Basic Diagrams for the Home Inspector

John Fay

I am a residetial home inspector. Where can I obtain basic hydronic heating system diagrams for all of the different types of heating systems that identify the basic components and what their function is. I do not need a lot of techincal info. I wish to have a simple reference for use in the field to correctly identify components and their purpose. I would like to be able download these diagrams for free off the internet if possible. Thank you. John Fay

RB_2

Mr. Home Inspector...

You have a tough job and we'd love to help you out.

If you email me your address I'll have our engineering office send you an entire liabry of .dwg and .bmp schematics and symbols plus a 36" x 48" poster of the same.

Value...$750 US

But if we do that for you...will you tell us what you believe in your opinion is the top three challenges for inspectors and home owners as it relates to hydronincs today?

Finally can you complete this statement...In the year 2020 the majority of new homes use radiant floor heating as a result of.....

RB

hot_rod

Drawings and diagrams

For free, I can offer you all of our installation manuals, all of our baseboard products, and a complete IBR-based heat loss survey program.

http://www.slantfin.com/hydronic/index.html

If you want more basic understanding of water and steam heating systems, this is a thorough description of most things that you will see today in buildings. Well worth buying for the reference material, alone.

http://trainingroom.slantfin.com/courses.html


Noel

David Francis

John
Do you think you are qualified to inspect heating equipment if you do not know what you are looking at ?

David

Steve Levine

I think he deserves credit

for at least trying to learn. I bet you can't say that about many home inspectors.

chuck shaw

cant even say that about some

of the "heating contractors" I have seen.

Chuck

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David Francis

> for at least trying to learn. I bet you can't

> say that about many home inspectors.

David Francis

Steve
You are 100 % correct.The problems I have with inspectors is, Most are undertrained and give a false sense of security to the potential homeowner.

I am not saying that is going on here. I think the inspectors need to police themselves and create a code of ethics.If anything it will help their group as a whole.

David

Steamhead

John, also take a look

at the Books and More page of this site. The material isn't free but it's some of the best out there. I don't know anyone who does a better job of writing about steam and hydronic (hot-water) heat than Dan does.

I'd suggest you start with "The Lost Art of Steam Heating" and "How Come?". These books cover the basics of steam and hydronic heating. If you're interested- and I think you might be- you can order more books. Dan also has videotaped some of his seminars and these are well worth buying too.

On the gas side, I suggest you contact Tim McElwain at Gas Appliance Service, Training & Consulting. Start with his Fundamentals of Gas manual. It, too, covers the basics. The section on Carbon Monoxide is the best I've seen so far and is worth the price of the manual in itself. E-mail Tim at gastc@cox.net or call him at (401) 437-0557.

We've all heard home-inspection horror stories. I appreciate the fact that you're searching for knowledge that will help you do the best you can.

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Bill_14

Ease up David.

You could make the same general comments about contractors if you thought about it. The guy just requested help...he didn't deserve a cheap shot.

Bill

David Francis

Bill

You are correct we all can make the same comments about some contractors. I think I assumed he was inspecting heating equipment. If he is not I am sorry.
John please accept my apology if I was wrong.

The home inspectors I have dealt with. Have a bullet proof contract that limits their liability to the fee paid, Many do not carry errors and omissions insurance. How many do you think carry liability insurance?

I have seen a good many people burnt from inspections and it bothers me to no end to see unqualified companies performing inspections. It is the same as working without a license.



David

Unknown

John Fay if you will

e-mail me I have an offer for you that I think will help you.

RB_2

Reality

There are many parts of the world where the "offcial" home inspector is also the Fire Chief, Town Councelor, and Basketball Coach...some of these guys live in communities of 50 people or less and they know just about as much on heating as they do on handling toxic waste...never-the-less, building code says it has to be inspected and he's it...up here in the netherlands they beg for all the help they can get...and our industry collegues do whatever it takes to educate them...because the alternative isn't pretty.

Jim_47

Home Inspectors

About 5 years ago I was asked to perform an annual service on a raised ranch home with the boiler in the laundry room.
The home owner told me to go on inside and start my work, he said its a typical raised ranch the boiler is in the laundry room at the bottom of the stairs". I was a little surprised but what the heck, I went on in.
At the bottom of the stairs I was staring at a laundry room with a large pile of lingerie on the floor in the middle of the room. Noing how much that stuff costs, I did not want to ruin it with dirt or fuel oil so I put on my Disposable latex gloves and picked the mess up and put it on top of the cloths dryer. After I completed servicing the boiler the homeowner came down to "inspect" my work. He looked right at the cloths and asked me how they got up there. I explained that I did not want to ruin the cloths so I put them there. He said he liked my work and that I sould come out the the "office" in his garage for payment. Upon arriving in the garage I noticed all kinds of manuals on the shelves having to do with home inspection. He then appologized for having put me through a "test". He said I was the first guy that moved the cloths before starting my work. He then introduced himself as a home inspector and requested my business cards. He told me that he has been looking for someone to "team-up with". To date I have received over 50 refferals from him, for systems that he was able to determine were ok and from sytems that needed replacement. If I had to put a $$ value on picking up those clothes.....
Bottom line, If you do not know what you are looking at call in someone to work with you.

Randy_2

Saprano fans

With my luck, the local news station would have got a video of one of the guys doing a "Paulie Walnuts" with the panties.
Good to see a home inspector trying to learn something. John, I suggest the International Mechanical code book;even if it's not enforced in your area.

Warmfoot

Home inspectors

I know a couple of inspectors that know enough to search for red flags on systems. When they do find red flags, such as non-barrier pex or pb or even leaks at the boiler, they suggest to the realtor or homeowner to call me and perform a secondary inspection. We do an average of one repipe of a mechanical system or boiler replacement per month from the leads we get from the inspectors. It makes for a nice relationship.


Ernie Bogue
Master Hydronics LLC
PO Box 779
Keyport, WA 98345
(360) 394-2049

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Mark J Strawcutter

two different kinds

of home inspectors.

I think the one who started this thread is the kind hired by homeowners (to-be) or realitors to check out a house before purchase. Not the kind who give official blessing to work that has been done.

Mark