Living in the shadow of dead trees
Q: The neighbors who live behind us have three large cottonwood trees that border our back fence. Unfortunately, these trees are dead. Two years ago, our insurance company informed us that they would no longer insure our roof because it has wood shingles. If our neighbors' trees should fall on our roof, who would be responsible for the repair costs?
A: Your insurance company's exclusion of roof coverage may only involve fire damage or rain leakage. You should contact them to see if you would be covered for damages caused by incidents such as a falling tree.
As for your neighbors, their dead trees constitute a significant public safety hazard. They should be notified of the need to have these trees removed, as well as their legal and financial responsible for any personal injuries or property damage that might be caused by their failure to perform accordingly. If they do not respond, the municipal authorities should be notified of this hazard. The appropriate agency would most likely give notice to your neighbors to have the trees removed. If such notification were to be ignored, the municipality could remove the trees and bill your neighbor for the work.
Q: The people who are currently buying our home ordered a radon test. The radon readings in the basement were high (7.7 pCi/l), and the company who did the testing quoted $975 to mitigate the problem. We're concerned that the company who provided the test is also proposing to do the repairs. Isn't this a conflict of interest?
A: Conflicting interests of this kind occur in a number of service businesses, including termite extermination, septic system maintenance, roof repairs, and many others. This kind of dual-purpose business, with inspections and repairs being performed by the same persons, might raise suspicions, but it is only a problem when practiced by unethical people. If those who operate such businesses are honest, then the conflict should not pose a problem.
If you want to confirm the radon findings, you can order radon test canisters from an environmental testing lab and perform your own test. However, the price that was quoted for radon mitigation is actually very reasonable.
Q: I have a problem with uneven heat in my home. It's a tri-level with the thermostat in the upstairs hall and a vaulted ceiling above the stairway. For some reason, the downstairs living room never gets as warm as the upstairs bedrooms. Is this normal and can it be improved?
A: The upstairs temperature is warmer for the simple reason that heat rises. To counter this natural effect, you can install a ceiling fan on the vaulted ceiling above the stairs. The fan will push the warm air downward, and the resulting circulation should help to equalize the warmth within your home.
Q: My windows were replaced about three years ago, and the company that installed them is no longer in business. Recently, another window contractor said that the patio door and some of the windows are installed incorrectly because they are on the weather-beaten side of the house: the side that gets most of the wind and rain. I've never had any leaking or other problems with any of the windows and am wondering if I should be concerned about the window guy's opinion. What do you think?
A: This "window guy" sounds like a snake oil salesman. Who ever heard of installing windows differently because they are on a different side of a building? All windows should be installed in ways that maximize weather resistance and prevent leakage. Those are the standards afforded by minimum code requirements and by the installation instructions provided by window manufacturers.
If this were not so, then perhaps contactors should install windows in a compromised manner when they face away from oncoming weather. That, of course would be foolish, so don't be persuaded by the opinion of this window guy. If you need further assurance, hire another window company to evaluate the installation in question.
Q: I am a newly certified home inspector. I'm striving to learn as much as possible about my new profession but am concerned that real estate agents will be reluctant to refer my services, because I'm so new in the profession and have no actual inspections under my belt. How should I answer questions about "field experience" when I network with agents? I want them to know that I am a continual learner, an over-achiever, and someone they can count on for their clients.
A: Getting started in the home inspection business is always slow and gradual. Selling your services to agents before you have actual field experience is not easy, but it has been done by nearly everyone who is currently an experienced home inspector.
Instead of worrying about your lack of inspection experience, tell people about your related knowledge and experience, such as contracting, or whatever it was you did previously. Tell them about your certifications and any other professional credentials that may apply. Tell them about your commitment to excellence, but don't say you are a "continual learner," because that infers that you have not yet sufficiently learned. And don't tell them you're an "over-achiever" because many agents are afraid of inspectors who might "kill the deal" by being overly zealous. When someone asks you how many inspections you've done, just tell them the truth and let the chips fall as they will. Most people won't even ask.
Agents are used to new inspectors popping up all the time. At first, you may be dismissed as just another startup. Gradually, you'll get inspection orders - a few here, a few there. If agents they like your work, they'll call again. Little by little, you'll become an experienced home inspector. But know this: while you're gaining that valuable experience, you'll be missing property defects that would have been discovered by a more experienced inspector.
• Email Barry Stone, certified building inspector, at barry@housedetective.com.
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