by Joe Farsetta, Certified Master Inspector® and Certified Commercial Inspector Prior to the invention of the Hartford Loop and low-water shutoff, steam boilers could quickly become unstable and unsafe to operate. Cracked boilers – or worse yet, exploding boilers – plagued the industry, so much so, in fact, that one insurer took it upon itself…
It’s common for a commercial property inspector to act as the project manager for a particular job. This inspector is in charge of the overall planning and execution of a particular project, which typically involves hiring specialty consultants, also known as independent contractors or subcontractors. A specialty consultant is typically hired to help the inspector…
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability in areas including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and access to state and local government programs and services. Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act focuses on businesses and other public facilities,…
CCPIA’s Commercial Inspection Legal Case Library is a compilation of summaries of legal cases involving lawsuits in the commercial inspection industry. Some cases involve commercial building property owners or developers, insurance companies or claims, mold inspections, and fraud on the part of the seller. All of the cases are compelling and educational, whether you’ve been…
Being a home inspector naturally means you can inspect commercial and industrial buildings too because they’re just bigger, right? Well, for some that is a true statement. There’s a structure, a roof, and HVAC, plumbing and electrical systems, so what could be so difficult? If the phone call comes, all I have to do is…
A vestibule is a completely enclosed unconditioned space that separates the interior of a building from the exterior. It creates an air-locked entrance and acts as an entryway into a larger space, such as a lobby. Its purpose is to reduce stack effect (air movement caused by warmer air rising and colder air falling), and…
An air curtain unit (ACU), also known as an air door, is a mechanical device used to create an invisible barrier between two different environments. It generates a controlled stream of air and projects it across the entire height and width of an opening to create a seal. This airflow seal separates two environments without…
Terms You Should Know Occupancy load Occupancy load refers to the number of people permitted in a building at one time based on the building’s floor space and function. The International Standards of Practice for Inspecting Commercial Properties (ComSOP) defines occupancy load as the number of people permitted in a building based on the means…
Most information available about concrete is written for contractors, for those who design concrete mixes, and for those who perform invasive testing. The information provided here is specifically for those who perform non-invasive, visual inspections of concrete, such as home inspectors or commercial property inspectors using the International Standards of Practice for Inspecting Commercial Properties. In…
Zoning ordinances are restrictions on land use set by local governments. These may be use-based or they may regulate lot coverage, building height, or a variety of other characteristics. Inspectors can better serve their clients by learning how zoning laws affect construction in the areas in which they operate, although offering advice regarding zoning or…
Business owners can employ a number of methods to “green up” their indoor environments to make the interior more comfortable and to lower heating and cooling costs. One method is installing window film. Window film is represented in three general categories. Most familiar to consumers is the tinted cellophane-type material that can be applied temporarily…
Steel siding includes a variety of building cladding made from steel, which is an alloy of iron that contains a small amount of carbon. Long preferred as a siding material for industrial and commercial buildings because of its durability and lack of required maintenance, steel’s plain appearance has historically made it an unpopular choice for…