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Damaged air ducts not reported

Q. Before buying our house, we hired a home inspector. He found a few minor problems but said nothing about the air ducts under the house. After moving in, our first gas bill was over $800. A man from the gas company inspected the problem and found that the heating ducts were either damaged, crushed or disconnected. The whole system needs to be replaced, with estimated costs of $14,500 to $19,000. We called our home inspector and he said that the only thing he can do is refund the $700 inspection fee. How should we deal with this situation?

A. Home inspectors are supposed to report defects that are visible and accessible. That includes conditions under the house, as long as the crawl space is accessible. If the gas company man was able to get under the house, then your home inspector should have done the same, unless conditions were different at the time of the inspection. If the crawl space was inaccessible for any reason, the inspector should have noted this in his report and should have advised further evaluation at a later time. Otherwise, he should accept some liability for the defects he did not report.

Some states limit home inspector liability to a refund of the inspection fee, but many states do not. The inspection contract you signed may contain that limitation, but such provisions are not always enforceable by law. If your home inspector carries errors and omissions insurance, he should file a claim, but legal action might be needed to get him to do so. Your first step, however, is to get a legal opinion from an attorney, and the attorney should write a serious letter to the inspector and to your real estate agent. If your agent recommended the inspector, he/she may share in the liability. That's another point to bring up with an attorney.

As for the repair bids you've gotten, these sound outrageously high. Do not proceed with any repairs until you get some additional bids, and do not have the ducts repaired until they have been photographed in detail.

Q. We have a problem with pill bugs, also known as roly-polies, getting into our house. Every morning, we collect a pile of them in our kitchen and living room. We don't want to spray poison in our home, but what else can be done? Is there any solution?

A. Pill bugs, the ones that roll up into little balls, like to get into warm places during cold weather. The ones in your yard have found your home to be a safe, warm place. Many people have been able to eliminate pill bug invasions by sprinkling diatomaceous earth in the garden areas around their homes.

Diatomaceous earth, also called DE, is a fossilized mineral that is commonly used in swimming pool filters. Its abrasiveness is fatal to bugs when it gets onto their bodies. However, DE can also be harmful to humans if we breath it as dust. Fortunately, there is a food grade form of diatomaceous earth, available at most health food stores. Try sprinkling some of this in your garden areas, and see if it eliminates the problem. And just to be on the safe side, wear a filter mask to prevent breathing any of it.

• To write to Barry Stone, visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com, or write AMG, 1776 Jami Lee Court, Suite 218, San Luis Obispo, CA 94301.

© 2016, Action Coast Publishing

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