National Conference, Calgary, AB page XX

Roofing and Waterproofing Membranes Bulletin page XX

First Time Home Buyers’ Seminars page XX

L ’ I N S P E C T E U R E N B Â T I M E N T D U C A N A D A

Volume 21, Number 1 • Spring 2016

CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF HOME & PROPERTY INSPECTORSCANADA’S VOICE OF THE HOME INSPECTION INDUSTRY

LA VOIX DE L’INDUSTRIE DE L’INSPECTION DE BIENS IMMOBILIERS DU CANADAASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DES INSPECTEURS DE BIENS IMMOBILIERS

Français inclus

dans ce magazine

PM41300512

Roofing and Waterproofing

Membranes page 18

First Time Buyers’ Seminar

page 28

National Conference October 20 - 22, 2016

Calgary, AB page 11

3T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

Contents

Volume 21, Number 1 • Spring 2016

Cover Photo Credit to Calgary Tourism

o f buy ing an in f ra red camera and add ing in f ra red

s ca nn ing t o your l i s t o f s e rv i ce s?

We don’t sell cameras. We teach infrared.

Snell Infrared Canadian Training Center 556 Edward Ave, Suite 58

Richmond Hill, Ontario, L4C 9Y5 www.thesnellgroup.com

Take a training class from

The Snel l Group

Contact us a t

905 508 3305

snellcanada@thesnellgroup.com

The proper conditions and methods for conducting a scan To meet insurance company minimum certification requirements

About the various infrared camera makes and models before you buy

Nous offrons une formation en thermographie infrarouge en français au Québec!

Pour plus de renseignements, nous joindre au 514-228-5660 ou visiter notre site : www.thesnellgroup.com

Dave Bottoms, Past Editor-in-ChiefAlrek Meipoom, Founding Editor

Editorial CommitteeSharry Featherston Jean Laframboise, P. Eng., RHI Renee Vanderkuip Peter Weeks, RHI

Head OfficeCanadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors P.O. Box 76065 Morgan’s Grant PO Ottawa, ON K2W 0E1

Phone 888-748-2244

Email info@cahpi.ca

Website www.cahpi.ca

The Canadian Home Inspector magazine is published for the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors.

Circulation is via publications mail and electronic mail, to all CAHPI provincial/regional members. Please return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box 76065, Morgan’s Grant PO, Ottawa, ON. K2W 0E1

The purpose of this magazine is to provide information on all that is new and newsworthy in the home inspection profession for the benefit of CAHPI provincial/regional members.

The use of trade names in this magazine does not imply endorsement by the Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors nor does exclusion of similar products imply non-endorsement. Opinions or statements of authors and advertisers are solely their own, and do not necessarily represent the opinions or positions of CAHPI, its agents, or editor.

Please forward articles, suggestions or comments to the Editorial Commmittee c/o the above address. The Editorial Commmittee reserves the right to revise, edit, reduce and correct all copy submitted for publication.

Published by:

www.mediaedgepublishing.com

33 South Station Street,Toronto, Ontario M9N 2B2 Toll Free: 1-866-480-4717

Publisher: Robert Thompson

Senior Editor: Ali Mintenko-Crane

Sales Executive: Dawn Stokes

Sales Manager: John Pashko

Senior Graphic Design Specialist: James T. Mitchell

Graphic Design Specialist: Kelli McCutcheon

President: Kevin Brown

Senior Vice President: Robert Thompson

Branch Manager: Nancie Privé

Published March 2016

NATIONAL NEWS

5 From the Editor5 Mot de la rédactrice en chef6 Directory7 President’s Message7 Message du président8 Board Report8 Rapport du conseil d’administration11 National Conference

PROVINCIAL/REGIONAL NEWS

12 CAHPI (Alberta)12 CAHPI (Saskatchewan)12 CAHPI (Manitoba)13 CAHPI (Ontario)13 AIBQ (Quebec)13 CAHPI (Atlantic)

NOUVELLES DES PROVINCES

14 ACIBI (Alberta)14 ACIBI (Saskatchewan)14 ACIBI (Manitoba)15 ACIBI (Ontario)15 AIBQ (Québec)15 ACIBI (Atlantique)

INDUSTRY NEWS

18 Roofing and Waterproofing Membranes

TECHNICAL ARTICLES

20 Air Conditioning Capacity24 Garage Door Safety25 Deck Inspections - Part I26 Deck Inspections - Part II

MARKETING

28 People-Driven PR – First Time Buyers’ Seminar

SPECIAL FEATURES

30 Web Watch31 Gotcha! Photos from the Front

Français inclus

dans ce magazine

L’INSPECTEUR EN BÂTIMENT D U C A N A D A

Printed in Canada on FSC certified paper.

FROM THE EDITOR/MOT DE LA RÉDACTRICE EN CHEF

5T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

Welcome to the Spring 2016 edition of The Canadian Home Inspector! This issue marks the beginning of a new look for the magazine, coupled with a

new partnership to help in its development.

The Canadian Association of Home & Property Inspectors has joined forces with MediaEdge Publishing, Inc. to help in the process of creating the indispensable tool you’re reading now.

MediaEdge has been a major player in the field of custom publishing for 14+ years. Senior members of our management team have been in the industry for upward of 35 years, and some of our designers and editors upward of a decade. We are committed to helping CAHPI create a resourceful, attractive magazine that delivers everything you need and more.

The magazine will continue to be a reliable source of information and insights in assisting members to increase their expertise in the field. It will maintain its distinctly Canadian voice, and remain a consistent means of communication, delivering the latest industry news, profiles, announce-ments and feature articles.

A rolling stone gathers no moss, and we hope that you’ll agree that this partnership – and the new look of The Canadian Home Inspector – will be the best move in keeping the magazine evolving, and that it continues to be a feather in the cap of CAHPI.

Here’s to a healthy and prosperous 2016.

Alison Mintenko-Crane Senior Editor

MediaEdge Publishing, Inc.

Nous sommes heureux de vous présenter le numéro du Printemps 2016 de la revue The Canadian Home Inspector! Ce numéro marque le début d’un nouveau look pour la revue, jumelé à un nouveau partenariat pour nous aider à la produire.

L’Association canadienne des inspecteurs de biens immobiliers (ACIBI) a uni ses forces avec MediaEdge Publishing Inc. afin d’obtenir de l’aide relative-ment au processus de création de l’outil indispensable que vous êtes en train de lire.

MediaEdge est un joueur important dans le domaine de l’édition person-nalisée depuis plus de 14 ans. Les membres les plus anciens de notre équipe de direction œuvrent dans l’industrie depuis plus de 35 ans et certains de nos concepteurs et rédacteurs depuis plus d’une décennie. Nous sommes déterminés à aider l’ACIBI à créer une revue attrayante et pleine de ressources, qui vous offre tout ce dont vous avez besoin et plus encore.

La revue continuera d’être une source fiable d’information et de points de vue sur la façon d’aider les membres à accroître leur expertise dans le domaine. Elle maintiendra sa voix distinctement canadienne et demeurera un moyen de communication constant permettant de présenter les dernières nouvelles concernant l’industrie, des profils, des annonces et des articles de fond.

Pierre qui roule n’amasse pas mousse et nous espérons que vous convien-drez que ce partenariat et le nouveau look de la revue The Canadian Home Inspector constituent le meilleur coup que nous puissions faire pour assurer le maintien de l’évolution de la revue et veiller à ce qu’elle continue de faire la fierté de l’ACIBI.

Je vous souhaite à tous une année 2016 prospère et remplie de santé.

Alison Mintenko-Crane Rédactrice en chef

MediaEdge Publishing, Inc.

6 7T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE/MESSAGE DU PRÉSIDENT

This winter, the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) published the A770 Standard on Home Inspec-tion. The first question that many

inspectors will have is, “How is this going to affect me?” In the immediate future, the answer is that it won’t. While regulators and law-makers in different parts of the country have expressed interest in a home inspec-tion standard developed by CSA, any adop-tion of the standard will not be immediate.

In the meantime, I would encourage all CAHPI inspectors to make themselves familiar with the standard for a couple of reasons. First, if your provincial or territorial government is considering adopting the standard for the purposes of licensing, you should be educated enough on the standard to participate in that discussion.

More importantly, in my opinion, it’s hard to challenge the fact that the A770 Standard was developed by a balanced committee of stakeholders, including representatives of groups that are consumers of home inspections. The resulting standard defines what consumers, Realtors®, insurers and regulators would like to see included in a home inspection, balanced by what home inspec-tors have told them can be done given the limitations that are inherent in the process.

I believe that it makes good business sense for home inspectors to listen to what the market is asking us to do. This A770 Standard represents free market research for our businesses. These stake-holders have gathered together to tell us how we can each make ourselves more valuable and beneficial to them. These stakeholders are telling us what they need from the home inspection process.

Any business that listens to and serves the needs of the market is going to be more successful than a business that dictates to the market. Look at the businesses that have disappeared over the last decade simply because they became irrel-evant when the desires of the market shifted. Kodak, for example, had a 90 per cent market share of North American film sales and an 85 per cent market share in camera sales. Kodak also invented the world’s first digital camera. But they decided that they wanted to sell film instead of digital imaging, and eventually went bankrupt. Let’s listen to what the market is asking us to do. Let’s get an understanding of the market’s perception of our best value.

And let’s congratulate ourselves on the recognition that CSA has given CAHPI a role as a critical and necessary participant in the entire A770 development process.

Graham Clarke, P.Eng, RHI President, CAHPI National

Cet hiver, l’Association canadienne de normalisation (CSA) a publié la Norme A770 relative aux inspections de bâtiments. La première question que plusieurs inspecteurs se poseront est la suivante : « En quoi cette norme les concernera-t-ils? ». Dans un avenir immé-

diat, la réponse est que la norme ne modifiera pas leur façon de travailler. Bien que les organismes de réglementation et les législateurs de différentes régions du pays aient exprimé leur intérêt vis-à-vis une norme d’inspection de bâtiments élaborée par la CSA, toute adoption éventuelle de la Norme ne sera pas immédiate. Entre-temps, j’inviterais tous les inspecteurs de l’ACIBI à se familiariser avec la Norme pour deux raisons. Premièrement, si votre gouvernement provincial ou territorial envisage adopter la Norme aux fins de délivrance de permis, vous devriez avoir acquis suffisamment de connais-sances sur la Norme pour participer à cette discussion.

Mais ce qui est encore plus important, à mon avis, est que c’est difficile de contester le fait que la Norme A770 a été élaborée par un comité d’in-tervenants représentés de façon équilibrée, y compris par des groupes de consommateurs d’inspections de bâtiments. La Norme qui en découle définit ce que les consommateurs, les Courtiers immobiliers®, les assu-reurs et les organismes de réglementation aimeraient voir au cours d’une inspection de bien immobilier, en équilibre avec ce que les inspecteurs en bâtiment leur ont dit qui pouvait être fait, compte tenu des limites inhérentes au processus.

Je crois que c’est tout à fait logique d’un point de vue commercial pour les inspecteurs en bâtiment d’être à l’écoute de ce que le marché nous demande de faire. Cette Norme A770 représente une étude de marché gra-tuite pour nos entreprises. Ces intervenants se sont réunis pour nous dire comment chacun d’entre nous pouvons nous rendre plus utiles et béné-fiques pour eux. Ces intervenants nous disent quels sont leurs besoins par rapport au processus d’inspection de bien immobilier.

