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From
the desk of . . .
Arthur
S. Lazerow
Professional Liablity Insurance
(E&O)
Alban Home Inspection
Service now has professional
liability insurance that was designed exclusively
for home inspectors and is endorsed by
ASHI. For many years,. we were self-insured. Our
call-back rate historically has been very low, perhaps
one out of every hundred home inspections.
Of these, complaints from our clients have
ranged from merely misunderstanding some aspect
of the inspection to not appreciating seasonal
limitations — such as not operating air conditioning
during winter months to an inspector
truly missing a deficient condition.
To be in business over the long term, we must be responsible,
both to our clients and to the Realtors who
include us on their list of recommended inspectors.
We take every client’s call seriously and
have a policy of responding within 24 hours. We
try to resinspect as quickly as possible thereafter
to understand the problem. In most cases,
a quick and satisfactory resolution of the client’s
concern occurs. This has included an occasional
contribution to a repair or refund of the
fee.
With seven inspectors and a busy inspection schedule,
we decided to obtain E & O insurance. Although
it will be unusual for a claim to exceed the
deductible amount, it nonetheless protects our clients
against a truly catastrophic inspection miss.
And it also PROTECTS THE REALTOR as an
additional insured. Two more important reasons
to consider Alban as your home inspection
company.
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The
Annual Gutter Guide
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To avoid problems in
the gutters and downspouts,
homeowners should make a
simple investment – invest one Saturday
each Fall and another each Spring
to gutter maintenance. If he spends
time inspecting, cleaning, and repairing
the gutters and downspouts, he can
avoid damage both
serious (like roof
rot) and minor (like
peeling paint). The
purpose of gutters
is to catch precipitation
flowing off the roof
and direct it to the
downspouts, which
disperse it away
from the house.
Pools of water that
collect near the
foundation, streaked
house paint, wet
basements or ridges
in the ground may
all be indicators that
the gutters are not working
properly. A
quick inspection may turn up a simple blockage
problem, such as leaves or a stray
baseball lodged in the gutter. From there
it is easy to remove the blockage and
relieve the problem. Bi-annual
inspection and maintenance go
a long way to preventing any serious problem.
Each Spring and Fall, remove all leave and visible debris
from the gutter using a whiskbroom and a garden house.
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If downspouts
need cleaning, snake
the hose down the spout and turn on
the nozzle full blast. A plumber’s snake
may also be used for this  purpose.
A wire strainer or
plastic basket may be purchased
that are designed to fit over the opening
of downspouts. These can catch
the leaves at the opening
so they do not inch
down the spout
and cause
blockage. For
galvanized gutters,
paint surfaces
as needed on
the outside and coat the
insides with liquid asphalt
roofing cement every
three years. If using regular
house paint on the outside
of the gutter, the homeowner
should prime the
surface with a metal under coater
first. If the gutters are brand new,
degrease the metal with vinegar and water
or allow them to weather for six months
before painting. Aluminum gutters
do not need to be painted. The
homeowner should seal pinhole leaks or
leaks at connections with silicone caulking
compound. Gutter straps, hangers,
and spikes should be checked annually.
Renail loose attachments, and
Continued
on next page.
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