I went through the phone order process I discovered that the home was vacant and had been so since February this year In Utah that means the water has been turned off and the system winterized. The gas had also been turned off which meant no pilot lights were lit.

I explained to my client that we do not take on the responsibility to turn on the utilities and that they would need to call the appropriate people and get this taken care of prior to the date of the scheduled inspection. I suggested that she start with her real estate agent to get the process going. I followed up with a phone call two days later and she confidently explained that the listing agent assured her agent that all was well and they were turning on the utilities the day of the inspection. I then explained that if the utilities were not turned on upon my arrival to the home that I would not be able to inspect the gas furnace, gas water heater, or the plumbing system. I went one step further and suggested that she call the agent back and request that these systems be brought online prior to the inspection date since they might not be on in time for the inspection.

I next spoke to my client at the scene of the crime. I arrived ten minutes early to the home and the buyer's agent was already there. We met and she let me in. I tried the lights and they didn't work at the porch, living room or the kitchen. Next, I then turned on the kitchen sink faucet and to my surprise there was no water. Then I went to the furnace and pulled the cover off and you will never believe this, but the gas was off too.

I have a clause in my contract that states the house is inspected "as is" (Thanks to Michael) and explains that the return visit for any reinspections consists of an added return visit fee. I explained to the buyer's agent that nothing was on and that I am not responsible to turn on the water, light up the gas appliances, or replace light bulbs. She immediately got on the phone and started making calls, while I went ahead and started my roof and exterior inspection. I overheard the buyer's agent say "No he wont turn it on. He also said there is a fee to come back out." Please keep in mind that this house is located 30-45 minutes from my office depending on traffic.

I was on the roof when my clients arrived and watched there reaction to the fact that none of the utilities were turned on. The first thing out of the husbands mouth was "Well they are paying for the return fee!" I got off this poor pitifull roof and introduced myself and had the buyer's agent again come up and ask me "Why cant you turn on the water?" I told her "If there are broken lines or leaks that I do not know about then I can become responsible for repairs and that it is best to have the same company who winterized the system come out and dewinterize the system." She then gets on the phone with the listing agent and he says that he is immediately coming out there to handle this.

I got my contract signed by my client and continued on with the inspection. Ten minutes before finishing up the listing agent finally showed up. He immediately confronted me with the question "So nothing is on?" I told him "No." He then asked, "Will you turn on the Water?" To which I responded "Nope." I went on to explain to him that the pilot lights are not lit and they need to be on for me to evaluate the gas appliances. I also let him know that I now didn't have the extra 45 minutes to wait around for this 50 gallon water heater to heat up the water heater for evaluation. He then said, "I'll have someone here in 15 minutes to do all this." To which I respond "You drove all the way out here just to call someone to come out here? I cannot wait around for someone else." He told me that he would turn on the water.

I sighed at the thought of one more clueless agent turning on the water in a long time vacant home. He asked me to come into the middle bedroom, of which I did. He then explained that the ceiling had been replaced because of a previous plumbing leak in the piping that was run from the west side of the home where the laundry room and water heater used to be situated. This was before they enclosed the carport and turned it into a family room and laundry room. The copper pipes in the attic froze and had supposedly been repaired by a plumber. The home was a slab on grade and this is why they routed the pipes through the attic.

The listing agent then asked if I would please get up in the attic and see if the work had been completed. I told the listing agent that I was on my way to do the attic when he arrived and that I would be more than happy to see what was going on up there. After all, this is part of the job description. I opened the hatch and found a 4 foot long water pipe for smoking dope and handed it down to my client and said "Here, this probably belongs to the plumber."

I continued making my way through the attic and saw that the copper plumbing was not wrapped or covered with insulation. Even worse, the piping was not connected and soldered in the repaired area as reported by the overconfident listing agent. I observed that all the cellulose attic insulation had been compressed and/or removed in a 15 foot diameter around the piping that was allegedly repaired. I went down and told the listing agent about the piping and he said "It is probably the old piping and I would like to turn on the water. Will you watch and see if it leaks?"

I warned the listing agent that the water supply system had no pressure regulator and that if he turned on the water and the pipe hadn't yet been repaired that water would spray out at over 120psi causing more damage. He said he thought that the piping I observed was the old piping. Please keep in mind that the listing agent never bothered to look into the attic. I told him that I would watch the line and yell if it leaked. I'm still not sure why I agreed to do it, but I figured I would like to give this guy the chance to eat crow.

The listing agent went out to the front yard water meter and turned on the water. Within 5 seconds water was running out of the replaced ceiling, the closet, and through light fixture. My client was standing there saying "What the &*&@#!" The buyer's agent was screaming "Turn it off! Turn it off!" I put my tools and ladder away got my check from the client and tried to keep a straight face as the agents Thanked me and bowed down to the earth and repeated in unison "I now understand ol' wise one..... We are not worthy...... We are not worthy!" Well they didn't really say that, but we all know they were thinking it.

As inspectors, please consider the damage I would have caused if I had agreed to turn on the water. By the time I went inside from turning on the water from the front yard meter I would have witnessed the waterfall. By the time I would have gotten the meter shut off again there would have already been major damage. This would have been my responsibility for stepping beyond the scope of my standards of practice. This means that it would have been my wallet to pay for somebody elses responsibility. This is why I do not turn on water. I also don't turn on gas. As a rookie inspector I once watched a veteran inspector light a gas water heater and have the flame roll out in his face. This singed his facial hair and caused minor skin burns.

If you light pilots and turn on shut off mains you are only biding your time. PLEASE RECONSIDER THE TEMPTATION, IT JUST ISN'T WORTH IT! Chris Burkhart - Sandy, Utah

When I first started inspecting I used a baseball cap when inspecting crawl spaces, but found that it didn’t offer much head protection. Most of the homes here in central Oregon have crawl spaces, and I found myself getting scrapes and bumps on my head on a regular basis. I considered getting a regular hard hat, but they were just too big and bulky to be workable in the confines of a typical crawl space. When I went into a local safety supply store, I noticed that they carried a “bump cap”, which is a lighter weight, closer fitting version of a hard hat. It is designed to protect your head from minor bumps only. I bought one, and found that it works very well in crawl spaces. I also use it when inspecting under decks. I’ve had it for a few years now, and it has saved me from countless whacks, scrapes and nail cuts on my head. I’ve also noticed that I can inspect a crawl space faster because I can move faster without being concerned about injuring my head. If you can’t find one locally, they are available (for less than $10 as I recall) from Norwest Safety – 1-800-248-2520. Gary Holzbauer - Junction City, OR

My most memorable crawlspace was one that was entered through a trap door in the kitchen floor. The furnace and water heater was located inside and both were resting on the soil, which was saturated. In some locations there was standing water. Pin-posts were used for the supports and the beams that they were supporting had all completely rotted. After reviewing my findings with the buyer, she chose to continue shopping. Tim Walz - St. Paul, MN

There have been many, but the one that comes to mind the most often is one Nathan & I did together during his year as an apprentice inspector before going to AII basic training with Ron Cloyd. The crawl space was actually one of the better ones I've been in; very adequate clearance, good ventilation, 6 mil black plastic moisture barrier covering the entire ground. But...Immediately upon opening the hatch we were hit with a strong odor of undetermined origin. As we investigated this top notch crawl space, I being several yards ahead of Nathan discovered a dead snake (the source of the odor). About the same time, Nathan says, "Is the plastic suppose to be moving like this?" Turning around I saw what must have been several snakes beginning to slither away under the plastic as the wave ripple effect permeated out from where Nathan had stopped. Because it was January in our cold climate and snakes move very slowly in freezing weather it took quite a while for the show to end. But I wouldn't know that for sure because by then I was outside yelling in to the crawl space for Nathan to tell me what he sees in there! Betty Buckley - Klamath Falls, Oregon

I haven't been doing inspections for that long, but have spent alot of time under houses. Since I was "The skinny kid", I got the call when things had to be done. During my AII training and reading, I was surprised to learn if it is less than 18", I may choose not to go. In our area, that would eliminate about 75%-80% of the crawl spaces. There are entire sub-divisions built on a 6" footing with 2 8"x16" CMU blocks for the foundation wall. They then hang a 4x6, 4x8 or TJI inside all that, you can do the math! Throw in a few sewer lines, loose insulation and furnace ducts and you have a real challenge.

