If you missed my previous post about the Client who listened, read, and acted, you can find it here.
This post is about the Client who didn't listen, read, or act.
It can always be a touchy situation when a home inspector visits an older property because there is no law or any code that requires that an older property be brought up to current standards at any time, even if it is sold. Now if renovation or remodeling is done, the renovations and remodeling in most circumstances do have to be done to current standards.
Generally, though, if the property is still being used for the purpose for which it is intended, everything in it can be as old as the hills, and if it works properly, no problem....
Except when it comes to grounding older furnaces which were built and installed when two-prong electrical outlets were common. Now that we've moved on to three-prong outlets, when the electrical system in older properties was upgraded, either the electrician or the heating and cooling professional also "upgraded" the furnace electrical system. Unfortunately, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) sometimes finds the furnace electrical system "upgrade" to be insufficient and will red-flag the furnace, sometimes red-flaging the whole property.
I say "sometimes" because SDG&E is not consistent with respect to this "upgrade," and it seems to be an ongoing war between SDG&E and licensed heating and cooling professionals here.
The following two pictures show the type of furnace grounding that SDG&E sometimes red-flags.
We are fortunate that SDG&E will come out and turn gas on and off, check gas-using appliances, etc. However, that can present a problem in and of itself. I warn my Clients that, yes, SDG&E will come out and inspect gas-using appliances, but if they find problems, they can red-flag the appliance. They can even red-flag the whole property and shut off gas to it.
If they shut off gas to the property and require repairs to be done before turning it back on, and if the property has a short inspection contingency period and/or a short escrow, and if the Sellers don't have the money to do the repairs, or if the bank refuses to do the repairs, then the property is left in limbo and the home buyers move on to the next property.
Be forewarned that sometimes when you get something free, there can be consequences associated with it.
Listen to your home inspector, read those home inspection reports, and take appropriate action that will serve your best interests, while remembering that free is not always better.
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Remember to study for your Frenetic Friday pop quiz!
Previous pop quizzes can be found here.
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My most recent 20 posts (they'll open in a new window)
- General Electric recalls ranges due to fire and burn hazards - 4/8/09
- WWW (Wordless Wednesday with Words): A patient kitty cat - 4/8/09
- Life is wonderful when Clients, listen, read, and act - 4/7/09
- Manic Monday pop quiz: Safety - 4/6/09
- Please welcome my 66th Invitee to ActiveRain: Wade Williamson - 4/6/09
- If it snakes like a snake, but it's not a snake, it's probably still dangerous - 4/5/09
- SST (Speechless Sunday with Text): Are you sure cat's don't like water? - 4/5/09
- We home inspectors sometimes get taken to task.... - 4/4/09
- Flowers: Why travel time is so bad in San Diego County - 4/3/09
- Frenetic Friday Water 101 pop quiz - 4/3/09
- Hey, even Realtors make mistakes! - 4/2/09
- If you have it, use it. NOT! - 4/2/09
- WWW (Wordless Wednesday with Words): Visit from Lucy - 4/1/09
- Should I refer a Realtor? - 3/31/09 - ActiveRain Feature
- Causes of house fires: candles, cigarettes, poor wiring, and.... - 3/30/09
- Manic Monday pop quiz: Honey bees - 3/30/09
- SST (Speechless Sunday with Text): Two friends - 3/29/09
- Electricity, your power cords, and fires - 3/28/09
- Just because you CAN put it there doesn't mean you SHOULD put it there - 3/27/09
- Frenetic Friday pop quiz: water heaters - 3/27/09
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Russel, I know what you mean. These are the folks that want to come back a year later and want to sue you because now they have a problem and it can be traced back to what you wrote in your report. Makes me want to do bodily harm to them - LOL...