US Home Inspector Training

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The Challenges of Sealed Attic Access Panels

Sealed attic access panels are a bane to home inspectors. If you talk to 10 different inspectors about how they deal with sealed attic access panels, you’ll probably get 11 different answers. While some may check a box in their software that says “not accessible” and move on, others might take a much more aggressive approach.

Frankly, nothing about home inspections causes more consternation than attic access panels that are sealed shut. This isn’t just true for the home inspector, but also for the buyer, seller and real estate agents involved in the sale. At my home inspection company, we’ve worked out every angle of an attic inspection and put some great policies in place to help eliminate problems for buyers and sellers. This ultimately makes our clients happy.

Home Seller’s Responsibility
In Minnesota where I operate, home buyers typically use a standard purchase-agreement form. They don’t have to, but most do. This form has a line that specifically says the, “Seller will provide access to the attic(s) and crawlspace(s).”

Based on personal experience, I believe most licensed residential real estate salespeople (aka Realtors) are not aware of this language, and most buyers and sellers aren’t either.

If an attic access panel is sprayed shut, caulked shut, nailed shut or blocked by stored items, has the seller provided access? Have they fulfilled their contractual obligation? Heck no.

If I were buying a home and the person I was purchasing from had signed an agreement saying they would provide access to the attic, I’d expect the attic to be accessible. Access panels that are sprayed shut, caulked shut, nailed shut or blocked by stored items are not accessible.

Open attic access panels that are sprayed shut by bumping the scuttle hole cover with your fist.

Attic Inspection Policy
Here’s an overview of the policy and procedures we have in place at my company when it comes to attic access for inspection.

Before the inspection: As soon as my company schedules a home inspection, we email the listing agent to confirm the inspection and send a very short checklist that needs to be passed along to the seller. We ask for the seller to make the attic accessible or to leave a note giving us permission to open it if it’s sealed / caulked / painted shut. I secretly suspect that this email gets opened, read, forwarded, opened, read and followed approximately once every 10,000 times. But that won’t stop us from trying!

At the inspection: We begin every home inspection with a tour of the interior. If the attic access panel appears to be sealed or obstructed to make access difficult, we ask for permission to open it. We call the listing agent to explain that this will technically change the property from its original condition. In most cases, we won’t leave any evidence that we were there, but we can’t guarantee this.

We don’t get super stuffy about exactly how we’re supposed to get permission. We don’t have the sellers sign some kind of legal document or anything like that; we just want something in writing. It can be an email, a text message, a hand-written note, whatever. We’re not picky. We’ve also never had a home seller squawk after they’ve given us permission to open their “sealed” attic.

If they give us permission, we open the attic and conduct the inspection as normal. If they don’t give us permission, we don’t go in the attic. Simple and logical, right? We think so.

How to Open a Sealed Panel
If an access panel is sprayed shut, we access the attic by bumping the scuttle hole cover with our fist (See Figure 1). View a video of how we do this here. When we’re done, nobody ever knows we even opened it.

If an access panel is caulked or painted shut, we’ll use a sharp razor to cut the caulk or paint (See Figure 2). We will not recaulk the access panel, even if the homeowner or builder gives us permission to do so or provides the caulk. The quality of a caulk job is highly subjective, and I don’t want my company or any of my inspectors to be judged by this. Not only that, but it’s a code violation to caulk the panel shut, which I’ll discuss in a minute. This is a hard line I’ve drawn in the sand, and we’ve said no many times.

If an access panel is screwed shut, we don’t bother asking for permission. We just remove the screws and put them back when we’re done.

If an access panel is nailed shut, we don’t mess with it. At that point, we recommend having the attic made accessible and inspected by a qualified person.

If an attic is blocked with stored stuff, we usually move the items to make the attic accessible. Yes, I know … I’ve heard horror stories of home inspectors breaking things while moving stuff. But my company has been lucky enough to have never had a problem with this, and we’ve done it conducting hundreds, probably thousands, of inspections. If it’s an extreme situation, we’ll call the listing agent to ask for help. I believe the end justifies the means.

It’s important to note as well that in every case in which we access an attic, our inspectors wear respirators to protect their lungs and gloves to keep fingerprints off the ceiling. We also use a drop cloth or painter’s plastic to ensure we don’t leave a mess.

