Results 1 to 11 of 11
  1. #1
    mathew stouffer's Avatar
    mathew stouffer Guest

    Default Why you don't touch things

    I guess this is why you don't touch things when you are asking yourself, is that main loose and just hanging there. Yep

    Similar Threads:
    ***IMPORTANT*** You Need To Register To View Images ***IMPORTANT*** You Need To Register To View Images
    OREP Insurance

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    rockport texas
    Posts
    132

    Default Re: Why you don't touch things

    soooo how much is that going to cost you?


  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Fletcher, NC
    Posts
    28,032

    Default Re: Why you don't touch things

    Quote Originally Posted by stanley frost View Post
    soooo how much is that going to cost you?
    The cost to him should be zip, nada, nuttin', ...

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  4. #4
    mathew stouffer's Avatar
    mathew stouffer Guest

    Default Re: Why you don't touch things

    Nothing. Bank owned, POS. Incorrect installation, failed under inspection.


  5. #5
    Dave Wheeler's Avatar
    Dave Wheeler Guest

    Default Re: Why you don't touch things

    WOW that could of cost your client alot of money if you didn't touch it


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Succasunna NJ
    Posts
    577

    Default Re: Why you don't touch things

    A couple of years ago, I was in a basement of an older house with an oil fired boiler. I looked under the oil tank and noticed there were stains and what looked like some built-up rust.

    I reviewed the finding with my client and the realtor (the realtor being a pretty good guy who looks out for his clients). I told them to get the oil tank checked because of the rust. The realtor asked me if it was leaking; I told him not now, but it probably was and then it sealed itself. He kinda looked at me weird; found a piece of wood and scraped the bottom of the tank.

    I guess you figured out what happened next...we all went scrambling for buckets! The realtor called one of his buddies who owned a service station who came over with a screw that had a washer on it and stopped the leak.

    I told him, never, ever touch something that looks like it's gonna leak!

    Last edited by Darren Miller; 08-22-2010 at 03:57 PM.
    Darren www.aboutthehouseinspections.com
    'Whizzing & pasting & pooting through the day (Ronnie helping Kenny helping burn his poots away!) (FZ)

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    South-West Michigan
    Posts
    469

    Post Re: Why you don't touch things

    Darren, great story and illustrates just how lacking some people can be in the common sense department. It may be a profession-related flaw. Inspecting a house for a v-e-r-y picky client, I found the main electrical ground disconnected. The real estate agent, a handy guy, went to grab it and reattach it. I reminded him that the last person who works on something usually gets the liability for any thing going wrong. He stopped dead, looked at me, and said: "thanks."

    Randall Aldering GHI BAOM MSM
    Housesmithe Inspection
    www.housesmithe.com

  8. #8
    Dave Wheeler's Avatar
    Dave Wheeler Guest

    Default Re: Why you don't touch things

    What it really boils down to is experience. You have to know what you're looking at and explaining what can happen if anyone attempts to touch it.
    You still have to protect your client and yourself from future costly problems.


  9. #9
    Tom King's Avatar
    Tom King Guest

    Default Re: Why you don't touch things

    We all know these stories and yet there are still agents out there who love the guys who do touch things.

    I was at a house with a shut down heating system. Oil fired. The system needed priming in order to start. I have primed my own system and I know just how to do it but on a job...nope. The listing agent blaster me about my unwillingness to fire the system up. The buyer's agent wasn't happy with me. Oh well.

    Our job is to observe and report. There are things we operate using normal controls. Once outside that box, you really open youself up to bad things.


  10. #10
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    553

    Default Re: Why you don't touch things

    Quote Originally Posted by Randy Aldering View Post
    Darren, great story and illustrates just how lacking some people can be in the common sense department. It may be a profession-related flaw. Inspecting a house for a v-e-r-y picky client, I found the main electrical ground disconnected. The real estate agent, a handy guy, went to grab it and reattach it. I reminded him that the last person who works on something usually gets the liability for any thing going wrong. He stopped dead, looked at me, and said: "thanks."
    Re-attaching, tightening, or removing the main electrical ground can be a killer! In one new installation that I worked on, the data equipment was noisy. Traced it to the "ground" that had 120 VAC+ between it and the outer sheath of the phone cable (that was also grounded). After running the pole line with the phone company and the electric company-----a loose ground connector at the power substation was found to be the culprit. Because of this I have a very healthy respect for the electrical ground and always treat it as energized. If I saw the ground wire disconnected I would immediately wonder "WHY?", and stand a few feet away!

    .


  11. #11
    Tom King's Avatar
    Tom King Guest

    Default Re: Why you don't touch things

    This thread reminds me of a guy in the Hartford area. I heard this from the buyer's agent whom I usually work with.

    The house had radiators. Old cast iron ones. The upstairs wasn't heating. The guy tries to be everything to everyone....a real hero type. He turns valves and fires up the whole system. Everyone is so thrilled at the time. "Wow, this guy dives in!"

    Well, When the house was visited a few days later, you could see ceiling material soaking wet and dropping onto the floor in spots. A real mess.

    Hero inspector wanted to be well known for what he could do. He is now.


Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •