Home Inspection Preparation With Radon Measurement
Snow Exception: If at the time of the inspection the ground and roof are snow-covered to the extent that these areas can not be visually inspected, because in my professional opinion it is unsafe and/or likely to be dangerous to me to do so due to snow and/or ice, then upon your request then I will make one return trip to the property without charge if the snow melts PRIOR to expiration of your home inspection contingency.
To avoid delays and additional fees, please be sure that you, all sale-related real estate agents, the owner and all occupants of the home agree and understand:
· The inspection will last several hours depending on the: size and age of the home, the complexity of the inspection, and the number of questions you wish to ask.
· The home inspector may arrive early and begin inspecting the exterior of the home (a drone may be used).
· All animals—even the cute friendly ones–must be removed from the premises or confined for the duration of the inspection.
These basic home inspection preparation with radon measurement tips will allow the inspection to proceed timely and completely. Failure to prepare accordingly may limit my ability to complete parts of the inspection.
1) All the utilities (electric, water, and gas) must be operational upon our arrival at the home. The inspector will NOT turn on any service person disconnect switches, utilities, valves, or circuit breakers. He will not light pilots or plug-in anything powered by electricity. There are no exceptions.
a. If the electricity is not on, I cannot test or operate the electrical system or any components powered by electricity.
b. If the water is not on, I cannot test or operate the plumbing system or any components or fixtures that use water.
c. If the gas is not on, I cannot test or operate the gas distribution system or any components powered by gas such as cooking, heating, and domestic hot water systems.
2) The electric panels must be accessible with enough room to remove for me to stand in front of the panels and remove the covers. All GFCI electric receptacles must be accessible. Post-it notes should label any hard to find GFCI resets.
3) If the heating and or air conditioning systems do not respond to the thermostat on the day of the inspection, I cannot test or operate them. a. If there is more than one thermostat in the home have post-it notes installed on each of the thermostats indicating what function each one serves and what areas of the home they service. b. It is helpful to test the heating and/or air conditioning systems BEFORE the day of the home inspection as it can prevent unfortunate surprises. Home-buyers often grow anxious when critical systems like these do not function during the home inspection.
4) All areas of the home must be readily accessible without moving storage, furniture, personal property, and the like. All crawl spaces above and below the home must be readily accessible and safe to enter (if you won’t enter I won’t either) without moving storage, furniture, personal property, and the like. The inspector will remove unpainted screws only to access the space.
5) Notice must be posted on the operating controls or faucets indicating any known defects, such as defective components, leaking pipes, and fixtures, to avoid damage during the inspection. The inspector does not accept responsibility for damage caused by such defects.
6) If a camera inspection of the sanitary sewer main is being performed, the sanitary sewer cleanout must be readily accessible.
7) If an oil tank scan is being performed, the perimeter of the home and the driveway must be accessible and free of storage and vehicles.
8) The inspector will operate the dishwasher. If you do not want the contents of the dishwasher washed, please remove them from the dishwasher.
9). The inspector will operate the oven. If you do not want the contents of the oven heated, please remove them from the oven prior to the inspection.
IN ORDER FOR RADON MEASUREMENT TO BE PERFORMED
PLEASE BE SURE YOU, SALE RELATED REAL ESTATE AGENTS, THE OWNER, AND ALL OCCUPANTS UNDERSTAND AND AGREE TO ALL OF THESE RADON MEASUREMENT PROTOCOLS:
A. ANSI-AARST Protocol for Conducting Radon Measurements in Homes requires the occupants to be advised and agree:
1. All exterior windows on all levels of the building must be kept closed. All exterior doors must be kept closed except for momentary entry and exit.
2. These “closed building conditions” must have been maintained for 12-hours prior to the start of the test as well as throughout duration of the test.
3. The thermostat must be set to normal occupied operating conditions with the temperature set between 65° and 80° F.
4. The radon test device must not be moved, covered, or tampered with.
5. High volume, whole-house, and window fans must not be operated. Fireplaces or wood stoves shall not be operated unless they are the primary heat source.
6. Excessive use of clothes dryers, range hoods and bath fans should be avoided.
B. PLEASE check with the owner to determine if there are any special places or areas where they do NOT want the radon canister placed. Unless you advise the radon measurement technician PRIOR to the moment the radon canister is placed, the canister will be placed in a location using the technician’s professional judgment in accordance with state rules and regulations. Under NO circumstances will the technician return to the site to move the canister. Once the technician leaves, the canister must remain in place undisturbed until it is picked up (up to six days later).
C. Please make sure arrangements can be made for our technician to pick the canister up within the allowable two to six-day time frame. If the canister can not be picked up another radon measurement will have to be performed for a $125.00 retesting fee.
D. Should ALL of the above-listed conditions not be maintained for the entire time the radon canister is in the home a $ 125.00 retesting fee will apply. A $ 50.00 fee will also apply for a second trip to place the radon canister if it can not be placed during the inspection for any reason.
If you have questions: Please touch to call (973) 812-5100 between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. business days and till 6 p.m. other days. A trained, full-time professional will be available to answer your questions 7 days a week.
Home Inspection Preparation for a New Jersey Home Inspection with radon measurement protocols: Our home inspection company teaches New Jersey home buyers what steps are necessary to prepare the home they are purchasing for a proper and full home inspection.