BCIPI :: Standards of Inspection

BCIPI... British Columbia Institute of Property Inspectors

BCIPI Standards of Inspection...

Part 3 of 3

Standards of Inspection : Single Family Dwelling

Reference Heading

An Inspector IS required to:

	Observe and report on the systems and components listed herein.

	Perform tasks as noted herein.

An Inspector is NOT required to:

	Observe and report on the systems and components listed herein.

	Perform tasks as noted herein.

Roofing

	Roofing components and roof coverings.

	Roof penetrations and flashings.

	Chimneys.

	Roof drainage components, including gutters and downspouts.

	Observe and report evidence of water penetration and condensation.

	Accessories that do not make up part of the roof, such as lightning arrestor systems, antennae, solar heating systems.

	Inspect or comment on any area or component, in whole or portion thereof, that is not reasonably accessible or readily visible.

	Walk on roofing where in the judgment of the Inspector could be dangerous or cause damage.

Exterior

	Exterior wall surfaces, eaves and trim.

	Doors, windows and flashings.

	Garages and carports.

	All entrances such as porches, decks, balconies, including stairs, guards and railings.

	Observe and report impact of lot grading, landscaping, retaining walls, walkways and driveways on the building.

	Test the operation of power operated garage door openers, including the stop and automatic reverse function.

	Ground and soil conditions.

	Yard fencing.

	Seasonal accessories such as removable storm windows, storm doors, screens and shutters.

	Storage sheds and other structures not related to the building.

	Any item or facilities not directly related to building structure, such as swimming pools, saunas, hot tubs, tennis courts, etc.

	Inspect or comment on any area or component, in whole or portion thereof, that is not reasonably accessible or readily visible.

Structure

	Foundations.

	Floors.

	Columns.

	Walls.

	Roofs.

	Chimneys.

	Attics.

	Crawl spaces.

	Inspect or comment on any area or component, in whole or portion thereof, that is not reasonably accessible or readily visible.

	Observe and report any evidence of water penetration, condensation and mold.

	Observe and report any evidence of deterioration from insects, rot or fire.

Insulation & Ventilation

	Insulation and vapour barrier in accessible attics, crawl spaces and unfinished basements.

	Ventilation of attics and unheated crawl spaces.

	Operate exhaust fan ventilation systems.

	Concealed insulation, air and vapour barrier systems.

	Inspect or comment on any area or component, in whole or portion thereof, that is not reasonably accessible or readily visible.

Electrical

	Service entrance cable and location.

	Main service panel and auxiliary panels.

	Panel over-current protection and system grounding.

	Branch circuit wiring and related over-current protection.

	Amperage and voltage ratings of the main service panel.

	Readily accessible and removable panel covers designed for homeowner access may be removed for inspection.

	Test the operation of the ground fault circuit interrupters and installed smoke detectors.

	Randomly select and operate a representative number of permanently installed light fixtures and outlets.

	Outlets noted above are to be checked for polarity and grounding. All exterior outlets and those within five feet of plumbing fixtures will be checked for polarity and grounding.

	Secondary wiring system such as low voltage wiring, telephone wiring, cable television wiring, etc.

	Any components not related to the primary electrical system such as security systems, etc.

	Inspect or comment on any area or component, in whole or portion thereof, that is not reasonably accessible or readily visible.

	Dismantle, remove, adjust or perform any task on any electrical equipment that would require a qualified trades person to perform.

	Insert or remove fuses, or operate circuit breakers.

	Provide or remove power for equipment.

Permanently Installed Heating & Cooling Systems

	Furnace and distribution system, including fans, flue piping, vents, chimneys dampers, supports, filters, ducts and registers.

	Boilers and distribution system, including flue piping, vents, chimneys pumps, piping, valves, supports, insulation, radiators and convectors.

	Heat recovery ventilator.

	Electric heaters.

	Cooling equipment and distribution system, including fans, ducts, dampers, supports, filters, insulation, registers and piping.

	The presence of manufacturers built-in safety controls.

	The presence of a heating source in each room.

	Test system using the thermostat or other similar standard operating controls.

	Portable heating units.

	Portable cooling units such as window air conditioning units, portable humidifiers and portable dehumidifiers.

	Buried or underground fuel storage tanks or piping.

	Inspect or comment on any area or component, in whole or portion thereof, that is not reasonably accessible or readily visible.

	Dismantle, remove, adjust or perform any function on any heating or cooling equipment that would require a qualified trades person to perform.

	Operate any system which in the judgment of the Inspector could cause damage to the equipment.

	Ignite or extinguish pilot lights, change settings or conditions on equipment.

	Observe if the heat and air distribution in the building is balanced or adequate.

Plumbing

	Main water supply piping into the dwelling and distribution piping, pipe supports and any leaks in the above piping systems.

	Fixtures, faucets and valves and isolating valves.

	Drain, waste and vent piping, pipe supports and insulation.

	Hot water heater, including fuel supply piping, flue piping, vents, chimneys and manufacturer's built-in safety controls.

	Interior sumps and sump pumps.

	Observe and report on the presence of cross connections that could contaminate the potable water.

	Observe and report on the hot water heater.

	Water volume and pressure should be tested by opening the faucets to obtain a reasonable flow of one or more fixtures simultaneously and at various locations in the dwelling.

	Water drainage should be tested by draining one or more fixtures simultaneously and at various locations in the dwelling.

	Observe and report on the presence of manufacturer's built-in safety controls at hot water heater.

	Water treatment devices.

	Automatic air vents.

	Foundation drainage system and yard piping.

	Any item or facilities not directly related to the house plumbing such as swimming pools, saunas, hot tubs, solar systems, etc.

	Observe or comment on the quality of water supply, and whether public or private.

	Observe or comment on outdoor waste disposal systems located on the property and determine whether public or private.

	Inspect or comment on any area or component, in whole or portion thereof, that is not reasonably accessible or readily visible.

	Outdoor or fire sprinkler systems.

	Operate any valve other than those used on a regular or daily basis.

	Dismantle, remove, adjust or perform any function on any plumbing equipment that would require a qualified trades person to perform.

	Ignite or extinguish pilot lights, change settings or conditions on equipment.

	Inspect or comment on any area or component, in whole or portion thereof, that is not reasonably accessible or readily visible.

Interior

	Floors, walls, ceilings and trim.

	Fire separating walls and party walls.

	Stairs, guards and railings.

	Solid fuel burning appliances, including fireplaces and wood stoves.

	Observe and report on the presence of smoke detectors.

	Observe the condition of permanently installed counters and cabinets.

	Randomly select and operate, where reasonably accessible, a representative number of doors and windows.

	Observe and report on any evidence of water penetration and condensation.

	Test operation of smoke detectors with test button.

	Treatments such as paint, wallpaper, carpeting, blinds, drapes and other similar treatments.

	Kitchen, bathroom and laundry appliances.

	See also EXTERIOR section.

	Inspect or comment on any area or component, in whole or portion thereof, that is not reasonably accessible or readily visible.

	Ignite or extinguish fires.

	Comment on fireplace insert installation.

The 'BCIPI Standards of Inspection' are available as complete document in PDF format... click here to download PDF

Go to... Part 1 | Part 2

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