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L’ I N S P E C T E U R E N B ÂT I M E N T DU CANADA Volume 21, Number 2 • Fall 2016 CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF HOME & PROPERTY INSPECTORS CANADA’S VOICE OF THE HOME INSPECTION INDUSTRY LA VOIX DE L’INDUSTRIE DE L’INSPECTION DE BIENS IMMOBILIERS DU CANADA ASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DES INSPECTEURS DE BIENS IMMOBILIERS Français inclus dans ce magazine PM41300512 Challenges Facing Home Inspectors When Using Infrared Thermography To Detect Moisture page 21 AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire & Action page 28 National Conference Report Calgary, AB page 10

Transcript of National Conference - MultiBriefsmultibriefs.com/briefs/cahpi/2016 Fall CHI Magazine.pdf · 100%...

L ’ I N S P E C T E U R E N B Â T I M E N T D U C A N A D A

Volume 21, Number 2 • Fall 2016

CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF HOME & PROPERTY INSPECTORSCANADA’S VOICE OF THE HOME INSPECTION INDUSTRY

LA VOIX DE L’INDUSTRIE DE L’INSPECTION DE BIENS IMMOBILIERS DU CANADAASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DES INSPECTEURS DE BIENS IMMOBILIERS

Français inclus

dans ce magazine

PM41300512

Challenges Facing Home Inspectors When Using Infrared Thermography To Detect Moisturepage 21

AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire & Actionpage 28

National Conference

Report Calgary, AB

page 10

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3T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

Contents

Volume 21, Number 2 • Fall 2016

Dave Bottoms, Past Editor-in-ChiefAlrek Meipoom, Founding Editor

Editorial CommitteeSharry Featherston Jean Laframboise, P. Eng., RHI Renee Vanderkuip Peter Weeks, RHI

Head OfficeCanadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors P.O. Box 76065 Morgan’s Grant PO Ottawa, ON K2W 0E1

Phone 888-748-2244

Email [email protected]

Website www.cahpi.ca

The Canadian Home Inspector magazine is published for the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors.

Circulation is via publications mail and electronic mail, to all CAHPI provincial/regional members. Please return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box 76065, Morgan’s Grant PO, Ottawa, ON. K2W 0E1

The purpose of this magazine is to provide information on all that is new and newsworthy in the home inspection profession for the benefit of CAHPI provincial/regional members.

The use of trade names in this magazine does not imply endorsement by the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors nor does exclusion of similar products imply non-endorsement. Opinions or statements of authors and advertisers are solely their own, and do not necessarily represent the opinions or positions of CAHPI or its agents.

Please forward articles, suggestions or comments to the Editorial Commmittee c/o the above address. The Editorial Commmittee reserves the right to revise, edit, reduce and correct all copy submitted for publication.

Published by

www.mediaedgepublishing.com

33 South Station Street,Toronto, Ontario M9N 2B2 Toll Free: 1-866-480-4717

Publisher: Robert Thompson

Senior Editor: Ali Mintenko-Crane

Sales Executive: Dawn Stokes

Senior Graphic Design Specialist: James T. Mitchell

Graphic Design Specialist: Kelli McCutcheon

President: Kevin Brown

Senior Vice President: Robert Thompson

Branch Manager: Nancie Privé

Published November 2016

Français inclus

dans ce magazine

L’INSPECTEUR EN BÂTIMENT D U C A N A D A

NATIONAL NEWS

6 Directory

7 President’s Message

7 Message du président

8 Board Report

8 Rapport du conseil d’administration

10 National Conference Report

INDUSTRY

9 CAHPI National Adopts the CSA A770 Home Inspection Standard

PROVINCIAL/ REGIONAL NEWS

12 CAHPI Alberta

12 CAHPI Saskatchewan

12 CAHPI Manitoba

12 CAHPI Ontario

12 AIBQ Quebec

12 CAHPI Atlantic

NOUVELLES DES PROVINCES

13 ACIBI Alberta

13 ACIBI Saskatchewan

13 ACIBI Manitoba

13 ACIBI Ontario

13 AIBQ Québec

13 ACIBI Atlantique

SAFETY

18 The Word: Smoke Alarms 26 Why Radon Testing Makes

Good Sense

TECHNICAL ARTICLES

21 Challenges Facing Home Inspectors When Using Infrared Thermography

to Detect Moisture

24 Pipe and Stack Flashings

MARKETING

28 AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire & Action

SPECIAL FEATURES

5 Affiliate Product & Service Directory

31 Gotcha! Photos from the Front

The Canadian Home Inspector is printed on 10% post-consumer FSC certified paper using soya based inks. When necessary to mail an issue in an enclosure, we use an environmentally-friendly, 100% oxo-degradable poly-wrap.

www.facebook.com/cahpi.ca

5T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

HOME INSPECTION REPORTS3D Inspection Systems, Inc. 1-800-745-6126 www.3dinspection.com Reporting software produces unlimited narrative, checklist or combo reports with 3D Report Writer software, Office Management Scheduler & Phone3D for handheld computers. #1 in the industry.

Carson Dunlop & Associates Ltd. 1-800-268-7070 ext. 243 www.carsondunlop.com/horizon HORIZON home inspection reporting software writes Clear, Illustrated and Highly professional reports.  Incredibly easy to use to get started quickly.

HomeGauge Inspection Software 828-254-2030 www.homegauge.com Inspection software without per report fees.  Optional online features include:  video; expanding pictures; repair/request list; appointment manager and more.

INDOOR BIO-CONTAMINANT TRAININGRespirCare Inspections Canada 604-467-0066 www.respircare.ca RespirCare is a certified training company, for indoor bio-contaminant sampling, (mould, asthma triggers and allergens), lab results, analytical review and insurance.

INFRARED CAMERAS AND TRAININGFLIR Systems 1-800-613-0507 www.flir.ca Sale, Service and Rental of Infrared Cameras and Associated Meters. Infrared Thermography Certification Training.

INFRARED THERMOGRAPHY TRAININGThe Snell Group 802-479-7100 www.thesnellgroup.com Infrared thermography training and consulting since 1986.  We’re vendor-neutral and can also help you find the right camera for you.

INSURANCEBFL CANADA Insurance Services Inc. 604-669-9600 www.bflcanada.ca BFL CANADA is a National Insurance Broker offering all aspects of insurance in particular E&O, Bonding & CGL Insurance for Home Inspectors.

HUB International Ontario Limited 1-800-263-2383 www.hubinternational.com/ontario Specializing in Errors and Omission and Commercial General Liability for the Home Inspection Industry since 2007. Customized insurance solutions for home inspectors.

LABORATORY TESTINGEMSL Canada, Inc. 1-888-831-0722 www.emslcanada.ca EMSL Analytical, Inc. is a leading provider of high quality laboratory testing services throughout North America.

AFFILIATE

AFFILIATE PRODUCT & SERVICE DIRECTORYAffiliate members have the exclusive use of the CAHPI Affiliate logo!Check out the online directory - we are adding more products and services you use in your business every week!

6 T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

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Inspectors

CAHPI National DirectoryOFFICERS 2016-2017President Graham Clarke

Past President Bill Sutherland

Vice President Brian Hutchinson

Treasurer Peter Weeks

Secretary Claude Dussault

Executive Director Sharry Featherston

PROVINCIAL/ REGIONAL PRESIDENTSAlberta www.cahpi-ab.ca Wayne Finley

Saskatchewan www.cahpi-sk.org Jim Nichols

Manitoba www.cahpi.mb.ca Greg Heschuk

Ontario www.oahi.com Murray Parish

Quebec www.aibq.qc.ca Pascal Parent

Atlantic www.cahpi-atl.com Lawrence Englehart

DIRECTORS 2016-2017CAHPI Alberta Wayne Finley Ron McDougallCAHPI Saskatchewan Jim NicholsCAHPI Manitoba Dan EngbrechtOAHI/CAHPI Ontario Peter WeeksAIBQ/CAHPI Quebec Philip Barry Claude Dussault Franco BaldassarreCAHPI Atlantic Brian Hutchinson

NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIRSASHI Liaison to CAHPI Stephen Gladstone

By-Law & Policy Committee Brian Hutchinson

CAHPI Liaison to ASHI Graham Clarke

CHI Magazine Committee Sharry Featherston

Ethics Committee Graham Clarke

National Conference Committee Ron McDougall

National Research & Development Committee Bill Sutherland

PR Committee Brian Hutchinson

Website Administration Sharry Featherston

Advertisers Directory 25 BFL CANADA Insurance

Services Inc. www.bflcanada.ca

27 Biomation www.biomation.com/radon

7 The Cal-Ell Group - Little Giant Ladder Systems www.canadaladder.com

26 Canadian – National Radon Proficiency Program www.c-nrpp.ca

32 Carson Dunlop & Associates Ltd. www.carsondunlop.com/horizon

4 EMSL Canada, Inc. www.emslcanada.ca

16-17 FLIR Systems www.flir.ca

14-15 Mike Holmes Inspections www.mikeholmesinspections.com

DIREC TORY

*If you are viewing an electronic version of this issue on the CAHPI website, please click on these listings for active links to the advertisers’ websites.

Please support our advertisers.

www.cahpi.ca [email protected]

22 HomeGauge Inspection Software www.homegauge.com

30 HUB International Ontario Limited www.hubinternational.com/ontario

27 CNRTC, a division of Radon West Ltd. www.cnrtc.ca & www.radonwest.com

29 RespirCare Inspections Canada www.respircare.ca

23 Thermography GG Inc. www.thermographiegg.com

2 The Snell Group www.thesnellgroup.com

21 3D Inspection System www.3dinspection.com

27 URS Insurance Brokers www.ursinsurance.com

23 Wood Energy Technology Transfer Inc. www.wettinc.ca

7T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

PRESIDENT ’S MESSAGE/MESSAGE DU PRÉSIDENT

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Canadian Distributor - The Cal-Ell Group201-669 Ridley Place, Delta BC V3M6Y9 (800)511-6049

canadaladder.com

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201-669 Ridley Place, Delta BC V3M6Y9 (800)511-6049canadaladder.com

ONE LADDER DOES IT ALL™

Canadian Distributor - The Cal-Ell Group

canadaladder.com201-669 Ridley Place, Delta BC V3M 6Y9 (800) 511-6049

In my last President’s Message, I spoke about serving the needs of the marketplace. I would like to expand on that theme. Recently, I attended the 2016 CAHPI National Conference in Calgary,

Alberta. What a great event it was and I thank all of those involved in the organization of the confer-ence. But beyond the networking and the quality education sessions dealing with topics that are part of our traditional standards of practice, I find it telling that so many home inspectors are interested in topics that go beyond the basics, topics such as radon, indoor air quality and thermal imaging.

Not only that, but there were several pre-conference training sessions on commercial building inspection, indoor air quality and asbestos sampling. I know that many of the attendees attended these presentations out of general interest (which is great), but many home inspectors are there to explore the idea of expanding their business into these areas. While I’m not trying to endorse any specific ancillary services, I firmly believe that it is a smart idea for home inspectors to look for additional streams of revenue. Whether that revenue comes from providing additional services to the home inspection clients that you already have, or from providing services to new clients with different needs, expanding your product offerings is a recipe for growth and success, and an opportunity to diversify your offerings.

That’s where the needs and demands of the marketplace come in. If you find that your clients are frequently asking you for something that you don’t do, maybe you’re getting some free market research on services that you should be offering. Don’t let it end there, though. Keep in touch with what is happening in your local community to see if you can leverage your training and experience to provide people with a service that they need. If you are working in an area with a hot sellers’ market, maybe pre-listing inspections are what the market needs. Lots of new housing starts? Maybe pre-delivery or warranty inspections. Do you operate in a rural area? Septic and well inspections, WETT inspections, and water softener testing might be the way to go.

One of the goals of CAHPI is to work with stakeholders to develop mar-ket opportunities such as these. New construction inspections and US Embassy inspections are two examples of new inspection markets devel-oped by CAHPI, and CAHPI continues to work with potential partners to create new inspection opportunities for CAHPI-affiliated inspectors across the country. Between your efforts locally and our efforts nationally, we are all working hard to achieve success for your business.

Graham Clarke, P. Eng., RHIPresident, CAHPI National

Dans mon dernier Message du président, j’ai abordé la question de la nécessité de répondre aux besoins du marché. J’aimerais en parler plus longuement. Récemment, j’ai assisté au congrès national de 2016 de l’ACIBI à Calgary, en Alberta. Ça a été un événement extraordinaire,

et je remercie tous ceux qui ont pris part à l’organisation du congrès. Outre le réseautage et les séances didactiques de qualité touchant à des thèmes qui font partie de nos normes traditionnelles de pratique, de nombreux inspecteurs s’intéressent à des sujets qui vont au-delà des questions de base, comme le radon, la qualité de l’air intérieur et l’imagerie thermique, ce qui me semble notable. En plus, diverses séances de formation concernant l’inspection de bâti-ments commerciaux, la qualité de l’air intérieur et le prélèvement d’échantillons d’amiante ont été tenues avant le congrès. Je sais que plusieurs des participants ont assisté à ces conférences par intérêt général, ce qui est bien en soi, mais plusieurs inspecteurs s’y trouvaient parce qu’ils étudient la possibilité d’étendre leurs activités à ces domaines. Bien que je ne tienne pas ici à cautionner certains services accessoires précis, je crois fermement qu’il est sage pour les inspecteurs de biens immobiliers de chercher d’autres sources de revenus. Que ce soit en fournissant à ses clients actuels des services additionnels aux inspec-tions de biens immobiliers ou en offrant ces services à de nouveaux clients aux besoins différents, l’expansion et la diversification de l’offre de services sont une recette à suivre pour la croissance et la réussite.

C’est ici qu’entrent en jeu les besoins et les demandes du marché. Si vous constatez que vos clients vous demandent fréquemment un service que vous n’offrez pas, vous êtes peut-être en train de découvrir gratuitement ce que pourrait vous révéler une étude de marché sur les services que vous devriez offrir. Ne vous arrêtez pas là. Tenez-vous au courant de ce qui se passe dans votre localité pour voir si vous pouvez tirer parti de vos compétences et de votre expérience en offrant aux gens un service dont ils ont besoin. Si vous travaillez dans un marché de vendeurs, les inspections préinscription sont peut-être ce que le marché recherche. Beaucoup de nouvelles construc-tions ? Passez aux inspections préréception ou de garantie. Vous travaillez en zone rurale ? Les inspections de puits et de fosses septiques, les inspec-tions WETT et les analyses de dureté de l’eau sont de bonnes options.

L’un des buts de l’ACIBI est de collaborer avec les divers intervenants du milieu pour créer des débouchés commerciaux comme ceux-là. Les inspec-tions de nouvelles constructions et les inspections de l’ambassade des États-Unis ne sont que deux exemples de nouveaux marchés développés par l’ACIBI, qui continue de travailler avec des partenaires potentiels afin de générer de nouvelles possibilités pour ses membres inspecteurs de partout au pays. Avec vos efforts à l’échelle locale et nos efforts à l’échelle natio-nale, nous nous appliquons tous à assurer la réussite de votre entreprise.

Graham Clarke, ingénieur, IAB Président, Bureau national de l’ACIBI

www.cahpi.ca [email protected]

8 T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

Thank you to CAHPI Alberta for hosting the 2016 CAHPI National Conference which was held at the Sheraton Cava-lier Calgary Hotel from October 20th to

22nd. Doug MacDonald, Conference Chair, Joanne Albertson, Alberta Administrator, Marian Daybell along with the conference committee have put in a lot of work which has resulted in a great conference. Well done!

On October 21st, the National Board held their Annual General Meeting. Business included the review of the 2016 Year-End Financial Statements and the 2016/2017 National Budget; both were approved. The Board of Directors voted to adopt the CSA A770 Standard for Home Inspection. As an industry leader, we believe it is a good standard, and now CAHPI is the first to adopt it. A new task force will review and make recommendations regarding our gover-nance structure. Our 2016/2017 Officers are as follows: President Graham Clarke, P. Eng., RHI, Past President Bill Sutherland, Retired RHI, Vice President Brian Hutchinson, RHI, Treasurer Peter Weeks, RHI, and myself, Claude Dussault, RHI as Secretary.

The Affiliate Program was launched earlier this year and continues to grow. The PR Committee has a few new initiatives they are working on to increase our member benefits. National continues to explore new business opportunities with stakeholders and government. As a national association, we recognize that members need value and benefits from their association.

In addition to the release of the CSA A770 Standard earlier this year, the Ontario Government announced that licensing of Home Inspectors is coming soon. Consumer Protection BC announced they had made several significant changes to their licensing requirements effective September. For one, BC home inspectors are no longer required to be affiliated with an association.

With the departure of the CAHPI provincial association in BC, National developed an online BC RHI Registry for those members who wished to continue using the CAHPI branding and designations. More details will be available in the new year.

Our industry is forever changing, and we must be prepared to change with it, or be left out in the cold.

If you have any comments, suggestions or concerns, the National board invites you to contact your representative or any one of the National officers, we welcome your feedback.

Claude Dussault, RHICAHPI Director, Secretary

Merci à l’ACIBI-Alberta d’avoir organisé le congrès national de 2016 de l’ACIBI, qui s’est tenu à l’hôtel Sheraton Cavalier de Calgary du 20 au 22 octobre. Doug MacDonald, le président du congrès, Joanne Albertson, administratrice pour l’Alberta, Marian Daybell et les

membres du comité organisateur ont consacré beaucoup d’efforts à la prépara-tion de ce congrès extraordinaire. Du beau travail !

Le 21 octobre, le conseil national a tenu son assemblée générale annuelle. On y a parlé des états financiers de fin d’exercice pour 2016 et du budget national pour 2016-2017, qui ont tous été approuvés. Le conseil d’administration a voté en faveur de l’adoption de la norme CSA A770 - Inspection d’habitations. Nous croyons qu’il s’agit d’une bonne norme et, en tant que chef de file de l’industrie, l’ACIBI est maintenant la première à l’adopter. Un nouveau groupe de travail se penchera sur notre structure de gouvernance et formulera ses recommanda-tions. Le comité exécutif pour 2016-2017 est composé du président Graham Clarke, ing., I.A.B., de l’ancien président Bill Sutherland, I.A.B. retraité, du vice-président Brian Hutchinson, I.A.B., du trésorier Peter Weeks, I.A.B., et de moi-même, Claude Dussault, Inspecteur agréé, le secrétaire.

Le programme d’affiliation a été lancé plus tôt cette année et sa croissance se poursuit. Le comité de relations publiques travaille sur quelques nouvelles initia-tives pour augmenter les avantages de nos membres. L’association nationale continue d’étudier de nouveaux débouchés avec les autres intervenants et le gouvernement. Nous sommes conscients que nos membres souhaitent retirer de la valeur et des avantages de leur association nationale.

Outre la publication de la norme CSA A770 plus tôt au cours de l’année, il y a aussi eu l’annonce par le gouvernement de l’Ontario qu’il procédera bientôt à l’octroi de permis pour les inspecteurs de biens immobiliers. L’office de protec-tion du consommateur de Colombie-Britannique a révélé qu’il avait apporté des modifications importantes entrant en vigueur en septembre à ses exigences pour les permis. Entre autres changements, il ne sera désormais plus obligatoire pour les inspecteurs de biens immobiliers de s’affilier à une association.

Avec la fermeture de l’association provinciale de l’ACIBI en Colombie-Britan-nique, l’association nationale a créé un registre en ligne des I.A.B. pour les membres de cette province qui souhaitent continuer d’utiliser les titres profes-sionnels de l’ACIBI et de profiter de son image de marque. D’autres détails vous seront offerts au cours de la nouvelle année.

Notre industrie est en évolution constante, et nous devons être prêts à changer avec elle si nous ne voulons pas être laissés pour compte.

Si vous souhaitez nous faire part de vos commentaires, suggestions ou préoc-cupations, le conseil national vous invite à communiquer avec votre représentant ou avec l’un des membres du comité exécutif. Vos commentaires sont les bien-venus.

Claude Dussault, Inspecteur agrééDirecteur et secrétaire de l’ACIBI

BOARD REPORT / RAPPORT DU CONSEIL D’ADMINISTRATION

9T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

INDUSTRY

At our most recent National Annual General Meeting on October 21, CAHPI chose to adopt the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) A770 Home Inspection Standard as the National Standard of Practice (NSOP) of the Canadian Asso-

ciation of Home & Property Inspectors.

I am proud to see CAHPI positioning itself as a first adopter of a docu-ment like a National Standard of Canada. Many home inspection associations will face challenges and questions about our relevancy in the next few years as licensing laws are enacted and revised. CAHPI has positioned itself as a leader, rather than a follower, in the industry. CAHPI’s leadership, exemplified by its continued participation in the development and maintenance of the Standard, has been recognized by CSA.

In making this decision, the board members of CAHPI considered our mission statement and objectives and concluded that if we believe in these principles, then adopting A770 is the best option for our National association.

There are numerous reasons for the decision made by the CAHPI Board. One of those was the expectation that A770 is almost certainly going to be adopted by those provinces that are currently licensing home inspectors. While I cannot predict the future, I find it hard to believe that the regulators who paid for and participated in the devel-opment of A770 would not then adopt the standard, especially since it is now a National Standard of Canada. It is telling that several provin-cial governments contributed financially to the development of the standard, including Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario.

If it does come to pass that provincial licensing requires compliance with A770, the development and maintenance of a separate associa-tion standard such as the CAHPI NSOP will turn into a redundant and irrelevant exercise with no significant benefit. As proud as we are of our National Standard of Practice, we have to accept the reality of its benefit in the modern marketplace.

I believe that the A770 standard will become the de facto standard for home inspection anyway, because there will be (and already are) home inspectors who advertise that their inspection meets A770. That gives them more credibility and a marketing advantage. The same holds true for home inspection associations. Those who adhere to a National Standard of Canada, developed by home inspectors and stakeholders alike, will benefit from enhanced credibility. And this benefit is one of the critical objectives of CAHPI.

Adapting to a changing world and meeting market needs is critical for success, and I firmly believe that CAHPI’s adoption of the CSA A770 Home Inspection Standard is a positive leap ahead for our associa-tion.

Graham Clarke, P. Eng, RHI President, CAHPI National

Lors de sa plus récente assemblée générale annuelle, le 21 octobre, l’ACIBI a décidé d’adopter la norme A770 de l’Association canadienne de normalisation concernant l’inspection d’habitations en tant que norme nationale de pratique de l’Association canadienne des inspecteurs de

biens immobiliers.

Je suis fier de voir que l’ACIBI compte parmi les premiers à adopter un document comme une Norme nationale du Canada. Avec la révision ou l’adoption de lois sur l’octroi de permis, plusieurs associations d’inspecteurs de biens immobiliers devront au cours des prochaines années affronter des défis et des questions en ce qui a trait à notre raison d’être. L’ACIBI s’est positionnée comme un chef de file, et non un suiveur, dans l’industrie; cette position a reçu l’aval de la CSA, qui reconnaît l’importance de la participation continue de l’ACIBI dans le dével-oppement et l’entretien de cette Norme. Pour en arriver à cette décision, les membres du conseil d’administration de l’ACIBI ont tenu compte de notre énoncé de mission et de nos objectifs et ont conclu que si nous croyons en ces principes, l’adoption de la norme A770 est la meilleure option pour l’association nationale.

La décision du conseil de l’ACIBI s’appuie sur de nombreux motifs, notam-ment la probabilité que les provinces qui octroient actuellement des permis aux inspecteurs de biens immobiliers l’adoptent elles-mêmes. Je ne suis peut-être pas capable de voir l’avenir, mais j’ai de la difficulté à croire que des organismes de réglementation qui ont payé pour l’élaboration de la norme A770 et qui y ont participé décideraient ensuite de ne pas adopter cette norme, d’autant plus qu’il s’agit maintenant d’une Norme nationale du Canada. Le fait que divers gouver-nements provinciaux ont contribué financièrement à la création de la norme, dont ceux du Manitoba, de l’Alberta, de la Saskatchewan et de l’Ontario, est en soi assez révélateur.

Si les provinces commencent effectivement à exiger la conformité à la norme A770 pour l’octroi de permis, la création et l’application d’une norme spécifique d’association, comme une norme nationale de pratique, ne seraient rien de plus qu’un exercice redondant et injustifié qui n’apporterait aucun avantage important. Bien que nous soyons très fiers de notre norme nationale de pratique, il nous faut accepter la réalité concernant ses avantages sur le marché d’aujourd’hui.

Je suis convaincu que la norme A770 deviendra de fait la norme pour l’inspection de biens immobiliers, étant donné qu’il y a déjà des inspecteurs de biens immobiliers qui font valoir la confor-mité de leurs inspections à cette norme dans leurs annonces. Cela leur donne à la fois une plus grande crédibilité et un avan-tage sur le plan du marketing. Il en est de même pour les asso-ciations d’inspecteurs de biens immobiliers. La crédibilité de ceux qui observent une Norme nationale du Canada, élaborée par des inspecteurs de biens immobiliers et d’autres intervenants, en est rehaussée. Et c’est précisément là l’un des principaux objectifs de l’ACIBI.

La réussite requiert l’adaptation à un monde changeant et la satisfaction des besoins du marché. Je suis donc convaincu que la décision de l’ACIBI d’adopter la norme CSA A770 - Inspection d’habitations constitue un bond positif vers l’avant pour notre association.

Graham Clarke, ingénieur, IABPrésident, Bureau national de l’ACIBI

CAHPI National Adopts the CSA A770 Home Inspection StandardL’ACIBI adopte la norme CSA A770 relative à l’inspection d’habitations

Register to receive free view/access to A770.Inscrivez-vous pour pouvoir consulter

gratuitement A770.Visit/Vistez:

www.shop.csa.caSearch/Recherche: CAN/CSA-A770-16

As usual, Western hospitality was in full play as home inspectors from across the country were welcomed by CAHPI Alberta to the 2016 National Conference at the Sheraton Cavalier in Calgary. CAHPI Alberta and Joanne Albertson are both to be congratulated for put-ting together an excellent conference on shorter than usual notice when the Vancouver venue was cancelled.

The opening ceremonies started with Alan Fisher, the Past President of CAHPI Alberta and then followed with welcoming remarks by the National President, Graham Clarke. He then announced the names of the newest recipients of the National honour roll as nominated by our member associations.

On the morning of October 21st, Debra deWaal, the keynote speaker, gave a thought-provoking and memorable presentation. Ms. deWaal is a former Calgary Police Service member who specializes in the topic of mental toughness. Home inspectors need that component in their tool kit as they face some of the interesting situations that are inherent in our busi-ness. With high energy and rich humour, Ms. deWaal delved into the ways we can combat those negative feelings that can poison our environment and result in a diminished job performance. Drawing on her personal battle with cancer 20 years ago which she won, and her work as an undercover police officer, she described how she came to an understanding of the elements that allow us to embrace positivity to improve job and life performance. Through body awareness, mental rehearsal, and management of our self-image, we can very quickly create more pro-ductive professional and personal outcomes in our lives. It was one of the best presentations of this kind that I have seen. She concluded with a quote from Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you will be right”.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE REPORT 2016While most of the delegates then proceeded to vari-ous workshops and seminars, the CAHPI Board of Directors sat down to deal with the business of our Annual General Meeting.

The recent departure of our BC association has pre-sented us with a reason to reflect on our governance model and the way that National engages with indi-vidual inspectors across Canada. National, being an association of associations, has previously deferred to the provincial/regional organizations to dissemi-nate information about our activities and achieve-ments in the national arena; working to establish and promote standards, and interacting with the many and various stakeholders that have an interest in our profession. It is apparent that in some cases critical information is not reaching many of the indi-vidual inspectors that are the objects of our service. National is resolute in its determination to change that paradigm; to ensure that you are directly kept abreast of events at your Association, and that you feel free to engage more directly with your national body. With significant improvements in communica-tion technology since our beginnings in the nineties, we can make that happen. You will hear and experi-ence more about that soon.

Probably the most significant decision at this year’s AGM was the agreement by the Board of Directors to adopt the CSA A770 Standards of Practice as the new NSOP for CAHPI inspectors. There was strong agreement around the table that this is a positive step for CAHPI inspectors. It was especially appropriate as one of our special guests at this year’s conference was Mr. Dwayne Torrey from the CSA. His team along with the technical review committee were charged with overseeing the development of the new stan-dard. CAHPI was an important participant in the development process and will remain involved as the standard evolves into the more perfect instrument it is destined to become.

The annual President’s Reception and Awards Ban-quet was well-attended on Friday night. As has been the tradition, the new Board of Directors and slate of officers was presented and sworn in by the ASHI/CAHPI liaison, Steve Gladstone. The new officers are: President Graham Clarke, Vice President Brian Hutchinson, Secretary Claude Dussault, Treasurer Peter Weeks and Past President Bill Sutherland.

Sheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel

NATIONAL CONFERENCE REPORT 2016

That brief ceremony was followed by the presentation of CAHPI’s annual awards. See the list of honorees below. CAHPI relies on the selfless and dedicated efforts of volunteers across the country. Their time and energy are valuable and we appreciate their gift to us.

The evening was capped off with some riotous comedy by Ken “the Comic” Val-gardson, a retired school teacher who kept his audience in stiches for a solid 45 min-ute presentation recounting his adventures as he taught children from Kindergarten through to grade 12. This guy can do stand-up with the best!

On Saturday, everyone settled into the many educational opportunities being presented by an impressive assort-ment of subject-matter experts. The big wind-up was a workshop for all delegates on one of our favorite sub-jects: how to avoid and defend claims from unhappy clients. There were several outstanding ideas pre-sented, but the one that struck home for me was the

2016 Honour Roll RecipientsJulie Peck (ATL), Alan Fisher (AB), Paul Liboiron (AB)

sage advice: “Treat your clients as well as you would like to be treated”. The Golden Rule never gets old.

Concluding, we need to thank the volunteers from CAHPI Alberta and especially Alberta’s Administrator, Joanne Albertson, who oversaw the entire event with her usual efficiency and calm demeanour.

Also critical to our success is the support and participation of our corporate sponsors and exhibitors. We appreciate their continued pres-ence at this annual event.

Next year’s conference will be hosted by CAHPI-Atlantic in the colourful and dynamic city of St. John’s, Newfoundland. Stay tuned for details as Atlantic has promised a memorable event in an unforgettable location!

Brian Hutchinson, RHI Photo credit: Marian Daybell

2016 CAHPI National Awards

Michael Ludolph AwardStephen Gladstone,

ASHI Liaison to CAHPI

Stephen Greenford AwardBrian Hutchinson, RHI

CAHPI Atlantic

President’s Award Alan Fisher, RHI CAHPI Alberta

12 T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

QUEBEC NEWS

ATLANTIC NEWS

ONTARIO NEWSThe Ontario Association of Home Inspectors is waiting patiently for the Ontario government’s release of the Home Inspector Licensing proposal. The previously submitted Bill 165, introduced in March, fell in prorogation. OAHI supports the establishment of common competency requirements for home inspectors to operate in Ontario. We hope to have a positive and pragmatic discussion of OAHI’s ongoing role in helping to regulate home inspection professionals in Ontario. A hot housing market particu-larly in the Greater Toronto Area poses challenges for home inspectors. The 2017 OAHI/CAHPI-ON Education Conference will be on March 3 - 5 in Burlington.

Murray Parish, RHI President, OAHI/CAHPI Ontario

With the implementation of more stringent mortgage rules, the inspection market has been slower than usual. AIBQ remains the most prominent inspection association in the province. Two new initiatives will enhance our visibility: social media and television commercials. AIBQ participated on a panel at the Québec Construction Summit in Montreal. The Summit was attended by key players in the construction industry, providing us an opportunity to speak on behalf of our industry. Obtaining approval from the provincial regulatory body is contingent upon a modification to the Provin-cial Insurance Law. This is the final stage of implementation of a shared risk insurance program for our members.

Claude Dussault, RHI Vice President, AIBQ/CAHPI Quebec

Our association held its quarterly meeting on September 26th in Halifax. It was well-attended as members strive to maintain their good standing. Failure to do so will result in the removal of their name from our website, so it’s a good incentive to participate. We had two guest speakers: one addressing contaminants in the home (asbestos, mold, etc.) and a RBC Insurance advisor who spoke about some of the current underwriting criteria being used in home insurance. Both spurred some lively conversa-tion. Work has begun on the 2017 CAHPI National Conference to be held in St. John’s Newfoundland on September 26-30, 2017.

Brian Hutchinson, RHI Past President, CAHPI Atlantic

PROVINCIAL / REGIONAL NEWS

This year’s significant down turn in the economy which included a slow housing market resulting in 30% to 50% decrease in our members’ busi-ness volume. Our association had less interest in education. After the Ft. McMurray fires, there was some initial contact that unfortunately did not materialize. The well-established members are working hard to keep in touch with the Realtors®. Service Alberta licensing requirements will remain unchanged for another year. We hope to work with them on new regulations in the future. The CAHPI National Conference delegates took away new knowledge and had some fun doing it. A special ‘Thank you’ to our delegates, sponsors and exhibitors.

Wayne Finley, RHI President, CAHPI Alberta

SASKATCHEWAN NEWS

MANITOBA NEWSThe real estate market has continued to remain strong in Manitoba. Membership and interest in membership continues to grow. Our Website is undergoing major changes to make it more user-friendly especially with mobile devices. Our Annual Meeting was held on September 28th. The election results are as follows: Greg Heschuk, President; Gord Vigfusson, Vice President; Ari Marantz, Past President and Treasurer; Dan Engbrecht, Secretary. The Committee Chairs are as follow; Jeffrey Seaman (Member-ship), Kelly Baziuk (Education) Alan Noakes (Public Relations) Dave Sarlo (Website) Dan Engbrecht (National Representative).

Greg Heschuk, RHI President, CAHPI Manitoba

ALBERTA NEWS

Saskatchewan has experienced a brisk second and third quarter in home sales. The great news for members is that the bidding wars are few and far between and many of the sales include home inspections! It is too early to say what the “Carbon Tax” and the recent CMHC qualifying rules will do to our local housing markets but, most inspectors anticipate some sort of cool down in what has been a fairly hot market. The four members who attended the CAHPI National Conference had a good time while in Calgary. We continue looking for new members to join this fine association of inspectors.

Curtis Beaudry CAHPI Saskatchewan

13T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

L’importante récession économique de cette année a affecté le marché résidentiel, entraînant une baisse de 30 à 50 pour 100 du volume d’activité de nos membres. Notre association s’est moins intéressée à l’éducation cette année. Après l’incendie de Fort McMurray, le contact initial a été fait, mais malheureusement rien ne s’est concrétisé. Nos membres bien établis travaillent fort pour rester en contact avec les courtiers en immeubles. Les exigences d’octroi de permis de Service Alberta resteront les mêmes pour une année de plus; nous espérons pouvoir collaborer avec ce ministère à l’élaboration de nouvelles règles. Les délégués au congrès national de l’ACIBI ont acquis de nouvelles connaissances et se sont bien divertis. Nous remercions chaleureusement tous nos délégués, commanditaires et exposants.

Wayne Finley, IAB Président, ACIBI Alberta

NOUVELLES DE LA SASKATCHEWAN

NOUVELLES DU MANITOBA

La Saskatchewan a connu un deuxième et un troisième trimestres pros-pères pour ce qui est des ventes de maisons. La bonne nouvelle pour nos membres est qu’il y a très peu de guerres des offres, et plusieurs ventes sont conclues sous réserve d’une inspection de bâtiment.Il est encore trop tôt pour connaître l’incidence de la taxe sur le carbone et des nouvelles règles de qualification de la S.C.H.L. sur les marchés locaux de l’habitation, mais la plupart des inspecteurs s’attendent à ce que le marché, plutôt actif récemment, se calme quelque peu. Nos quatre membres qui ont assisté au congrès national de l’ACIBI ont fait un beau séjour à Calgary. Nous contin-uons à recruter de nouveaux membres pour notre excellente association d’inspecteurs.

Curtis Beaudry ACIBI Saskatchewan

Le marché immobilier est toujours solide au Manitoba. Le nombre de nos membres et de personnes intéressées à le devenir continue de s’accroître. Notre site Web est actuellement en processus de transformation afin de le rendre plus convivial, plus particulièrement pour les appareils mobiles. Notre assemblée annuelle a eu lieu le 28 septembre. Les résultats de l’élection sont les suivants  : Greg Heschuk, président, Gord Vigfusson, vice-président, Ari Marantz, ancien président et trésorier, Dan Engbrecht, secrétaire. Les présidents des comités sont  : Jeffrey Seaman (services aux membres), Kelly Baziuk (éducation), Alan Noakes (relations publiques), Dave Sarlo (site Web) et Dan Engbrecht (représentant national).

Greg Heschuk, IAB Président, ACIBI Manitoba

NOUVELLES DE L’ALBERTA

NOUVELLES DU QUÉBEC

NOUVELLES DE L’ATLANTIQUE

NOUVELLES DE L’ONTARIOL’Ontario Association of Home Inspectors attend patiemment que le gouvernement de la province fasse connaître sa proposition pour l’octroi de permis aux inspecteurs de biens immobiliers. Le projet de loi  165, présenté en mars, a été abandonné à cause de la prorogation. L’OAHI appuie l’instauration d’exigences communes en matière de compétences pour les inspecteurs de biens immobiliers en Ontario. Nous espérons avoir une discussion positive et pragmatique concernant notre rôle continu dans l’élaboration de la réglementation visant les professionnels de l’inspection de biens immobiliers de l’Ontario. Un marché immobilier en effervescence, en particulier dans la région du Grand Toronto, représente un grand défi pour les inspecteurs. Le congrès de 2017 de l’OAHI/ACIBI-Ontario pour l’éducation aura lieu du 3 au 5 mars à Burlington.

Murray Parish, IAB Président, ACIBI Ontario

Notre évaluation de l’activitéd’inspection en bâtiment pour cette année est qui’il était plus lent que d’habiture. Nous demeurons la plus importante association d’inspecteurs en bâtiment dans la province. Nous améliorons la visibilité de l’association par le biais de publicités télévisées et les réseaux sociaux. Cette année, l’association a été invitée comme participant au Sommet de la construction du Québec tenu à Montréal qui réunissait les principaux acteurs de l’industrie de la construction et cela nous a donné l’occasion de parler du role de l’inspecteur de bâtiment dans l’industrie de la construction. Nouse avons parlé dans le passé que nous travaillons à mettre en œuvre un programme d’assurance de partage des risques pour nos membres et nous sommes à la phase finale d’implementation qui est d’obtenirune modification à la Loi de assurances.

Claude Dussault, Agréé Vice-président, AIBQ/ ACIBI Québec

Notre association a tenu son assemblée trimestrielle le 26 septembre à Halifax. La participation a été bonne; nos membres s’efforcent de rester en règle, à défaut de quoi leur nom sera retiré de notre site Web. Il s’agit donc là d’un bon incitatif. Nous avions deux conférenciers invités  : le premier a parlé des contaminants dans les logements (amiante, moisissure, etc.), et le second, un conseiller en assurance de la RBC, nous a décrit certains des critères de souscription en vigueur dans le domaine de l’assurance habitation. Ces deux exposés ont donné lieu à des conversations animées. Nous avons déjà commencé à travailler à l’organisation du congrès national de 2017 de l’ACIBI, qui aura lieu à St. John’s (T.-N.-L) du 26 au 30 septembre 2017.

Brian Hutchinson, IAB Président sortant, ACIBI L’Atlantique

NOUVELLES DES PROVINCES

MIKE HOLMESINSPECTIONSMIKE HOLMES—TRUSTED CONTRACTOR, TV HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF HOLMES ON HOMES®, HOLMES INSPECTION, AND HOME FREE ON FOX.

ASHI_Article_2016_Final_03.indd 1-2 2016-10-06 9:36 AM

When Mike first launched his breakout hit series Holmes on Homes® on HGTV his mission was to improve the home renovation and construction industry by raising standards across the board—from what to expect in a contractor to what a job “done right” looks like. But for his sophomore series, Holmes Inspection, Mike decided to turn his focus to the home inspection industry and show viewers the real nightmares a professional home inspec-tion could potentially save them from.

“PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF A PROPER HOME INSPECTION. IT CAN LITERALLY SAVE YOU HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOL-LARS,” SAYS HOLMES. “HOLMES INSPECTION WAS ABOUT SHOWING THAT VALUE.”

The success of Holmes Inspection prompted Mike to launch his MIKE HOLMES Inspections service in 2009, which meant recruiting top inspectors in the field with the right training, experience, and track record to deliver a home inspection to his standards. It quickly became ap-parent that home inspectors recognized by CAHPI were among the best and had the proper background and qualifications Mike was searching for.

“The world of home inspections is like the world of con-tracting,” says Holmes. “There are people out there who care and who put in the time and the work to provide valuable information that can help people in a big way. They work with integrity, and these were the guys I was looking for.”

INSPECTORS CONDUCTING MIKE HOLMES INSPECTIONS:

• Have completed a minimum of 1000 inspections and/or have 4 years experience working in the industry

• Are members of CAHPI

• Possess all advanced tools and equipment to perform inspections

• Carry appropriate liability insurance

• Acquire minimum Level I Thermography Accreditation

• Pass MIKE HOLMES Inspections technical assessment tests

• Pass detailed background checks

MIKE HOLMES Inspections also specializes in new home builds and acts as a third-party inspections service for Mike’s HOLMES Approved Homes Program.

HOLMES APPROVED HOMES

In 2011, Mike Holmes launched the HOLMES Approved Homes Program as a quality assurance initiative to further enhance homebuilders’ inspection standards.

The Program works in partnership with leading home-builders across North America to build homes that reflect Mike’s mandate in new-home construction. The Program provides third-party approval through a series of MIKE HOLMES Stage Inspections on every registered HOLMES Approved Home built.

“HOLMES Approved Homes is about building better, safer, healthier homes and MIKE HOLMES Inspec-tions makes it possible,” says Holmes. “The partnership between the two divisions brings all the good guys to-gether to give homebuyers what they deserve—a home built right the first time. If it’s a HOLMES Approved Home it’s inspected by my guys.”

As HOLMES Approved Homes grows across North Amer-ica it requires its base of trusted home inspectors to grow along with it, attracting industry professionals looking to supplement and expand their business, experience, and skills.

Among the requisites for conducting MIKE HOLMES Inspections, home inspectors must also acquire Lev-el I Thermography Accreditation and be properly trained in gathering and assessing information using thermal imaging.

EXCLUSIVE TO CAHPI MEMBERS

CAHPI members interested in conducting MIKE HOLMES Inspections as an auxiliary service to their current business receive free official approval in conducting MIKE HOLMES Inspections. Inspectors maintain their independent busi-ness profile while providing MIKE HOLMES Inspections as part of their regular services.

CAHPI members who conduct MIKE HOLMES Inspec-tions are also selected for the exclusive provision of MIKE HOLMES Stage Inspections for all local HOLMES Approved Homes Partner Builders and their new home builds. They are also given guaranteed exclusivity when a builder lead results in a new HOLMES Approved Homes Partner Builder.

“This is about building right, and inspections play a big part in that. You can’t have one without the oth-er,” says Holmes. “I want people to be able to pur-chase a home built to my standards, inspected by the professionals I trust.”

Home inspectors interested in conducting MIKE HOLMES Inspections have the opportunity to work in new home construction, one-on-one with new homebuilders as a third-party inspector conducting MIKE HOLMES Stage Inspections for the HOLMES Approved Homes Program.

Home inspectors would not only benefit from an increase in their total number of inspections delivered, but would also be supported by MIKE HOLMES Inspections and the HOLMES Approved Homes Program through strong mar-keting and branding media channels. This includes a social media base of over five hundred thousand users across all HOLMES social media platforms.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF CONDUCTING MIKE HOLMES INSPECTIONS:

• Receive official approval in conducting MIKE HOLMES Inspections

• Increased service options for clients through a variety of packages

• Offer exclusive specialty inspections

• Receive inspection booking and scheduling support

• Gain insight and support from a network of inspectors, builders, and industry professionals

• Become the exclusive provider of MIKE HOLMES Stage Inspections for local HOLMES Approved Homes Partner Builders

MIKE HOLMESINSPECTIONSMIKE HOLMES—TRUSTED CONTRACTOR, TV HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF HOLMES ON HOMES®, HOLMES INSPECTION, AND HOME FREE ON FOX.

ASHI_Article_2016_Final_03.indd 1-2 2016-10-06 9:36 AMASHI_Article_2016_Final_03.indd 1-2 2016-10-06 9:36 AM

Interested in conducting MIKE HOLMES Inspections?Call 1-855-370-0612 or email [email protected].

MIKE HOLMESINSPECTIONSMIKE HOLMES—TRUSTED CONTRACTOR, TV HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF HOLMES ON HOMES®, HOLMES INSPECTION, AND HOME FREE ON FOX.

ASHI_Article_2016_Final_03.indd 1-2 2016-10-06 9:36 AM

When Mike first launched his breakout hit series Holmes on Homes® on HGTV his mission was to improve the home renovation and construction industry by raising standards across the board—from what to expect in a contractor to what a job “done right” looks like. But for his sophomore series, Holmes Inspection, Mike decided to turn his focus to the home inspection industry and show viewers the real nightmares a professional home inspec-tion could potentially save them from.

“PEOPLE UNDERESTIMATE THE VALUE OF A PROPER HOME INSPECTION. IT CAN LITERALLY SAVE YOU HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOL-LARS,” SAYS HOLMES. “HOLMES INSPECTION WAS ABOUT SHOWING THAT VALUE.”

The success of Holmes Inspection prompted Mike to launch his MIKE HOLMES Inspections service in 2009, which meant recruiting top inspectors in the field with the right training, experience, and track record to deliver a home inspection to his standards. It quickly became ap-parent that home inspectors recognized by CAHPI were among the best and had the proper background and qualifications Mike was searching for.

“The world of home inspections is like the world of con-tracting,” says Holmes. “There are people out there who care and who put in the time and the work to provide valuable information that can help people in a big way. They work with integrity, and these were the guys I was looking for.”

INSPECTORS CONDUCTING MIKE HOLMES INSPECTIONS:

• Have completed a minimum of 1000 inspections and/or have 4 years experience working in the industry

• Are members of CAHPI

• Possess all advanced tools and equipment to perform inspections

• Carry appropriate liability insurance

• Acquire minimum Level I Thermography Accreditation

• Pass MIKE HOLMES Inspections technical assessment tests

• Pass detailed background checks

MIKE HOLMES Inspections also specializes in new home builds and acts as a third-party inspections service for Mike’s HOLMES Approved Homes Program.

HOLMES APPROVED HOMES

In 2011, Mike Holmes launched the HOLMES Approved Homes Program as a quality assurance initiative to further enhance homebuilders’ inspection standards.

The Program works in partnership with leading home-builders across North America to build homes that reflect Mike’s mandate in new-home construction. The Program provides third-party approval through a series of MIKE HOLMES Stage Inspections on every registered HOLMES Approved Home built.

“HOLMES Approved Homes is about building better, safer, healthier homes and MIKE HOLMES Inspec-tions makes it possible,” says Holmes. “The partnership between the two divisions brings all the good guys to-gether to give homebuyers what they deserve—a home built right the first time. If it’s a HOLMES Approved Home it’s inspected by my guys.”

As HOLMES Approved Homes grows across North Amer-ica it requires its base of trusted home inspectors to grow along with it, attracting industry professionals looking to supplement and expand their business, experience, and skills.

Among the requisites for conducting MIKE HOLMES Inspections, home inspectors must also acquire Lev-el I Thermography Accreditation and be properly trained in gathering and assessing information using thermal imaging.

EXCLUSIVE TO CAHPI MEMBERS

CAHPI members interested in conducting MIKE HOLMES Inspections as an auxiliary service to their current business receive free official approval in conducting MIKE HOLMES Inspections. Inspectors maintain their independent busi-ness profile while providing MIKE HOLMES Inspections as part of their regular services.

CAHPI members who conduct MIKE HOLMES Inspec-tions are also selected for the exclusive provision of MIKE HOLMES Stage Inspections for all local HOLMES Approved Homes Partner Builders and their new home builds. They are also given guaranteed exclusivity when a builder lead results in a new HOLMES Approved Homes Partner Builder.

“This is about building right, and inspections play a big part in that. You can’t have one without the oth-er,” says Holmes. “I want people to be able to pur-chase a home built to my standards, inspected by the professionals I trust.”

Home inspectors interested in conducting MIKE HOLMES Inspections have the opportunity to work in new home construction, one-on-one with new homebuilders as a third-party inspector conducting MIKE HOLMES Stage Inspections for the HOLMES Approved Homes Program.

Home inspectors would not only benefit from an increase in their total number of inspections delivered, but would also be supported by MIKE HOLMES Inspections and the HOLMES Approved Homes Program through strong mar-keting and branding media channels. This includes a social media base of over five hundred thousand users across all HOLMES social media platforms.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS OF CONDUCTING MIKE HOLMES INSPECTIONS:

• Receive official approval in conducting MIKE HOLMES Inspections

• Increased service options for clients through a variety of packages

• Offer exclusive specialty inspections

• Receive inspection booking and scheduling support

• Gain insight and support from a network of inspectors, builders, and industry professionals

• Become the exclusive provider of MIKE HOLMES Stage Inspections for local HOLMES Approved Homes Partner Builders

16 T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

Moisture doesn’t tell you where it’s hiding.

Diagnostic solutions for home & property inspector pros.

Find moisture faster with the MR176 and our exclusive

IGM™ Technology (Infrared Guided Measurement). Scan

for cool areas and pinpoint exactly where to probe for

readings.

SEE THE HEAT Affordable thermal imaging cameras to help

you point out energy waste, structural defects, plumbing

clogs, HVAC issues, and other problems.

TEST AND MEASUREMENT TOOLS Flexible T&M tools to test

voltage, measure moisture, and inspect inside tight spaces

VISUALLY IDENTIFY UNSEEN MOISTURE WITH IGM™ TECHNOLOGY GET INCREDIBLY PRECISE READINGS

RUGGED, COMPACT ANDEASY TO OPERATE

GET CERTIFIED!Increase credibility, enhance your career, and build your business with ITC certifi cation training

Improve your ability to interpret thermograms

Learn to use the latest in infrared inspection report generation

Discover how to distinguish between real hot spots and false positives

Meet the certifi cation, training, and quality standards required by many employers and customers

Learn more at www.infraredtraining.com

Equipped with

Infrared Guided Measurement

See how FLIR helps solve home inspection problems and creates opportunities at www.fl ir.ca

17T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

Moisture doesn’t tell you where it’s hiding.

Diagnostic solutions for home & property inspector pros.

Find moisture faster with the MR176 and our exclusive

IGM™ Technology (Infrared Guided Measurement). Scan

for cool areas and pinpoint exactly where to probe for

readings.

SEE THE HEAT Affordable thermal imaging cameras to help

you point out energy waste, structural defects, plumbing

clogs, HVAC issues, and other problems.

TEST AND MEASUREMENT TOOLS Flexible T&M tools to test

voltage, measure moisture, and inspect inside tight spaces

VISUALLY IDENTIFY UNSEEN MOISTURE WITH IGM™ TECHNOLOGY GET INCREDIBLY PRECISE READINGS

RUGGED, COMPACT ANDEASY TO OPERATE

GET CERTIFIED!Increase credibility, enhance your career, and build your business with ITC certifi cation training

Improve your ability to interpret thermograms

Learn to use the latest in infrared inspection report generation

Discover how to distinguish between real hot spots and false positives

Meet the certifi cation, training, and quality standards required by many employers and customers

Learn more at www.infraredtraining.com

Equipped with

Infrared Guided Measurement

See how FLIR helps solve home inspection problems and creates opportunities at www.fl ir.ca

18 T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR 23October 2015 • www.ASHIReporter.org 23

Once again, The Word invites you to travel into the dark realm of

subjects that are sometimes misun-derstood by home inspectors. The Word hopes you will find this trip informative and maybe a little entertaining.

The Word’s subject this month is smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms. The Word finds this subject interesting because there’s a lot more to dealing with these devices than just pressing the test button. By the way, smoke alarms and smoke detectors are not the same. A smoke alarm is a self-contained device including the smoke sensor and an alarm. A smoke detector contains a smoke sensor and is intended to be a part of an alarm system.

Remember that The Word covers general principles. Something you see in the field isn’t always wrong just because it doesn’t comply with a general principle. Local building codes and their interpretations, manufacturer’s instructions and engineered designs trump general principles.

Alarms Save LivesThere’s little dispute that smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms can save lives assuming, of course, that they are installed correctly and functioning properly. These relatively inexpensive devices provide some of the best bang for the buck of any health and safety requirements. In fact, these devices are considered to be so important that updating homes to current standards may be required in some cases. The Word did this in a 1980 home that he and his wife remodeled.

The International Residential Code (IRC) requires updating smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms to current standards when work requiring a permit is performed. The update exceptions involve exterior work such as roof coverings and wall claddings, and work involving only plumbing and mechanical systems.

Exceptions exist that relieve smoke alarm hard-wiring and interconnection require-ments that would require disturbing finish surfaces. Interconnection can be accom-plished with listed wireless technology. Interpretation and enforcement of these updating requirements and exceptions vary widely between jurisdictions.

Fire Types and Smoke Alarm Types Are DifferentFires often start in one of two ways. Some fires start by producing a lot of flame, but little smoke. Other fires start by produc-ing a lot of smoke, but little flame. There are two types of smoke alarms. The most common type is the ionization alarm. The less common type is the photoelectric alarm. Each type of alarm responds differ-ently to each type of fire, so it’s very impor-tant to have the right type of alarm. Having the wrong type of alarm can be fatal.

A photoelectric alarm works by shining a light above a sensor at a 90˚ angle to the light. Smoke entering the alarm disrupts the light, reflects some of the light toward the sensor and triggers the alarm. Photo-electric alarms are good at detecting smoky (smoldering) fires, which is the way many home fires start. They are slightly less responsive than ionization alarms at detecting flaming fires.

An ionization alarm works by using radio-active material to ionize the area between two sensors and allow the flow of electricity between the sensors. Smoke entering the sensor disrupts the flow of electricity and triggers the alarm. Ionization alarms are slightly better than photoelectric alarms at detecting flaming fires. They are signifi-cantly less responsive at detecting smoky fires, and in fact, may not even activate until it’s too late, if at all.

It is usually not possible to identify the smoke alarm type by looking at it from below. The type is usually on the back and requires removing the alarm from its mounting bracket to identify its type.

False (Nuisance) AlarmsThe best smoke alarm in the world is use-less if it has been disconnected or removed. False alarms, caused by activities such as cooking or burning candles, motivate people to disconnect or remove the alarms. A disconnected alarm might be very diffi-cult to detect visually during a home inspec-tion. Some alarms have no visible indication whether or not they are receiving power.Newer alarms have an indicator that at least shows if they are receiving power, and some even show by the indicator’s color where the power is coming from (for example, green = house power and red = battery). There are several places where smoke alarms shouldn’t be installed to help avoid false alarms. The Word lists these places later in this article.

Ionization alarms are more prone to false alarms than are photoelectric alarms. Alarms that combine ionization and photo-electric sensors in one unit can have higher rates of false alarms than single-sensor

Smoke AlarmsBy Bruce Barker, ACI

A look at terms used in home inspection reports

For CAHPI members - reference CAHPI Standard of Practice 8. Electrical Systems 8.1 The inspector shall: C. report: 2. absence of carbon monoxide detectors (if applicable). 3. absence of smoke detectors. Regulations do vary from province to province, new construction and re-sale, and we would strongly recommend that you check and be very familiar with the regulations that apply to the province in which you inspect.

Copyright © ASHI Reporter. Reprint with permission. This article originally appeared in the October 2015 issue of the ASHI Reporter. To learn more about the American Society of Home Inspectors go to www.ashi.org and www.ashireporter.org

continued on page 20

19T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTORASHI Reporter • October 201524

alarms. False alarm rates, by themselves, are a good reason to avoid using ionization alarms.

Inspection StandardThe new ASHI Standard of Practice (SoP) requires that you report the presence or absence of smoke alarms and carbon mon-oxide alarms. There is no ASHI require-ment to inspect or test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms, and there is no ASHI requirement to identify the type of smoke alarm. Other standards may have other requirements regarding smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, so be sure to comply with any standards that apply to you. http://www.ashireporter.org/ HomeInspection/Articles/ASHI- Smoke-Alarm/2606.

Smoke Alarm TestingBeing a conscientious inspector, you may want to go beyond the minimum standard and test the alarm. Be careful—testing alarms and reporting the results can be a case in which no good deed goes unpunished.

When you test an alarm by pressing the “test” button, you may be testing only the sound-producing device. You may not be testing the alarm’s sensor. There are UL-listed aerosol smoke products for testing smoke sensors, but such testing goes way beyond the SoP requirements. Do not use a smoke pen or other unlisted smoke-generat-ing device to test a smoke alarm. The result could be inaccurate and you could damage the alarm.

The alarm won’t activate if the sensor isn’t functioning and, as we now know,

pressing the “test” button may not test the sensor. Thus, pressing the “test” button doesn’t ensure that the alarm will function as intended during an actual fire or under carbon monoxide conditions. It’s critical that you inform your clients about this distinction if you “test” smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and report the test results.

Alarm Service LifeHow often do you see smoke alarms in older homes that are obviously the original alarms? The Word sees this all the time. These alarms may be useless and may, in fact, be dangerous because they provide a false sense of security.

Many smoke alarm manufacturers recom-mend replacing smoke alarms after about 10 years. Sure, they want to sell more alarms, but there’s also a valid reason for this recommendation. The sensors in these alarms degrade over time and may fail to function. As we’ve discussed, if the sensor fails, the alarm is useless.

Carbon monoxide alarms have a shorter service life of approximately five to seven years. The difference between smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm life expectan-cies makes it problematic to combine these alarms into one device. The carbon mon-oxide part could fail before the smoke part, rendering the device only partially func-tional. You may want to alert your clients to this service life difference for their future maintenance plans.

Smoke Alarm LocationsThe minimum requirement of a smoke alarm in each bedroom and in the hallway near the bedrooms is widely known. What constitutes “near” the bedrooms is open to interpretation. The Word has seen distances ranging between 10 and 40 feet. Bedrooms located in different parts of a home should have a smoke alarm in the hallway near each bedroom area.

The 2015 IRC adds a new required location. A smoke alarm should be installed not less than three feet horizontally from the door of a bathroom containing a tub or a shower. Anyone singing in the shower needs to hear the alarm, too.

At least one smoke alarm is required on each story, including basements and

habitable attics, but not including crawl spaces and uninhabitable attics. In fact, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms shouldn’t be installed in crawl spaces and attics because the alarms don’t function properly in these dirty and unconditioned environments. See Illustrations 1 and 2 for general location requirements.

Smoke alarm location requirements for split-level homes can be confusing. A smoke alarm is required only on the upper level if there is no door between levels and if the upper level is less than one full story above the lower level. Some jurisdictions require a smoke alarm on each level of a split-level home, and manufacturers usually recom-mend this as well.

The ideal smoke alarm location is on the ceiling at least four inches away from the wall. Installation on the wall is acceptable if the top of the case is at least four inches and less than 12 inches from the ceiling. The four-inch distance helps avoid dead-air spots that may prevent smoke from reaching the sensor. Smoke tends to collect near the ceiling, so the 12-inch distance helps ensure that rising smoke reaches the sensor

SMOKE ALARMS INTERCONNECTED CARBON MONOXIDE ALARMS

© 2015 Dream Home Consultants, LLC.Smoke Alarm and Carbon Monoxide Alarm Location General Requirements

BEDROOM

LIVING AREA

BATH

BEDROOM BEDROOM BEDROOMW/GAS FIREPLACE

BATHFOYER

GARAGE

≤ 3 FT.≤ 3 FT.

KITCHEN

RANGE

(1) IONIZATION ALARM ≥ 20 FT.(2) IONIZAION ALARM WITH SILENCE SWITCH ≥ 20 FT.(3) PHOTOELECTRIC ALARM ≥ 6 FT.

Illustration 1> The Word: Smoke Alarms

20 T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTORASHI Reporter • October 201526

(see photo to the right). Look for this. The Word had two alarms moved during his remodel because of this issue.

Smoke alarms should not be installednear combustion sources such as in

garages and near combustion equipment such as furnaces, boilers, water heaters and fireplaces of all types. Some manufacturers recommend at least 20 feet of separation. Nuisance activation is also common when smoke alarms are installed in kitchens. The 2015 IRC prohibits installing most ioniza-tion-type alarms within 20 feet horizontally from a permanently installed cooking appli-ance. Photoelectric-type alarms may not be installed within six feet horizontally from a permanently installed cooking appliance.

Other places that smoke alarms should not be installed include the following: •��inside�bathrooms�and�laundry�rooms�(due�

to high humidity);•��near�fans,�HVAC�supplies�and�returns,�

and operable windows (air currents couldprevent smoke from reaching the sensor);and

•��near�florescent�lights�(electrical�interfer-ence with the sensor).

Carbon Monoxide Alarm LocationsIn new construction, at least one carbon monoxide alarm is required in homes with a fuel-burning appliance and in homes with an attached garage. Remember that a fire-place is a fuel-burning appliance. The alarm should be located near the bedrooms and if the bedrooms are widely separated or are on different stories, then multiple alarms are required.

The 2015 IRC adds a new location require-ment. A carbon monoxide alarm should

be installed in a bedroom if a fuel-burning appliance is installed in the bedroom or in an attached bathroom. Examples of fuel-burning appliances include fireplaces, gas-burning fireplaces and unvented room heaters.

Carbon monoxide alarm location restric-tions are similar, but not identical, to smoke alarms. The four-inches-from-the-ceiling corner, dead-air location restriction applies, as do the restrictions involving combustion sources, high humidity, fans and operable windows and kitchens.

The 12-inches-to-ceiling-location restric-tion does not apply to carbon monoxide alarms. In fact, a lower location on a wall may be advantageous in providing a more rapid response to the presence of carbon monoxide. Just be sure that the alarm is above the reach of children.

Alarm InstallationSmoke alarm installation requirements include the following: •��connection�of�all�smoke�alarms�to�each�

other such that if one alarm is activated,all alarms will sound (interconnection maybe hard-wired or wireless);

•��primary�power�provided�by�the�building’s�utility power source;

•��backup�power�provided�by�a�battery�in�case the fire disrupts the building’s utilitypower.

Carbon monoxide alarms are not required to be connected to each other, but the 2015 IRC requires them to be powered by the building’s utility power source with battery backup.

The Bottom LineThe best inspections and reports go beyond simply listing deficiencies. They educate clients about important maintenance and safety issues. The Word recommends that you include the following in your reports:1. Photoelectric smoke alarms are the rec-

ommended type and you did not verifythe type of alarm.

2. Smoke alarms and carbon monoxidealarms have a limited service life and youdid not verify the age of the alarm.

3. Testing smoke and carbon monoxidealarms may not guarantee that the alarmswill function as intended during actualemergency conditions.

4. Smoke alarms and carbon monoxidealarms should be installed according tothe manufacturer’s instructions and youdid not verify complete compliance withthose instructions.

Adding these statements will go a long way toward educating your clients about these important safety devices and may help protect you if a problem occurs.

Memo to the gods of safety: The Worddoes not reside on Mt. Olympus (just

at its base) and welcomes other viewpoints. Send your lightning bolts or emails to [email protected]. The thoughts contained herein are those of The Word. They are not ASHI standards or policies. H

Bruce is the founder and president of Dream Home Consultants, and the author of Everybody’s Building Code, written to help home inspectors understand the International Residential Code.

Bruce has been building and inspecting homes since 1987. He currently serves on the ASHI Board of Directors. He is a certified Residential Combination Inspector, a licensed contractor in Arizona, Florida and North Carolina.

To read more of Bruce’s articles or if you need a presenter at your next chapter event, go to www.dreamhomeconsultants.com.

Illustration 2 continued from page 19

21T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

TECHNIC AL

Water can be the single most destructive element that causes deterioration of materials and failure of building assemblies. It can cause or acceler-ate corrosion, wood-rot, adhesive dis-bond, masonry spalling, and loss of insulation R value. It is the key element present in the formation of mold and fungi that can lead to indoor air quality problems. The presence of unde-tected water in a home can affect the value, durability, life-cycle mainte-nance cost, and occupant health. Potential home buyers therefore typically expect that a home inspector will attempt to identify the unwanted presence of water, and many are of the opinion that a home inspector using an infra-red camera has a better chance of doing so.

The challenge facing home inspectors – who typically work under a dead-line to perform an inspection – is the thermodynamic conditions at the time of the inspection may not be conducive for that thermal detection to take place. While many inspectors have had success using thermal imaging for the otherwise undetectable presence of moisture, the question that begs to be asked is how many times moisture has been present, but since the con-ditions were not right, the home inspector missed it. Even more importantly, does an inspector who uses an infrared camera for moisture detection have a higher liability if water is not detected during the inspection, and then is discovered shortly thereafter?

Subsurface moisture detection can be detected by infrared thermography only when: its presence affects the surface temperature; the surface is a reliable radiant emitter (high emissivity and non-specular reflector); and the thermal camera is sensitive enough, and tuned properly by the inspec-tor to detect such surface temperature difference. Thermographic cameras are extremely sensitive, often able to detect differences less than 0.05ºC (50mK). But while this may create a clearer, more defined pattern when the thermal conditions are right, it is not a viable substitute for moisture detec-tion under poor conditions, when moisture is buried deep within an enclo-sure—especially with a low permeance surface(s), or when the surface is not a reliable radiant emitter. High sensitivity cameras used under less than ideal conditions can either lead to a large number of false positives, and/or lengthy field time for verification using other methods such as a moisture meter. False negatives lead to credibility issues of both the inspector and the thermographic industry as well as the possibilities of litigation, particu-larly when mold or other damage associated with moisture is present but not detected.

There are four different physical mechanisms which can cause moisture to affect surface temperature.

1. Moisture detection through evaporative phase change Many inspectors believe that the only mechanism for detection of moisture is evaporation. Under the right conditions, free air evaporative cooling on a sur-face can indeed be very thermodynamic, and easily detected with a modern infrared camera: 1 droplet of water (e.g. of a mass of 0.45gms [0.001 lbs.]) can theoretically extract approximately 1.05kJ (1 Btu) from the surroundings in order to provide the latent heat required for evaporation. Evaporative cool-ing under low relative humidity (RH) conditions however, has led to two very wrong assumptions: water will always be detected by an IR camera and it will appear cool. Relying on water detection through the natural drying pro-cess only will result both in false negatives (non-detection of moisture) and

Challenges Facing Home Inspectors When Using Infrared Thermography to Detect Moisture

false positives (the thermal anomaly is not moisture). An infrared camera does not directly detect evaporation; rather it may detect a surface temperature depression due to the rate of evaporation. If the free air condition is warm and dry (low RH) it may create a high rate of cooling. Conversely, if the free air condition is cool and/or humid (high RH) it could easily go undetected because the evaporative cooling rate will be very low.

One evaporative cooling application that can be performed by a home inspector irrespective of the exterior environmental conditions is the poten-tial identification of moisture sources from plumbing and HVAC equipment. This only requires that the water be present in the system, that the leak be occurring into a free air space (such as the interior ceiling joist space above the drywall, within interior un-insulated partition walls, or the flooring around showers, toilets and sinks or appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers and fridges).

The irony about thermal detection of a cool surface through evaporation to free air is that the materials are often drying out, and if the source of water has stopped or is a one-time occurrence, there may not be any long term issues.

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continued on page 22

22 T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

2. Moisture detection through condensing phase changeJust as the evaporative phase change can be a very dramatic endothermic process, the condensation of water vapour back to water can be a just as dramatic exothermic process. If condensation is occurring within a wall behind a vapour barrier then latent heat will be released and surface warm-ing may occur. This warming pattern is often ignored or misinterpreted as a non-moisture condition (conductive heat loss) by an inspector who thinks water is always identified by detecting “cool areas.” If warm, moist air is present either through vapour diffusion or air leakage and migrates to an area below the dew point, then water vapor will start condensing. While this can happen anywhere in the house – which has a positive pressure with respect to the outside – it will be particularly prevalent in upstairs bathrooms which have air leakage pathways to the attic. A home inspector likely will not detect moist warm air exfiltration against an insulated (warm) ceiling, as could occur around a light fixture, yet above there could be sig-nificant water deposition in the insulation and into the attic space.

Many home inspectors overlook subtle warm patterns, as potential indi-cators of water presence. Warm areas created by condensation of water

vapour may be indicative of a non-drying condition and long term accumula-tion of water within an enclosure, which can be a much more serious issue.

3. Moisture detection through increased capacitanceMany wall and roof systems have unintentionally created two or more vapour retardant barriers which inhibit the drying process. This raises the vapour pressure within the assembly, and inhibits evaporative cooling as a means of detection. If there are absorbent materials within the enclosure (e.g. wood or glass fiber insulation) then water absorbed by these materials will increase their volumetric thermal capacitance. If the enclosure under-goes a thermal change, such as the sun shines on a roof or south wall—in the northern hemisphere—then wet areas will have a different thermal response time than dry areas (cooler sometime after the sun shines on it, and warmer sometime after the sun has been removed). On sunny days a home inspector should not ignore such thermal irregularities on east, south and west wall areas depending on the time of day. It also means that mois-ture detection using the capacitance method will usually not be possible on North facing walls, during the night, and on overcast days.

TECHNIC AL

Moisture may be detected by: increased conductivity in steady state heat transfer (figure 1); increased thermal capacitance when undergoing transient heat transfer (figure 2); and through release or absorption of latent heat once undergoing a phase change. In this case (figure 3) evaporative cooling when relative humidity is low.

Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3

continued from page 21

23T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

4. Moisture detection through increased conductivityAbsorbent insulation materials which have taken on water will have an increase in thermal conductivity (decrease in R-value). If there is a tem-perature difference of at least 10 degrees Celsius across the enclosure this change in thermal conductivity can often be detected. This does require steady state thermal conditions (unlike thermal capacitance which requires changing conditions and does not work under steady state). The thermal conductive method of detection therefore works best in summer or winter on cloudy overcast days, or in the late evening/early morning or any time of day on North facing walls.

SummaryThermography can play a significant role as a non-destructive and rapid screening tool to identify potential moisture related anomalies in buildings, but only if the thermodynamic conditions are right. While building science investigators often have the advantage of choosing multiple inspection times best suited to different conditions, home inspectors often are under a constraint to perform one time-limited inspections and are therefore at the mercy of the thermodynamic conditions at the time.

Home inspectors can apply a thermal camera in a limited scope for free-air detection of evaporative cooling of water related anomalies, so long as they have a specific Standard of Practice detailing the method and condi-tions necessary for doing so and a means (e.g. a moisture detector) for immediate field confirmation of any suspected anomaly. They should docu-ment in their Standard of Practice the limitations of the technology, par-ticularly the suitability (or lack thereof) of the conditions at the time for the detection of non-evaporative detection of moisture, particularly in exterior walls and roofs.

Greg McIntosh has been actively involved in the infrared thermography industry since 1976 and has worked in multiple industries during this time, including the building science indus-try. He has trained thousands of thermogra-phers, including hundreds of home inspectors. www.thesnellgroup.com

TECHNIC ALIR cameras suitable for building investigations are now inexpensive, light-weight and easy to use. There are, however, cameras available which do not even come close to meeting the requirements for detection of moisture anomalies. The use of infrared imaging requires training and understanding of not just the camera and infrared detection principles, but more impor-tantly knowledge of building construction, thermal performance, and sound building science principles. The proliferation of readily available low cost cameras used by unqualified persons unaware of the underlying thermo-dynamic principles, appropriate methods, and limitations however, could jeopardize the legitimate value of thermography as a valuable tool for the building diagnostic and home inspection industry.

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24 T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

TECHNIC AL

Most homes have round pipes penetrating the roof; for example:

• Plumbing stacks

• Electrical masts

• Exhaust vents from fans or combustion appliances

Materials These roof penetrations may be plastic, cast iron, steel, aluminum or copper. The flashing materials may be steel, rubber (neoprene), lead, copper or aluminum, or a combination of materials. These flashings are called roof jacks in some areas.

The flashing details are similar for any of these penetrations, although the approaches are different for sloped and flat roofs (steep and low slope roofs). We’ll focus on sloped roofs here.

Sloped Roof Installation • The roof is shingled up to the height of the stack.

• With asphalt shingles, a shingle is typically cut and slid over the pipe.

• The flashing flange is then placed over the stack and sealed or nailed in place.

– The flange is a flat rectangular surface that sits on the roof.

– The flange typically has a tapered collar that is approximately the same diameter as the pipe.

– Some flanges have an integral sealant or gasket that creates a seal when the flange is slid over the pipe.

– In other cases a separate storm collar is provided.

– Some flanges are friction fit only.

– Some are gasketed.

– Some are sealed with caulking or other sealants, and/or a draw band (band clamp).

– Some flanges have a sleeve soldered to the flange with a return on the top of the sleeve that fits over the top of the pipe.

– Others have a sleeve and separate cap that fits over the pipe.

• Once the flange is in place and sealed, the shingling is continued so that at least half, and in some cases almost all of the horizontal section of the flashing flange, is covered with roofing materials.

• The shingles (if asphalt) that are on top of the flange are often set in a continuous layer of asphalt cement.

• Some roofing authorities recommend that nails not be driven through the flange.

Adverse conditions to watch for on these flashings include:

1. rust

2. damage

3. vertically misaligned

4. installation problems

In all of these conditions, the impli-cation is the possibility of leakage.

RustRusted flashings are caused by:

1. age

2. failure to maintain/paint

3. incompatible materials, or

4. tar over the flashings

DamageDamaged flashings may be caused by:

1. snow and ice accumulation on the roof

2. animal activity

3. foot traffic

4. careless roof work nearby

5. replacement of a pipe or stack without replacing the flashing, or

6. deterioration of the flashing due to age

Vertically MisalignedVertical misalignment of the flashing is usually a result of movement between the plumbing stack and roof deck. This movement can occur either up or down. If the roof deck moves relative to the plumbing stack (when loaded with snow, for example), the flange will be pulled up off the roof. If the pipe or stack drops relative to the roof deck, the appropriate slope of the flange may be lost and a recessed low area may be created around the pipe.

PIPE AND STACK FLASHINGSBy Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop & Associates Ltd.

This stack has rusted through, and roofing cement has been used to make a

temporary repair.

This electrical mast flashing is rusted, and the rubber collar has failed.

Stack flashing and shingles damaged by vermin.

Damage Damaged flashings may be caused by: 1. snow and ice accumulation on the roof 2. animal activity 3. foot traffic 4. careless roof work nearby 5. replacement of a pipe or stack without replacing the flashing, or 6. deterioration of the flashing due to age

Stack flashing and shingles damaged by vermin.

Raccoons have chewed the lead collar. Tree branches should be cut back away from roof to help restrict raccoon access. The flashing sleeve and collar should be replaced.

Raccoons have chewed the lead collar. Tree branches should be cut back away from roof to help restrict raccoon access. The flashing

sleeve and collar should be replaced.

Both of these rubber collars on the ABS piping are torn.

Roofing cement was used as the flashing material for this roof - a very

poor approach, and over time has been damaged by UV exposure.

This is a common failure of the rubber collar. Collars often fail first on the uphill

side of the vent.

25T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

TECHNIC ALImplication Again, leakage is the implication.

Strategy When looking at pipes or stacks, make sure that:

StrategyWhen looking at pipes or stacks, make sure that:

• There is a flashing flange in place.

• The connection around the pipe or stack is weather tight.

• No more than the lower half of the flange is exposed.

• The bottom edge of the flange directs water out onto the surface of the roof below.

• Exposed nails at the lower corners of the flange are sealed.

• There is no evidence of lifting of the flange relative to the roof deck, or shrinkage of the pipe and buckling of the flange, relative to the roof deck.

Installation ProblemsThese include:

1. missing flashing

2. improper flashing material (e.g., asphalt cement on asphalt shingles, or rubber flashing flanges on curved concrete tiles)

3. top half of flange exposed above roofing material, or bottom edge of flange concealed below roofing material

4. flashing located in a valley

5. exposed fasteners not sealed

6. missing fasteners

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Strategy Watch for what isn’t there but should be. Missing components are a very common flashing problem. Most of the installation problems we’ve listed can be readily seen, if you remember to check for them.

SummaryThanks to Roger Hankey and Kevin O’Hornett for their valuable input to this article. Special thanks to Roger for providing several great photos!

Carson Dunlop, founded in 1978, operates two home Inspection companies in the Greater Toronto area, and is a leader in home inspection training and report writing in North America. Products include the Home Inspection Training Program, Horizon, the Home Reference Book, The Illustrated Home and the Technical Reference Guide. Through CDW Engineering, they also offer Commercial inspection services and training. www.carsondunlop.com 800-268-7070

Improper support of this heavy cast iron stack has allowed it to drop. The flashing is not weather tight.

The flashing boot is recessed and will hold water.

Buckling of the flashing can result in entry of vermin. Installation Problems

Improper support of this heavy cast iron stack has allowed it to drop. The flashing is not weather tight.

The flashing boot is recessed and will hold water.

Buckling of the flashing can result in entry of vermin.

A poorly installed flashing may leak and will reduce its life expectancy.

Again, there is no flashing here.

The entire flashing flange is on top of the shingles.

They forgot to remove the caps on the vents after pressure testing the drain system. A simple but urgent fix - remove the caps! Strategy Watch for what isn’t there but should be. Missing components are a very common flashing problem. Most of the installation problems we’ve listed can be readily seen, if you remember to check for them. Summary Thanks to Roger Hankey and Kevin O’Hornett for their valuable input to this article. Special thanks to Roger for providing several great photos! Carson Dunlop, founded in 1978, operates two home Inspection companies in the Greater Toronto area, and is a leader in home inspection training and report writing in North American. Products include the Home Inspection

Again, there is no flashing here.

The entire flashing flange is on top of the shingles.

They forgot to remove the caps on the vents after pressure testing the drain system. A simple but urgent fix - remove the caps! Strategy Watch for what isn’t there but should be. Missing components are a very common flashing problem. Most of the installation problems we’ve listed can be readily seen, if you remember to check for them. Summary Thanks to Roger Hankey and Kevin O’Hornett for their valuable input to this article. Special thanks to Roger for providing several great photos! Carson Dunlop, founded in 1978, operates two home Inspection companies in the Greater Toronto area, and is a leader in home inspection training and report writing in North American. Products include the Home Inspection

The entire flashing flange is on top of the shingles.

They forgot to remove the caps on the vents after pressure testing the drain system. A simple but urgent

fix - remove the caps!

26 T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

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In April 2015, I attended the conference of the Canadian Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (CARST) in Vancouver, British Colum-bia. The presence of radon in Canada had not been addressed as a concern until late 2007 when the Canadian government lowered the tolerances in Canada from 800 Bq/m3 (21.6 pCi/L) to 200 Bq/m3 (5.4 pCi/L). At that time, I became a member of the National Environmental Health Associa-tion (NEHA) and a Residential Measurement Provider through the National Radon Proficiency Program (NRPP). I obtained equipment to perform short-term tests for radon in residential homes. I know many of my colleagues in the United States perform radon testing along with home inspections and have been doing so for more than 20 years. Radon testing fits in naturally with the home inspection.

For anyone unfamiliar with radon, radon is a gas formed by the breakdown of uranium, a natural radioactive material found in all soil and rock. Long-term exposure to radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking and is the leading cause of lung cancer in people who have never smoked.

In short, the radiation produced by radon causes damage to our DNA. Our DNA is packaged carefully, wrapped around packaging proteins to form chromatin, which keeps DNA generally stable and amenable for use by the cells. When we breathe in radon, we also breathe in two radon by-prod-ucts—polonium 218 and polonium 214—that are produced from decay and are especially troublesome. These two particles release a high-energy particle called an alpha particle. When alpha particles come into contact

with our lung tissue at a certain time, their decomposition can cause dam-age to our lungs. Ultraviolet (UV) light, metabolism, inflammation, air pol-lution, smoking and ionizing radiation can damage DNA. When DNA is damaged, our cells usually repair it correctly. However, errors may occur that can cause genetic mutations, which, in turn, can result in cancer. Any exposure to radiation can be harmful to our health. Being exposed to high amounts of radiation can result in mutation or death. Increased exposure to radon can increase a person’s chances of getting lung cancer. Radon is everywhere, and we breathe it in and out of our lungs.

Currently, the only recognized hazard from breathing in the decaying prod-ucts of radon (polonium 218 and polonium 214) is an increased potential of developing lung cancer. No other health effects have been traced directly to radon.

As home inspectors, we can offer a simple, short-term test to determine the amount of radon in the house at that particular time. If the levels are higher than the recommended minimum government standards, the home inspector can recommend either that a long-term test be done to obtain a more accurate reading or that remediation be performed.

If you currently test homes for radon or if you plan on doing radon testing in the future, I recommend that you become certified for the use of pas-sive measurement devices through NEHA if you live in the United States, or certified through the Canadian – National Radon Proficiency Program

(C-NRPP) as a Residential Measurement Provider if you live in Canada. In addition, being a member of either of these orga-nizations can only enhance your credibil-ity and protect your reputation when you perform the radon testing according to the proper inspection protocols.

To find out more about radon, visit the websites of the Canadian – National Radon Proficiency Program (C-NRPP) www.c-nrpp.ca and to become a qualified Residential Measurement Provider visit www.carst.ca. In the United States, visit American Association of Radon Scientists and Technologists (AARST) www.aarst.org and http://aarst-nrpp.com.

Currently, home inspectors routinely check homes and report the absence of smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors (if applicable). Testing the level of radon in homes makes sense as well.

Why Radon Testing Makes Good SenseBy Alden E. Gibson ACI, RHI, NCH, ASHI Immediate Past President

27T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

Why Radon Testing Makes Good SenseBy Alden E. Gibson ACI, RHI, NCH, ASHI Immediate Past President

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28 T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

AIDA is an acronym that helps people write material that will persuade readers to act in a certain way. Whether you are creating an advertisement, a blog post, a video, a brochure, a direct mail piece (such as a postcard), or a newsletter to send to real estate agents, you should be thinking AIDA.

AIDA stands for the following:

• Attention

• Interest

• Desire

• Action

Let’s look at each component of AIDA in detail. Whether you are thinking about homebuyers, real estate agents, or both, AIDA applies.

ATTENTIONImmediately grab the reader’s attention with a headline and subhead. Because advertising fills our daily lives—ads cover almost every conceiv-able surface and fill the airwaves—most of us have become desensitized to them; we look but we don’t see. Successful advertising finds a way to break through our desensitization. For instance, some have used shock tactics to get our attention. It doesn’t matter if the shock tactic has nothing to do with the product or service. The goal is to jar us and create a memorable con-nection to the product or service. Humor is another tool of the advertising world. If the advertiser can make us laugh, we may remember the product or service with fondness. Another time-honored tactic is using sex to sell. Again, the goal is to make a connection in the consumer’s mind between something pleasant and their product or service. Sex is used in lots of advertising, but we do not believe it works in home inspection advertising. We have seen shock value and humor both used effectively in home inspec-tion advertising. An image, in addition to or instead of words, might also function to grab your audience’s attention.

While this is not a college-level course in writing advertising copy, here are a few tips you can try:

AIDA: Attention, Interest, Desire & ActionBy Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop & Associates Ltd.

INTEREST - Use Action PhrasesKeep the attention grabber short. For example, don’t say, “Get a Home Inspection to Protect Your Investment.” The “get a home inspection” part is not necessary for a headline because the reader will realize they need a home inspection when they read the next lines of your ad. Some better headlines follow:

• How to Avoid a Money Pit

• Don’t Gamble When Buying a Home

• Reduce the Risks in Buying a Home

• How to Avoid Buying a Lemon

• Will Your Dream Home Become Your Nightmare?

• Invest $400, Save Over $10,000!

• Knowledge Is Power—Let Us Empower You

• Protect Your Investment

• Make the Right Decision

• Don’t Get Burned

You will notice that these titles create a problem and suggest there is a solution in a few words. The idea is to grab the reader’s attention by telling them that buying a home can be a big financial risk, and that the home inspection dramatically reduces the risk.

The word “free” usually makes people look twice. If you can’t incorporate the word in the headline or subhead, you should incorporate it in another key area of your ad. You would think that with so many companies offer-ing things for free, readers would have become desensitized, but it hasn’t happened. So what can be free about a $450 home inspection? You can offer the following:

• a FREE home encyclopedia for every client

• a FREE checklist for clients of things to look for in a home during the home buying process

• a FREE telephone consultation for as long as the client owns the home

• a FREE first-time buyers’ seminar

Now that you have grabbed your reader’s attention, you need to develop their inter-est. Present the most important and inter-esting aspect of your service up front. There should be a seamless flow from reading the headline to reading a very important and interesting piece of informa-tion. For example, ask: “Did you know that 40 per cent of homes in the [City] area have wet basement problems?”

DESIREAfter you have the reader’s interest, you should increase the reader’s desire for your product or service. State the benefits

MARKETING

ATTENTION

INTEREST

DESIRE

ACTION

• Grab the reader’s attention

• Develop the reader’s interest

• Create a desire within the reader to have your service

• Call the reader to action

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from the reader’s perspective. For example, you could say: “You have enough tough decisions to make in buying your new home. Our professional evaluation of the home gives you one less thing to worry about.”

Remember, the benefits are more valuable than the features to your prospect.

ACTIONGive Them a Reason to Act At the end of your advertising, public relations or sales campaign, remem-ber to ask the reader to do something. This is called the call to action. Tell the reader what the next step is and invite him or her to take it. If you don’t do this, your advertisement is empty. The reader thinks, great, this is good information and then forgets about it. Here are a few examples of how you might call the reader to action:

Again, use the word “free.” Here’s an example: “Call now to receive a FREE Home Improvements Costs package.”

Include Your Phone Number and Web Address.

The call to action can be as simple as, “Call now, at 555-1212, or visit us at www.inspectioncompany.com to book your inspection. It’s good to include your phone number and web address in the call to action, even if it appears somewhere else in the ad.

Create some sense of urgency. You might say, “Inspection time slots book up fast. Call now to reserve your preferred time.” Home inspection is a time sensitive service. Because the odds of a reader needing a home inspection when reading an ad are low, you might make the call to action a limited-time offer for a discount coupon for a home inspection, or a free booklet that helps them screen homes, showing them a list of common problems to watch for.

Adding colour photos of house defects makes this a dramatic and valuable piece. The problem list and photos heighten homebuyers’ awareness of risk and gives them a better appreciation for the value you provide. There may be a little shock value in the pictures.

The following example takes you through the AIDA process. This ad is mailed to past clients, offering an indoor air-quality inspection one year after the owners have bought the home.

Please note: This ad has no basis in fact. We’re using it for illustrative pur-poses only. (As you go through this fictional ad, see if you can identify the features and benefits statements.)

IS YOUR HOME KILLING YOU?Title Attention Interest Is your health suffering? Do you or your family often feel ill in your home? Many families spend their lives breathing contaminated air. They never make the connection between their poor health and the air in their own home.

Fact: One in 10 people suffer from asthma.

Fact: While there are effective treatments for an asthma attack, the best solution is to remove the asthma triggers from your environment.

Fact: Allergies have a compounding effect, and most people with allergies are allergic to several things. If you are allergic to dust, pollen, and smoke, you may get rid of all your symptoms by reducing only one of the three allergens.

Fact: The air quality in nine out of 10 homes can be improved by 75 per cent at little or no cost to the homeowner.

DESIRE Our indoor air-quality assessment can get you the answers you need. As a past client, you will receive our service at $245, rather than our normal fee of $300.

We will identify sources of indoor air contaminants and give you expert, unbiased advice on how to improve the quality of the air you breathe. We

have no affiliation with any contractor or manufacturer, and we don’t do repairs or sell products. We just give you the advice you need. Our recom-mendations can most often be implemented with little or no cost.

You and your family will enjoy a healthier existence and a better home life. Here is what some of our customers are saying:

“Thanks so much. The solutions you gave us are worth their weight in gold. We never knew it was so easy to improve the quality of the air we breathe.” D. Johnson, Vancouver, B.C.

“I can’t thank you enough. Because you put the cover back on the furnace filter cabinet, my headaches have completely disappeared.” Sincerely, J. Walsh, Windsor, ON.

ACTION Call 555-1212 now to book an inspection time. Mention this letter and you will receive the inspection and the detailed report for $245 instead of our normal fee of $300.

PS: Make sure you book an appointment when you can spend time with our expert in your home. Our clients say the education they get during the inspection is as valuable as the inspection report itself.

SUMMARY This example concludes our discussion of AIDA, but we hope that you will refer back to this article as you develop your materials designed to persuade people to use your service. Until next time, we hope you received some valu-able information from this article.

Carson Dunlop, founded in 1978, operates two home Inspection compa-nies in the Greater Toronto area, and is a leader in home inspection training and report writing in North America. Products include the Home Inspection Training Program, Horizon, the Home Reference Book, The Illustrated Home and the Technical Reference Guide. Through CDW Engineering, they also offer Commercial inspection services and training. www.carsondunlop.com 800-268-7070

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Service: Hub prides itself on its ongoing interest in serving our customers better. In doing so, we have created a specializedservice team that is dedicated to providing our customers with prompt, efficient service. Their vast knowledge andexperience in the insurance industry allows them to serve any of your insurance needs. If at any time you haveinquiries or concerns, the team is available for consultation. Our commitment is to work for you to ensure yoursatisfaction.

Coverage’s: Home Inspect Plus has been created to provide specialized Professional Liability, Commercial General Liability (optional) and Crime coverage’s. This will provide you with insurance to meet your needs.

Claims: Insurance is the promise of indemnity. The true measure of an insurance broker is the ability to respond quickly andadequately to losses suffered by their clients and deliver on this promise. Our claims manager is a critical tool forexpert technical assistance and will be an asset in the event of a loss. At Hub, we recognize that each loss isunique.

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HUB International Ontario Limited insurance · financial services2265 Upper Middle Road East Suite 700, Oakville, Ontario L6H 0G5 Direct 905-582-7067

Toll Free 800-263-2383 [email protected] Fax: 905-847-6613www.hubinternational.com

HOME Inspect Plus Insurance Program Providing specialized insurance for your protection

About Hub: Hub International is one of the leading insurance brokerages in North America. Because of our breadth of insurance knowledge, many different types of programs have been created by teams of experienced insurance specialists. For this reason, the Home Inspect Plus program has been developed for home inspectors. Home Inspect Plus is a new Canadian program that offers coverages that are tailored to the needs of your business. Service: Hub prides itself on its ongoing interest in serving our customers better. In doing so, we have created a specialized service team that is dedicated to providing our customers with prompt, efficient service. Their vast knowledge and experience in the insurance industry allows them to serve any of your insurance needs. If at any time you have inquiries or concerns, the team is available for consultation. Our commitment is to work for you to ensure your satisfaction. Coverages: Home Inspect Plus has been created to provide specialized Professional Liability, Commercial General Liability (optional) and Crime coverages. This will provide you with insurance to meet your needs. Claims: Insurance is the promise of indemnity. The true measure of an insurance broker is the ability to respond quickly and adequately to losses suffered by their clients and deliver on this promise. Our claims manager is a critical tool for expert technical assistance and will be an asset in the event of a loss. At Hub, we recognize that each loss is unique. For more information, please contact:

Kim Smith

HUB International Ontario Limited insurance · financial services 2265 Upper Middle Road East Suite 700, Oakville, Ontario L6H 0G5 Direct 905-582-7067 Toll Free 800-263-2383 [email protected] Fax: 905-847-6613 www.hubinternational.com

31T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

PHOTOS FROM THE FRONT!

Photo Submissions

Contest!Send in your photos and you’ll be

automatically entered to win!

Win a $25.00 Prize

Submit your photos and we’ll enter your name into our draw. Winners will be notified and their names published in the magazine.

Congratulations! And a big thanks to everyone who submitted to the magazine.

Photo courtesy of Vahn BalabanianThat chimney really is a few bricks short!Photo courtesy of Pierre Berrard

Must have been asleep during

Electrical 101!

Photo courtesy of Curtis Beaudry

What code book is this from?

Photo courtesy of Gregory Morton Temporary permanent solution!

Observation – roof damage caused by…shark! Good call, Freddy!

FREDDY FLY-BY-NIGHT HOME INSPECTOR EXTRAORDINAIRE SAYS:

Photo courtesy of Matt Dickert

It’s a home-made septic system!

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www.carsondunlop.com/horizon

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Download & Compare a Sample Report:tiny.cc/cahpihorizon

Take Your Reports from

Good to GREAT!

www.carsondunlop.com/horizon

800.268.7070 ext. 243

[email protected]

Download & Compare a Sample Report:tiny.cc/cahpihorizon

Contact Us to Get Started!