N’importe quelle entreprise qui écoute quels sont les besoins du marché et y répond obtiendra plus de succès qu’une entreprise qui dicte ses règles au marché. Regardez les entreprises disparues au cours de la dernière décen-nie tout simplement parce qu’elles sont devenues insignifiantes quand les

désirs du marché ont changé. Kodak, par exemple, avait une part de marché de 90 p. 100 des ventes nord-amé-ricaines de pellicule photographique et de 85 p. 100 des ventes d’appareils photo. Kodak a également inventé la première caméra numérique au monde. Mais ses diri-geants ont décidé qu’ils voulaient vendre de la pellicule au lieu de l’imagerie numérique et la société a éven-tuellement fait faillite. Écoutons ce que le marché nous demande de faire. Apprenons à comprendre la percep-tion du marché de ce qui représente la plus grande utilité que nous puissions avoir pour lui.

Et félicitons-nous pour le geste posé par la CSA, qui reconnaît l’ACIBI comme un participant crucial et nécessaire dans le processus complet d’élaboration de la Norme A770.

Graham Clarke, ingénieur, IAB Président, Bureau national de l’ACIBI

DIRECTORY

CAHPI National Directorywww.cahpi.ca – info@cahpi.ca

OFFICERS 2015-2016PRESIDENT Graham Clarke

PAST PRESIDENT Bill Sutherland

VICE PRESIDENT Peter Weeks

TREASURER Brian Hutchinson

SECRETARY Claude Dussault

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Sharry Featherston

PROVINCIAL/ REGIONAL PRESIDENTS

ALBERTA www.cahpi-ab.ca Wayne Finley

SASKATCHEWAN www.cahpi-sk.org Dave Novak

MANITOBA www.cahpi.mb.ca Greg Heschuk

ONTARIO www.oahi.com Murray Parish

QUEBEC www.aibq.qc.ca Pascal Parent

ATLANTIC www.cahpi-atl.com Mike Guihan

DIRECTORS 2015-2016CAHPI ALBERTA Wayne Finley Ron McDougall

CAHPI SASKATCHEWAN Jim Nichols

CAHPI MANITOBA Earle Johnson

OAHI/CAHPI ONTARIO Robert Cornish Murray Parish Peter Weeks

AIBQ/CAHPI QUEBEC Philip Barry Claude Dussault

CAHPI ATLANTIC Brian Hutchinson

NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIRS

CHI MAGAZINE COMMITTEE Sharry Featherston

NATIONAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE Ron McDougall

WEBSITE ADMINISTRATION Sharry Featherston

BY-LAW & POLICY COMMITTEE Brian Hutchinson

ETHICS COMMITTEE Peter Weeks

PR COMMITTEE Brian Hutchinson

ASHI LIAISON TO CAHPI Stephen Gladstone

CAHPI LIAISON TO ASHI Graham Clarke

NATIONAL RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Bill Sutherland

Advertising DirectoryPlease support our advertisers

Page Company

30 3D Inspections www.3dinspection.com

21 Biomation www.biomation.com/radon

29 BFL CANADA Insurance Services Inc. www.bflcanada.ca

32 Carson Dunlop & Associates www.carsondunlop.com/horizon

4 EMSL Canada, Inc. www.emslcanada.ca

16 FLIR Systems & 17 www.flir.ca

5 HomeGauge www.homegauge.com

9 HUB International Ontario Limited www.hubinternational.com/ontario/

2 The Snell Group www.thesnellgroup.com

10 URS Insurance Brokers www.ursinsurance.com

*If you are viewing an electronic version of this issue on the CAHPI website, please click on these listings for active links to the advertisers’ web sites.

NOW AVAILABLE - MAINTENANT DISPONIBLE

Visit/Vistez: www.shop.csa.ca

Search/Recherche: CAN/CSA-A770-16

8 T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

Reflecting on the current value of our loonie, I find myself remin-iscing about my younger years when the price of gas was 50

cents per gallon. I asked myself “What can we get for fifty cents now?” The answer is... nothing! Well, actually no. It pays your CAHPI membership. Perhaps we have all taken for granted how far 50 cents a day goes with CAHPI, and we at National may not have communicated that well. For 50

cents a day you get the use of the nationally recognized CAHPI logo, the trademarks, the CAHPI branding, the National Stan-dards of Practice, the Code of Ethics, the National Occupational Standard, the CAHPI National Conference, The Canadian Home Inspector magazine, The CAHPI Inspector newsbrief, the Online Members Technical Library, the CAHPI National website link “Find a home inspector” and more. It is worth noting that just one inspection more than pays for your membership.

As a CAHPI member, we are part of the CAHPI family with over 1,000 members across Canada. CAHPI is the recognized leader of our industry. CAHPI National is approached by government institu-tions, stakeholders, media, and the public because we are recog-nized as the “Voice” and “Leader” of the Home Inspection industry.

In late 2015, CAHPI National created two electronic document libraries to enhance communications with both the provincial/regional board members and the provincial membership. The Public Relations (PR) Committee is working on member retention and recruitment by providing an Affiliate Program with nationally sponsored agreements. The target launch for the program is Spring/Summer of 2016. Also in an effort to enhance member services, CAHPI has partnered with MediaEdge Publishing Inc. They are a leader in providing communication solutions for mem-bership-driven organizations. The main objective of producing a high quality magazine has not changed; each issue will continue to include informative and valuable content for our members. We welcome your feedback on the new format via info@cahpi.ca.

In January, our National President Graham Clarke, attended the ASHI Board meeting prior to the 2016 Inspection World Conference held in San Diego. Graham was also invited to deliver an educational session. We continue to share a special and long-standing relation-ship with ASHI as leaders of the industry in North America.

Hope to see you all from October 20th through 22nd at the 2016 CAHPI National Conference hosted by CAHPI Alberta at the Sheraton Cavalier in Calgary. For full details visit www.cahpinational.org.

Claude Dussault, RHI CAHPI Director, Secretary

BOARD REPORT/RAPPORT DU CONSEIL D’ADMINISTRATION

Lorsque je pense à la valeur actuelle de notre dollar, je ne peux m’empêcher d’évoquer mes souvenirs de jeunesse alors que le prix de l’essence était de 50 cents le gallon. Je me suis posé la question suivante : « Que puis-je obtenir pour 50 cents aujourd’hui? » La réponse est… rien! Enfin, ce n’est

pas tout à fait vrai; ça paie votre adhésion à l’ACIBI. Peut-être avons-nous tous pris pour acquis jusqu’où la somme de 50 cents par jour peut nous mener avec l’ACIBI et nous, les membres du Bureau national, n’avons peut-être pas bien communiqué ce fait. Pour 50 cents par jour, vous obtenez le privilège d’utiliser le logo, les marques de commerce et l’image de marque de l’ACIBI reconnus à l’échelle nationale, la Norme nationale de pratique, le Code de déontologie et la Norme professionnelle nationale et vous avez accès au Congrès national de l’ACIBI, à la revue The Cana-dian Home Inspector, au bulletin d’information The CAHPI Inspector newsbrief, à la bibliothèque technique en ligne destinée aux membres, au lien « Trouvez un inspecteur en bâtiment » du site Web du Bureau national de l’ACIBI et à d’autres avantages. Il est à noter qu’une seule inspection vous donne plus d’argent qu’il vous faut pour payer votre adhésion.

À titre de membre de l’ACIBI, nous faisons partie de la famille de l’ACIBI, qui compte plus de 1 000 membres à l’échelle du Canada. Elle se veut le chef de file reconnu de notre industrie. Le Bureau national de l’ACIBI se fait approcher par diverses institutions gouvernementales, divers intervenants, les médias et le public parce que nous sommes reconnus comme la « voix » et le « chef de file » de l’industrie de l’inspection de biens immobiliers.

Vers la fin de 2015, le Bureau national de l’ACIBI a mis en œuvre deux biblio-thèques de documents électroniques visant à améliorer les communications avec les membres des conseils provinciaux/régionaux et les membres provinciaux. Le Comité des relations publiques (RP) travaille sur le recrutement et la conservation de membres en offrant un Programme d’affiliation au moyen d’accords parrainés par des instances nationales. Le lancement est prévu au printemps ou à l’été 2016. De plus, dans le cadre d’un effort visant à améliorer les services aux membres, l’ACIBI a conclu une entente de partenariat avec MediaEdge Publishing Inc. Cette entre-prise est un chef de file dans la fourniture de solutions en matière de communication aux organismes dirigés par leurs membres. L’objectif principal lié à la production d’une revue de haute qualité n’a pas changé : chaque numéro continuera d’offrir du contenu instructif et utile à nos membres. Vos commentaires sur le nouveau format sont les bienvenus. Veuillez nous les communiquer à l’adresse suivante :

info@cahpi.ca.

En janvier, notre président national, Graham Clarke, a assisté à la réunion du conseil d’administration de l’ASHI juste avant la Conférence InspectionWorld de 2016, tenue à San Diego. Graham a également été invité à présenter une séance éducative. Nous avons une relation et des antécédents spéciaux qui remontent à un bon bout de temps avec l’ASHI et nous continuons de renforcer notre relation avec elle à titre de chefs de file de l’industrie en Amérique du Nord.

J’espère tous vous voir du 20 au 22 octobre au Congrès national de l’ACIBI 2016 organisé par l’ACIBI Alberta à l’hôtel Shera-ton Cavalier à Calgary. Veuillez consulter l’adresse suivante pour obtenir tous les détails : www.cahpinational.org.

Claude Dussault, inspecteur agréé Directeur et secrétaire de l’ACIBI

HOME Inspect Plus Insurance Program Providing specialized insurance for your protection

About Hub: Hub International is one of the leading insurance brokerages in North America. Because of our breadth of insuranceknowledge, many different types of programs have been created by teams of experienced insurance specialists. For this reason, the Home Inspect Plus program has been developed for home inspectors. Home Inspect Plus is a newCanadian program that offers coverage’s that are tailored to the needs of your business.

Service: Hub prides itself on its ongoing interest in serving our customers better. In doing so, we have created a specializedservice team that is dedicated to providing our customers with prompt, efficient service. Their vast knowledge andexperience in the insurance industry allows them to serve any of your insurance needs. If at any time you haveinquiries or concerns, the team is available for consultation. Our commitment is to work for you to ensure yoursatisfaction.

Coverage’s: Home Inspect Plus has been created to provide specialized Professional Liability, Commercial General Liability (optional) and Crime coverage’s. This will provide you with insurance to meet your needs.

Claims: Insurance is the promise of indemnity. The true measure of an insurance broker is the ability to respond quickly andadequately to losses suffered by their clients and deliver on this promise. Our claims manager is a critical tool forexpert technical assistance and will be an asset in the event of a loss. At Hub, we recognize that each loss isunique.

