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7 Areas of Restricted Access

April 1, 2022

If you can’t see it, you can’t report on it! Home inspection standards are established to protect both the home purchaser and the home inspector. Part of the inspector’s protection involves limiting the inspection to readily accessible, visually observable systems and components. The following are examples of systems and components that are not readily accessible—and what to state in your report.

Photo 1. Snow cover

1. Snow Cover

Snow cover certainly limits inspection of grounds, walks, driveways, landscaping, and roof components (Photo 1). You should state that you couldn’t see these areas and did not inspect them.

2. Roof

Photo 2 shows a steeply sloped, fragile asbestos cement roof. By observing from the ground or the edge of the roof, you can determine it has failed and requires further evaluation. The roof is not safe for you to walk on, so you can’t evaluate vents and chimneys up close. State that in your report.

Photo 2. Steep, fragile roof

3. Attic flooring

Attic floors usually restrict access to insulation, vapor retarders, and structural elements. But in this case (Photo 3), one missing section of the plywood floor allows you to see knob and tube wiring buried beneath insulation that might contain asbestos. While most of the attic is not readily accessible, there is a lot to report, despite the limited access.

Photo 3. Attic flooring

4. Attic Knee Wall

Yuck. I quickly exited this attic (Photo 4) because it was a safety hazard for me and for the occupants of the home. Those aren’t rocks piled up in this attic knee wall; most of the area was covered with animal waste. Talk about limiting an inspection!

Photo 4. Attic knee wall and animal waste

5. Landscaping

Bushes (Photo 5), trees, vines, and other landscaping elements certainly can limit visual access to the roof, siding, windows, doors, surface grading, and foundations. You need to state the restricted access and limited inspection of affected components. In my report I would also recommend removing the offending landscaping to allow further inspection.

Photo 5. Bushes, landscaping

6. Furnace Vent

Following ASHI standards, we don’t inspect the interior of a vent system. But we do know a single-wall metal furnace combustion vent should not be buried in soil (Photo 6). This is a visible defect that should be reported. (The natural gas boiler was located behind the stone veneer wall in the lower level. It was a naturally drafted gas appliance with an additional inducer fan on the metal flue.)

Photo 6. Furnace vent

The Takeaway

Always document conditions that limit your access to any component of the home—it’s fair to you and the buyer. Be specific and include a photo. State the limits of the inspection and recommend further evaluation. You are not responsible for things you can’t see, but you must describe the component and the reasons you couldn’t inspect it.

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In this Issue

Electrical Testers: Which Ones are Right for Your Business?

Last year, with the help of master electrician Bruce Janczak, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel inspected 15 single- and two-family rental properties. All but one of the properties had fire hazards and code violations, including improperly installed or unsafe electrical service panels, no grounding or bonding of the electrical service, and improperly grounded or wired receptacles. Suspected electrical fires impact homes in this same zip code at five times the rate of the rest of the city.

What is a Water Softener?

A water softener is a piece of equipment used to treat water that you are likely to see in the course of performing a home inspection. This is considered a point of entry (POE) system, meaning it treats the water as it first enters the home as opposed to a point of use system (POU), which treats the water at a specific location within the home, typically at the kitchen sink.

The Future of Federal Housing Inspections

The US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)’s Real Estate Assessment Center (REAC) is creating a new national inspection protocol for Federal Housing Administration (FHA)–insured and Public Housing Agencies (PHA) multifamily properties.

The Importance of Inspections

Marvin Goldstein is one of the original founding and charter members of ASHI and a past ASHI national president. We asked Goldstein to share a bit more about his background, the importance of ASHI, and the home inspection industry.

New Innovation in Inspection Camera Technology

Trying to access damp, cramped, poorly lit, or dangerous and hard to reach spaces can be frustrating. Fortunately, a new generation of wireless inspection cameras that offers better visibility, accessibility, and functionality can help.

How Can Inspectors Prepare to Answer Homebuyers’ Biggest Questions?

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) shares common questions they advise people ask a home inspector—from the state of the roof to radon tests to receipts for HVAC checks. While a list of NAR-recommended questions is at right, we talked to some of ASHI’s top experts in the field to see what they’re hearing from homebuyers.

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