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8 home inspection company sales pitches, and what to do about them…

Spring is here (at last) in Massachusetts, and it’s getting to be that time again when jobs are abundant and competition is on the rise. Like many in the Real Estate profession, Home Inspectors can be subject to being perceived as commodities – that somehow we are all alike, separated only by cost.

As competition rises, so does the volume of time-tested sales pitches, claims, shenanigans, and exaggerations. While intended to be harmless, some of these tactics can downright deceitful. We’ve all ‘been had’ at some point in time in our lives.

Some of you may question why a Home Inspector would write such an article about Home Inspection sales tactics. Here’s why: After answering thousands of calls, presenting a dozen or so homebuyer seminars, and conversing with a multitude of clients and Realtors, it is clear to me that too many potential homebuyers don’t know the difference between one Inspection firm and the rest. I educate buyers about homes, so why not also educate them about Inspectors? As an ‘honest Abe’, I guess I feel like it’s my obligation.

So the moral of the story is this: Be a skeptic. Make multiple calls. ASK questions. DON’T fall for the easy pitch. If you hear or read one of these famous one-liners, assume the alternate meaning might be true. Armed with this new perspective, you may find yourself seeing things in a whole new light and finding the inspector that is truly right for you.

Here goes:

1. “Lower priced Inspectors are just desperate for business…”
What it can mean: “…Hey, this is America – and I know that you think that bigger and more expensive is ALWAYS better! The $1,200 TV at Wal-Mart looks way better than the $325 TV, so that must go for home inspections too, right? Hopefully, my well-practiced telephone sales pitch, flashy web page, 100 years of construction experience, and multitude of certifications and customer testimonials will convince you that don’t want one of those ‘puny’ $325 inspections! Because if I can’t, and you hang up and call around, you’ll find out that most inspectors can do the same thing for 1/3 the price. But that’s okay… because ‘you’ll be sorry’.”

2. “I’ll save you $50,000 in repairs…”
What it can mean: “…But, you’re not going to buy this house (in fact, if you’re the scared and nervous type you may never buy a house)! Because I will point out every single defect and describe it in a worst-case scenario, you will likely become so frightful you will likely back out. This is good for me too because it eliminates my liability. You also probably don’t realize that the odds of getting 50, or even 10 thousand dollars off of asking price really are about as great as hitting the lottery. But by the time you do, I’ll have gotten 2-3 inspection fees out of you.” (see #4)

3. “Mention this ad/site and receive a $10 discount/free pest inspection…”
What it usually means: “…Mention this ad/site and I will raise my price $10 before discounting you $10, and then I’ll give you a “free” pest inspection (that I was going to do anyhow) because I definitely don’t want any claims for missing insect damage!”

4. “I don’t solicit/accept recommendations from Realtors…”
What it can mean: “… no Realtors will recommend me because I frequently scare customers out of transactions! I might really dislike Realtors (including yours) because of this. Even though not soliciting/accepting recommendations creates an illusion of ‘me good’ vs. ‘them evil’, you might not remember there are good and bad eggs in all professions. It’s also good that you don’t know that Buyer Agents in Massachusetts can and do recommend Inspectors, because if you did, I’d look like a either a hypocrite or a fool…”

5. “My report is better because it’s (insert number typically greater than 30) pages…”
What it can mean: “…the report will likely be filled with a lot of boiler plate (typically paragraphs of cut-and-paste information from a reporting software with some field enterable data); repetitive and over-worded statements (for instance, instead o f “I do not move furniture”, using, “I didn’t move the dresser in the front bedroom, I didn’t move the sofa in the living room, etc.”; lines of disclaimers (designed primarily to protect me); a copy of my state home inspection standards (which is required, but makes about 13 great pages of filler); about 100 questions ”you should ask the Seller” (protecting my liability); and 10 contractors you should consult (also protecting my liability). Since you’ve never seen any other reports, you probably won’t ever know the difference.”

