Question: Where do your questions come from and what topics will you respond to?
Answer: It may seem a little odd for me to be answering this self-posed question after more than two decades of weekly columns, but it should still be relevant, even to longtime readers. As things have evolved, over time, I often find that inquiries from readers only trickle in and are often redundant. So, I posed this question to all of you regular readers in an attempt to spur on more responses.
At the bottom of each weekly submission is a small caption that explains where questions can be sent. Originally, I accepted not only emailed questions, but ones from good old Canada Post. At the beginning of this endeavour they may even have outnumbered the electronic inquiries. As the internet and email grew much more reliable and commonplace, I decided that it was much easier to cut and paste a digital question than manually type one into my laptop from a handwritten letter. Limiting those remaining few lovely mailed-in questions was a risk worth the effort. From that time forth, sending emailed submissions to trainedeye@iname.com was the primary means of getting a published response.
In addition to the regular emails from readers, I often include questions I receive from various other forms, often phone calls and other correspondence. Much of these are directly related to my home inspection service, whether from clients, my website, or from potential clients with home related issues. While it may take me a few days to respond to a general question received on my voicemail, I always endeavour to respond, as time allows. Thanks to the incredible reach of the internet, these inquiries often come from far and away. If the question has possible merit for my column, I will ask the caller if I can use it in a future article and print their name. Most people readily comply, but some will have privacy concerns over publication of their full name. I always respect that request by using only a partial name, and/or initials.
As far as possible topics, I have never really defined the parameters, nor have I severely limited the scope. Anything and everything to do with people’s homes is in play. Most questions are understandably related to either problems with current homes or renovations. The most popular ones almost always concern moisture issues in homes or mechanical systems that are often misunderstood. How to properly operate a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) easily tops the mechanical side of things, while basement, crawlspace, and attic moisture problems are prominent.
While these are undoubtedly the expected inquiries to an "Answers" column, I am still surprised at the relatively few questions I receive directly related to home inspections. When I first started writing this column, I regularly had to explain to most people what a home inspector did. Many homeowners and perspective buyers did not understand that there were individuals like me who would thoroughly evaluate a property prior to purchasing it. As the popularity and understanding of pre-purchase home inspections grew, I expected the questions to follow suit. While I rarely have to explain to people the complexities of the home inspection profession anymore, the focus of the emails has not changed substantially. I fully anticipated receiving weekly questions about unlicensed sub-standard home inspectors, pushy realtors, and cranky sellers. This just did not happen. Even questions about the entire home purchasing and selling process were few and far between. Regardless, I am still more than happy to address homeowner questions about cracked foundations and proper insulation methods.
But what about concerns with the extreme "buyer’s market" of the last couple of years? I have many questions from friends, family, and clients about the effect on mine and other inspector’s business, but almost none from readers. I am certain that there is a high level of curiosity in cyberspace, based on articles I have seen in numerous publications and online. What about the current state of affairs in regards to licensing of inspectors? Changes to the real estate acts in recent years, regarding condo purchases have been significant with the "cooling off period." Will that happen in the near future for all residential purchases? These and other house buying issues are constantly evolving and I am sure there are many people with relevant questions.
Now it is up to all of you "constant readers", to borrow a favourite phrase of Stephen King, to belly up to the bar. Please take a few minutes on your laptop, iPad, or smartphone and send me an email with a question about your experiences with your homes, as well as buying and selling. Don’t worry about full, proper sentences being an issue. A little editing is standard fare for most emails. If you have an issue or question about something you have not been able to answer, even with research on the web, send it to me. Especially if it has to do with a topic not previously discussed in these pages, or any inspection related queries, it is most welcome. I always endeavour to keep the topics fresh and varied, but I need your help to supply me with new material for that purpose. Thanks to those who have taken the time to send in previous questions, and to all of you for reading.
Ari Marantz is the owner of Trained Eye Home Inspection Ltd. and a Registered Home Inspector (RHI)(cahpi.ca). Questions can be emailed to the address below. Ari can be reached at 204-291-5358 or check out his website at trainedeye.ca.
trainedeye@iname.com
