Current through all regulations passed and filed through December 16, 2024
(A) These standards of practice apply to
licensed Ohio home inspectors who are providing home inspections services
pursuant to Chapter 4764. of the Revised Code.
(B) Ohio licensed home inspectors shall
comply with all applicable Ohio laws and regulations.
(C) Licensees who perform home inspections
are not required to identify or disclose a
property's
concealed conditions, latent defects, or cosmetic
deficiencies that do not significantly affect a
property's
system or part of a
system's performance for the
system's intended purpose. A
licensee's inspection is limited to a visual and not
technically exhaustive examination of readily accessible components and systems
as of the specific date and time the inspection occurred.
(D) Any licensee who elects to operate,
inspect, or offer an opinion in a home inspection
report regarding any of the items found in this rule that were excluded from
the
licensee's responsibility shall not do so in a
careless or misleading manner.
(E)
A licensee is not required to determine or offer an opinion about any of the
following items in a home inspection report for a property inspected:
(1) The condition of a system or part of
system installed in a property that is not readily accessible;
(2) The estimated remaining life of a system
or part of a system;
(3) The
adequacy or efficiency of a system or part of a system;
(4) The source or causes of conditions or
deficiencies in the property;
(5)
The estimated costs to correct deficiencies in the property;
(6) Forecasting future conditions about the
property, including but not limited to, forecasting the failure of systems or
parts of system in a property;
(7)
The appropriateness or suitability of a property for any use other than for
residential purposes;
(8) The
compliance of a system or parts of a system in a property with past,
present, or future requirements which include but
are not limited to codes, regulations, laws, ordinances, builder
specifications, installation and maintenance instructions, care or use
guides;
(9) The marketability or
market value of the property;
(10)
The presence at the property of any animals, environmental hazards or
substances that may be hazardous or harmful to any living being;
(11) The effectiveness or efficiency of any
system installed at the property to control or remove any animals,
environmental hazards, or substances from the
property;
(12) The estimated
operating cost of a system or parts of a system;
(13) The sound quality or acoustical
properties of a system or parts of a system;
(14) Soil conditions relating to geotechnical
or hydrologic specialties;
(15)
Determine or report on materials, conditions, systems, or parts of systems subject to recall, litigation,
or other adverse claims or conditions;
(16) The legality of any contract or contract
term pertaining to the property.
(F) A licensee shall not make a determination
or offer an opinion regarding any of the items found in paragraph (E) of this
rule if prohibited by law or regulation. A licensee shall clearly report in the
inspection report those systems or parts of a system required to be inspected
under these standards that were
not operated or inspected and explain the reasons each
was not operated or
inspected.
(G) A licensee is not
required to offer as part of a
licensee's home inspection services any of the
following:
(1) Performance of any acts or
services contrary to law or government regulations;
(2) Performance of any other trade or
professional services other than a home inspection;
(3) Evaluation of any other trade or
professional services performed on the property by others;
(4) Offer any warranties or guarantees
regarding the property inspected.
(H) During the performance of a home
inspection, a licensee is not required to operate any of the following:
(1) Any systems or parts of a system that
cannot be operated by normal operating controls or are inoperable, disabled,
shut-off, or otherwise where conditions prohibit;
(2) Any devices designed to protect systems
or parts of a system from unsafe
conditions including, but not limited to,
automatic safety controls.
(I) A licensee is not required to enter
during a home inspection any of the following:
(1) An area of the property that, in the
licensee's
judgment, is likely to be dangerous to the
licensee or to other persons or is likely to cause damage to the property, its
systems, or parts of its systems;
(2) Any property crawl space or attic that,
in the
licensee's determination, is not readily
accessible.
(J) A
licensee is not required to inspect during a home inspection any of the
following:
(1) Any items underground on the
property, including but not limited to, storage tanks, septic systems,
underground piping and wells, whether abandoned or active;
(2) Any items that are not installed in the
property;
(3) Any decorative items
installed in the property;
(4) Any
detached structures on the property other than garages or carports;
(5) Any common area property found in common
areas for condominium or cooperative housing;
(6) Every occurrence of multiple similar
parts of a system;
(7) Any outdoor
cooking appliances.
