This was taken from the Kansas City Regional Association of REALTORS website:
Starting on July 1, 2009, all residential real estate contracts in the state will need to contain the following language:
‘‘Every buyer of residential real property is notified that the property may present exposure to dangerous concentrations of indoor radon gas that may place occupants at risk of developing radon-induced lung cancer. Radon, a class-A human carcinogen, is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second leading cause overall. Kansas law requires sellers to disclose any information known to the seller that shows elevated concentrations of radon gas in residential real property. The Kansas department of health and environment recommends all homebuyers have an indoor radon test performed prior to purchasing or taking occupancy of residential real property. All testing for radon should be conducted by a radon measurement technician. Elevated radon concentrations can be easily reduced by a radon mitigation technician. For more information, please go to http://www.kansasradonprogram.org.”
As inspectors, we hear irrational comments regarding radon over and over:
- “Radon is no big deal”
- “Its not a problem in KC”
- “Its not a problem in (insert your county here) county.
- “The house has a walkout basement and doesn’t need to be tested”
- “Radon testing is a bunch of hog-wash - its never been proven to be a problem”
- “Testing is a waste of money - I don’t believe in it”
- “Its a new house - radon can’t be a problem yet”
- “Its an old house - the radon would be long gone by now”
….the list goes on…
But it makes you wonder. If the state of Kansas is going to require the statement above to be included in real estate contracts, why would someone advise against testing? If the state says radon is the leading cause of lung cancer in non-smokers, why would someone choose not to test?
By the way, I’ll bet you that the same people who made the comments above, all use sunscreen at the pool. Go figure.
Categories: Uncategorized
On Sunday, May 18th, Govenor Sebelius signed HB 2315 to require registration for all home inspectors practicing in the state of Kansas. This bill establishes minimum requirements for professional home inspectors in our state. It also establishes a Kansas Home Inspector Registration Board.
Key elements of the new law include:
- As of July 1, 2009, all home inspectors working in counties with populations greater than 60,000 are required to have:
- Proof of General Liability Insurance coverage of at least $100,000.
- Proof of Errors & Omissions Insurance (or similar fiscal responsibility) of at least $10,000.
- Proof of membership in good standing in one of the nationally recognized home inspection organizations (TBD by the board by January 1, 2009).
- Have passed a proctored exam by a testing organization approved by the board.
- Obtain a minimum of 16 hours of continuing education credit each year.
- And have done one of the following options prior to May 18th, 2009:
- Completed an 80 hour classroom course on home inspections
- For inspectors operating in counties with populations of 60,000, have been in business for two years and completed 100 fee-paid inspections.
- For inspectors operating in counties with populations of less than 60,000, have been in business for two years and completed 35 fee-paid inspections.
- Inspectors working in counties of 60,000 or less have an additional 18 months to meet these qualifications (till January 1, 2011).
- Home inspectors may not limit their liability to less than $10,000. By the same token, home inspectors are not liable for damages in excess of $10,000 (unless otherwise agreed by the inspector and the person hiring the inspector - and, most likely, additional fees paid).
- Home inspectors liability extends 12 months. Any actions to recover damages from an inspector must be brought no later than 12 months from the date of inspection.
It bears repeating - this bill establishes the MINIMUM requirements for home inspectors. Does it protect the consumer? Time will tell.
There will still be a difference among inspectors - some better than others. As we’ve said in previous blogs, its important to interview your inspector. Take time to understand what he/she will do for you. Regardless of the new law, you’ll still get what you pay for, so make sure you understand what you want before you make the call to hire a home inspector. It’ll save you a lot of aggravation in the long run.
Categories: Home Inspections · Home Inspector Licensing · Home Inspectors
With the rising cost of gasoline we hear a lot about tuning up your car, but have you considered tuning up your home?
Yes, homes need tune ups also. We often neglect the things that work but most often those are the things that need scheduled maintenance the most. We can save a lot of money in energy costs by taking care of the house, and avoid repair costs due to neglect.
The most obvious but the most overlooked is your furnace filter. We call it a furnace filter but actually it filters your homes air whether it be for the furnace winter time use or the summer A/C. The filter should be changed per the filter manufacturers specifications. If you buy the cheap 50 cent filters, they need changed every month. These are only good for filtering basketballs and large toys. The better filters starting in cost from $4 and up are your best choice and need changing less often - every couple of months.
If you have never had your HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) system cleaned and tuned now is the time. With summer heat, the A/C needs to function as cool as possible. For the best cleaning, call a professional for a complete cleaning. The professional can clean areas of the A-coil Evaporator that you do not see but can build up with a nasty mess, restricting air flow and dramatically decreasing efficiency. A HVAC professional will also clean the condenser unit (the outside unit) and will check refrigerant levels. While they are there, go ahead and have them tune the furnace as well.
If you do not have a programmable thermostat this can be great way to save money and the payback is within a few months.
What does all of this cost? Most HVAC tune ups run around $100 plus refrigerant or replacement parts. This is cheap considering the cost to efficiently run your system. If this is outside your budget right now, at least change your filter and hose down the condenser unit. If you have a lot of vegetation growing around the condenser, trim it back at least a couple feet so the unit can breath.
All of these things will save you money and keep your home cool and warm.
Categories: Home Maintenance
Tagged: Home Maintenance, Home Tune Up, HVAC Service
While not necessarily required, weather caps and spark arrestors are recommended for chimney terminations. Weather caps help to keep water out of the chimney. Spark arrestors help to keep burning embers from setting fire to your house and the neighbors houses.
Weather caps also help to keep out non-paying renters, such as birds, squirrels and raccoons. I took this picture this week at a house in Raytown, and thought I’d share it. This is a view looking down a chimney from the roof. Thats a raccoon staring back, with an entire family down there as well.
Categories: Uncategorized
We have all heard the phrase “You get what you pay for.” We’re firm believers in continuing education and - yes - this all costs time and money.
Sadly, there are many inspectors offering big discounts at the buyer’s expense. What do I mean by that? When an inspector offers a discount, it’s usually for a reason. Many times it’s because of their lack of experience or lack of education. Because they don’t invest in themselves, thereby making them better at their profession, they choose to skimp on that aspect of their business and pass that “savings” on to you.
For example, lets talk about radon measurements. In KC there are about 250 inspectors, full time and part time. Almost all of these inspectors offer radon measurements. But how many have taken the time to take the Kansas radon measurement courses offered by Kansas State University in conjuction with the Kansas Dept.of Health. The last time I checked only about 10% have taken this course and are certified to offer Radon Measurements.
It takes a lot of time and money to go to this level. Wouldn’t it be comforting to know that the person testing your home for a class “A” carcinogen actually knows what he/she is doing and why? Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer and you may have selected the person to measure your home based on price and not expertise and training. The Kansas Radon Proficiency Program will only list providers that are trained and tested, but doesn’t list their price. (Yes, we’re listed there). When we finished our initial inspector-training courses we did not stop there. We continue to take additional courses several times a year to provide the best service to you that we can provide.
So the next time you think you are saving a little money by hiring or referring the cheapest inspector, think again. We can save the client money because we understand the whole home system better through our continuing education. Some of the continued education courses we have taken include National Fire Safety, National Environmental Health Association Radon Proficiency, Roofing, Exterior Cladding Systems, Electrical Systems, this is just a few. Not only can we inspect these systems with more knowledge, we can also explain what we report. So the next time you think you saved fifty bucks on an inspection, think again. The true cost may end up being much more than that.
The best compliment I have received is a “thank you” from a real estate agent saying I made them look good for the referral.
Categories: Crown Home Inspections · Family Home Inspections · Home Inspections · Home Inspectors
Tagged: Home Inspection Prices, Home Inspection Training, Home Inspections
I don’t normally watch the show “King of the Hill”, but I thought I’d share this episode with you.
Home inspectors often get asked during an inspection “will [a certain problem] make this home fail the inspection?” The answer is NO. Home inspections are not a pass/fail situation. A thorough home inspection is for your benefit. During the course of the inspection, you’ll have the opportunity to learn about the house. It’s your chance to follow a knowledgeable professional around the house and ask questions about how the house is constructed, how the components operate, and to find out what kind of defects may or may not exist.
This episode shows a home inspector “failing” a house, which can’t be done by an independent home inspector. But it’s still funny. Click HERE to watch.
Categories: Home Inspections
Tagged: Home Inspection Myths
The Exterior Design Institute (EDI), based in Norfolk, Virginia, is “a non-profit organization founded for the purpose of training and certifying Building Envelop and EIFS Inspectors and Moisture Analysts to promote quality control within the EIFS industry.”
Recently, the authors of this website were certified by EDI to perform building envelope inspections.
The “building envelope”, in simple terms, is the outside of our homes. Water infiltration is the #1 cause of damage to any residence. Moisture enters the home in many different ways. It also originates inside the home, and tries to get out in many different places. Locating and resolving those sources of moisture intrusion quickly can drastically reduce the causes of costly damage to any residence.
When hiring an inspector, consider their qualifications. Have you ever heard the adage “If the only tool you have is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail?” If your inspector doesn’t have the proper training to diagnose problems in a house you’re buying or selling, will the inspector be any help to you?
We’re here to help.
Categories: Crown Home Inspections · Family Home Inspections · Home Inspections · Home Inspectors · Siding
Tagged: EIFS, Moisture Inspections, Siding Inspections, Stucco
Prior to a recent inspection on a house in the Kansas City area, I had the opportunity to read the MLS remarks on the house. The remark included these words: “No inspection contingencies no disclosures or warranties”.
I suspect the owners intentions were that the house was being sold “as-is”. But if you’re in the market to buy a house, and you read those words describing a house you’re looking at, a little voice inside your head should be screaming, at the top of its lungs, GET AN INSPECTION!!
In the case of the house I was inspecting, part of the roof needed replacement this year, and the entire roof within 5 years. The basement leaked. The furnace was subject to a recall about 20 years ago but was never serviced.
These kinds of problems can be costly to an unsuspecting buyer. Obviously, we believe that anyone buying a home should get an inspection. But when a seller looks you in the eye (figuratively, of course), and says you cannot have an inspection contingency in your contract, then you should suspect the seller has something to hide. When you read the words “No Inspection Contingency”, you should translate that to mean “Home Inspection REQUIRED”.
Categories: Home Inspections
Tagged: as-is, Home Inspections, inspection contingencies
As far as I can tell….Nothing.
But it is my excuse for slacking off on regular postings. Between watching basketball and working, our attention has been diverted elsewhere.
But the NCAA Final Four is this weekend, so things should return to normal, and we’ll work to get more home inspection related blogs written.
Go Jayhawks!
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: Kansas City Home Inspections, Kansas Jayhawks
As we mentioned before, we’ve been following the status of licensing or registration requirements for home inspectors in the legislatures of Kansas and Missouri recently. In an unexpected turn of events, Kansas House Bill 2315 and Missouri House Bill 2057 were simultaneously amended this morning and both passed by slim margins.
As a result, Home Inspections will be required in both Kansas and Missouri on ALL home sales beginning on January 1st.
Follow the details of the new requirements on home sales here.
Categories: Home Inspections · Home Inspectors
