Pierre Arcos

It's now March 1, 2012. My oldest child is 18 years old today!! A milestone in the Arcos family. Another milestone in the family is the continuation of our remodel. We're almost ready to start sheet rocking. Next week we'll be installing insulation and then sheetrock.

Since I last wrote about the remodel, we've had rain, snow and more rain & a little more snow. We had our share of water leaks through our roof & water coming up into the basement from a freshly cut trench in the front yard. Sigh!! But we'll all be better off in the long run. More elbow room for this family.

The new deck over the garage is a decking system made of aluminum planks. The planks are about 5" wide and have built in channels to divert water to the gutter on the north side of the deck. It's a pretty cool system that has a nice warranty.

The radiant floor heating is up and running. It's nice to walk around the house with bare feet and have warm floors. It's especially nice to step onto a warm cast iron shower floor first thing in the morning.

This past week, I had the opportunity to inspect a house in the South End. I was on the roof looking around. The valleys needed cleaning, plumbing boots were worn, the 3/12 roof pitch over the front porch had shingles instead of roll roofing and the decking underneath was rotting away. But those are run-of-the-mill issues. I found something on the roof that I don't see everyday. I approached the anomaly thinking it was a screw in the shingles. I scanned the immediate area in a rectangular configuration thinking it was one screw of four that make up the footprint of a satellite dish. I didn't see any other screws that fit in that pattern. I knelt down and scraped at it with my pocket knife. It didn't have a screw head, so I thought the head had sheared off. I scraped a little harder at it & it popped out!! It was a bullet!! The bullet was lodged into the shingles. I figured during the last New Year celebration or perhaps earlier during the 4th of July celebrations, someone ran out of Roman Candles or bottle rockets and grabbed their pistol to keep the party going. Shooting up into the air with a pistol or rifle or other firearm during these celebrations is not uncommon. I've heard of people being hit by the falling ballistics. Sometimes the story of the victim is hopeful, sometimes it ends tragically. So, be cautious this coming 4th of July when you're outside watching the fireworks over the Space Needle, or watching your kids or grand kids writing their names in the air with sparklers. You never know if you'll be that one-in-a-million person to get hit by that falling 4th of July bullet.

The following excerpt was forwarded to members of the Northwest Neighborhood of Everett by Officer Aaron Snell of the Everett Police Department.

City provides safety tips for possible freezing rain this afternoon (01.19.2012)

Weather forecasts are calloing for freezing rain sometime this afternoon or evening (01.19.2012) City of Everett reminds property owners to consider removing snow from structures such as awnings, carports or other structures if it can be done safely.

With freezing rain, there is also a potential for downed power lines and power outages.

Here are some tips to keep you safe:

Notify 911 or Snohomish County PUD (425.783.1001) or your local power company if you find downed lines.

Avoid parking or walking under power lines and trees that may have heavy loads of snow and ice on them.

Get out your flashlights, extra blankets and make sure you have enough food in case the power goes out.

Consider checking on your neighbors who might need assistance.

For additional information on staying safe, go to: http:/www.doh.wa.gov/Topics/weather.htm

Be careful using candles and place them away from anything that can catch fire.

Barbecues, charcoal cookers and outside appliances can only be used outside. Never use them inside because they could produce poisonous gases like carbon monoxide, a product of combustion.

Avoide driving in icy condition if possible. If you have to go out, wear warm clothing and weatherproof coats. Take extra warm clothes, water, a flashlight & some food in case you end up getting stuck in your vehicle.

Like any other business owner who has business expenses, or any other professional who requires a license to conduct business, I have had to assess the pros and cons of buying new equipment, upgrading my insurance policy, expanding my home inspection services and keeping my ASHI membership. It can become a very expensive proposition when you have to include continuing education classes and memberships in this national organization and that local organization. Some expenses are worthwhile and critical to the business and professional license, and other expenses you wonder why you do it when there is no measurable realization of benefits to you or your clients.

My latest assessment of business expenditures for JAKE Home Inspections has turned my attention to my ASHI membership. I have to ask myself why I became a member and how does being an ASHI member benefit my clients and me. I can answer the first part of the question easily. I became a member of ASHI because everyone else is doing it. ASHI has been around since 1976 and the organization has positioned itself as the authority on everything related to home inspection. ASHI marketing is strong and their brand is well known among Real Estate agents and savvy consumers. ASHI has partnered with companies that cater to the home inspector; services such as E & O insurance providers, health insurance providers, suppliers of home inspection equipment and continuing education providers and maybe car rental companies.

In return for my membership fees, I get discounts on the above mentioned services, plus I get a free subscription to the ASHI Reporter magazine. Being a part of ASHI is like being in a fraternity like the Masons and the Shriners. ASHI even has the different degrees or levels of membership like the Masons and Shriners. The 1st level is the ASHI Associate. The Associate member gets an asterisk next to their name to let everyone know they are on the 1st level. The 2nd level is the ASHI Associate with logo privileges. Logo privileges means the 2^nd level member can advertise and market their company using the ASHI logo. And then the top level for every ASHI member is the ASHI Certified Inspector.

Before the state of Washington required licensing of home inspectors, ASHI was a good way for home inspectors to show their dedication to the profession. A kind of self-regulating program to show the consumer and the Real Estate agent that they were not a fly-by-night handyman who filled in his time between jobs inspecting houses.

Today, Washington requires home inspectors to be licensed. To get the license, a person must take 120 hours of classroom instruction and 40 hours of field experience. Then a person must prove their knowledge by taking an exam. The exam is 2 parts. The first part is the national portion and the second part is Washington specific. So up front, the aspiring inspector has become "certified" when they pass the exam. Then, the person must pay all fees related to getting a state license.

To maintain the license, a Home Inspector must provide the state with proof of 24 clock hours of continuing education every 2 years, which is also the time of license renewal. ASHI requires 20 hours every year after the first year of membership to be a member-in-good standing. The Washington Standards of Practice (SOP) are parallel with the ASHI Standards of Practice. In some instances, the Washington SOP are more thorough than the ASHI SOP. If I violate the Washington SOP, I am subject to disciplinary action. I could be fined or I could lose my license.

If I don't pay my ASHI membership fees, I lose the discounts on insurance and equipment and I do not receive the ASHI Reporter magazine and I cannot fraternize with other home inspectors at ASHI parties. If I don't pay my license renewal to the state of Washington, I lose my license. I lose my business. I lose my livelihood.

So next time you see me, please don't ask me if I'm ASHI Certified, because I'm going to say no. Ask me instead, if I will perform my duty as a Washington licensed Home Inspector with the utmost integrity and fidelity to the client. My answer will be an emphatic yes.

http://www.dol.wa.gov/business/homeinspectors/docs/hilawbook.pdf