No water service during home inspection
Q: The sellers of the house we’re buying turned off the water service when they moved out. The sellers assured our home inspector that there are no plumbing problems, so he went ahead with the inspection. This leaves us with lingering doubts. Could there be plumbing problems, such as leaks, that the sellers are not disclosing. What do you think we should do?
A: A qualified home inspector should know better than to go ahead with this kind of inspection. His purpose as an inspector is to evaluate all pertinent aspects of the property that are within the scope of a home inspection, and that includes the operational condition of the plumbing system. Without water service, a plumbing evaluation is not possible, and the home inspection cannot be completed.
Without water, it is not possible to evaluate the performance of the sinks, faucets, drains, toilets, tubs, showers, dishwasher, garbage disposal, water heater, etc. Neither is it possible to check the water pressure, to inspect fittings for leaks, or to determine if water volume is reduced when multiple fixtures are in use.
Therefore, the inspection report should state that the inspection could not be completed and that the service should be restored to enable completion of the inspection prior to close of escrow.
If your home inspector did not stipulate that the water should be turned on to enable a full inspection, then you are not dealing with a qualified inspector. In that case, you should find another inspector and insist that there be functional water service when the inspection takes place.
Q: When I bought my house, the home inspector found no problem with the fireplace.
Since then, a chimney maintenance company has reported some issues. First, there is no firebrick on the interior of the firebox — just mortar and stone construction. While the firebox walls are greater than 12 inches thick, I was advised not to use the fireplace until it is verified that the walls are solid masonry, with no cavities.
Also, the smoke chamber was built with corbeled walls (stepped) rather than smooth walls. I was told that this promotes creosote buildup, increasing the likelihood of a chimney fire. I was advised not to use the fireplace until a ceramic coating has been applied. Do you think the inspector is liable for repair costs?
A: If the firebox walls are as thick as they appear, without cavities, then the fixture is probably safe to use. If the corbeled masonry is intact and does not appear to be causing a buildup of creosote, it may also be safe to use.
However, since these conditions indicate noncompliance with current fireplace standards, a home inspector would be prudent in recommending further evaluation by a qualified fireplace expert.
If your inspector made no such recommendation, he may be insufficiently familiar with fireplace issues. In that case, he could be liable for failure to report suspect conditions.
On the other hand, if these conditions do not involve any safety-related problems, there may be no cause to take issue with the inspector. Either way, you should notify the inspector regarding your concerns and ask that he take a second look at the fireplace.
• Distributed by Action Coast Publishing. Questions to Barry Stone can be emailed to barry@housedetective.com.