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It's still a sad day at Michael Leavitt & Co Home Inspections. This week found the Leavitt's again mourning the loss of two loved ones. Shelly's Grandmother died and my Mother's Aunt also passed on. We traveled to Phoenix, Arizona to attend the funeral of Shelly's Grandmother. I got off easy by flying into Phoenix with our littlest son Aaron on Tuesday night, while Shelly drove the rest of the family down a day earlier. I somehow think that my 75 minute flight was a lot easier than Shelly's 14 hour drive. I then got to fly back home Wednesday evening. Shelly on the other hand traveled on to Southern California to spend time at her parent's home. If there are typos in this edition of the MMM it is because my trusted proofreader is not in the Utah time zone.
I
left town for less than 24 hours and it was as though the place
went up in a whirlwind. Wait a minute...... Salt Lake City was
struck by a tornado the afternoon that I was gone. The damaged
area sits about 35 miles to the north of our home here in Orem.
It was amazing to later watch the footage of the destruction that
occurred in such a short space of time. The hillside where the
homes had their roof's torn off was very familiar to me. I have
inspected some of the older homes in that area..... Come to think
of it I will probably be getting a lawyer's notice that I am being
sued. I'm certain that I made no mention that the roof of the
100 year old homes were not secured with hurricane clips and were
prone to lift off during tornadoes.
This brings up the interesting topic of just how far should we go to elaborate on the "What Could Happens" in the reports of the home's that we inspect. I know that in the very seismic Northern California that Inspectors regularly include information regarding possible seismic improvements. But where do we draw the line? Should I start to include Tornado Prevention items in all my reports?..... I could you know. It would be very easy to add a Mother Nature Warnings section of computerized boilerplate. Let's see..... Tornadoes, Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Tidal Waves, 40 days and 40 nights of rain, Volcano Lava Flows, and the ever popular Forest Fires.
MISSED
INSPECTIONS???I mentioned that I was missed during my short jaunt to Phoenix. I spent the rest of the week trying to catch back up with the missed phone calls. I lost several inspections as a result, but that is life. It used to be that people were patient if their phone calls were not returned until later on that evening, or at worst the following morning. With the general acceptance of cell phones perspective clients get antsy after just a couple of hours if their call is not returned. With the time deadlines and pressures of the real estate transaction perspective clients don't waste time calling another Inspector. This is one major drawback to cell phone technology and I hate it. At the same time I only really want to do the strong referral inspections anyways, so it may be a great blessing in disguise. Let me give you a real life example.
The day of my return from Phoenix I was inspecting out of my cell phone reception area both in the morning and in the afternoon. With Shelly out of town there was not a real person to answer the office phone. The answering machine message directed interested parties directly to my website to place their inspection orders. I returned back to the home office in the evening and picked up a wonderful $435 inspection order via the e-mail order form on my website. I immediately called the perspective client who stated in his e-mail that he needed the inspection done by Saturday. This is the regular routine, yet this time the perspective client told me that since I hadn't called back earlier they went ahead and called 3 other inspectors and lined one up for the following morning.
At first I was chapped...... I was frustrated that I had lost a $435 inspection. The referral was from an agent that I recently inspected their purchased home and they were impressed with my report and work. I could not believe that this perspective client would visit my site and take the time to completely fill out the order form and then contact another Inspector. If they are a looky-lou perspective client, they will rarely commit to placing an order online. Upon receiving their order I had already figured out a way to clear the schedule and work their inspection in so that their deadline could be met...... Their impatience led them to call the other inspectors. I'm certain that the fee they were to pay was $200 less than my fee, but I also know the limited quality of the work that they were to receive. I'm certain that they will receive a subpar inspection and a very inadequate report. I know that they are sitting back unaware of the difference in the product that Inspectors in my area offer...... That means that my website information did not spell that out clear enough.
I'm still a little chapped, but I am consoling myself with the fact that this perspective client was a Price Shopper and Convenience Shopper. They were clueless to the Quality Shopper and had lumped the services of Home Inspectors all into the same group as though everybody performed the same cookie cutter service. When the perspective client beamed with the fact that the Inspector he contracted with could do it in the morning I politely shared.... "You certainly must realize that this is the busiest time of the year and that if there is an Inspector sitting there with no inspection lined up the following morning they may not be the Inspector that is best suited to inspect your future home." I let them know that I was booked out through the following Tuesday, but that I would have to juggle the schedule to work them in the following evening. This flew right over their head as to why their choice made solely on the basis of "Inspector Availability" was not the wisest.