This may be wrong, but I feel if I can get there, I will go. I can still fit through 10"-12" with coveralls, respirator and cap. Is this a bad deal? I find many reportable conditions; leaks, Rodent activity, open dryer vents etc. so I feel it is a valuable part of the process. Oh, Michael, I inspected a home with a basement the other day. Isn't that one of those thingys where tall guys can walk upright?! Jim Archer - Florence, OR

What is your favorite crawlspace memory?

Your Name: City, State: B2

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Looks like someone got a deal on sod! "There is ground contact with the siding. It is recommended that at least 4"-6" of clearance be maintained between the siding and the ground. Replacing the adjacent sod with a drainable landscape detail, ie. rock, may help prevent the build up of moisture against the siding and allow for adequate ventilation at the foundation vent. The grading of the splash block should be investigated to assure proper drainage away from the foundation. It is generally recommended that the grade within 10'of the foundation be sloped away from the building. Periodic inspection of the crawl space is advised to monitor moisture conditions" Jim Archer - Florence, OR

There should be a minimum of 3 - 6 inches of earth to wood clearance. Siding and trim is down to the ground. Steve Meeth - Pollock Pines, CA

The siding installation appears to be good. It's the sod installation that is faulty. Grade is too high, vents are covered and wood-earth contacts now exist. Note that the sod is already above the patio slab at left. Reggie Ayres - Medford, OR

Some siding is touching the soil, which could allow moisture to wick up behind the siding. Ideally, the siding should be 6" off of the soil, but 1-2" is usually considered an acceptable distance.

The grading is flat, or negatively sloped toward the home in some areas. Instead, the grading should be properly sloped away from the home. A positive slope of ¼" per ft., for a minimum of 10', is recommended (2% grade). Flat or negatively sloped grading allows an excessive amount of water to accumulate near the foundation walls, which increases the chance for moisture to infiltrate into the home.

At least one extension is less than 4', which allows draining water to migrate back to the foundation walls. Tim Walz - St. Paul, MN

Earth to siding contact observed at left front. This may cause moisture damage to the siding and wall framing. Recommend providing 6" clearance between the earth and siding. PS - It appears that the sod was recently installed. Nathan Buckley - Klamath Falls, OR

There is not adequate spacing between the soil and the sill plate (UBC 1806.1). This appears to be slab on grade construction, the spacing is still required. In this case termites and moisture have a direct path into structure. Not to mention the lack of slope away from the home and a splash block that is next to useless. Robert E Lee - Rochester, MN

I asked for all of you to provide documentation for your responses. I received back several questioning inspectors wanting to know what I meant by documentation. To me this was obvious, but to the readership I did not clearly define what I meant. I am looking for justification for your remarks. This could be in the form of building standards, manufacturers installation specs, a book reference, or even a letter from the local authority having jurisdiction. What are the clearance requirements in your area? What are the grade slope requirements in your area? How close can siding be installed to grade in your area? If we are going to document these conditions as "Reportable Conditions," then we had better be able to sit in front of a jury and justify our source references. Please don't mistake this for us needing to be "Code Officials." BUT, if the "Code" in our area says....

R401.3Drainage. Surface drainage shall be diverted to a storm sewer conveyance or other approved point of collection so as to not create a hazard. Lots shall be graded so as to drain surface water away from foundation walls. The grade away from foundation walls shall fall a minimum of 6 inches (152 mm) within the first 10 feet (3048 mm). Exception: Where lot lines, walls, slopes or other physical barriers prohibit 6 inches (152 mm) of fall within 10 feet (3048 mm), drains or swales shall be provided to ensure drainage away from the structure.

I can then safely say that, "Modern building standards recommend a 6" drop in the first 10' away from the foundation. This home has a level grade at best, and is prone to water collecting along the foundation instead of draining away from the home. It is recommended that corrective measures be considered = Recommend further evaluation by a grading specialist." My documentation is section R401.3 in the International Residential "Code" and if anybody questions me, then I have my justification for reporting as I did.

I ask all of you to revisit the photo above and reconsider the statements above as well as the statements that you would make. I am hoping that we can all share our documentation so that we can all come to a consistency in our reporting. Wouldn't it be great is we has some documentation from manufacturers, vinyl siding institutes, and different building standards to help solidify why we report as we do. Armed with more information on these topics we can come to a better understanding and a better phraseology for our reporting.

What would you report about this siding installation? What would be the documentation to back up your reportable condition comments?

Your Name: City, State: B1

Please provide your full name or else we will not know who the response is from.