Originally Posted by
imported_John Smith
At what point do you start/stop disassembling items. I think you have to at least go by the SOPs, but those are the SOPs regardless of what >than 50% of inspectors in your area do. The SOPs are the minimum and of course some people do more than the minimum. We all pull covers on electrical panels, water heaters, etc. but I would venture to say most people aren't dismantling all wall switches/receptacles/plumbing clean outs/etc. Without manuals etc from the manufacturer, I'm not sure you can say what is/isn't an inspection panel.
Almost any standard does have an out. If a crawl is to tight. If a roof is to steep. If an electric panel cannot be accessed because there is 2000 pounds of crap in front of it, OR if a condenser cabinet is covered with tape and then mastic. You mention why you could not do this or that and like I say there are outs and a good reason for them.
You cannot be invasive. Invasive is spending 15 minutes getting all the crap off the unit and destroying what someone was trying to prevent and paid good money for. It is not your buyers home YET.