| Illinois Standards of Practice for Home Inspectors
Section 1410.200 Standards
of Practice
a) For the purposes
of this Section, the terms listed below shall mean:
1) Alarm Systems:
Warning devices, installed or free-standing, including but not limited
to: carbon monoxide detectors, flue gas and other spillage detectors,
security equipment, ejector pumps and smoke alarms.
2) Client: A person
or person who engages or seeks to engage the services of a home
inspector for an inspection assignment.
3) Component: A part
of a system.
4) Decorative:
Ornamental; not required for the operation of the essential systems and
components of a home.
5) Describe: To
report a system or component by its type or other observed, significant
characteristics to distinguish it from other systems or components.
6) Home Inspection:
As defined in Section 1-10 of the Act.
7) Home Inspection
Report: A written evaluation prepared and issued by a home inspector
upon completion of a home inspection, that meets the standards of
practice as established by OBRE.
8) Inspect: To
visually examine readily accessible systems and components of a building
in accordance with these Standards of Practice, using normal operating
controls and opening readily accessible access panels.
9) Roof Drainage
Systems: Components used to carry water off a roof and away from a
building.
10) Significantly
Deficient: Unsafe or not functioning.
11) Solid Fuel
Burning Appliances: A hearth and fire chamber or similar prepared place
in which a fire may be built and which is built in conjunction with a
chimney; or a listed assembly of a fire chamber, its chimney and related
factory-made parts designed for unit assembly without requiring field
construction.
12) Structural
Component: A component that supports non-variable forces or weights
(dead loads) and variable forces or weights (live loads).
13) System: A
combination of interacting or interdependent
components, assembled to
carry out one or more functions.
14) Under Floor Crawl
Space: The area within the confines of the foundation and between the
ground and the underside of the floor.
15) Unsafe: A
condition in a system or component that is a significant risk of
personal injury or property damage during normal, day-to-day use. The
risk may be due to damage, deterioration, improper installation or a
change in accepted residential construction standards.
b) These Standards of
Practice define the practice of home inspection in the State of Illinois
and shall:
1) Provide home
inspection guidelines; and
2) Define certain
terms relating to these home inspections.
c) The purpose of
these standards of practice is to establish a minimum and uniform
standard for licensed home inspectors to provide the client with
information regarding the condition of the systems and components of the
home as inspected at the time of the home inspection.
d) Home inspectors or
home inspector entities shall enter into a written agreement with the
client or duly authorized representative prior to the home inspection
that includes at a minimum:
1) The purpose of the
inspection;
2) The date of the
inspection;
3) The name, address
and license number of the home inspector or home inspector entity;
4) The fee for
services performed;
5) A statement that
the inspection will be performed in accordance with these Standards;
6) A list of the
systems and components to be inspected;
7) Limitations or
exclusions of systems or components being inspected; and
8) The signature of
the client or his or her duly authorized representative, and the
signature of the home inspector or the duly authorized representative of
a home inspector entity.
e) At the conclusion
of the home inspection, a home inspector shall submit a written report
to the client or duly authorized representative within 48 hours that
includes the home inspector's signature and license number and
expiration date and shall:
1) Describe the
systems and components that were inspected;
2) Report on those
systems and components inspected that, in the opinion of the inspector,
are significantly deficient; and
A) A reason why the
system or component is significantly deficient.
B) Disclose any
systems or components designated for inspection, that were present at
the time of the home inspection, but were not inspected and a reason
they were not inspected.
f) These Standards
are not intended to limit home inspectors from:
1) Including other
inspection services, systems or components in addition to those defined
in these standards of practice; and
2) Excluding systems
and components in the written agreement from the inspection.
g) When, pursuant to
written agreement with a client, the structural system/ foundation is
inspected, the home inspector shall:
1) Inspect the
structural components including the foundation and framing; and
2) Describe the
foundation and report the methods used to inspect the under-floor crawl
space, floor, wall, ceiling, roof, structure and report the methods used
to inspect the attic.
h) When, pursuant to
the written agreement with a client, the exterior is inspected, the home
inspector shall:
1) Inspect the
exterior wall covering, flashing, trim, all exterior doors, attached
decks, balconies, stoops, steps, porches, and their associated railings,
the eaves, soffits, and fascias where accessible from the ground level,
the vegetation, grading, surface drainage, and retaining walls on the
property when any of these are likely to adversely affect the building,
walkways, patios, and driveways leading to dwelling entrances; and
2) Describe the
exterior wall covering.
i) When, pursuant to
the written agreement with a client, the roof system is inspected, the
home inspector shall:
1) Inspect the roof
covering, the roof drainage systems, the flashings, the skylights,
chimneys, and roof penetrations; and
2) Describe the roof
covering and report the methods used to inspect the roof.
j) When, pursuant to
the written agreement with a client, the plumbing system is observed,
the home inspector shall describe in detail the interior water supply
and distribution including all fixtures and faucets, drains , waste and
vent systems including all fixtures, the water heating equipment, the
vent systems, flues, and chimneys, the fuel storage and fuel
distribution systems, the drainage sumps, sump pumps, and related
piping, and the location of main water and main fuel shut-off valves.
k) When, pursuant to
the written agreement with a client, the electrical system is inspected,
the home inspector shall:
1) Inspect the
service drop, the service entrance conductors, cables, and raceways, the
service equipment and main disconnects, the service grounding, the
interior components of service panels and sub panels, the conductors,
the over-current protection devices, installed lighting fixtures,
switches, and receptacles, the ground fault circuit interrupters;
2) Describe the
amperage and voltage rating of the service, the location of main
disconnects and sub panels, the wiring methods; and
3) Report on the
presence of solid conductor aluminum branch circuit wiring and on the
absence of smoke detectors.
l) When, pursuant to
the written agreement with a client, the heating system is inspected,
the home inspector shall:
1) Inspect the
installed heating equipment, the vent systems, flues, and chimneys; and
2) Describe the
energy source, the heating method by its distinguishing characteristics.
m) When, pursuant to
the written agreement with a client, the cooling system is inspected,
the home inspector shall:
1) inspect the
installed central and through-wall cooling equipment; and
2) describe the
energy source, the cooling method by its distinguishing characteristics.
n) When, pursuant to
the written agreement with a client, the interior is inspected, the home
inspector shall inspect the walls, ceilings, and floors, the steps,
stairways, and railings, the countertops, installed cabinets, doors and
windows, garage doors and garage door operators.
o) When, pursuant to
the written agreement with a client, the insulation and ventilation are
inspected, the home inspector shall:
1) inspect the
insulation and vapor retarders in unfinished spaces, the ventilation of
attics and foundation areas, the mechanical ventilation systems; and
2) describe the
insulation and vapor retarders in unfinished spaces, the absence of
insulation in unfinished spaces at conditioned surfaces.
p) When, pursuant to
the written agreement with a client, the fireplaces and solid fuel
burning appliances are inspected, the home inspector shall:
1) Inspect the system
components, the vent systems, flues, and chimneys; and
2) Describe the
fireplaces, solid fuel burning appliances, and the chimneys.
(Source: Amended at 27 Ill.
Reg. 14180, effective August 15, 2003)
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