The mixed blessing is that I did not perform their inspection, but I may have averted a troublesome client. I have tried to build in the sifting steps necessary to weed out the price shoppers and sue happy clients. My e-mail online order form has done a great job of doing this. It separates the wheat fron the chaf so that I don't even have to speak with most of the Price Shoppers. This was the first Shopper in over 80 online orders that has hired someone else after placing the online order with me.... Oh well, I really didn't want to be inspecting last Friday evening anyway.
CPSC
SAFETY AWARD - AMERICANNEWS from CPSC - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - August 12, 1999 - Release # 99-157
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Chairman Ann Brown has awarded the Chairman's Commendation to the American Water Heater Company, headquartered in Johnson City, Tenn., a subsidiary of Southcorp Limited of Australia. The company is being recognized for introducing a technology that prevents gas water heaters from igniting flammable vapors such as gasoline.
Each year, gas-fired water heaters igniting flammable vapors cause nearly 2,000 fires, 320 injuries, 20 deaths and more than $26 million in property damage.
Typically, fires occur when consumers use flammable liquids, usually gasoline, for cleaning purposes, or when a flammable liquid leaks or is spilled near the water heater. When the vapors come in contact with the water heater burner or pilot light, they can ignite, causing a flashback fire or explosion. Chairman Brown has made it a priority to work with the water heater industry to develop water heaters that are resistant to igniting flammable vapors.
American is introducing a technology that allows water heaters to operate safely. The design, developed by Southcorp, confines the flame, and prevents it from flashing out and igniting vapors in the room, preventing explosions. Their Flame GuardTM Safety System will be available to consumers beginning in October.
"What was once considered an unsolvable safety hazard has now been solved," said Brown. "American's efforts will save lives and prevent untold future injuries. This is a significant safety improvement, and we encourage consumers to look for this technology when purchasing a gas water heater."
President and Chief Operating Officer of American Water Heater Company Robert W. Trudeau accepted the commendation today at an award ceremony at CPSC headquarters in Bethesda, Md.
"It was Chairman Brown's efforts that led the water heater industry to focus on developing this safety technology," Trudeau said. "My company considers this Chairman's Commendation to be a great honor."
Other recipients of the Chairman's Commendation have included Lowe's Companies Inc. and Lowe's Home Safety Council; Toys "R" Us; Procter & Gamble; Sunbeam Plastics; Playskool, a division of Hasbro Inc.; Rollerblade Inc.; the International Inline Skating Association; the Whirlpool Corp.; the American Furniture Manufacturers Association; Face Guards Inc.; the Rogers Sports Corp.; the Safe Strap Company Inc.; the city of Pittsburgh; the state of Colorado; and the National SAFE KIDS Campaign,.
Chairman Brown initiated the commendation
program to recognize substantial contributions to product safety
by individuals, companies, or groups for one-time, ongoing, or
multiple actions. Nominees for the award, which is given periodically,
may be brought to the Chairman's attention. Chairman Brown will
consider the following factors in choosing
award recipients:
Thanks to Ken Ives for passing along this CPSC press release.
It left me wondering what this device is and what does it look
like? What are we going to need to know to be able to identify
it? What steps will be needed to evaluate it? I tried to do the
homework for you and I visited the American Water Heater's website,
but it was useless. No information is contained there and you
cannot download anything. That means that this will remain a mystery
until we get closer to October.
1999
INSPECTION EXPOI hope by now everyone has received the schedule of events for the 1999 EXPO. There have been some great changes to this years meeting. Notice this year we are partnering with another association.
Information & knowledge is still what drives this industry. Schedule reservations and flight arrangements today, it is time well spent.
Brent Foster - Chairman
NEWSFLASHI have just learned from my Mother that the sister of my last remaining living Grandmaother was just killed in a fire. The full details are not in yet, but she sustained burns on 100% of her body and died during the life flight from Poplar Bluff, Missouri to Saint Louis, Missouri. The only firm detail was that there was a fire that broke out in the workshop while she was in it. I haven't seen her for 15 years, but she must been at least 75 or 80 years old. Knowing the type of workshop that is popular in Southern Missouri it was probably filled with homemade electrical that is hazardous at best. I will share the details as they filter down to me. I believe that the next topic of the MMM might have been useful earlier today in the Missouri workshop, but that is shear speculation on my part.