For more information, please contact:

Kim Smith

HUB International Ontario Limited insurance · financial services2265 Upper Middle Road East Suite 700, Oakville, Ontario L6H 0G5 Direct 905-582-7067

Toll Free 800-263-2383 kim.smith@hubinternational.com Fax: 905-847-6613www.hubinternational.com

HOME Inspect Plus Insurance Program Providing specialized insurance for your protection

About Hub: Hub International is one of the leading insurance brokerages in North America. Because of our breadth of insurance knowledge, many different types of programs have been created by teams of experienced insurance specialists. For this reason, the Home Inspect Plus program has been developed for home inspectors. Home Inspect Plus is a new Canadian program that offers coverages that are tailored to the needs of your business. Service: Hub prides itself on its ongoing interest in serving our customers better. In doing so, we have created a specialized service team that is dedicated to providing our customers with prompt, efficient service. Their vast knowledge and experience in the insurance industry allows them to serve any of your insurance needs. If at any time you have inquiries or concerns, the team is available for consultation. Our commitment is to work for you to ensure your satisfaction. Coverages: Home Inspect Plus has been created to provide specialized Professional Liability, Commercial General Liability (optional) and Crime coverages. This will provide you with insurance to meet your needs. Claims: Insurance is the promise of indemnity. The true measure of an insurance broker is the ability to respond quickly and adequately to losses suffered by their clients and deliver on this promise. Our claims manager is a critical tool for expert technical assistance and will be an asset in the event of a loss. At Hub, we recognize that each loss is unique. For more information, please contact:

Kim Smith

HUB International Ontario Limited insurance · financial services 2265 Upper Middle Road East Suite 700, Oakville, Ontario L6H 0G5 Direct 905-582-7067 Toll Free 800-263-2383 kim.smith@hubinternational.com Fax: 905-847-6613 www.hubinternational.com

HOME Inspect Plus Insurance Program Providing specialized insurance for your protection

About Hub: Hub International is one of the leading insurance brokerages in North America. Because of our breadth of insuranceknowledge, many different types of programs have been created by teams of experienced insurance specialists. For this reason, the Home Inspect Plus program has been developed for home inspectors. Home Inspect Plus is a newCanadian program that offers coverage’s that are tailored to the needs of your business.

Service: Hub prides itself on its ongoing interest in serving our customers better. In doing so, we have created a specializedservice team that is dedicated to providing our customers with prompt, efficient service. Their vast knowledge andexperience in the insurance industry allows them to serve any of your insurance needs. If at any time you haveinquiries or concerns, the team is available for consultation. Our commitment is to work for you to ensure yoursatisfaction.

Coverage’s: Home Inspect Plus has been created to provide specialized Professional Liability, Commercial General Liability (optional) and Crime coverage’s. This will provide you with insurance to meet your needs.

Claims: Insurance is the promise of indemnity. The true measure of an insurance broker is the ability to respond quickly andadequately to losses suffered by their clients and deliver on this promise. Our claims manager is a critical tool forexpert technical assistance and will be an asset in the event of a loss. At Hub, we recognize that each loss isunique.

For more information, please contact:

Kim Smith

HUB International Ontario Limited insurance · financial services2265 Upper Middle Road East Suite 700, Oakville, Ontario L6H 0G5 Direct 905-582-7067

Toll Free 800-263-2383 kim.smith@hubinternational.com Fax: 905-847-6613www.hubinternational.com

HOME Inspect Plus Insurance Program Providing specialized insurance for your protection

About Hub: Hub International is one of the leading insurance brokerages in North America. Because of our breadth of insurance knowledge, many different types of programs have been created by teams of experienced insurance specialists. For this reason, the Home Inspect Plus program has been developed for home inspectors. Home Inspect Plus is a new Canadian program that offers coverages that are tailored to the needs of your business. Service: Hub prides itself on its ongoing interest in serving our customers better. In doing so, we have created a specialized service team that is dedicated to providing our customers with prompt, efficient service. Their vast knowledge and experience in the insurance industry allows them to serve any of your insurance needs. If at any time you have inquiries or concerns, the team is available for consultation. Our commitment is to work for you to ensure your satisfaction. Coverages: Home Inspect Plus has been created to provide specialized Professional Liability, Commercial General Liability (optional) and Crime coverages. This will provide you with insurance to meet your needs. Claims: Insurance is the promise of indemnity. The true measure of an insurance broker is the ability to respond quickly and adequately to losses suffered by their clients and deliver on this promise. Our claims manager is a critical tool for expert technical assistance and will be an asset in the event of a loss. At Hub, we recognize that each loss is unique. For more information, please contact:

Kim Smith

HUB International Ontario Limited insurance · financial services 2265 Upper Middle Road East Suite 700, Oakville, Ontario L6H 0G5 Direct 905-582-7067 Toll Free 800-263-2383 kim.smith@hubinternational.com Fax: 905-847-6613 www.hubinternational.com

HOME Inspect Plus Insurance Program Providing specialized insurance for your protection

About Hub: Hub International is one of the leading insurance brokerages in North America. Because of our breadth of insuranceknowledge, many different types of programs have been created by teams of experienced insurance specialists. For this reason, the Home Inspect Plus program has been developed for home inspectors. Home Inspect Plus is a newCanadian program that offers coverage’s that are tailored to the needs of your business.

Service: Hub prides itself on its ongoing interest in serving our customers better. In doing so, we have created a specializedservice team that is dedicated to providing our customers with prompt, efficient service. Their vast knowledge andexperience in the insurance industry allows them to serve any of your insurance needs. If at any time you haveinquiries or concerns, the team is available for consultation. Our commitment is to work for you to ensure yoursatisfaction.

Coverage’s: Home Inspect Plus has been created to provide specialized Professional Liability, Commercial General Liability (optional) and Crime coverage’s. This will provide you with insurance to meet your needs.

Claims: Insurance is the promise of indemnity. The true measure of an insurance broker is the ability to respond quickly andadequately to losses suffered by their clients and deliver on this promise. Our claims manager is a critical tool forexpert technical assistance and will be an asset in the event of a loss. At Hub, we recognize that each loss isunique.

For more information, please contact:

Kim Smith

HUB International Ontario Limited insurance · financial services2265 Upper Middle Road East Suite 700, Oakville, Ontario L6H 0G5 Direct 905-582-7067

Toll Free 800-263-2383 kim.smith@hubinternational.com Fax: 905-847-6613www.hubinternational.com

HOME Inspect Plus Insurance Program Providing specialized insurance for your protection

About Hub: Hub International is one of the leading insurance brokerages in North America. Because of our breadth of insurance knowledge, many different types of programs have been created by teams of experienced insurance specialists. For this reason, the Home Inspect Plus program has been developed for home inspectors. Home Inspect Plus is a new Canadian program that offers coverages that are tailored to the needs of your business. Service: Hub prides itself on its ongoing interest in serving our customers better. In doing so, we have created a specialized service team that is dedicated to providing our customers with prompt, efficient service. Their vast knowledge and experience in the insurance industry allows them to serve any of your insurance needs. If at any time you have inquiries or concerns, the team is available for consultation. Our commitment is to work for you to ensure your satisfaction. Coverages: Home Inspect Plus has been created to provide specialized Professional Liability, Commercial General Liability (optional) and Crime coverages. This will provide you with insurance to meet your needs. Claims: Insurance is the promise of indemnity. The true measure of an insurance broker is the ability to respond quickly and adequately to losses suffered by their clients and deliver on this promise. Our claims manager is a critical tool for expert technical assistance and will be an asset in the event of a loss. At Hub, we recognize that each loss is unique. For more information, please contact:

Kim Smith

HUB International Ontario Limited insurance · financial services 2265 Upper Middle Road East Suite 700, Oakville, Ontario L6H 0G5 Direct 905-582-7067 Toll Free 800-263-2383 kim.smith@hubinternational.com Fax: 905-847-6613 www.hubinternational.com www.hubinternational.com/ontario

DON’T MISS THIS YEAR’S CONFERENCE!* Choose from technical and business workshops* Exhibitor and Product Showcase with specialized

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REGISTER EARLY$695 + GST All InclusivePackage details and registration available online at www.cahpinational.org

EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPSYou will be able to choose from Workshops designed to help you grow your technical and business knowledgeWorkshop topics Electrical Code Changes, Plumbing, Roofing, Growing Your Business … and many more

WORKING AND LEARNING TOGETHER

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2016CAHPI NATIONAL CONFERENCEOCTOBER 20 - 22, 2016 - CALGARY, ALBERTA

WELCOMEWith great excitement we invite you to Calgary, Alberta.

Come to the 2016 Conference to exchange knowledge and experience with other home inspectors from all across Canada. Meet old friends and make some new ones, enjoy excellent educational sessions, food and activities.

Don’t miss these great networking and educational opportunities. 2016 CAHPI Alberta Conference Committee.

ACCOMMODATIONSSheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel 2620 – 32nd Ave Calgary, AB T1Y 6B8 www.sheratoncavaliercalgary.comThe Sheraton Cavalier Calgary Hotel is conveniently located 15 minutes from the Calgary Airport. The Sheraton Cavalier offers quick access to all of the best things to do in Calgary, both around Calgary Airport and downtown Calgary.The Conference room rate from: $134.00

“Book Early”Book your room by phone: 1-877-298-2066Group Code: CAHPIHotel rate guaranteed until October 1, 2016Car rental and free hotel shuttle service is available at the Calgary Airport, free hotel parking

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20AfternoonRegistration OpensEvening6:00 pm Exhibitor’s Hall OpensExhibitor’s Reception

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21BreakfastExhibits open all dayOpening CeremoniesKeynote Speaker – Mental Toughness – Debra deWaalEducational Sessions throughout morning & afternoonLunchPresident’s ReceptionBanquet and Entertainment - Comedian – Ken Valgardson

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22BreakfastExhibits open all dayEducational Sessions throughout morning & afternoonLunchClosing

See full Conference Details

www.cahpinational.org

SCHEDULE

10 T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

April 10 to April 16, 2016 is National Volunteer Week, a time to celebrate and thank Canada’s 12.7 million volunteers.

CAHPI is proud to say thank you to these incredible Canadians and all our association volunteers as we look forward to celebrating their work during National Volunteer Week.

Volunteers are the roots of strong communities. Just like roots are essential for trees to bloom, volunteers are essential for communities to boom. Thanks to volunteers, our communities grow strong and resilient. Even the tiniest volunteer effort leaves a profound and lasting trace in our communities and associations.

THANK YOU… VOLUNTEERS

E & O and GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE FOR CANADIAN INSPECTORS

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Arranging Insurance for Property Inspectors Since 1994

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We know your business

If interested in volunteering with the CAHPI National Association, you can reach us at info@cahpi.ca

Our Provincial conference was held in Red Deer on March 4th and 5th. We extended a special invitation to CAHPI Saskatchewan and CAHPI Manitoba members to attend.

We are very satisfied with the results of our membership renewals thus far. We remain ahead of the competition even though we’re seeing new home inspection associations being formed.

We are looking forward to an interesting year in the home inspection industry. Due to the downturn in the Alberta economy, our members have reported a higher than usual decline in the number of inspections over the winter but are happy to be reporting improved business now.

CAHPI Alberta is very excited about hosting the 2016 National Conference in Calgary from the 20th to the 22nd of October. We are working very hard to organize a great event, at an affordable price. We look forward to everyone attending. Full conference details are available on the conference website (www.cahpinational.org).

Wayne Finley, RHI President, CAHPI(AB)

The beginning of 2016 has something in common with the end of 2015; slower than normal activity levels! In Saskatchewan, we are reverting to a time of cautious optimism and slower but more steady growth in home sales. This trend will likely mean fewer inspec-tions for our members.

In December 2015, CAHPI Saskatchewan elected the following members to its Board:

Dave Novak, President; Mark Hillbig, Vice President; Greg Kindred, Treasurer; Dave Andrew, Secretary; Jim Nichols, Keith Heck, Members at Large

Thank you gentlemen for stepping up!!

Unfortunately, we have had a reduction in membership with a few members applying for retired member’s status. We will therefore focus on recruitment to maintain a strong CAHPI presence in Saskatchewan.

With a new federal government, low resource prices and a weak Canadian dollar, I believe this year will be an economic challenge throughout Canada, and of course this includes Saskatchewan. Just how much all of these factors will affect the real estate market and the inspection industry remains to be seen. Hang in there, boys, brighter days are ahead!

Curtis Beaudry CAHPI (SK)

The Manitoba Provincial Government approached CAHPI(MB) to review the New Home Warranty draft proposal. CAHPI(MB) provided input; the New Home Warranty Act has now been approved and the legislation will come into effect January 2017. This Act will provide the consumer with greater protection and help verify the skills and credentials of the home builders in the province.

The real estate market continues to be quite active; the call for home inspections was higher than usual for the winter. Market fore-casts are looking favourable.

The CAHPI(MB) budget was presented and passed in late January. Focus for this year is again on advertising and membership recruitment. We receive regular inquiries concerning membership criteria and educational training courses. Several new candidates have recently joined, and we have several candidates that will soon be earning their Associate membership status. We are anticipating that 2016 will continue to show strong growth in membership.

Greg Heschuk, RHI President, CAHPI (MB)

SASKATCHEWAN NEWS

MANITOBA NEWS

The OAHI 2016 Annual General Meeting was held on Friday, March 4, 2016. The election results for the 2016/2017 Directors and Officers can be viewed at www.oahi.com. A successful OAHI/CAHPI-ON 2016 Educational Conference followed on March 5 and 6. Many new educational presenters and exhibitors filled the Conference schedule. A big thank you to the conference Chair and committee; your many volunteer hours are greatly appreciated.

Nicole Proietti has been promoted to Administrator/Registrar. Fifth & Park has been contracted for Public Relations; they have produced both the 2015 and the 2016 Educational Conferences.

The Board of Examiners held the first online Defect Recognition and Reporting Course. Baseline courses required for OAHI Members can now be obtained online through OAHI’s new affiliate program with Carson Dunlop.

Murray Parish, RHI President, OAHI/CAHPI Ontario

QUEBEC NEWS

ATLANTIC NEWS

ONTARIO NEWS

I guess we are all a little apprehensive this year given the state of the economy, which makes for some uncertainty. This year we will invest substantial effort and money in a communications strategy including television commercials with messaging across the province. It is our hope that the AIBQ becomes a household name just like the iconic Canadian coffee shop.

We have several important ongoing projects, one of which is the retention-based insurance which will come to fruition in the next couple of months. The principle of the arrangement with the insurer is that in exchange for lower premiums, the association will assume risks for cases having claims of less than $15,000. It is our view that with time, we will be able to offer our members a stable and reliable insurance program with lower premiums.

Claude Dussault, RHI Vice President, AIBQ

It is an amazing profession that we’re in, and it’s growing beyond pre-purchase inspections. CAHPI Atlantic members recognize this, and are exploring the various options available to grow their businesses; it’s about knowledge and the ability to use that knowledge to help our clients.

We have had a few members retire or leave for other pursuits, but we have also had new members join, enough to balance enrolment.

The organization of the 2017 National Conference is progressing well thanks to our Chair, Mike Hogan. Our volunteer administration led by Lawrence Englehart, Peter Lewis and Armand Dufresne is ensuring that CAHPI Atlantic continues to be well managed and member-friendly.

In April, we will meet in Moncton. This meeting will include a test inspection with peer review (TIPR) and various training sessions as well as a business session. Our members continue to strongly support CAHPI National and its efforts to further the recognition of CAHPI members as the leaders in our field.

Mike Guihan, RHI President, CAHPI (ATL)

12 13T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

PROVINCIAL / REGIONAL NEWSPROVINCIAL / REGIONAL NEWS

ALBERTA NEWS

Notre Congrès provincial a eu lieu à Red Deer les 4 et 5 mars. Nous avons envoyé une invitation spéciale aux membres de l’ACIBI Saskatchewan et de l’ACIBI Manitoba pour qu’ils y assistent.

Nous sommes très satisfaits des résultats des renouvellements d’adhésion de nos membres à venir jusqu’ici. Nous gardons une longueur d’avance sur la concurrence même si nous voyons de nouvelles associations d’inspection de biens immobiliers se former dans la province.

Nous espérons que l’année sera intéressante dans l’industrie de l’inspection de biens immobiliers. En raison du ralentissement de l’économie de l’Alberta, nos membres ont signalé une diminution plus élevée que d’habitude du nombre d’inspections durant l’hiver, mais nous sommes heureux de vous faire savoir que les affaires vont mieux maintenant.

L’ACIBI Alberta est enthousiaste à l’idée d’être l’hôte du Congrès national 2016 qui aura lieu à Calgary, du 20 au 22 octobre. Nous travaillons très fort pour organiser un événement mémorable, à un prix abordable. Nous espérons que tout le monde y assistera. Des détails complets sont disponibles sur le site Web du Congrès à l’adresse suivante : www.cahpinational.org.

Wayne Finley, IAB Président, ACIBI (Alberta)

NOUVELLES DE LA SASKATCHEWAN

NOUVELLES DU MANITOBA

L’Assemblée générale annuelle 2016 de l’OAHI a été tenue le vendredi, 4 mars 2016. Les résultats de l’élection de ses administra-teurs et dirigeants pour 2016-2017 se trouvent sur le site Web (www.oahi.com). Une conférence éducative 2016 de l’OAHI / l’ACIBI (Ontario) couronnée de succès a suivi les 5 et 6 mars. Plusieurs nouveaux conférenciers appelés à présenter des séances éduca-tives et exposants ont rempli le programme du Congrès. Merci beaucoup au président et au comité organisateur du Congrès; nous sommes très reconnaissants pour vos nombreuses heures de bénévolat!

Nicole Proietti a été promue administratrice/registraire. La société Fifth & Park s’est vue confier la responsabilité des relations publiques en sous-traitance et elle a produit les conférences éducatives de 2015 et 2016.

Le Bureau des examinateurs a tenu son premier cours sur la reconnaissance des défauts et la présentation de rapports sur ceux-ci en ligne. Les cours de base que doivent obligatoirement suivre les membres de l’OAHI peuvent dorénavant être obtenus en ligne par le biais du nouveau programme d’affiliation de l’OAHI conclu avec la société Carson Dunlop.

Murray Parish, IAB Président, OAHI/ACIBI Ontario

NOUVELLES DU QUÉBEC

NOUVELLES DE L’ATLANTIQUE

NOUVELLES DE L’ONTARIO

Je suppose que nous sommes tous un peu inquiets cette année en raison de l’état de l’économie, qui crée un certain climat d’incertitude. Cette année, nous investirons une quantité importante d’effort et d’argent dans une stratégie de communication, y compris des annonces publicitaires à la télé comportant des messages communiqués à l’échelle de la province. Nous espérons que le sigle de l’AIBQ deviendra un nom connu, comme celui du célèbre marchand canadien de beignes et de café que tout le monde connaît!

Nous avons plusieurs projets importants en cours, un d’entre eux étant celui de la franchise auto-assurée, qui se concrétisera au courant des deux prochains mois. Le principe de l’entente avec l’assureur est qu’en échange de primes plus basses, l’Association assumera les risques en cas de demandes d’indemnités de moins de 15 000 $. À notre avis, au fil du temps, nous serons en mesure d’offrir un programme d’assurance sûr et stable à nos membres moyennant des primes moins élevées.

Claude Dussault, IAB Vice-président, AIBQ

NOUVELLES DES PROVINCESNOUVELLES DES PROVINCES

NOUVELLES DE L’ALBERTA

L’année 2016 a commencé exactement comme l’année 2015 s’est terminée, soit par un ralentissement! En Saskatchewan, nous semblons suivre une tendance vers le retour à la « normale », c.-à-d. une période d’optimisme prudent et de croissance lente mais plus stable, ce qui se traduira probablement par une quantité moindre de demandes d’inspections dans l’ensemble.

En décembre 2015, l’ACIBI Saskatchewan a procédé à l’élection des membres de son conseil d’administration :

Dave Novak, président; Mark Hillbig, vice-président; Greg Kindred, trésorier; Dave Andrew, secrétaire; Jim Nichols, Keith Heck, membres à titre personnel

Merci messieurs d’assumer ces responsabilités importantes!!

Malheureusement, nous avons connu une réduction du nombre de membres, quelques-uns de nos membres ayant présenté une demande d’obtention du statut de membre retraité. Nous mettrons l’accent sur le recrutement de membres afin de maintenir une forte présence de l’ACIBI en Saskatchewan.

Avec un nouveau gouvernement fédéral, le bas prix des ressources et la faible valeur du dollar canadien, je crois que ce sera un défi économique au dans l’ensemble du Canada, y compris en Saskatchewan cette année. Il reste à voir à quel point ces facteurs influ-enceront le marché immobilier et l’industrie de l’inspection. Lâchez pas, les gars, des jours meilleurs nous attendent!

Curtis Beaudry ACIBI (Saskatchewan)

Le gouvernement provincial du Manitoba a approché l’ACIBI (Manitoba) pour lui demander de réviser le projet de proposition concer-nant la garantie des maisons neuves. L’ACIBI (Manitoba) a répondu et la Loi sur la garantie des maisons neuves est maintenant approuvée et la législation entrera en vigueur en janvier 2017. Cette Loi offrira une plus grande protection au consommateur et aidera à vérifier les compétences et les titres de compétences des constructeurs d’habitations dans la province.

Le marché immobilier continue d’être passablement actif; la demande d’inspections de biens immobiliers a été plus grande que d’habitude pendant l’hiver. Les prévisions concernant le marché semblent favorables.

Le budget de l’ACIBI (Manitoba) a été présenté et adopté à la fin de janvier. L’accent sera mis encore cette année sur la publicité et le recrutement de membres. Nous recevons régulièrement des demandes de renseignements concernant les critères d’adhésion et les cours de formation pédagogique. Plusieurs nouveaux candidats se sont joints à nous récemment et nous avons plusieurs candidats qui obtien-dront bientôt leur statut de membre associé. Nous prévoyons que la forte croissance du nombre de membres se poursuivra en 2016.

Greg Heschuk, IAB Président, ACIBI (Manitoba)

C’est un métier formidable que nous pratiquons et il évolue en allant plus loin que les inspections préalables à l’achat. Les membres de l’ACIBI Atlantique reconnaissent ce fait et examinent de près les diverses options qui s’offrent à eux pour assurer la croissance de leurs entreprises; tout est une question de connaissances et de capacité à utiliser ces connaissances pour aider nos clients.

Nous avons quelques membres qui ont pris leur retraite ou qui ont quitté le domaine de l’inspection pour se livrer à d’autres activités, mais quelques nouveaux membres se sont joints à nous, en quantité suffisante pour maintenir le nombre d’adhésions à l’équilibre.

L’organisation du Congrès national de 2017 progresse bien grâce à notre président du Congrès, Mike Hogan. Notre administration bénévole, dirigée par Lawrence Englehart, Peter Lewis et Armand Dufresne, veille à ce que l’ACIBI Atlantique continue d’être bien gérée et demeure conviviale pour ses membres.

En avril, nous allons nous réunis à Moncton. Cette réunion comprendra une évaluation d’inspection avec examen par les pairs (EIEP) et diverses séances de formation, de même qu’une séance de travail. Nos membres continuent d’appuyer fermement le Bureau national de l’ACIBI et ses efforts visant à promouvoir la reconnaissance des membres de l’ACIBI à titre de chefs de file dans notre domaine.

Mike Guihan, IAB Président, ACIBI Atlantique

14 15T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

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18 19T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

INDUSTRY NEWS INDUSTRY NEWS

Although roofing and waterproofing are similar, there are important distinc-tions between them that must be considered by designers, architects and contractors. To add to the complexity between roofing and waterproofing, the National Building Code does not provide a clear definition of waterproofing.

Roofing and waterproofing membranes are used on decks as barriers to moisture entry into the spaces below. Both share some similar functional requirements, but others are quite different. For optimal performance it is important to understand the different loads and stresses waterproofing sys-tems are exposed to when compared to roofing systems.

Waterproofing can be defined as the treatment of a surface or structure to prevent the passage of water under hydrostatic pressure. The non-exposed waterproofing membrane is used to protect walls, floors, and tunnels below grade from ground water and to protect spaces below plaza decks that are on or below grade. It is also used to isolate wet spaces, such as shower stalls and mechanical rooms from other areas of the building and to contain water in pools, planters and trenches.

Water lying on or against any surface exerts pressure, which increases in direct proportion to an increase in depth. Water has a unit weight of 9.8 kilonewtons per cubic metre (62.4 lb/ft³). Water exerts force and pressure against the walls of a container, be it the vertical walls or horizontal floor. There is a difference between force and pressure. Pressure is defined as the force per unit area. In SI units, pressure is expressed in kilopascals (kPa) and in imperial (U.S.) units it is usually expressed in pounds per square inch (psi) and 1 kPa is equal to 0.145 psi. One pound per square inch (6.8 kPa) is approximately equal to 2.31 ft (0.7 m) of water height (column of water), no matter how big around or square the column is. One foot (300 mm) of water height is approximately equal to 0.434 psi (3 kPa).

The hydrostatic head to which any structure is subjected to affects the rate of moisture penetration. The most effective means of waterproofing any structure is the removal of the “head of water” by providing drainage. When this cannot be accomplished, waterproofing is required to prevent moisture entry. The waterproofing system selected needs to be capable of withstand-ing all the anticipated loads that will be acting upon it.

Waterproofing may also be used to treat an exposed surface to prevent the passage of, and deterioration from, water into or through an underlying structure (typically concrete) without the presence of hydrostatic pressure. These surfaces are generally designed for pedestrian or vehicular traffic such as parking garages and bridges. The waterproofing may be exposed, and act not only to prevent water transmission, but also serve as a wear and traffic surface. These surface waterproofing membranes must, similar to roofing membranes, be UV resistant and withstand varying environmental conditions. Surface waterproofing membranes are designed with specific performance properties in mind to address a range of applications resisting abrasion from pedestrian or vehicular traffic. For structures below grade, the shear action of the water and the soil should be considered in addition to hydrostatic pressure. Adequate protection must be provided against the combined thrust of water, soil and shear action. The significance of these

forces can be understood by calculating the force exerted by a column of water. The thrust at the bottom of a 20 ft (6 m) column is approximately 8.7 psi (60 kPa). It should be remembered that pressure in a continuous volume of water is the same at all points at the same depth and the pressure at any point acts in all directions at the same magnitude acting equally vertically against a slab or horizontally against a wall.

Another force affecting waterproofing below grade results from freezing of the ground water. Heaving soil can cause a shear action against the founda-tion and the waterproofing membrane protecting it. Waterproofing mem-branes are designed to prevent the ingress of water. They are not expected to resist the considerable loads they may be subjected to without adequate structural support. The waterproofing needs to be fully supported and in inti-mate contact with the structure to which it is attached. Any voids between the membrane and the supporting structure are locations of weakness that can adversely affect performance. Full adhesion will also limit moisture migration should a breach in the waterproofing occur.

The conditions of service for a waterproofing membrane differ from those of a roof. As a result, those physical properties that are important for a waterproofing application are not necessarily the same as those properties required for roofing. The following summarizes some of these differences.

1. The waterproofing is expected to perform for the life of the building. It is typically impractical, and cost prohibitive to excavate around foundation walls or dig up slabs below grade to replace or repair the waterproofing membrane. Unlike a roofing membrane, waterproofing membranes should be designed and built to provide maintenance free service, often for the life of the building on which it is applied. Roofs are typically easier to access and repair should problems occur.

2. The waterproofing needs to perform in a constantly wet environment. Depending on the amount and level of water in the ground, the waterproof-ing membrane can be in constant contact with ground water and wet soil. Roof systems, if properly constructed with adequate slope to drains are usually only exposed to water for a short time. In addition, the hydrostatic pressure that they are subjected to is much less than that experienced by waterproofing membranes. Even a ponded and poorly drained roof with 2 inches (50 mm) of surface water is only subjected to a pressure of approxi-mately 0.07 psi (0.5 kPa).

3. The waterproofing barrier needs to resist ground chemicals. The contaminants to which waterproofing is exposed to differ from those on a roof. Soil often contains acids, alkalies, salts and a variety of other contaminants that cause degradation of the waterproofing materials. The waterproofing system selected should be able to resist exposure to these chemicals over its expected service life. Although some roofs are exposed to contaminants from effluence exhausted onto the roof, their composition is typically known and preventive measures can be taken. The contaminants in soil often vary from location to location, and even by depth of the excavation.

4. The waterproofing barrier needs to resist construction abuse. Unlike roofs, waterproofing membranes typically do not have to be protected from foot traffic. However, they should be protected until excavations can be backfilled, or until the wearing course and overburden is applied. During backfilling, gravel, debris and other sharp materials may be dumped against it. Although horizontal decks are usually covered with a protection course, the most common damage results from the use of the waterproofed deck as a staging area by other trades. Although roofs are also prone to damage “by others,” it is more critical for waterproofing because of its inaccessibility.

5. The waterproofing needs to be able to accommodate some movement in the substrate to which it is attached. Concrete walls and floors may experience settlement and shrinkage as it cures. In addition, decks may experience thermal movement and load deflection. The waterproofing membrane should be able to bridge small cracks and resist rupture from thermal expansion and contraction to some

degree. It should be noted that the amount of movement anticipated in waterproofing is significantly less than one would expect in roofs. For this reason, properties such as extensibility and tear resistance may not be as critical in waterproofing applications as in roofing.

Waterproofing is usually below grade and in an environment where tem-peratures are relatively constant. Unlike roofs, the ambient temperature to which they are exposed to does not fluctuate diurnally and seasonally. Since they are usually buried, they are not exposed to the deteriorating influence of sunlight, precipitation and wind erosion.

The table below is a summary of the performance requirement of roofing and waterproofing.

It is imperative that designers, architects, and contractors understand the differences and similarities between roofing and waterproofing to ensure that the proper system is installed because some materials are designed to function under either condition.

CANADIAN ROOFING CONTRACTORS’ ASSOCIATIONASSOCIATION CANADIENNE DES ENTREPRENEURS EN COUVERTURE

2430 Don Reid Drive · Suite 100 Ottawa, Ontario K1H 1E1 Tel.: (613) 232-6724 · 1-800-461-2722 Fax: (613) 232-2893

TECHNICAL BULLETIN Volume 58 July 2015

ROOFING AND WATERPROOFING MEMBRANES

Copyright © Canadian Roofing Contractors’ Association (CRCA) Reprinted with permission.  To learn more about

the CRCA go to www.roofingcanada.com.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the CRCA National Technical Committee. This Advisory Bulletin is circulated for the purpose of bringing roofing information to the attention of the reader. The data, commentary, opinions and conclusions, if any, are not intended to provide the reader with conclusive technical advice and the reader should not act only on the roofing information contained in this Advisory Bulletin without seeking specific professional, engineering or architectural advice. Neither the CRCA nor any of its officers, directors, members or employees assumes any responsibility for any of the roofing information contained herein or the consequences of any interpretation which the reader may take from such information.

Performance Requirements Roofing Waterproofing

ConventionalProtected/Vegetative

Roofing Assembly Surface Non-exposed

Prevent water entry ● ● ● ●Hydrostatic pressure -sustained ● ●Wind Uplift ●Accessible for visual review and maintenance ● ●Ultraviolet Exposure ● ●Thermal Stress ● ●Tensile Stress/Movement ● ●Vapour transmission ● ●Drainage Surface ● ● Sub-surface ● ●

20 21T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

TECHNICAL TECHNICAL

Most home inspectors give their clients some indication as to whether the air conditioning system is sized properly even though it’s not required by the Standards. Let’s look at the cooling capacity.

INTRODUCTIONA Ton Of IceThe cooling capacity of air conditioners is usually measured in tons. One ton equals 12,000 BTUs (British Thermal Units) per hour. The term one ton comes from the amount of heat required to melt a block of ice that weighs one ton.

AIR CONDITIONING CAPACITY

Ducts in an older home may not be adequate for an air conditioning system

A larger fan is only helpful up to a point. We don’t want to increase the air speed beyond 500 feet per minute (about 5 miles per hour) or we’ll get excessive noise and uncomfortable drafts in the home.

Air conditioning systems typically move 400 to 450 cubic feet of air per minute per ton through a system. Heating systems only need to move about half this much.

What Constitutes Good PerformanceMost air conditioning systems are designed with a slightly different goal than heating systems. During the heating season, our goal is typically to keep the house at roughly 70°F regardless of how cold it is outside. During the cooling season, while it may be ideal to drop the temperature to 75°F, remember that the air conditioning system is also dehumidifying the air. As long as a 15°F differential between the outdoor temperature and indoor temperature is achieved, the house will feel relatively comfortable if the air has been dehumidified properly. When it’s 100°F outside, an indoor temper-ature of 80°F to 85°F may be acceptable. Clients should understand that this temperature differential indicates good performance.

Uneven CoolingOne of the common complaints with air conditioning is that different levels of the house are cooled with different effectiveness. For example, it may be 75°F on the main floor, but 85°F on the second floor. This is usually a func-tion of the distribution system rather than the capacity of the unit.

Better To Undersize Than Oversize Many air conditioning manufacturers and installers recommend slightly undersizing an air conditioning system, rather than oversizing. The reason for this is two-fold. First, air conditioners that are slightly undersized tend to have longer running periods. This means fewer stops and starts, and potentially a longer compressor life.

Duct Capacity ProblemsThe capacity of the equipment is only one part of the equation. Many air conditioners that under-perform are a result of a duct system incapable of circulating the conditioned air adequately through the system. This is particularly true where air conditioning has been added to a house with ducts that were designed for a heating system only.

