Maintaining and Interpreting the ASHI Standards

by Bruce Barker October 1, 2011

The ASHI Standards of Practice Committee is charged with developing and maintaining the ASHI Standards of Practice and answering Requests for Interpretation (RFI) of it.

Anyone with a question about the intent or applicability of a current standard is invited to review past answers to RFIs on the ASHI Members-Only website under Resources or to submit his or her question to the committee using the form in the same section.

 Two past requests and responses appear here.

– Bruce Barker, chair, 2011 ASHI Standards of Practice Committee

What does the term “system and component” cover?

Question: Does the term “system and component” that is present in most of the SoP, also used to describe the foundation and structure, the same as it would the HVAC system?

An attorney has made the case that the term “system and component” does not mean the foundation and structure, only plumbing, electrical and HVAC.

Response: Yes. ASHI Standards of Practice section 3.1A.1 requires inspection of visually observable and readily accessible structural components including the foundation and framing.

Reporting on out-of-scope  components

Question: When inspecting the outside of a home and I see an awning about to fall off, why would I not tell the buyer?

Response: A home inspector may elect to include an out-of-scope component in an inspection report as a service to the client, but he is not required to do so.
A home inspector is not required to inspect out-of-scope components (such as an awning) according to Standards of Practice (SOP) Section 13.1.A; however, a home inspector is not prevented from including out-of-scope components according to SOP Section 2.3.A.


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