AFCI -
Arc Fault Circuit InterrupterThe new buzz word in the electrical world is the AFCI. You are all familiar with the GFCI, well add the AFCI to your vocabulary of electrical terms. AFCI - Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter is a new circuit designed to trip when there are faulty electrical connections. They were approved in the 1999 National Electrical Codes, but won't go into affect until 2002. The product is available now from Square D, but the powers that be felt that a 3-year delay was in order so that all of the electrical suppliers could come up to speed and work out any glitches. From what I have been able to learn they will be required on all 15 and 20 amp circuits powering bedroom outlets. I found this article from the Gadget Guru at http://www.gadgetguy.com/AX001275.HTML.
Is your home protected against electrical fires? According to the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), high temperature electrical discharges known as arcs are a leading cause of electrical fires in the home.
A new technology, called an arc fault circuit interrupter (Square D introduced Arc-D-tect), was introduced at the National Home Builders Association Show in Dallas last week. The 1999 National Electrical Code will require arc fault protection for the circuits supplying receptacle outlets in the bedrooms of all new homes by 2002. This is the first major advance in home electrical system protection since the ground fault circuit interrupter was introduced in the late 1960's.
Aging electrical wires, loose connections, faulty equipment cords or the breakdown of insulation material protecting wiring can cause arcs. Even nailing a picture to a wall can punch a hole in electrical wires, causing arcs. The possibility of arcing grows as a home's electrical system ages and deteriorates.
Most homes have a load center with circuit breakers to protect against electrical overloads or short circuits in the wiring. When there's a short circuit or overload, the circuit breaker detects it and stops the flow of electricity so wire insulation won't melt or catch fire.
However, arcing occurs at levels lower than conventional circuit breakers or fuses are designed to detect. This means that sporadic arcs can go undetected for extended periods. Over time, heat from arcs, which sometimes exceed 5000 degrees Celsius, degrades wire insulation. Eventually the insulation or other nearby materials can catch fire.
Arc fault circuit interrupters fit into a home's existing load center and should be installed by a licensed electrician. For more information about arcs and arc fault protection, call your local electrician or contact Square D at 1-800-392-8781. The Gadget Guru
Next, I was able to sort through the immense amount of information on the Square D website. They seem to be leading the way with this new safety product. I found a good product description at: http://www.squared.com/us/internet/asd.nsf/07a0210021262d45862564b5006e4f84/7a756c0f3aa3abb985256739005c7a7f?OpenDocument
The Arc-D-TectTM
arc fault circuit interrupter deenergizes the arced circuit upon
detection.
Arc-D-Tect's basic application is protection of 15A and 20A branch circuits in single and multi-family residential occupancies. The Square D Arc-D-Tect Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) provides protection from effects of arc faults by recognizing characteristic unique to arcing, and then deenergizing the circuit upon detection of an arc fault. Its basic application is protection of 15A and 20A branch circuits in single and multi-family residential occupancies.
More than 40,000 fires annually are attributed to electrical causes in fixed distribution systems. Electrical appliances, extension cords and heating and cooking equipment cause more than 100,000 fires, typically started by overheating from current flow or electric arcs in damaged or mishandled equipment. Here is where the Arc-D-Tect provides protection -- it directly targets arcing occurrences within the fixed wiring and connections of the distribution system through extension and appliance cords when damage or improper installation occurs.
Typical conditions where an arc may be generated:
Arc-D-Tect doesn't need to know how the arc fault starts, because it recognizes its nature and takes action automatically. And, they're available as an integral part of the QO® and Homeline ® circuit breaker families.
As time goes by we will learn more about these special breakers. They look very similar to Square D GFCI breakers except that the GFCI's have yellow test buttons, but the Square D AFCI's have blue test buttons. I'm sure that they will eventually introduce AFCI receptacles also. There are currently a couple of testers on the market for AFCI testing, but they are well over $200.
I must also admit that I am uncertain about just what they help to protect and why they will only be required to bedroom circuits. The pictures at the Square D site show a man drilling into a wall and striking a wire causing the sparke to fly. I am not sure why someone would drill into a wall, or why drilling would be limited to just the bedrooms. I think that the AFCI's are going to protect us from faulty outlet connections at the outlets. I believe that the AFCI's would trip from the all too common faulty connections at the push-in fasteners on the back of outlets as well as the sloppy worn out prongs inside the receptacle that fail to even hold a plug in position.
Time will tell how this new home safety feature will affect our normal inspection process. Much of my commentary/summary is purely speculative. I have taken the time to share this information so that you don't get blind sided by a client or agent asking about this relatively new device. Your feedback or comments on the AFCI are welcomed by e-mailing me at Peaceofmind@TheHomeInspector.com
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