6. “I have conducted over 5,000 inspections over the past 6 years….”
What it can mean: “…I was really only paid to do 750 inspections over the past 5 years, but I am counting every house I have ever looked at, because bigger numbers look way better than my competition. I may, however, be unable to figure out that would require performing more than 2 inspections per day, every day, 365 days per year, for 6 years straight, and the subsequent diminished quality that might seem to entail. Hopefully, you don’t figure this out either.”

7. “I guarantee you my best effort, I promise you this…”
What it usually means: “…I got this great sounding tag line from (insert affiliation) and I really need to put something catchy on my web page/ad that shows you just how serious, how much better, and how different I am then my competition. I don’t think you will find it cheesy, and I certainly do not think you will do a web search on it and find 100 other Inspectors (also from said affiliation) using the exact same line, because if you did I would look just like everyone else.”

8. “I’ve been a builder/contractor for the past (insert some multiple of 10) years…”
What it means: Being a good carpenter, plumber, finish contractor, etc. really has very little bearing whatsoever on being a good home inspector. You may logically assume that if someone has been hammering nails for 20 years, they must know a lot about houses (hopefully). You might not however, assume that doing finish cabinetry doesn’t teach someone much about say, electrical systems or identifying foundation failures. What you do need to know is that being a great home inspector requires an enormously diverse skill set that is not taught in trade school, or ‘at the job site’.

Hey, what about my Granite Countertops………. and mold?

So with all the recent hype regarding granite countertops and radon gas emissions, I thought I’d combine granite countertops with one of my other ‘hot topic’ specialties: mold investigation.

On the scale of hygiene, the typical granite countertop falls somewhere below Stainless and Corian, well ahead of ordinary laminates, and relatively even with quartz (aka “engineered stone”). A special variation of engineered quartz called “Silestone” exists that is advertised as having built-in anti-microbial properties. This is due to the addition of a special chemical compound during its manufacture.

Unlike engineered stone however, granite benefits greatly from the addition of a sealer. Left unsealed, granite can absorb small amounts of liquid, which may lead to staining. Similarly, open pores in granite surfaces can also harbor small amounts of liquid. These situations may lead to bacterial growth.

The great news about granite however, is its superior ability to be cleaned. In a study by the Hospitality Institute of Technology and Management, granite was beaten only by Stainless Steel in a standardized hygiene test. The study showed that washing a granite surface with ordinary yellow dish soap and water reduced E.Coli bacteria levels by 36,000 times. If the dish soap was followed up by a 10% solution of household vinegar, the reduction of E. Coli increased to 80,000,000 times! Because caustics like vinegar can damage some sealers, its best to just stick with the dish soap.

So here are a few tips to keep in mind:

Granite should be initially sealed and then reapplied following the manufacturers recommendations
Avoid cutting raw food directly on a granite surface – use a cutting board.
Wipe up any spills immediately and wash down when completed.
Avoid using bleach or other caustics as this can damage the sealer
Avoid placing hot objects directly on the surface as this may also damage the sealer.
Follow these quick tips and keep your surface dry and clean – and you can be sure mold won’t be hiding in the depths!

Dealing with and preventing Ice Dam formation

It’s been a long, cold, and snowy winter here in Massachusetts and over the past months of performing home inspections I have run into numerous instances of ice dam formation and the subsequent questions from prospective buyers and sellers.

 So what causes ice dams? Simply put, ice dam formation is caused when melting snow runs down the roof and then refreezes at the roof edge. The water runs down the roof slope underneath the blanket of snow and then refreezes into a band of ice at the roof edge creating a “dam”. Additional snow melt can then pool against the dam and leak into the building through the roof or roof trim. Ice dams can actually form with as little as 1 or 2 inches of snow accumulation given the right weather circumstances.

 The question I receive most often is, “what can I do to prevent ice dams?” The answer, while it may sound contradictory at first, is increased amounts of insulation and increased attic ventilation. In order to understand why, one needs to fully understand the mechanisms of ice dam formation: The upper roof (or attic) surface is typically at a temperature that is above freezing – this is what causes the melting at the upper roof surfaces. The lower part of the roof (or attic) surface (along the eaves) is typically below freezing – this is what causes the refreeze. It is heat lost from inside the house is the source of the melting at the upper roof surfaces! Because the lower roof surfaces (particularly the overhangs) are not warmed by indoor heat-loss, these regions can remain at below freezing temperatures, especially during periods of very cold outdoor temperatures. 

Check your home carefully when ice dams form, even when there doesn’t appear to be a leak. Get in your attic and look at the underside of the roof sheathing and roof trim to make sure they haven’t gotten wet. Check the insulation for dampness. And when leaks inside your home develop, be prepared. Water penetration often follows pathways difficult follow. You may wish to hire an inspector that is equipped with an infrared or thermal imaging camera, as this equipment may be able to spot water penetration that is not readily visible with the naked eye. Ultimately, however, you will want to correct the problem to prevent future occurrences:

Insulation: Houses in this region of the country should have attic insulation of at least R-38, or about 12 inches depth of fiberglass or blown in material. The most notable problem area is at the far eaves, or right above where the exterior wall is.

Ventilation: A ‘ridge/soffit’ ventilation system is currently the most effective ventilation system, and is the system found in most new construction. If you have an older home, you may still be using a power fan, static roof vent(s) and/or gable end louvers – these simply aren’t as good and will have a more difficult time retarding ice dam formation. Ridge/soffit systems should also include foam or plastic baffles at the far eaves to prevent insulation from blocking the soffit intake vents. If you have soffit baffles currently installed, make sure they are not crushed or displaced – they are relatively flimsy items yet they perform a very important function.

         Air Leakage: Although insulation is what primarily keeps warm air in our house, small (or large) holes can allow significant volumes of warm indoor air to pass into attic spaces. Some of these sources can include: pull-down staircases, doorways leading to attic staircases, recessed lighting, bathroom exhaust fans, and various holes for cable TV, internet, etc. Take the appropriate measures to seal up or insulate these areas, it may be the difference maker!

         Remember: Always wear personal protective equipment when making repairs of any nature. And when in doubt, always hire a professional. Winter is almost over!

 

 

Mike Ciavattieri is a Massachusetts Home Inspector and owner of BONSAI Inspection Company, of Abington, MA

 

Granite Countertops and Radon – THE REAL TRUTH

 

 

As many of you may be aware, the current ‘mania of the month’ is “Are my granite countertops emitting Radon”. I must admit, the first time I had a customer call me with this question, I was torn between “that’s crazy” and “hey, that could be possible”.

 

Not much to my surprise, I have discovered that in many cases the origins of these concerns are advertisements by manufacturers of competing materials!!

 

Levels of radon gas from granite-based products, while technically measurable, are in fact fractional values of established thresholds for environmental safety. So, with that being said……….

 

THE BIG QUESTION: Is radon in granite countertops dangerous?

A: No!!

There are two ways in which countertops made of granite might emit any level of radiation. The first is by release of tiny amounts of Radon, which can be breathed in; the second is by direct radiation from the surface itself to the homeowner. In both cases, the radiation emitted is from the same process, but the end result is the same: compared to other radiation sources in the home and outside, the risk to the home-owner from radioactivity emitted from a granite countertop is practically non-existent. The amount of radon gas emitted by a granite countertop is less than one millionth of that already present in household air from other sources! ONE-MILLIONTH! ¹

 

Q: How much radon is given off by a granite countertop, and how does this compare with other household materials?

A: For an average countertop, the concentration of radon that is given off by the countertop into household air is 0.00000074 pCi/L, an amount that is 270,000 times less than the level of radon in outside air! The maximum contact radiation level that you would receive over one year if you were to sit on countertop all the time would be about one quarter of the annual radiation dose you already receive from all sources. Even If you were just a few inches away from the granite, then the dose would be immeasurable!! ¹

 

Q: What about food that is prepared directly on the granite surface? Is there a chance that it could absorb radioactive energy, which would later be ingested by those eating the food?

A: The only way that radioactive elements such as uranium can get into the food is if they became dissolved in water and absorbed by the food. However, granite is one of the most insoluble materials known to mankind and the amount that could be dissolved is minute in comparison to the radioactive elements that are already in the food! ¹

 

As an inspector, I always recommend that you have your property tested for radon by a qualified specialist who uses an EPA-approved testing method and certified laboratory. Spare yourself and/or your customers the expense of additional testing over fear of radon emissions from your granite countertops…!

 

 

 

Cited References

1 – “The Truth About Granite & Radon/Radiation” – Marble Institute of America (http://www.marble-institute.com), Vol. IV, Issue I, March 2007

 

Mike Ciavattieri is a Massachusetts Home Inspector and owner of BONSAI Inspection Company, of Abington, MA

 

Preparing Your Home for Winter

 

 

The clock is ticking and winter is not that far off, so now is a great time to prepare your home for the long cold winter months ahead. Tackle these tasks one at a time and you will not be overwhelmed. Do not wait until the last minute to take care of basic tasks! Do not wait until the snow and rain is coming down to start thinking about what needs to be done.

• Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors so you are sure that they are in good working order. They can save your life and do save thousands every year. If you do not have detectors on every floor of your home, get them! This one item should be a top priority!
• Have your fireplace inspected by a qualified/certified chimney sweep to verify that it is safe to use. If you use your fireplace regularly, have it inspected annually. Don’t rely on a ‘cleaning log’. Logs do not see or correct flue damage! Get a hold of some good firewood not only for that warm comfortable feeling that a fireplace can provide, it is a good idea to have that on hand, instead of having to brave the cold weather in a search for wood to burn during the winter. Don’t store firewood inside- it’s a great way to bring insects in! I’ve seen several instances where stored wood led to termite damage!!
• Close all the air conditioning vents if they are separate from the heating system and secure and put away any window air conditioners. Cover your air conditioning compressor (the outdoor unit) with a tarp or custom fit cover. Don’t forget to secure the cover from wind!
• Turn off and drain your outside water faucets. There should be a shutoff valve just inside the house where the faucet enters the siding. Turn this valve off then turn the outside valve on and leave it on. This will drain the faucet fixture of water and prevent freezing. For added protection you can install a screw-on end-cap to the faucet.
• Now is a great time to change your hot air furnace filter- I recommend a good quality HEPA or allergen filter unit - it’s worth the extra cost. The cheap blue 99-cent filters just don’t cut it.

Make yourself a list of any repairs around the house you may need – before winter comes. Find and fix any heating leaks that exist. On a brisk windy day check every outside door, and window to determine areas that leak or let in cold air, and repair as needed. 

Assemble all the tools you might need this winter; snow blower or shovel, rock salt or ice melt, sand, warm gloves, hat, etc. Make sure the snowplow is tuned up and is in good working order.

Some more important items to consider:

• Caulk around all windows and door glass and do not overlook all exterior trim. Put weather stripping on all doors and around all windows. Check for cracks in the putty insulation around pipes and electrical outlets.
• Install storm windows and doors if you do not already have them. Use storm windows that are made from modern insulated glass. If you have older windows with screens and storm window panels, don’t forget to raise the screens and close the storms!
  Have your heating system inspected and or tuned up by a licensed heating/air-conditioning professional.
• Check all your gutters and downspouts; fix or clean them if needed. Make sure downspouts discharge away from the foundation by at least 3 feet.
• Trim any bushes and trees away from the house.
• Check all fire extinguishers and replace as needed.
• Check your sump pump. If it grinds or sounds noisy, think about a replacement. Like your downspouts, be sure the discharge is routed away from the foundation by at least 3 feet!

Following these tips and tasks will help make your home safer, more comfortable, and more economical this winter.

Mike Ciavattieri is a Massachusetts Home Inspector and owner of BONSAI Inspection Company, of Abington, MA