Moving Heavy Air With More Obstructions Adding central air conditioning to an existing furnace system may lead to inadequate air distribution for several reasons. Firstly, the evaporator coil presents an additional obstruction to airflow and reduces the rate of air movement through the system. Secondly, during the cooling season, we are moving air that is as cool as 55°F rather than air that is at 140°F (which is what we see from some furnaces in the heating season). The cooler air is more dense (heavier) and more difficult to move through the ducts. We also have to move more air since the difference in temperature between the conditioned air and the room air (about 15°F to 20°F) is less than with a conventional furnace (60°F to 70°F), for example.

Factors Affecting Cooling Load The amount of cooling required depends on a large number of factors. These include the climate, outdoor temperature; the outdoor humidity; the level of insulation in the house; the amount of air leakage in the house; the amount of south, east and west facing glass in the house; whether this glass is single-, double- or triple-glazed; whether the glass is a low emissivity glass or gas-filled; and whether window treatments (curtains or blinds) are kept closed or open. Other factors include the amount of shading from trees, roof overhang, awnings or buildings and how much heat is generated in the house by the people and equipment inside.

GuidelinesDespite all these variables, most people like to have guidelines. Home inspectors are no exception. In the southern United States, 450 to 700 square feet of floor area per ton of cooling is considered appropriate. In the more moderate climates, such as the northern United States and southern Canada, 700 to 1,000 square feet per ton may be adequate. Speak to air conditioning installers and designers as well as other inspectors in your area to find the appropriate range for your area. (Note: These guidelines assume 8 foot ceilings.)

House Is Cold And Damp Second, and perhaps more importantly, the risk in oversizing a unit is an uncomfortable climate. Oversized air conditioners come on for short periods and drop the air temperature quickly. Because of their large capacity, they satisfy the thermostat before the system has a chance to do much dehu-midification. This can lead to a cold clammy environment inside the house.

CONDITIONSThese are the common capacity issues:1. Undersized 2. Oversized

UNDERSIZEDCauses Undersized air conditioners may result from poor installation practices that do not include a heat gain calculation or do not adequately recognize the characteristics of the home. Undersized units may also be a result of house changes or additions. For example, the addition of skylights or the removal of mature trees can increase the heat gain dramatically.

Implications During moderate weather, the air conditioner may function adequately, but during hot weather, the air conditioner may not be able to achieve a 15°F to 20°F temperature differential between indoors and outdoors.

Strategy The first step is to determine the size of the air conditioning system. This can often be done by reading the model number on the data plate. This is typically located on the outdoor (condenser) unit. The size may be recorded in thousands of BTUs per hour, or in the number of tons.

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Continued on page 22

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22 23T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

Technical Reference GuideSometimes it is difficult to translate a model number into a system capacity. The Technical Reference Guide available through Carson Dunlop is an excel-lent resource to determine the capacity and age, based on the model and serial number, of many residential air conditioning systems.

Guessing The Size If the size cannot be determined from the model number on the data plate, the size can be approximated from the Rated Load Amperage (RLA) on the data plate. A typical reciprocating compressor will be rated at 6 amps to 8 amps per ton of cooling. The high-efficiency units and scroll compressors will draw less electrical current, more like 5 amps per ton. Be clear that this is an approximation only if you report the capacity based on current.

Guidelines It’s also possible to find a system that seems to be just fine with respect to capacity using your guideline, and yet it isn’t really big enough. When considering the square footage of the house, the basement is not usually considered. However, if the basement has a walk-out with a large glass surface facing south, east or west, the air conditioning load may be far greater than contemplated. Numerous skylights can change things too.

Measure Temperature Drop Across Indoor Coil If the system is adequately sized and is working properly, the air temperature entering the evaporator coil will be room temperature. Let’s say it’s 75°F. The air coming off the coil should be 14°F to 22°F cooler (some say 15°F to 20°F). If the inlet temperature is 75°F, the air coming off should be 55°F to 60°F. This can be measured with a thermometer with a sharp probe that is pushed into a joint or hole in the supply plenum immediately downstream of (after) the evaporator coil.

TECHNICAL TECHNICALOVERSIZEDAn oversized air conditioner is susceptible to short cycling, inadequate dehumidification and large temperature variations in the house.

Causes Oversized air conditioners are usually the result of a design or installation problem.

Implication Oversized units will have a shortened life expectancy and will provide a less-comfortable environment. The largest comfort issue is the lack of dehu-midification. Because the temperature drops rapidly with an oversized unit, there isn’t enough air movement across the coil to extract the water from the house air. This results in a house that is cool, but with a humid, swamp-like environment. Since compressors experience most damage on start-up, short cycles also mean more start-ups and a shorter life.

Strategy Other than the rough guideline test, it is difficult to know whether and how much the unit is oversized. Some utilities indicate that a unit may be as much as 25 percent oversized without adverse effect. The temptation to oversize becomes irresistible to installers with respect to heat pumps. Since heat pumps have to deal with a much larger temperature differential from outside to inside, the tendency is to make the heat pump large enough to meet the heating demand. This makes it too large for the cooling load. There are some strategies to address this problem, but within this context, we are watching for oversized cooling units.

One way inspectors identify an oversized air conditioner is by sensing the cold damp environment when walking into a house. Also, an air conditioner that short cycles (turns on and off every five minutes) is a suggestion that the unit may be oversized.

Two surveys have shown that one third to one half of all residential air condi-tioning systems are oversized.

SummaryWhile the Standards don’t require it, most inspectors will red-flag systems that seem too big or too small. They will usually phrase it as a question rather than a conclusion.

LIFE EXPECTANCYThe Standards require that you identify whether the equipment is near the end of its normal life expectancy. Although air conditioners have many components, the compressor is the heart of the unit. It is, by a wide margin, the most expensive component to replace on an air conditioner or heat pump.

Checking The Age One can determine the age of the unit from the condenser unit data plate. The Technical Reference Guide is helpful in this regard. Since compres-sors are often replaced, the home inspector who goes above and beyond will check on a unit that is more than 5 years old to determine whether the compressor has been replaced. This involves removing the cover from the outdoor condenser unit and checking the compressor itself. There are only a few manufacturers of compressors and the date coding systems can be determined by contacting the manufacturers. It’s common to find older systems with relatively young compressors. If you aren’t going to go this far, when you see old air conditioners, you should allow for the possibility that the compressor has been replaced.

Life Expectancy Life expectancies vary. Many people in the southern United States consider 8 to 10 years a typical compressor life expectancy. In more moderate climates, a 10- to 15-year life expectancy is typical, and in northern climates, life expectancies of 15 to 20 years may be appropriate.

Warranty Many compressors are warranted for five years. This suggests a life expec-tancy range.

Cause The cause of old equipment is simply time.

Implication There may be no implication with respect to existing performance. We may simply be anticipating breakdown. However, older compressors may suffer compression ratio decreases as valves wear. They may also be more expen-sive to operate because they draw more electricity. Some people recom-mend replacement of old compressors even if they are still operable, as a way to reduce operating costs through enhanced efficiency.

Strategy The age can be determined from the data plate on the condenser or, as discussed, from the compressor itself. Interpretation of serial numbers is sometimes required to verify age. The compressors typically have a date tag riveted or glued onto the shell of the unit.

Speak with manufacturers and installers in your area to get a sense of the common life expectancies for air conditioning compressors in your climate. If you are going to include life expectancy comments in your reports, make it clear to the client you are dealing with a probability and not a certainty. Many compressors will fail before their normal life is up and others will go well beyond what is expected.

You may also ask at what age it makes more sense to replace the whole system, rather than just the compressor.

Carson Dunlop, founded in 1978, operates two home Inspection companies in the Greater Toronto area, and is a leader in home inspection training and report writing in North America. Products include the Home Inspection Training Pro-gram, Horizon, the Home Reference Book, The Illustrated Home and the Tech-nical Reference Guide. Through CDW Engineering, they also offer Commercial inspection services and training. www.carsondunlop.com 800-268-7070

Model number on data plate usually indicates capacity in BTUs/hr.

Use House Square FootageThe next step is to roughly calculate the above-grade square footage of the home. Divide the square footage into the number of tons and determine the number of square feet per ton.

If the number of square feet per ton exceeds the ranges we discussed, it is probably best to describe this as marginal or suspect capacity and to recom-mend further investigation. There may be factors in the home that cause the guidelines not to apply.

Physical Size Doesn’t Matter Physical size does not determine the capacity of the system. Many high effi-ciency systems with high SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) ratings, are physically much larger than conventional systems, while producing the same amount of BTUs per hour. Remember not to guess but check the data plate.

Physical size does not determine capacity - check the data plate

If the temperature drop is different, the problem may be size-related or may indicate a need for servicing. This test should be compared with your approximation of the size of the air conditioner, based on the number of square feet per ton. Make sure the temperature drop is measured after the system has established equilibrium. The unit should run for at least 15 minutes before checking the temperature split.

Note: Measuring this temperature split at the equipment is beyond the Standards but is mentioned because many inspectors do it.

Continued from page 21

24 25T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

TECHNICALDeck Inspections – Part I Copyright © Matthew Steger. Reprinted with permission. To learn more about Matthew Steger go to www.winhomeinspectionelizabethtown.com

Deck Inspections - Part IBy Matthew Steger, ACI, WIN Home Inspection

Many homes have decks attached to them for entertaining and relaxing under the stars, but most homeowners do not perform a regular deck inspection.  Each year, people are injured or killed due to faulty construction or the lack of needed regular maintenance of decks. 

According to statistics, there are 40 million decks in the U.S. that are over 20 years old. Since the year 2000, the number of injuries and deaths related to deck failures has been increasing according to the North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA). The typical life expectancy of a wood deck is usually 15-20 years, assuming regular maintenance. Nothing lasts for-ever, and any wooden structure exposed to the elements 24/7 will require regular maintenance and inspection to ensure safe usage and long life.

As part of a home inspection, a deck should be checked for various things, such as structural integrity, railing size and strength, hardware type and condition, and staircase issues.

Support ColumnsStarting at the ground, look at the size, number, and condition of the sup-port columns or piers. 4x4 and 6x6 pressure treated lumber is used in most modern decks to secure the deck to the ground. Anything less than 4x4 posts probably won’t be able to properly support the deck and its occu-pants. I’ve inspected a few decks over 8 feet above ground that were only supported with 3x3 posts at the corners which are considered inadequate. Decks should typically be designed for at least a 40 pound per square foot load. If a hot tub will be added, for example, the deck’s structure will need to be beefed up to safely carry the extra load of the hot tub and the water in the hot tub. This may mean larger or more numerous joists, extra bracing and/or support columns, etc. Remember that a gallon of water weighs 8 lbs.

The deck’s hardware and footings must form a continuous load path into the ground to provide a strong reliable deck. The wooden support columns or piers can be cemented into the ground or a metal bracket can connect the concrete pier to the bottom of the wooden columns. Keeping the wood and cement/ground away from each other can help prevent future rot. A rotted support pier can compromise the rest of the deck. The concrete pier should continue underground below the frost line, typically at least 3’ in south cen-tral PA. Without digging (which home inspectors don’t do), the depth of the pier (concrete or wood) underground is most often unknown. Lumber that enters the ground must be rated for ground contact and properly preserved (including adding preservative onsite to the exposed interior grain once the lumber is cut).

Check the wooden columns and joists for excessive cracks or rusting/dete-rioration of the metal hardware used to hold the components together. Most older decks have the wooden support posts simply installed into the ground.

The photo below shows a metal bracket secured into the concrete pier (below it) and secured to the wooden deck support column (above it). The wood pier and the earth do not ever make direct contact.

