Submitted by ASHI Certified Inspector Matthew Steger, WIN Home Inspection – Elizabethtown, Elizabethtown, Pa.

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Via ASHI Facebook.

As Phoenix home inspectors, we often think about electrical safety.  The general public, conversely, probably uses electrical extension cords without giving them much thought.  Did you know that accidents from extension cords kill around 50 people annually, injure another 4,000 and cause several thousand household fires?  Perhaps we should all brush up on the rules for using extension cords.

The first set of rules are that extension cords are only to be used for providing temporary power.  They are not to be installed in a permanent application as a substitute for structure wiring.  Beyond that, they may not be run through holes in walls, ceilings or floors.  They should not be run through windows or doors unless protected from damage and they may not be attached to the building or concealed within building cavities.

Next, you need to select the proper sized extension cord.  Using the American Wire Gauge (AWG) system you will discover that the lower the wire gauge number, the more capacity the extension cord has (and the thicker the cord is).  A house is commonly wired with a combination of 12 gauge and 14 gauge wires in the walls for receptacles.  The 12 gauge wire can safely carry 20 amps and the 14 gauge wire can safely carry 15 amps.  When using an extension cord for light duty applications you can often safely use wires with a higher AWG number than if you are powering appliances or power tools.  To be safe, add up the entire connected load in amps and be sure that it falls below the capacity of the wire.

Finally, if your use for the extension cord is outdoors, be sure the cord is rated for outdoor applications.  The extension cord should be specifically marked if it is approved for outdoor use.  Also, always use the shortest length cord that will work for the application to prevent overheating of the extension cord.

We hope you find this information valuable  - from your friends at Advantage Inspection Service in Phoenix, helping to keep you safe this year and for years to come.

by USAA Members

A home inspection may cost a few hundred bucks upfront, but it could help save you thousands of dollars in the long run and identify problem areas.

While giving a new $900,000 home a thorough going-over, Salt Lake City home inspector Kurt Salomon found a problem under the wooden deck. The builder had cut corners, jury-rigging the wrong kind of fasteners to secure the structure. And yet the municipal building official had given the work a thumbs-up.

“In some cases, a building inspector is not going to crawl underneath the deck looking at the hardware. A good home inspector will,” says Salomon, also president of the American Society of Home Inspectors.

A home inspection may not be mandated by law when you purchase a house, but it’s required by some municipalities and mortgage lenders — and it’s considered a must by experts.

“You want surprises that come with homeownership to be happy surprises, not bad ones,” says J.J. Montanaro, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM practitioner with USAA. “A thorough home inspection by a certified professional can help ensure that’s the case.”

A Smart Spend

An inspection of the house you want to buy helps you identify:

• Safety concerns, such as a faulty deck.
• Failing structural elements, such as a rotting foundation.
• Faulty mechanical systems, such as an old furnace.
• Areas that soon may need maintenance, such as an air-conditioning system.

You’ll pay around $300 for an inspection, which can take two to three hours. Prices can vary.

“An inspection is money and time well-spent,” says Montanaro. “It could help you save thousands of dollars. If your inspector finds things that should be repaired, you can use his report as leverage to have them fixed or negotiate a lower price.”

6 Steps to a Home Inspection

1. Look for the Inspection Clause

Before you sign a sales contract for a home, make sure it includes a clause that makes your purchase contingent on the findings of a professional home inspection with an inspector you choose. This gives you a way out of the contract if the inspector finds a major problem the homeowner won’t address, says Salomon.

Make sure the clause is there even if the contract specifies an as-is sale (meaning the seller does not agree to make repairs). “If a seller’s not willing to let you inspect the house, that’s a big red flag,” says Montanaro.

2. Plan Ahead

Most contracts include a home-inspection deadline, so start shopping for a home inspector when you qualify for a mortgage, suggests Salomon. This gives you time to find a qualified, professional inspector.

“An inspection will help you avoid any surprises during the buyer’s inspection,” says Richard Novak, USAA assistant vice president of home event management. Knowing the condition of your house will help you set a fair and firm price.

And in today’s tight real estate market, an inspection can give you the opportunity to make repairs that will put your home in better selling condition, making it more competitive.

3. Hire a Pro

Shop around. Ask friends, neighbors and real estate agents for recommendations. The American Society of Home Inspectors has an online database of its certified inspectors. For a list of 10 questions to ask potential hires, visit the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development website.

4. Ask to See a Sample Report

Home inspectors fill out written reports, following checklists for different areas of a house, including the roof, attic and basement. Before you hire an inspector, ask for a copy of a sample report. It should be clear and informative. Reports longer than 25 pages filled with lots of legal print (usually meant to protect the inspector against liabilities) raise a red flag, says Salomon. By the same token, he adds, a few pages aren’t enough. Look for a 15- to 20-page report.

Read the rest of this article at USAA.com.

Submitted to ASHI Facebook by ASHI Certified Inspector Bill Loden, Insight Building Inspection, Madison, Ala.

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Submitted by ASHI inspector Brett Reeder, Compass Home Inspections, LLC, Campbell, Calif.

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Submitted by ASHI inspector Randy Via, C.L. Gleich & Associates, Inc., Columbus, Ohio

Keep this popular ‘Postcards from the Field’ feature going by emailing your photos with captions to judyd@ashi.org

Photo submitted by ASHI inspector Nate Stitzlein, Crow Home Inspection, LLC, Baltimore, OH

Keep this popular ‘Postcards from the Field’ feature going by emailing your photos with captions to judyd@ashi.org.