In addition, before accessing the attic, we take a picture to document what the access panel looked like before breaking the seal and then another picture showing what it looks like after we’re done.

What the Code Says
Interestingly, the International Energy Conservation Code specifically addresses attic access panels. Section R402.2. 4 says, “Access doors from conditioned spaces to unconditioned spaces (e.g., attics and crawl spaces) shall be weather stripped …“

So, what does that mean? Well, weather stripping is not defined by the energy code. Here in Minnesota, we have a special section in our energy code (Section R201. 4) that defaults to the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary when a term is undefined. Specifically it says:

Where terms are not defined through the methods authorized by this chapter, the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, available at www.m-w.com, shall be considered as providing ordinarily accepted meanings. The dictionary is incorporated by reference, is subject to frequent change, and is available through the Minitex interlibrary loan system.

Merriam-Webster defines “weather strip” as follows:

A strip of material to cover the joint of a door or window and the sill, casing, or threshold so as to exclude rain, snow, and cold air — called also weather stripping.

So, does caulk or some other type of sealant cut it? Heck no.

You’d think this would help, but finding a weather-stripped attic access panel on a newly constructed home is rare. That’s not to say they don’t exist, but it’s certainly the exception.

Have a Plan
Attics are a critical part of each home inspection. Every home inspector ought to have a game plan for what to do when an attic can’t be inspected. Don’t be that inspector who says “Not Accessible” and moves on.

by Reuben Saltzman, Structure Tech

The Inconvenient Truth About Three-Light Receptacle Testers

I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth…unless I’m wrong.

Most home inspectors are familiar with three-light receptacle testers. They are typically standard equipment in an inspector’s tool bag. It is understandable why these testers are so popular. They are inexpensive, small enough to fit in a shirt pocket, and give instant results. This makes them very convenient to use. However, there is also an inconvenient truth to them. The inconvenient truth is that they have many limitations and are often inaccurate.

Many different manufacturers make receptacle testers. They all basically use the same technology and three lights to show proper/improper installations. These are designed for testing 120-volt receptacles. Some have more features than others, such as a test button for evaluation of GFCI protection.

How Do Three-Light Receptacle Testers Work?
The design is pretty basic among receptacle testers, but unfortunately can give false information.

The left side light will illuminate when there is a voltage between the neutral slot on the receptacle and the ground slot. This shows reversed polarity and must have a ground reference to reveal this defect. The center light illuminates when there is voltage between the neutral slot and the hot slot. No ground reference is needed but the polarity could be correct or reversed and the tester would show the same. The light on the right side illuminates when there is a voltage between the hot slot and the ground slot. So, when the center and right side lights are illuminated, the tester indicates that the wiring is correct and working properly. However, when the center and left side lights are illuminated, the tester shows reversed polarity. When only the center light is illuminated, the tester indicates an open ground and a voltage between the hot and neutral slots but does not confirm proper polarity.

False Readings
False readings are common on three-light testers. Bootleg grounds will fool the tester. The bootleg jumper connects the neutral and ground slots in the receptacle and allows a voltage from the hot slot to both the neutral and ground slots and shows correct wiring (See Figure 2). Another false reading can be the “hot/ground reversed” indication. While that could happen, the more common cause of that reading is an open neutral to the receptacle and a lamp or other device is plugged into the receptacle or a downstream receptacle. The power feeds through the plugged-in device from the hot slot to the neutral slot, energizing both with equal voltage. The tester sees a voltage from the hot slot to the ground slot and from the neutral slot to the ground slot and illuminates the two outside lights. The center light is off because there is no voltage between the hot/neutral receptacle slots.

Inaccurate Legend Information
The legend information on three-light testers is sometimes inaccurate and incomplete. At best, they can give an indication that something is wrong, and in some situations, they will not even do that. Never rely on these testers for confirmation to safely work on electrical equipment. For example, no lights do not necessarily mean that the receptacle is not still energized. A dangerous condition is when a bootleg grounded receptacle has reversed polarity (See Figure 3). This condition will energize the metal yoke of the receptacle and the metal chassis or frame of anything plugged into it, while the tester shows “correct wiring.” Refer to Figure 4 for a Standard Tester legend and see Figures 5 and 6 for Multiple Possible Conditions and Other Conditions not listed on the legend.