Also, the home’s downspouts, sump pump, and the grading under the deck should drain away from the deck to help minimize the chances of wood rot as well as insect or rodents being attracted to the area around the deck.

FastenersMost decks are attached to a home and most of the decks that I inspect lack proper fasteners or hardware. Older decks routinely had their ledger boards only nailed to the home. Nails are not designed for shearing loads and often come loose over time. The ledger board is the part of the deck where the floor joists connect on the home’s side. Modern standards require a proper and durable connection between the home and the deck, such as using lag bolts or carriage bolts. With a proper connection, the home helps hold the deck up.

An improper connection can allow the deck to fall off the home which will likely injure (or possibly kill) whomever is standing on the deck at the time. If your deck’s ledger board is only nailed to the home, a qualified deck con-tractor can most often add lag or carriage bolts to better secure the deck to the home. Also, brick or stone veneers are not permitted to be used to sup-port a deck as these types of exterior cladding materials are not structural.  Attaching a deck to a home covered with stucco (real or synthetic) can be quite difficult and preventing water entry into the home can take consider-able thought and effort.

A free-standing deck is another option in most cases. This type of deck is not attached to or supported by the home but merely is fastened into the ground adjacent to the home with piers. Since the deck and home don’t touch, flashing isn’t needed and therefore water penetration into the home at this area is much less likely. Since a free-standing deck has to fully sup-port itself independently, additional structural bracing is required for this type of deck.

To construct the rest of the deck’s various structural components (piers, girders, joists, etc.) together, proper metal hardware is a must to ensure strength and long life. Proper bolts and screws are preferred over nails when building a deck. As mentioned above, nails are not designed for shearing loads and can come loose over time, whereas bolts and screws will tend to provide a much more reliable and longer lasting connection. Hot dipped gal-vanized or stainless hardware should be used, the latter is more expensive but is most often used on decks near the ocean due to salt water deterioration of fastener plating.

This photo shows a wooden girder under a deck that is merely sitting on top of wooden piers and the girder is only fastened to the piers using short 2x4s and 8 screws. This is an inadequate mechanical connection.  There are no bolts to secure the deck’s structure together. Ideally, the piers should have had a pocket or notch cut in them to allow the girder to rest on the pier and allow bolts to secure everything together. This particular deck was mostly relying on gravity to stay in place. Settlement or erosion of the grounds around the deck could lead to a deck failure.

Matthew Steger, owner of WIN Home Inspection in Elizabethtown, PA, is an ASHI Certified Inspector and a Level 1 Infrared Thermographer.  He can be reached at 717-361-9467 or msteger@wini.com.

ASHI Reporter | June 201518

Garage Door Safety: How Home Inspectors can Have an Impact

MORE THAN 70 PERCENT OF HOME-owners with attached garages use the garage as the main access point to their houses. Because garages are such a major hub of activity in the modern home, garage safety should be an important focus for both homeowners and home inspectors alike.

June is both National Safety Month and National Garage Door Safety Month, so there’s no better time for inspectors to commit to checking garage door safety and to educating homeowners about how to inspect their garages to ensure proper operation throughout the year. Although June’s special safety focus is on homes and garage doors, June is also a good time to remember that all door systems, including commercial doors and gates, need regular attention.

“Many of us don’t check for garage door safety as often as we should. In fact, one in 15 garage doors lack the latest safety features,” explains Todd Wilkinson, Field Manager and Safety Ambassador at LiftMaster, the leading domestic j20 manufacturer of garage door openers.

If a garage door opener was made before 1993, it may not be equipped with infrared sensors that will trigger standard safety features. LiftMaster estimates that number at four million garage doors.

The company, which has been manufactur-ing garage door openers for over 45 years, has a strong commitment to safety and has established an initiative to develop safety ambassadors as a means to further drive public awareness of garage door safety. This initiative is in addition to prior safety efforts from the company, including the following:

• Don’t Chance It. Check It. This national initiative began in 2013 and helps homeowners understand how to make sure they have the safest possible garage door opener system in place. It also provides resources that home inspectors can use when advocating for safety with homeown-ers, including the 3-Step Safety Check.

• 3-Step Safety Check. This offers a quick and easy way to confirm that a garage door is operating properly. Home inspectors can perform the check during inspections, and they should encourage homeowners to execute the test three or four times a year.

To perform the Safety Check: 1. Check the sides of the garage door for

properly installed photo eyes (black sensors) mounted no higher than six inches off the floor.

2. Block the photo eye with an object over 6 inches tall and press the garage door opener’s close button. The door should not close.

3. Lay an object that is at least 1½ inches high on the ground in the door’s path and press the garage door’s close button. The door should reverse off this object.

If the home inspector determines a garage door fails any of these steps, a professional garage door dealer should be contacted to help correct the issue. • Red Tag Program. As part of its work with home inspectors, LiftMaster distrib-utes Red Tag Kits, a free resource that provides information on how to identify outdated garage door openers. Each kit in-cludes a Red Tag that inspectors can place on a garage door to alert the homeowner that it is unsafe. Every Red Tag comes with a LiftMaster rebate that homeowners can use toward purchasing a new garage door opener. To date, LiftMaster has distributed more than 400 Red Tag Kits to home inspectors.

Through these resources, LiftMaster is working to help home inspectors and homeowners identify potential problems and ensure the safety of garage door openers across the country. To learn more or sign up for the free Red Tag Program, visit www.LiftMaster.com/HomeInspectors.

Garage Door Safety:How Home Inspectors can Have an Impact

BY SALLY CHAPRALIS

Garage Door Safety: How Home Inspectors can Have an Impact Copyright © ASHI Reporter. Reprinted with permission. This article originally appeared in the June 2015 issue of the ASHI Reporter. To learn more about the American Society of Home Inspectors go to www.ashi.org and www.ashireporter.org

Coming Soon!Red Tag Program will be available

in Canada in late 2016.

26 27T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

TECHNICAL TECHNICAL

Deck Inspections - Part IIBy Matthew Steger, ACI, WIN Home Inspection

FlashingThe location where the deck’s ledger board meets the home is a common location for water entry and/or rot. Flashing should be installed behind the ledger board to prevent a place for water to enter. The flashing can be metal (such as aluminum) or membrane. In many cases, the flashing on older decks is totally missing or, even if it is installed, is often insufficient and barely functional and visible. Adding flashing to an existing deck can be difficult, at best.

It is also best if the deck surface is a step down from the doorway’s threshold to help prevent water or snow from possibly backing up into the door opening.

Joists and HangersThe underside structure is critical in supporting a deck; it can be considered the bones of the deck’s body. While some older decks often have joist spac-ing of 24” on center, newer decks most often will have 12” or 16” floor joist spacing. Most composite decking manufacturers will also require 12” or 16” joist spacing. The joists are the on-end structural members that support the deck’s walking surface.  Damaged or improperly sized or secured joists can cause the overall deck structure to weaken, therefore presenting a possible hazard. Often, older deck joists are only end nailed, meaning the ends of the joists are fastened using a basic nailing pattern through the deck’s outer rim joist. Over time, the nails will come loose and then gaps can exist, such as in the photo below.

Hurricane or seismic straps are most often also used to secure perpendicu-lar members together in lieu of relying on gravity. A small earthquake, for example, could allow a deck’s structural components to lift upwards if only gravity “holds” the joists and girders together. The photo below shows a properly installed joist hanger.

Staircases should be at least 36” wide. The riser height (the vertical dis-tance from one step to the next) should not exceed 7 3/4” and the stair tread depth should be no shallower than 10”. The most common issue that I find while inspecting a deck staircase are risers that vary greatly in height or are well beyond the 7 3/4” standard. Modern standards say that tread heights cannot vary more than 3/8” between the shortest and tallest. Anything more than that can present a trip hazard.

All staircases (internal or external) need to have a proper hand railing if the staircase has more than three steps. The height of the hand railing should be between 34”-38” above the stair tread’s nosing. The nosing is the por-tion of the stair tread that sticks out over the step below it (nominally about 1”). I often run across deck staircase hand railings that are much shorter than 34”. The lack of a hand railing at a proper height can allow someone to fall. The top surface of the hand railing should also be easily graspable.

Again, like many internal staircases, deck staircases typically have at least one open side. The open side can allow someone, such as a small child, to fall off the staircase below the railing. To prevent this hazard, components such as balusters or spindles are required. The spacing of these balusters or spindles should not exceed 4”; this spacing helps prevent a small child from getting his head stuck in the railing.

Guard RailingsLike the deck’s staircase, someone can easily fall off a deck that is elevated above the ground.  Modern standards require guard railings on decks if the walking surface is greater than or equal to 30” above grade.  Older stan-dards said this 30” height pertained to the ground immediately off the deck, whereas newer standards extend this vertical measurement out 3’ horizon-tally from the deck’s perimeter. For example, a deck is built on the side of a hill and the vertical difference in height between the ground immediately next to the deck and the deck’s surface is 25” (no railing would have been needed per the older standards). However, the ground leading away from the deck extends down a hill. Extending 36” horizontally out from the deck, the difference in vertical height may be 39”. A guard railing is now required.

Guard railings should be at least 36” vertically and should have no spac-ings wider than 4”, like the staircase openings mentioned above.  Many older porches and decks have some sort of guard railing, but a considerable number of older porches and decks have only horizontal rails or have short railings. Having only horizontal components can allow a small child to climb them like a ladder and fall over the other side. This photo shows a good example of this flaw.

Guard railings will often come slightly loose over time.  This may be the actual solid railing posts or the guard railing between the posts. As part of the home inspection, I check to make sure the guard railing doesn’t have excessive movement. Modern standards call for no more than 4” horizontal movement if 200 lbs. of pressure is applied to the guard railing.  No home inspector is going to put 200 lbs. of pressure on the guard railing, however a very slight amount of movement will be found in many decks’ guard railings over time, but a slightly loose (or very loose) guard railing will only loosen further in the future. Close attention is needed and repair is often recom-mended prior to the railing getting worse. A repair may often only entail some extra screws or bolts to better secure the guard railing and its posts to the deck.

The deck above had a good amount of racking when standing on top.  Rack-ing is horizontal movement and most often indicates a weak deck structure.  Once these nails continue to pull out, the deck’s structure is compromised and safety becomes a real concern as the deck can now pull apart.  In the photo above, the outer rim joist was literally separating from the individual floor joists.  The rim joist and floor joists were only end-nailed; a substan-dard method of deck construction.

Modern decks would use joist hangers to properly and securely attach the joists and framing together.  Hangers can be added to older decks that have only end-nailed joists in most cases to shore up the structure.

Deck joists are most often 2x10 or 2x12 lumber depending upon the deck’s size and span. Joist hangers designed for this size of lumber should be used. Each hole in the joist hanger should be filled with a properly sized nail or screw. This is really the only place that nails should be used when building a deck. Filling only some of the hanger nail holes may not provide a durable connection for years to come. Also, sometimes it may be difficult to tell, but joist hangers should not be bent, cut, or otherwise modified in the field. Various sized and orientated joist hangers exist for different applications.

Modified joist hangers often indicate that the installer didn’t have the proper hanger on hand and simply modified and used whatever he had on hand.  This will often be a red flag indicating that other short cuts may have been made when building the deck and hidden hazards may exist. Also, the joist hanger’s flange should be flush with the lumber to which it is fastened.

