Make sure your report clarifies that even though you found "Noticeable" gas leak(s)....That you're not stating the rest of the gas piping has no other leaks unless you perform a pressure test - which is way beyond the scope of a Home Inspector. Unless of course you also have a Plumbing Contractors license .
So if you’re up in an attic with a couple of gas furnaces and maybe a gas hot water tank and you can smell the noticeable odor of natural gas you do not write that up? If you can’t see soap bubbles bubbling you do not write that up? That just seems like a very strange approach. We definitely hop on that and talk abouta noticeable odor of natural gas at a certain area
I have seen people here in TH-cam recommending to use fire (from a lighter) instead of soapy water. Im not a plumber but i believe they are not allowed to do that
So what if you don’t locate the exact leak in the attic or the crawlspace or wherever? Do you just not mention it then? What if you think you’ve located the leak, but there’s actual multiple leaks? I don’t know why you would put yourself in that Type of liable situation. Why would you not just say there was a noticeable odor of natural gas at the furnace at time of inspection. Evaluation from a licensed specialist recommended before closing. Repair as needed
I don't think that has ever happened. If we smell gas, we find the leak. But just for the sake of argument, let's say we couldn't. You raise a fair question; why not just let someone else deal with it, right? I'm working on writing a blog post and making a video with the long answer to your question. But here's the short answer: Even with our meticulous efforts to document and pinpoint the location of gas leaks, and to make it easy for the next person to find and repair the leaks, the local gas company is my area is notorious for NOT being able to find these obvious leaks. And then they make us look stupid, because everyone trusts them. They're the Gas Company, we're just lowly home inspectors who don't know our heads from our tails. I could go on and on, as I've been dealing with this for decades. But that's the short answer.
Make sure your report clarifies that even though you found "Noticeable" gas leak(s)....That you're not stating the rest of the gas piping has no other leaks unless you perform a pressure test - which is way beyond the scope of a Home Inspector. Unless of course you also have a Plumbing Contractors license .
When I was a BOY, my DAD, would use a "MATCH" !🤣
So if you’re up in an attic with a couple of gas furnaces and maybe a gas hot water tank and you can smell the noticeable odor of natural gas you do not write that up? If you can’t see soap bubbles bubbling you do not write that up? That just seems like a very strange approach. We definitely hop on that and talk abouta noticeable odor of natural gas at a certain area
If we smell gas, we find the leak and report on it.
What we don't do is simply say we smelled gas and leave it up to someone else to figure out.
I have seen people here in TH-cam recommending to use fire (from a lighter) instead of soapy water. Im not a plumber but i believe they are not allowed to do that
Like your work, how about tips for home seller and home buyers, you look a bit like Aaron Roger’s, god bless
You got it. Next week I'll show you how to test your sump pump.
So what if you don’t locate the exact leak in the attic or the crawlspace or wherever? Do you just not mention it then? What if you think you’ve located the leak, but there’s actual multiple leaks? I don’t know why you would put yourself in that Type of liable situation. Why would you not just say there was a noticeable odor of natural gas at the furnace at time of inspection. Evaluation from a licensed specialist recommended before closing. Repair as needed
I don't think that has ever happened. If we smell gas, we find the leak.
But just for the sake of argument, let's say we couldn't. You raise a fair question; why not just let someone else deal with it, right? I'm working on writing a blog post and making a video with the long answer to your question. But here's the short answer:
Even with our meticulous efforts to document and pinpoint the location of gas leaks, and to make it easy for the next person to find and repair the leaks, the local gas company is my area is notorious for NOT being able to find these obvious leaks. And then they make us look stupid, because everyone trusts them. They're the Gas Company, we're just lowly home inspectors who don't know our heads from our tails. I could go on and on, as I've been dealing with this for decades. But that's the short answer.