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Acme
Home Inspection Service
STANDARDS OF PRACTICE
SECTION 1 -
Foundations, Basements, and Under-floor Areas
A. Items to be identified and reported:
1. Foundation and
other support components.
2. Under-floor
ventilation.
3. Location of
under-floor access opening's).
4. Wood
separation from soil.
5. Presence of
drainage systems or sump pumps within
foundation footprint.
6. Presence or
absence of seismic anchoring and bracing components.
B. The inspector
is not required to:
1. Enter under-floor areas that are not accessible or where entry could cause damage or pose a hazard to
the inspector.
2. Move stored
items, vegetation or debris, or perform any excavations or other intrusive testing to gain access.
3. Operate or evaluate
adequacy of sump pumps or drainage systems.
4. Identify size,
spacing, location or adequacy of foundation bolting and bracing components or reinforcement systems.
5. Perform any intrusive examination or testing, or use
any special equipment such as, but
not limited to, levels, probes or meters.
SECTION 2 -
Exteriors
A. Items to be identified and reported:
1. Surface grade,
and drainage within six feet of the inspected building or associated primary
parking structure.
2. Wall cladding,
veneers, flashing, trim, eaves, soffits and fascias.
3. Exterior
portions of a representative sampling of
doors and windows.
4. Attached
decks, porches, balconies, stairs, columns, walkways, guard-rails and handrails.
B. The inspector
is not required to:
1. Operate or evaluate
any mechanical, electro-mechanical, or underground drainage systems.
2. Operate or evaluate
storm windows, storm doors, screening, shutters or awnings.
3. Operate or evaluate
remote-control devices.
4. Examine detached buildings and structures
(other than the primary parking structure),
patio enclosures, fences, and retaining walls.
5. Examine items not visible from a readily
accessible walking surface.
SECTION 3 -
Roof Coverings
A. Items to be identified and reported:
1. Roof
coverings.
2. Flashing,
vents, skylights and other penetrations.
3. Roof drainage systems.
B. The inspector
is not required to:
1. Walk on the
roof surface if in the opinion of the inspector, there is a possibility of
damage to the surface or a hazard to the inspector.
2. Perform a
water test, warrant or certify against roof leakage or predict life expectancy.
SECTION
4 - Attic Areas and Roof Framing
A. Items to be
identified and reported:
1.
Framing
and sheathing.
2. Access openings and accessibility.
3. Insulation
materials.
4. Ventilation.
B. The inspector is not required to:
1. Enter attic areas that, in the opinion of the
inspector, are not accessible or
where entry could cause damage.
2. Remove
insulation materials or identify composition or "R" value of
insulation material.
3. Activate
thermostatically operated fans.
SECTION
5 - Plumbing
A. Items to be
identified and reported:
1. Supply,
waste, and vent piping.
2. Fixtures,
faucets and drains.
3. Water
heating equipment, including combustion air, venting, connections, energy
sources, seismic bracing, and temperature-pressure relief valves.
4. Functional flow of water supply and functional drainage at fixtures.
5. Gas
piping and connectors.
6. Cross-connections.
B. The inspector is not required to:
1. Operate any valve other than fixture faucets and hose
faucets attached to the building.
2. Operate any system,
fixture or component which is shut down or
disconnected.
3. Examine
or
verify operation of water supply or pressure assistance systems, including, but not limited to: wells, pumps, tanks, and
related equipment.
4. Verify functional flow or pressure at any fixture or faucet where the flow end is
capped or connected to an appliance,
or measure pressure, volume or temperature.
5. Examine
or
operate any sewage disposal system or component including, but not
limited to: septic tanks and/or any underground system or portion thereof, or ejector
pumps for rain or waste.
6. Examine the overflow device of any fixture.
7. Evaluate the portability of water, compliance with local
or state conservation or energy standards, or proper design or sizing of any
water, waste, and venting components,
fixtures, or piping.
8. Identify
whether water supply and waste disposal systems
are public or private.
9. Evaluate time to obtain hot water at fixtures, or perform
testing of any kind to water heater elements.
10. Examine ancillary
systems or components such as, but not limited to: those
11. Relating to solar
water heating, hot water circulation, yard sprinklers, water conditioning,
swimming pools or spas and related equipment, and fire sprinklers.
12. Test shower pans for
leakage or fill any fixture with water during examination.
13. Evaluate the gas supply system for leaks or pressure.
14. Determine effectiveness of anti-siphon, back-flow
prevention, or drain-stop devices.
15. Determine whether there are sufficient clean-outs for
effective clearing of drains.
16. Evaluate gas, liquid propane, or oil storage tanks.
SECTION
6 - Electrical Systems
A. Items to be identified
and reported:
1. Service
conductors, equipment, and capacity.
2. Panels
and over current protection devices.
3. Service
and equipment grounding.
4. Wiring
types and methods.
5. A representative sampling of switches, receptacles,
and light fixtures.
6. Ground-fault
circuit-interrupters.
B. The inspector is not required to:
1. Operate electrical systems
or components, which are disconnected or shut down.
2. Disconnect
any energized system or appliance.
3. Remove
dead front covers where not accessible, or
if removal could cause injury or damage to persons or property, or remove device cover plates.
4. Operate over current protection devices, or evaluate compatibility of over current
protection devices with the panel board manufacturer.
5. Examine or test smoke detectors.
6. Operate ground-fault circuit-interrupter devices by
other than the manufacturer’s test button.
7. Examine de-icing equipment, or private or emergency electrical
supply sources, including but not limited to: generators, windmills,
photovoltaic solar collectors, or battery or electrical storage facilities.
SECTION
7 - Heating Systems
A. Items to be identified and reported:
1. Heating
equipment and operation using normal user
controls.
2. Venting
systems.
3. Combustion
and ventilating air.
4. Energy
source and connections.
5. Heating
distribution system's) including a representative sampling of ducting, duct
insulation, outlets, radiators, piping systems
and valves.
B. The inspector is not
required to:
1. Examine or evaluate condition of heat exchangers.
2. Determine uniformity, temperature, airflow or balance of
heat supply to any room or building,
or examine for warming at any heating
system distribution component when access would require steps or a ladder, or determine leakage in any ductwork.
3. Examine electric heater elements or heat pump fluid/gas
materials, or examine below
ground/slab systems, ducts, fuel
tanks and related components.
4. Determine or examine
thermostat calibration, heat anticipation, or automatic setbacks or clocks.
5. Examine radiant or geothermal heat pump systems.
6. Examine any solar-energy heating systems or components.
7. Examine electronic air filtering systems.
8. Operate heat pump systems
when the ambient air temperature may damage the equipment, or operate any heat pump system in "emergency" heat
mode.
9. Examine humidity control systems and components.
SECTION
8 - Central Cooling Systems
A. Items to be
identified and reported:
1. Cooling
equipment and operation using normal user
controls.
2. Cooling
distribution system's) including a representative sampling of ducting, duct
3. Insulation,
outlets, piping systems and valves.
4. Energy
source and connections.
5. Condensate
drains.
B. The inspector is not required to:
1. Determine uniformity, temperature, airflow or balance of
cool air supply to any room or building,
or examine for cooling at any cooling
system distribution component when access would require steps or a ladder, or determine leakage in any ductwork.
2. Examine electrical current, coolant fluids or gases, or
coolant leakage.
3. Examine electronic filtering systems.
4. Determine or examine
thermostat calibration, cooling anticipation, or automatic setbacks or
clocks.
5. Examine any non-central cooling unit's) or gas-fired,
solar or geothermal cooling system or
food, wine or similar storage cooling system.
6. Examine humidity control systems and components.
SECTION 9 -
Fireplaces and Chimneys
A. Items to be identified and reported:
1. Chimneys,
flues, dampers and associated components.
2. Fireboxes,
hearth extensions and permanently
installed accessory components.
3. Manufactured
solid-fuel or gas-burning appliances.
B. The inspector
is not required to:
1. Determine adequacy of draft, perform a smoke
test, or dismantle or remove any component.
2. Examine the structural integrity of fireplaces
and chimneys.
3. Examine or operate
ancillary or non-permanently
installed components.
SECTION 10 -
Building Interior
A. Items to be identified and reported:
1. Walls, ceilings
and floors.
2. Security bars,
ventilation components, and a representative sampling of doors and
windows.
3. Stairs,
handrails, and guardrails.
4. Permanently installed cabinet and countertop surfaces.
5. Safety glazing
in locations subject to human impact.
B The inspector
is not required to:
1. Operate or evaluate
security bar release and opening mechanisms, whether interior or exterior,
including compliance with local, state, or federal standards.
2. Determine whether a building is secure from forcible or unauthorized entry.
3. Evaluate the condition
of floor, wall or ceiling finishes or coverings, or other surfaces for
other than evidence of moisture
damage.
4. Examine window or door coverings or treatments.
5. Evaluate fastening of countertops, furniture or
cabinets supported by floors, ceilings and/or walls.
6. Evaluate separation walls, ceilings, and floors,
including, but not limited to, the fire-resistively or acoustical
characteristics, between dwelling units.
7. Examine the interior concrete slab-on-grade
when concealed by any floor coverings.
8. Operate or evaluate
safety features of any garage door opener unless included as an inspection
option per Section 11.
SECTION 11 (OPTIONAL)
- Other Built-In Appliances and Systems
The
inspector may examine any of the following at his/her discretion, as agreed with
client:
Attic power vents, central vacuum, cook-tops and exhaust fans,
dishwashers, food waste disposers,
Garage door openers, hydrotherapy tubs, ovens, microwave ovens,
refrigerators, and freezers, trash
compactors, or whole-house fans.
A. Items to be
identified and reported:
1. Optional
systems, components and appliances specifically examined during the inspection.
2. Basic operation of optional systems, components and appliances specifically included in the inspection.
B. The inspector is not required to:
1. Activate
any system or appliance that is shut down.
2. Operate or evaluate
any system, component, or appliance that does not respond to normal user controls.
3. Operate any gas appliance that requires the use of a
match or other remote burner lighting device.
4. Operate any system
or appliance that requires the
use of special codes, keys, combinations, or devices.
5. Operate any system, component, or appliance where
damage may occur.
6. Determine thermostat's) calibration, adequacy of heating
elements, operate or evaluate self-cleaning oven cycles,
signal lights, or automatic setbacks or clocks.
7. Determine leakage from microwave ovens.
8. Determine the presence or operation of back draft damper devices in exhaust devices.
9. Examine any sauna, steam-jenny, kiln, clothes washing or
drying machine, toaster, icemaker, coffee maker, can-opener, bread-warmer,
blender, instant hot water dispenser, or any other similar small, ancillary or
non-built-in appliances.
SECTION
12 (OPTIONAL) - Pools and Spas
The inspector may examine the following at his/her discretion,
as agreed with client:
A. Items to be
identified and reported:
1. Location
and type of pool or spa examined.
2. Conditions limiting or otherwise inhibiting inspection.
3. Enclosure
and related gates.
4.