StaircasesMost decks have a staircase to a patio or the adjacent yard.  Like inte-rior staircases, modern building standards have specific requirements for height and width of staircases as well as their hand railings.  Home inspec-tors are not performing code compliance inspections, however, the wise inspector should be familiar with the various codes used in his area. The staircase should be safe and easy to traverse. Many older deck staircases have cracked or improperly secured stringers (the underside framing that holds the staircase together), cracked treads (steps), or insufficiently sized stair heights or depths.  The cracked components can present an obvious hazard as they further weaken. An improper stair height or depth can be a trip hazard going up or coming down the staircase.

The photo above shows a proper guard railing on a newly built deck.

SummaryA very basic thing that any home owner should do on a regular basis (for example, monthly) is to simply stand at the center of the deck and try to cause the deck to wobble or rack simply by moving your body kind of like doing a hula hoop. If you feel the deck’s structure move at all, this is an obvious indication that something is loose or improperly supported or brack-eted. A qualified deck contractor should be called to make needed repairs at once.

Matthew Steger, owner of WIN Home Inspection in Elizabethtown, PA, is an ASHI Certified Inspector and a Level 1 Infrared Thermographer.  He can be reached at 717-361-9467 or msteger@wini.com.

Deck Inspections – Part II Copyright © Matthew Steger. Reprinted with permission. To learn more about Matthew Steger go to

www.winhomeinspectionelizabethtown.com

NOTE: Canada Residential Height and Dimensions.

Guards are required when the deck is 24” (60 cm) above grade. The minimum height of the railing varies based on the height of the deck. Decks 24” to 5-10” (180 cm) need 36” guards and

anything above 5-10” requires a 42” high railing.

28 29T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

MARKETING MARKETING

Introduction The first-time buyers’ seminar is a powerful way to acquire new clients and build relationships with allied professionals - real estate agents, bankers, mortgage brokers, title companies, and real estate lawyers.

Provide Good, Relevant InformationThe seminar speakers are typically involved in the real estate transaction. Each gives a brief overview of what they do, some practical advice, and very often, their competitive advantage. The seminar is a business development opportunity for the service providers, and an opportunity for homebuyers to learn a lot very quickly.

There is no need to promote your company during your talk. Your participa-tion as the guest expert establishes your credibility. You gain trust by posi-tion and association, but more importantly, by providing something of value to the audience. That might include tips on things to watch for, providing perspective for items that frighten most people unnecessarily, etc.

A real estate agent or lender often hosts the first-time buyers’ seminar. The bank and the real estate agent are in the best position to find participants, and they have more to gain financially from the event than other service providers. The bank may put up a sign or poster in the bank advertising the event. Agents often advertise seminars in magazines, websites, news-letters, postcards, or flyers that list homes for sale. Agents often have a database of people interested in purchasing a house.

Offer to Speak We have participated in first-time buyers’ seminars for years and don’t pay anything. Instead, our contribution is our presentation. The very nature of our business ensures a compelling presentation because people learn something new about the systems of a house. If you have visuals that com-bine things-to-watch-for with some entertainment value, your presentation will be valuable and memorable. It’s easy to capture attention with a few well-chosen pictures. If there have been home related issues prominent in the news recently, there is often a good chance to shed more light and clear up misinformation. When the media sensationalizes things, the home inspector can be the calm, professional expert and the voice of reason.

PRESENTATION FORMATSVisual Presentations Pack a PunchIf you have a presentation with visuals, you need an overhead projector or a media projector, a screen, and portable computer. The host often provides these. A PowerPoint presentation is a great way to show interesting pic-tures of house system performance (or nonperformance!). The goal is not to put on a horror show, but to pose issues and then solve them. Be sensitive and courteous to all parties, with respect to time. Check with your host.

Make a lasting impression: Give the audience a copy of your presentation - on paper, CD, DVD, memory stick or through a link to your website. We like things that are inexpensive, tangible, and can be branded easily. Business cards and brochures are old-school, but effective.

Non-Visual Presentations Are Portable We like to use visuals where we can, but that’s not always possible. You may have to present without the visual aids. You can use handouts that leverage your PowerPoint presentation and include useful content and promotional materials, but don’t overdo the promotion. Your presentation should be focused, high-energy, and brief. Inviting questions is a great way to build rapport with an audience. Make it interactive!

Whether or not your presentation includes visuals, be sure to touch on any ancillary services you provide such as radon, termites, pools and spas, infra-red thermography, etc. People appreciate one-stop shopping. Offer to answer the attendees’ questions any time, including months after the presentation.

Long Presentations Bore Attendees and Alienate Other PresentersWhen using visuals, speakers often find themselves doing too much. The lender makes a slide for every possible mortgage option, the agent projects a copy of an offer to purchase and goes through each detail, and the lawyer puts up a list of conditions that should be added to the offer to purchase. This level of detail is unnecessary.

Most first-time buyers don’t want to commit to an entire evening of pre-sentations. They would prefer a quick informative session. Be helpful, be dramatic, and be brief. Your audience will love you.

What Is a Home Inspection?Buyers’ seminars are a great way to educate other presenters as well as your audience on the scope of a home inspection. You need to provide a bal-anced view of the tremendous value of the home inspection, framed within an appropriate scope of work. It’s amazing what people think you will do unless you adjust their expectations.

Discuss the importance of the client attending the inspection and describe the inspection as a course in home ownership by showing clients how to maintain their home and how to shut off gas, electricity and water in an emergency. You should also touch on report format, report delivery time and perspective - all homes will have some adverse conditions.

ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL SEMINARThis section outlines the key features of a first-time buyers’ seminar. Whether you are invited as a guest speaker, are involved in the planning stage, or decide to organize the players yourself, keep these points in mind.

Create Relationship with Other PresentersIf you have any input, make sure all your seminar speakers think in terms of goals. Each presenter’s goal is to be recognized as an expert or leader in their field. As a home inspector, you have the advantage of highlighting the independent, unbiased nature of our work. We receive our fee whether or not the transaction goes through. However, be careful not to make this point at the expense of other presenters.

Recognition is an important goal, but it’s not the only goal. The other goal is to create a relationship with the other presenters. In the long run, their refer-rals may be worth more than the attendees’ inspection business.

Know Attendees’ Goals The main goal of the attendees is to get some advice that will help them make a great decision. They also want to walk away with something. Your educational material and one piece of promotional material may be ideal. These allow the attendees and the other presenters to absorb your mes-sage. The material also makes it easy for the attendees to contact you. Also, be sure to give your materials to the other presenters.

OVERALL SEMINAR OUTLINEGolden Rule: Keep It Short Everyone’s goals are best served by a short presentation followed with a question and answer period. We have consolidated our experiences over the years and put together this outline for success:

1. Introductions (five minutes): The host introduces all of the guest speakers and gives an overview of topics. They should also be clear about the ses-sion duration. An uncertain audience is a distracted audience.

2. Mortgage lender or broker (ten minutes): He or she gives an overview of the pre-approval process, why pre-approval is preferable to applying after finding the house, and what information the bank needs to approve someone.

3. Real estate agent (ten minutes): What the agent does for you. Who pays the real estate agent? Who the agent is representing, how you choose an agent, some comments on current market conditions, and a few tips on house hunting.

4. Home inspector (ten minutes): What is a home inspection? How much does it cost? (Best to cover this early. The audience will be waiting for it.) When is the inspection performed? What should people watch for? What questions should a homebuyer ask a home inspector?

5. Real estate lawyer or title company (ten minutes): When does the lawyer enter the picture? How much does it cost? What is title insurance? A few tips for your offer to purchase.

6. Question and answer period (fifteen minutes): Attendees are invited to ask questions. If the answer is too long and complicated, the subject expert offers to discuss it with the attendee afterwards.

7. Snacks and discussion

The entire seminar is roughly one hour plus any discussion after the semi-nar over coffee.

Closing Advice As a home inspector, you are in the communications business. However, presenting to a group is different from talking to clients as you go through a home. Like so many things, practice makes perfect. To get started, create your presentation and practice in front of a mirror; practice it in front of a video camera and watch yourself; practice it with friends and family; polish it and practice some more. It’s not enough to be the expert. You have to look and act the part.

Carson Dunlop, founded in 1978, operates two home Inspection companies in the Greater Toronto area, and is a leader in home inspection training and report writing in North America. Products include the Home Inspection Training Program, Horizon, the Home Reference Book, The Illustrated Home and the Technical Reference Guide. Through CDW Engineering, they also offer Commercial inspection services and training. www.carsondunlop.com 800-268-7070

People-Driven PR – First Time Buyers’ Seminar

By Alan Carson – Carson Dunlop & Associates Ltd.

YOUR HOME INSPECTOR INSURANCE SPECIALISTS!

CONTACT:Anne Taylor | ataylor@bflcanada.ca Cheryl Tran | cheryl.tran@bflcanada.caAlison Mitchell | amitchell@bflcanada.ca

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PHOTOS FROM THE FRONT!

Photo Submissions

Contest!Send in your photos and you’ll be

automatically entered to win!

Win a $25.00 Prize

Submit your photos and we’ll enter your name into our draw. Winners will be notified and their names published in the magazine.

Congratulations! And a big thanks to everyone who submitted to the magazine.

Photo courtesy of Graham Clarke

You never know where a jack

will come in handy!

Photo courtesy of Peter WeeksBee careful!

Photo courtesy of Jean Laframboise Two for the price of one!

Photo courtesy of Neil BoyleCareful how you stack your blocks!

Photo courtesy of Lawrence Englehart

What is the purpose

of this fan?

Photo courtesy of Unknown Measure twice and cut once!!

30 31T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR T H E C A N A D I A N HOME INSPECTOR

Where’s the seat warmer button?Good call, Freddy!

FREDDY FLY-BY-NIGHT HOME INSPECTOR

EXTRAORDINAIRE SAYS:

Decks are collapsing and causing injuries and even death due to neglect. Exposure to external elements like sun, wind, rain, snow and ice, are causing decks to deteriorate and their structural integrity is being compromised. Encourage your clients to perform annual deck inspections and make the necessary deck repairs. It may save a life!

IN THE NEWS

A Properly Built Deckhttp://www.thechronicleherald.ca/homesnews/1285419-a-%E2%80%98properly-built-deck%E2%80%99

Canadian Homeowners Ignoring Deck Safetyhttp://voiceoftoronto.com/wp/2015/04/canadian-homeowners-ignoring-deck-safety/

The Delusion of the DIY Deckhttp://news.nationalpost.com/homes/mike-holmes-the-delusion-of-the-diy-deck

DECK BUILDING & SAFETY

Deck Buildinghttps://trustedpros.ca/articles/decks/deck-building

Alberta Safety Codes Council

Safety Tips – Building A Wood Deckhttp://www.municipalaffairs.alberta.ca/documents/ss/Decks.pdf

Deck Building Problemshttp://homeguides.sfgate.com/deck-building-problems-26945.html

North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA) Deck Safety Program

An effort to save lives, and prevent injurieshttp://www.nadra.org/deck_safety_month.html

North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA) Deck Inspections

A Matter of Life and Deathhttp://nadra.org/deck_inspections.html

Decks Go- How To Build A Deck, Building A Deck From The Ground Uphttp://www.decksgo.com/building-a-deck.html

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