Sometimes, one of the lights may be dimmer than the others. This usually indicates a loose or bad connection. Another dangerous condition that sometimes occurs is when a 240-volt supply is connected to a standard duplex receptacle. The tester will illuminate all three lights when plugged into this receptacle. The center light will be brighter because the voltage to it is 240 volts.

GFCI function on a three-light tester
The test button on the tester shunts the hot slot to the ground slot through an internal resistor to simulate a ground fault. In a properly wired and grounded receptacle, this test will trip the GFCI protective device. However, if the receptacle is not grounded, the tester will show reversed polarity when the button is pushed, even if the polarity is correct. Then, since there is no ground, the button will not trip the GFCI. The test button on the GFCI device will trip the device even when no ground wire is present. This is why testing with the GFCI device’s built-in test button is preferred.

Summary
We have gone into a good amount of detail discussing these testers. This is because a three-light tester is probably the most used electrical test device in a home inspector’s tool bag. They are handy and can be useful in electrical inspections. It is important, however, for inspectors to understand the limitations of these testers. They can give false and/or incomplete information.

Multi-meters and circuit analyzers can be a better choice in evaluating receptacle wiring, particularly when there is evidence of unprofessional installations. Considering all available conditions can assist the inspector in making evaluations as well. Often, there are clues to alert the inspector that more accurate testing procedures or further evaluations are necessary. For example, in an older home with (apparently) grounded receptacles, always closely review the electrical panels for equipment grounding conductors. If none or very few are present, some bootlegging could be going on.

by Mike Twitty

Marketing and Sales Above All Else part 1 of 3
Mark Cuban, entrepreneur, investor and owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is fond of saying: “Sales cure all.”

While many home inspectors approach the inspection profession with a focus on the technical side and are quick to point out that one needs quality education, thorough training, an experienced mentor, and effective tools, the foundational nature of sales and marketing for a home inspection business is a reality that inspectors know all too well.

Working RE‘s research reveals that over 10,000 would-be home inspectors purchase pre-licensing education or training, either live or in-person, every single year. The promise of being one’s own boss, making over six figures (say the training companies!), and building a business is attractive to many. From those 10,000 souls, roughly 50 percent actually complete the training, and a fraction of those graduating students actually “make a go of it” and become a practicing home inspector.

While exact numbers about those newly minted home inspectors are hard to come by, an estimated 60 percent of inspectors fail in their first year, and a rumored 90 percent fail in their first five years.

Talk about a culling of the herd! And what is the biggest reason home inspectors throw in the towel?

You guessed it. Not enough marketing. Not enough sales. (In that order too.)

So, what exactly does it take for a home inspector to market their business and sell their services effectively?

Home Inspector Versus Marketer
Are you in the marketing business or the home inspection business? The answer is both, right?

Mike Crow, founder of Coach Blueprint and the “Father of Home Inspector Marketing,” says that the average home inspector doesn’t realize he or she isn’t in the home inspection business, they are in the “marketing of a home inspection” business.

“Most home inspectors think they’re in a technical business. They’re not. They are in a marketing business. That is true of all businesses, but it is especially true of a home inspection business. Providing a good, solid home inspection is absolutely necessary—but it is the baseline. To be successful as a home inspector long-term, whether you want to be a solopreneur or you want to build a multi-inspector firm, you have to understand how vital marketing is. Many truly great and knowledgeable inspectors don’t have enough business or simply go out of business because they don’t take the time to learn about marketing and sales,” Crow says.

While the real estate market has slowed down considerably, Crow reports that his firm is actually up ten percent year-over-year (YoY) compared to last year. “Most inspection firms are experiencing a drop-in revenue right now, but the ones who are really focused on marketing are not. I just got finished last week with my Inspector Marketing Mastermind Meeting. Our guys are blowing it out of the water. They are up 30, 40, and 50 percent over last year!” Crow reports.

Marketing Stackables
Crow has helped build and sell several multi-million-dollar revenue home inspection firms and has also personally coached over 100 home inspection businesses over the $1,000,000 revenue per year mark. The advice that Crow shares with his mastermind members and teaches at his conferences is too vast to be summarized in this article, but Crow offers several practical steps home inspectors can take to improve their marketing efforts. Crow calls these actions “stackables”—specific tactics and strategies that should be deployed together and that work together to create a powerful marketing plan. Crow’s blueprint for inspector marketing stackables includes: