Bill's Blog

This is the builder speaking...

Bill Warner Specialist--Infrared Residential (BC Warner Inspections) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:47:28 -0600

So I was having one of those Mondays yesterday. You know, the kind where you wish it was just a dream. I woke up to find that my hard drive had crashed and I had failed to make a back-up in the last couple months. Frustrated is the polite word for my feelings. Anyhow, while researching the possibilities of recovering my lost data I receive a phone call... Not just any phone call, but a phone call I had been expecting to receive, but not how it transpired. It began with "This is 'Steve' the 'general supervisor' for xxxx homes...."

Oh boy! Not today, I think to myself. I don't need this call today. I sit down and prepare for battle...

A few weeks ago I performed a warranty inspection for some clients coming up on their 11th month warranty period of their brand new home. I was very familiar with this subdivision and the builder as I have had numerous inspections and a few conflicts with them in the past. This particular home was not much different than many of the others I had inspected in the area... Poor roofing practices and installation, inadequate and poorly blown insulation, negative grading, improperly install stair stringers at the deck, moisture intrusion at the entrance doors, baseboard trim waving hello as I walked in, bubbling vinyl flooring, poorly installed flex duct, poorly installed counter tops, and on and on...

My list and report were not kind and typical of these homes.

So the call continued...

"How may I help you?" I replied. Steve says "I just wanted to call and tell you how impressed I am with your report..."

OK... I think to my self. Here it comes....

"Your report has to be the most detailed and thorough I have ever seen. I can call the guys I need to take care of the issues without going out to the property to look for my self, although I will..." Steve continues.

OK... Now here it comes...

"You have explained the issues and also educated the homeowners in the process. Your pictures and the write-ups are amazing..." he continues.

"Are you being sarcastic" I ask? "Oh no" he assures me, "this is not one of those calls. Your report just struck me and I wanted to see if you could mail me some business cards so I can hand them to future clients!"

"OK..." I hesitantly exclaim. "Most calls I receive from builders means they are already on the defensive and want to blame me for the write-ups". Steve calmly states "No, not this time. Your report is amazing and you deserve to hear about it!"

Wow! I think to myself. I tore another one of their homes apart and again documented why I wouldn't let their roofers work on my dog house, but yet he is thanking me for a job well done!?!?!

The call ended as pleasantly as it began and we both wished each other a Merry Christmas.

My lesson... just like any home, phone call, person, etc, you can't judge a book by it's cover. A phone call you expect may not be quite the phone call you expect. Always remain professional, and listen to the person on the other end. The call could have gone quite awry had I remained defensive and become argumentative right off the bat. BE professional, DO a professional job, WRITE professionally, and CONVERSE professionally, and you will soon find that others TREAT YOU as a professional!

Thank you 'Steve' for the call that made my day 100's times better.

Merry Christmas again!

Wordless Wednesday - Spring Interlude

Bill Warner Specialist--Infrared Residential (BC Warner Inspections) — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:58:43 -0600

Scald Hazards

Bill Warner Specialist--Infrared Residential (BC Warner Inspections) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 14:59:06 -0600

I attended a webinar on Wednesday which was hosted by the Home Safety Council. The topic was Preventing Scald Hazards and burns related to water heaters and water safety. I feel strongly about sharing this information with everyone involved in real estate to help spread the word. During my home inspections in the Dayton Ohio and West Central Ohio areas, I have been occasionally scolded for reporting and flagging the temperature of hot water if it was anything above 120ºF. The following information is why I will continue to note water temperatures above 120°F as a safety concern for our clients regardless.

People of all ages can be burned by 140°F hot water in as little as 30 seconds. This time is drastically reduced to 5 seconds for a young child, and only 1 second at 160ºF. According to a Home Safety Council survey of American parents, 71.5% of those surveyed did not know what the correct temperature setting for their water heater should be. The correct setting is 120°F.

The webinar panel of speakers included Jimmy Parks, MS, RN, and Outreach Coordinator at The Burn Center at Arkansas Children’s Hospital. Mr. Parks reviewed burn degrees with us. For those who don’t know, or as a refresher:

1^st degree = redness of skin like a sunburn
2^nd degree = blistering
3^rd degree = skin loss

His presentation included slides of a young boy’s ankle. He had received 2^nd degree burns to his entire ankle and upper foot from a scald. The slides were not pleasant and detailed the process of medical care required of the injury. It involved removal of the first layer of skin. The photo was not pleasant. The young boy would undergo a long period of pain and treatments.

If that example doesn’t explain the severity of scald hazards, then the next surely will. It is called Leah’s Story. In brief, Leah (an 11 month old little girl) and her sister were visiting their grandparent’s new home. The grandmother was giving Leah a bath and left her in just 1 inch of water to retrieve her sister for the bath as well. In the very brief 2 minutes she was away, Leah had managed to climb up and used the hot water handle as leverage. From her feet to her chin, Leah received 3^rd degree burns over 90% of her tiny body. Leah passed away after 48 hours in the hospital – 2 days before her first birthday. Had she survived, she would have spent at least 20 months in the burn unit and at least 30 operations before her 18^th birthday.

My point… water temperature and other home hazards are not trivial. These issues are serious and should be documented. No one had thought to check the water temperature at Leah’s grandparents home… it was new… everything should be in working order right? It was set in excess of 130°F.

Water temperature is one of the most documented concerns in my home inspection reports. I have no idea whether our clients heed the warnings, but nevertheless I continue to document and educate.

Some simple and helpful advice from The Home Safety Council, H₂otStop, and BC Warner Home Inspections:

Set your water heater to 120°F or less – or just below the medium setting. Be sure to test the temperature at several faucets on a regular basis to make sure the thermostat is correct.
Test the water before children enter the tub.
STAY WITH THE CHILDREN while they are in the tub. The phone, or doorbell can wait!
Babies and young children have sensitive and delicate skin. Install special tub spouts, faucets, and shower heads that prevent hot water burns.
Keep hot drinks away from the edge of tables and counters, and off of table clothes to prevent spills and children reaching them.
Avoid hot drinks when you are holding a child. Keep the Starbucks coffee cups out of and away from strollers and their cup holders. (This is more common than you think. Watch the food court next time your at the mall!) Use a “commuter mug with tight fitting lid if you must.
Use heavy pot holders when cooking.
Keep children away from the range when cooking.
Test micro-waved and heated food before feeding young children.
Turn pot handles to the back of the stove or use the rear burners when cooking.
Install anti-tip brackets on stoves and dishwashers as REQUIRED by manufactures.
Treat minor burns immediately with cool running water for 3-5 minutes. Do NOT apply ice, it can harm the skin. Do NOT apply butter or lotions because this can keep the skin hot, increase the injury, and may cause infection. Apply a sterile bandage to the area.
If a scald or burn is serious, seek medical attention FAST!

I hope you all have learned something today. Best regards to all and get your water heater thermostats turned down. Even if you don’t have children, your nieces, nephews, grandchildren, neighbors, friends, etc may use the tub sometime… besides, it will help reduce your energy bill!

Carbon Monoxide (CO) Alarms

Bill Warner Specialist--Infrared Residential (BC Warner Inspections) — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 19:58:28 -0600

With the ever nearing winter months and cool season upon us, I just want to post a reminder to all of us to check the batteries in your CO detectors as well as the smoke detectors. Every heating season brings unfortunate and often tragic news of families or individuals affected by carbon monoxide poisoning. I hate to see anyone become another terrible statistic. Looking for installed carbon monoxide alarms in homes is part of my regular inspection routine. If a solid or fossil fuel burning appliance exists in the home, I always note the existence or lack thereof for CO alarms, and recommend their installation if they are missing.

Some additional tips for the heating season:

Have your furnace or heating appliance checked, serviced, and cleaned by a qualified professional.

Keeps the unit maintained
Provides better efficiency
Prevents problems at the most inconvenient times
Can identify potential problems and safety hazards before they cause harm

Have your fireplace and chimney inspected and cleaned.

Prevents creosote build up which can cause fires
Maintains proper venting
Keeps mechanical components (dampers, fans, etc) in working order
Can identify potential problems and safety hazards before they cause harm

Install CO detectors in every living area and bedroom
Replace CO detectors that are 5 years or older

Their life expectancy is typically only 5 years
The manufacture date is typically located on a tag at the back of the unit. (If it's not legible or can't be found, replace it for safe measure anyhow.)
Effectiveness of detecting low levels of CO are substantially reduced as units age.

Know the signs of CO poisoning

Carbon Monoxide is an invisible, odorless, tasteless gas
CO attaches faster and stays longer in the bloodstream than carbon dioxide and oxygen and reduces the ability of our blood to exchange essential gases needed for life support.
Typical signs of CO exposure are:

Headaches
Nausea
Vomiting
Other typical flu-like symptoms

These signs are typically only noticed when in a CO contaminated area and go away once you leave the home or area.

Often we don't put 2 and 2 together until it's too late. Pay attention and keep your appliances and detectors maintained!

A friend relayed this story of experiencing headaches or feeling ill in the evenings and mornings, but they went away after he got to the office. He took it as the stress of the day just finally catching up with him and simply took pain medication to relieve the symptoms. His furnace quit working and he had the repair man out to fix it. Only then was it discovered that his furnace heat exchanger had numerous holes the size of dimes throughout and was leaking deadly CO into his home! Had the furnace not miraculously quit working, my friend may not have been able to tell me this story!

This story is not unique and occurs all too often.

Keep your families safe this winter!