Got thrown out of a house yesterday

**Jack Feldmann** · 07-17-2008, 04:07 PM

Pretty nice house overall. Seller and client were there and followed me around. I found some stuff like a leaking drain on a water heater, a GFCI that didn't work, and some damaged shingles. Seller was all over taking care of it, no problem.

I then found a gas water heater and gas furnace in a closet inside the laundry room. Solid doors, no combustion air except that might be in the 6x12 room. I explained to my client that an easy fix would be to put the two ducts into the attic to bring combustion air in. Not a big deal.

An hour or so later, I am in the kitchen putting the photos into the report and finishing it up. The seller says something about he isn't sure combustion air was required when this house was built (1999).
I tell him it was.
He then goes a little further saying that every house in his sub division is like this, so it had to be right, and the County already passed it.

I tell him that I really didn't care about the other houses, I was only inspecting this one, and I was hired by my client to tell him what was wrong. I really didn't care if he fixed it or not, it wasn't up to me. He the pushed a little harder, and how come the county inspector didn't say anything.

I told him that the county inspector didn't say anything because: they didn't know what was right, they were paid off by the builder, they didn't bother looking, or who knows, there are hundreds of reasons why they didn't mention it.

I then noticed he had a compnany shirt from a major manufacturing company. I said, "What about when someone buys a part from AJAX Co. and it's bad. How did that happen? It was inspected I'm sure, probably has a stamp that says it was inspected by #24 - yet there is a bad part."

At that point he walk by me and said it was time for me to go. My client and I just looked at each other. Then I left.

WOW

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**Rick Hurst** · 07-17-2008, 04:14 PM

And you probably thought this morning it was going to be just another bad day.

Things are looking up.

**Michael Thomas** · 07-17-2008, 04:55 PM

I, on the other hand, am having a GOOD day: a seller just called to tell me that, guess what? I was right... it was NOT my fault that their 26 year old central AC stopped working on a 93 degree day an hour after I left the house - the service tech had just explained to her that "the system shut itself down cause' of all the dryer lint shooting out onto it has clogged the coil", and that once cleaned, the system ran fine. (Vent and coil were in the report, with picture).

So not only am I off the hook, I now have a good story to tell the client every time I spot this one.

imported_John Smith · 07-17-2008, 05:03 PM

Did you get paid?

Ted Menelly · 07-17-2008, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by Michael Thomas

I, on the other hand, am having a GOOD day: a seller just called to tell me that, guess what? I was right... it was NOT my fault that their 26 year old central AC stopped working on a 93 degree day an hour after I left the house - the service tech had just explained to her that "the system shut itself down cause' of all the dryer lint shooting out onto it has clogged the coil", and that once cleaned, the system ran fine. (Vent and coil were in the report, with picture).

So not only am I off the hook, I now have a good story to tell the client every time I spot this one.

My inspection today had a dryer vent directly behind the AC condenser. When ever the unit was on along with the dryer it just sucks up all that hot moist linty air. It was the first thing I took note of at the exterior.

**Rick Hurst** · 07-17-2008, 06:42 PM

Ted,

Here's an image you may want to use.

When my brother Marty passed away back in April, I was given his laptop to see if I could hack into it or attempt to figure out the password to get into it.

After 4 months now of guessing, I finally did it. Come to find out his password was the name of the first dog he ever received.

On his computer he had a file named "Home Illustrations" that has litterally hundreds of these types of images. There is no name associated with them on the file. I have thought of downloading them onto a CD and giving them those who might want one. Dont' see any trademarks on them to prevent it.

What do you think?

rick

Ted Menelly · 07-17-2008, 06:58 PM

Thats exactly it. The only exception was the AC condenser was a foot and a half off the wall and the dryer vent was about mid height directly behind it.

All those files sound like a project when you get restless or board to separate and categorize. I am sure they would all be usefull.

Sorry to hear about Marty

**Jim Luttrall** · 07-17-2008, 08:40 PM

Great diagram Rick. I really like using the show and tell in my reports.
I have been looking for a good source of relevant diagrams, let me know if you find the source.

Terry Sandmeier · 07-17-2008, 09:27 PM

Rick & Jim
Those pictures are from " The Illustrated Home" by Dearborn Home Inspection. There is a book with all the illustrations and there is an CD to download all the pictures. I belive the book and cd are around $250. I have just the book I had bought it from AHIT. You can problably find it there.

**Bruce Breedlove** · 07-17-2008, 10:09 PM

Jack,

That's why I prefer that the seller - as well as the listing agent - NOT be present during the inspection.

**Rick Hurst** · 07-17-2008, 10:48 PM

Jim,

Shoot me a private email with your mailing address.

rick

**Jack Feldmann** · 07-18-2008, 04:32 PM

Bruce,
Me too, however I have no control over the fact that a homeowner wants to be in his own house - even when they are not invited.

**Eric Barker** · 07-18-2008, 07:43 PM

Jack,

Is it my imagination or are you just lucky with coming across weird situations?

**Jack Feldmann** · 07-18-2008, 09:33 PM

While it hasn't happened a lot, I'm sure many people here on IN have been asked to leave a house.

Maybe I am just a magnet for weirdness that floats through the universe.

...................WHOOSH.............that was a close one!

David Banks · 07-19-2008, 03:58 AM

Originally Posted by Jack Feldmann

While it hasn't happened a lot, I'm sure many people here on IN have been asked to leave a house.

Maybe I am just a magnet for weirdness that floats through the universe.

...................WHOOSH.............that was a close one!

I got kicked out in the middle of an inspection. She kicked me, buyer, and Realtor all out. The house was such junk I was happy as no report needed. Buyer said lets move on.