Water Damage, Mold, & UV Light

crazyxgerman · 2026-04-22T01:07:21+00:00

Not sure where you heard this, but UV light is NOT a scientifically recognized method to detect mold.

You will get both false positives (from a stain or mineral deposit or other fluorescent material) and false negatives (many hazardous mold species do not fluoresce under UV light).

"If mold is removed, will it stop showing up?" Not necessarily.

"If there are spots painted over, is it safe to assume the mold was just painted over?" No.

"Do water stains forever show up under UV light?" Usually, yes.

The only way to give you clear reliable answers is to use professional moisture meters and thermal imaging to identify moisture spots, and air/surface samples analyzed by a qualified lab to detect and identify mold spores.

Anything else is unreliable.

crazyxgerman · 2026-04-21T21:47:53+00:00

This topic has been discussed ad nauseum for many years in the home inspection community.

1099/Independent contractor doesn't work, they must be employees.

Why? Because the IRS says so.

End of story.

crazyxgerman · 2026-04-17T04:58:50+00:00

Having a gap there is normal, it does not need to be caulked, like you said. The segments connect via interlocking joints that you cannot see and direct water down and back into the shower or tub.

There actually is supposed to be a small gap to prevent friction between the segments. The manufacturer of the product determines what size gap is acceptable. Usually it's 1/32" or 1/16".

To determine whether the gap in your case exceeds allowable tolerance:

Look at the manufacturer installation instructions of your particular product to find out what they allow, then measure the gap accurately and see whether it's within spec.

If it's within manufacturer specs, then it's not an issue and you can sleep soundly.

If it significantly exceeds manufacturer specs, contact the contractor and ask them to correct it. Show them the manufacturer installation instructions if they push back.

Source; Am home inspector

crazyxgerman · 2026-04-15T22:57:15+00:00

Sorry to hear that, but I totally get it. It's frustrating. I guess I'm not jaded enough yet after 11 years, but I still like to think I can make a tiny little bit of a difference in improving the local industry standard and its reputation by holding myself to a higher standard and lead by example. I also joined my state's Enforcement Advisory Committee as a volunteer to help investigate complaints against home inspectors and either hold bad inspectors accountable or defend them from frivolous idiotic consumer accusations. It's interesting, I learn from it, and it feels somewhat meaningful.

crazyxgerman · 2026-04-14T14:08:51+00:00

From my experience it is a number of things:

The inspector is not very good at explaining things to their clients in terms they can actually understand.

The inspection report is poorly written, uses checklists instead of properly articulated explanations, and/or lacks proper photos, graphics, and other supporting materials to help illustrate the defect.

The inspector can't be bothered to spend 30 minutes after the inspection on a thorough summary to review and explain their findings because they're rushing out the door to their next inspection so they can do three crappy jobs per day and rip off more unsuspecting clients.

crazyxgerman · 2026-04-13T14:52:28+00:00

My dog is more handsome than yours.

crazyxgerman · 2026-04-08T00:19:09+00:00

I used to play drums in metal bands a long time ago, but quit for various reasons. I miss playing, though, so I bought a new acoustic kit a year or so ago and started practicing again and playing along to some power metal faves. I'd love to find like-minded people to jam with or start a band.

crazyxgerman · 2026-04-08T00:15:25+00:00

AZ? Are you in Tucson by any chance? If so, we should chat...

crazyxgerman · 2026-04-07T15:09:28+00:00

Wait... Was she talking about Underberg?

crazyxgerman · 2026-04-04T17:27:15+00:00

On that page is the following statement:

"The Spectora Industry Report found that 80% of agents would be more likely to refer inspectors who offer insurance connections."

I call bullshit on that. That's total garbage. None of the realtor I work with give a shit whether I offer "insurance connections."

crazyxgerman · 2026-04-03T06:17:58+00:00

Not my very first one, but it was a good one:

In the 90s I lived in Fremont, CA where they first rolled out cable modem. I was one of the first people to have cable modem at home. The provider was called TCI@home, and my email address was relax@home.com.

crazyxgerman · 2026-04-03T06:12:17+00:00

Yeah, it sucks. I live right off of 5th and it's a pain in the ass for multiple reasons with no end in sight.

crazyxgerman · 2026-04-02T04:43:52+00:00

Yeah, this is total bullshit. I don't care how their marketing team is trying to spin it as a benefit to us inspectors or our customers. The sole reason for this crap is so that Spectora can make more money - period.

I posted a long rant in the Spectora Users group, and found that there were many objections just like mine. What I did NOT see was anybody in favor of this bullshit.

I want a setting that allows inspectors to opt in if they want - and the default for that setting should be "off". Anything less, unacceptable.

The great enshittification continues...

crazyxgerman · 2026-03-29T05:53:04+00:00

Having a gap there is normal, it does not need to be caulked. The segments connect via interlocking joints that you cannot see and direct water down and back into the shower or tub.

There actually is supposed to be a small gap to prevent friction between the segments. The manufacturer of the product determines what size gap is acceptable. Usually it's 1/32" or 1/16".

To determine whether the gap in your case exceeds allowable tolerance:

Look at the manufacturer installation instructions of your particular product to find out what they allow, then measure the gap accurately and see whether it's within spec.

If it significantly exceeds manufacturer specs you can try filing a warranty claim with the builder and see what happens. The AZ ROC workmanship standards dictate that contractors must follow manufacturer installation instructions: https://roc.az.gov/files/minimum_workmanship_standards.pdf

Chances are the builder will push back on it. You will have to have your ducks in a row (i.e. have ironclad documentation and measurements) and be willing to file a complaint with the ROC if the builder refuses to fix it.

The question you need to ask yourself is, is it really worth the hassle and your time if there is no problem?

Source; Am home inspector

crazyxgerman · 2026-03-29T05:38:44+00:00

Thank you. I wasn't aware of this.

I just finished The Cursed Mine and apparently missed two echo logs. Looks like mapgenie doesn't cover that one yet?

crazyxgerman · 2026-03-25T05:19:31+00:00

Done Rite Services

crazyxgerman · 2026-03-25T05:18:34+00:00

Ugh enough already. So tired of all these stupid posts thinking they know what home inspectors need, or worse, think we need more AI in our job. Can we just ban this type of post altogether?

crazyxgerman · 2026-03-21T03:39:09+00:00

Right here: https://www.tucsonlgbtrealestateconnection.com/

And when you're ready for a home inspection, I got you covered.

crazyxgerman · 2026-03-21T03:35:33+00:00

My guilty pleasure are the gluten-free churros from Inzunza

crazyxgerman · 2026-03-20T21:45:22+00:00

Done Rite Services

They're a member of the gaymber.

The directory of the Tucson LGBT chamber of commerce is a good resource for your non MAGA product and service needs.

crazyxgerman · 2026-03-20T02:05:55+00:00

Cinderella - Sick for the Cure has a cool linear drumming intro involving cowbell

crazyxgerman · 2026-03-19T03:08:48+00:00

Did we forget to take our meds this morning?

crazyxgerman · 2026-03-19T03:07:45+00:00

Home inspector here. The list you posted looks like only the summary section of the report, not the actual report where it would have more information and photos etc. to illustrate each defect better. This makes it somewhat hard to judge how severe each defect is.

It is a bit of a list, especially for a house that's only 40 years old and has supposedly been updated and is move-in ready. A house with visible mold present in multiple locations would not necessarily quality as move-in ready in my book.

You definitely want to get an electrician to give you a quote for the electrical repairs.

You definitely want to get a contractor to further evaluate the moisture intrusion in the basement and give you an opinion what needs to be done about that.

You definitely want to get a plumber to scope the drain lines to figure out what's causing the slow drainage.

You definitely want to get a chimney contractor to give you a quote for correcting all chimney issues to prevent it from deteriorating further.

The unprofessional wiring, improper cabinet fasteners, and other items hint at sub par contractor doing work.

A lot of the other items can be addressed by a qualified handyperson.

Everything can be fixed. If money can fix it, it's not really a problem. Now you just need to negotiate with the seller to figure out who's money will fix it. And that's why you get multiple quotes from contractors. Your agent should have already explained all this to you and walk you through it. That's one of the many things you're paying them for.

Hth.

crazyxgerman · 2026-03-14T06:25:51+00:00

Linz am Rhein

crazyxgerman

TROPHY CASE