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INDUSTRY NEWS
23
T H E C A N A D I A N
HOME INSPECTOR
out one. As an inspector, you can add real value for your clients by pointing
out the existence of a back water valve and encouraging them to advise
their insurers. Or, if there isn’t a back water valve, encourage them to have
one installed.
If the home has a main or second floor laundry room, you might want to
point out the associated risks should one of those hoses burst. Ideally, we
would like to see all laundry rooms located in the basement, but at the
very least IBC encourages homeowners, as we suspect you do, to replace
rubber hoses with steel braided hoses. In fact, you can refer your cli-
ents to our handy “how-to” video on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=ZwdP2-Udi-s ).
This is just one of the resources that IBC has to help you educate your
clients. Other helpful videos include topics like how to reduce the risk of
basement flooding and how to replace a cracked tile in a shower to prevent
water seepage. And lest we forget the risk associated with wild fire, we even
have a video that shows how to FireSmart a home. All of these videos, along
with many other resources, can be found on Get in the Know (getintheknow.
ibc.ca), IBC’s consumer education micro site.
There is no one quick fix when it comes to dealing with water damage.
But several preventative measures combined will work together to provide
layers of protection, making the difference between a dry home and one
plagued by costly water problems.
The key? Diverting water away from the home, and keeping it from entering
the building in the first place. Along with installing backwater valves, IBC
recommends that homeowners extend downspouts away from the home,
slope lot grading so it diverts water away from the foundation and install
rain barrels to collect rain water run-off. These are things you likely look for
when inspecting properties and we encourage you to explain to homeown-
ers why they are important. If the property has already been equipped or
modified, they are ahead of the game. If it hasn’t, they will then have valu-
able information to help them protect their most valuable asset.
Insurance concerns
No doubt in your daily interaction with home purchasers you run into ques-
tions and concerns about insurance. You are the experts at identifying any
issues with the physical attributes of the home but we, at IBC, are the
experts at answering consumer questions about insurance. IBC operates
five regional consumer information centres, where trained personnel with
many years of industry experience answer tens of thousands of consumer
inquiries each year. In most cases, homeowners receive answers within 24
hours. We encourage you to make use of this valuable resource. Refer your
clients who have insurance concerns to us. A complete list of Consumer
Information Centres is available on our web site at http://www.ibc.ca/en/
Contact_Us.asp.
Home and property inspectors are on the front lines daily, dealing with cli-
ents who are making important decisions. Professional advice is invaluable
to homeowners, and home inspectors can make an enormous difference in
helping homeowners protect their most valuable asset.
Winning the War on Water continued from page 22