Handy Home Inspection Tool for Home Inspectors

Recently we received an email from a HomeReport client sharing information on a new inspection tool he had acquired.  With his permission, we've decided to share this information with you.

The pictures below show a Multi-Function Wire Tracer made by Powerfist.  This one was purchased from Princess Auto for $29.99 CA and traces electricity, telephone cable, coax cable, and wiring in automotive.

The reason this particular inspector purchased this piece of inspection equipment is because of a call he received from a client following a home inspection he had performed.  When the client called, he was complaining that the inspector did not find all the knob and tube wiring in his home. The inspector had reported that there was only one circuit that was Knob & Tube in the home.  You see, the client had hired a general contractor who told the home owner, that the entire 2nd floor had knob and tube wiring. After receiving the call from the client, the inspector arranged to go back to the home.  On the inspectors revisit he could not find a single wire on the 2nd floor. Everything was grounded, he told us how he opened up every receptacle and switch. Then, down to the basement he went to see where the renovations were started and he saw one Knob & Tube wire in the ceiling. The general contractor found this single wire after pulling the ceiling down.  In the end, the inspector was correct, there was only one wire going to the switch in the dining room. Not the entire 2nd Floor. This handy tool helped the inspector show his client exactly what was and was not there.    Oh, we almost forgot to mention, the client that hired this home inspector was a lawyer.  In fact, this was the 3rd house in many years this inspector had inspected for this particular client.   In the end, the client did believe the inspector over the contractor, the inspector just had to do a revisit and prove to the client he (the inspector) was right all along.  Now, the client is very happy.

A bit more about this handy little inspection tool... it's a nice compact unit, the larger part of the unit connects to the wire at panel or bell or coax, and the small part of the unit does the tracing/sniffing.

You just open lid and choose which one and start sniffing.  Simple to use and affordable to buy.

 

 

A special thank you to Dave Snooks from Under The Roof Top inspections for sharing this story with us so we, in turn, could share it with you.  Dave's website is www.undertherooftop.ca

Happy Inspecting ~ Canspec Home Publishing home of HomeReport, your detailed, client friendly reporting system.  www.canspechomepublishing.com