(K)
A licensee is not required to do any of the following:
(1) Perform any procedures, operations, or inspection at the property that is, in the
licensee's judgment, likely to be dangerous to the licensee or to other persons
or is likely to cause damage to the property, its systems, or parts of its systems;
(2) Move any items, including but not limited
to, any personal property, including furniture, plants, soil, snow, or other
debris;
(3) Take apart or dismantle
any property systems or parts of a system, except as required in this
rule;
(4) To adjust any devices,
systems or parts of a property system, except as required by this
rule;
(5) To ignite or extinguish
any fires, pilot lights, burners or other open flames that require manual
ignition on any fuel-burning appliances;
(6) Probing any surfaces that could, in the
licensee's professional opinion, be damaged or where
no deterioration is visible or presumed to exist.
(L) A licensee shall inspect all readily
accessible exterior areas of a property during a home inspection and report in
the home inspection report the licensee's finding related to all of the
following:
(1) Exterior wall coverings,
flashing, and trim;
(3) Attached and adjacent
decks, balconies, stoops, steps, porches, and associated railings;
(4) Eaves, soffits, and fascia where
accessible from the ground level;
(5) Vegetation, grading, surface drainage,
and retaining walls that are likely to adversely affect the building;
(6) Any adjacent or entryway walkways,
patios, and driveways.
(M) A licensee is not required to inspect
during an exterior home inspection or report in a home inspection report any of
the following:
(1) Screening, shutters,
awnings, or other similar seasonal accessories;
(2) Fences, boundary walls, or similar
structures;
(3) Geological and soil
conditions on the property;
(4) Any
recreational facilities, including but not limited to, spas, saunas, steam
baths, swimming pools or exercise, entertainment, playground, or other similar equipment;
(5) Outbuildings, other than garages and
carports;
(6) Seawalls,
break-walls, or docks;
(7) Erosion control and earth stabilization
measures.
(N) A licensee
shall inspect all readily accessible structural system(s) and component(s) of a
property during a home inspection and report in the home inspection report the
licensee's findings related to all of the following:
(1) Crawl spaces or attics and the method the
licensee used to inspect the crawl spaces or attics;
(5) Ceiling structure; and
(O) A licensee is not required to inspect
during a home inspection of the structural components of a property or report
in a home inspection report any of the following:
(1) Engineering or architectural
analysis;
(2) Offer an opinion
about the adequacy of structural systems or parts of the system;
(3) Enter crawl space
or
attics that have less than twenty-four inches of vertical clearance
or
have a crawl space or attic access with an
opening smaller than sixteen inches by twenty-four inches; and
(4) Navigate load-bearing systems or beams in
the attic space of a property that are concealed by insulation or by other
materials.
(P) A
licensee shall inspect all readily accessible roofing system(s) and
component(s) of a property during a home inspection and report in the home
inspection report the licensee's findings related to all of the following:
(2) Roof drainage system;
(4) Skylights, chimneys, or any roof penetrations; and
(5) The method the licensee used to inspect
the roof.
(Q) A licensee
is not required to inspect during a home inspection or report in a home
inspection report any of the following as it relates to a property's roof:
(2) Interior vent systems, flues, or chimneys
that are not readily accessible; and
(3) Any other installed
accessories.
(R) A
licensee shall inspect all readily accessible plumbing system(s) and
component(s) of a property during a home inspection and report in the home
inspection report the licensee's findings related to all of the following:
(1) Interior water supply and distribution
systems, including any fixtures or faucets;
(2) Interior drain, waste, or venting system,
including fixtures;
(3) Any water
heating equipment, the approximate age of the water
hearing equipment, and hot water supply systems;
(4) Vent systems, flues, or chimneys;
(5) Fuel storage or fuel distribution
systems;
(6) Readily accessible
sewage ejectors, sump pumps, or other related piping;
(7) Report in the home inspection report the
energy source(s) utilized and the location of main water and fuel shut-off
valves.
(S) A licensee
is not required to inspect during a home inspection or report in a home
inspection report any of the following as it relates to a
property's plumbing:
(1) Clothes washing machine
connections;
(2) Interiors of vent
systems, flues or chimneys that are not readily accessible;
(3) Wells, well pumps or other water storage
related equipment;
(4) Water
conditioning systems;
(5) Any
solar, geothermal, and other renewable energy water heating systems;
(6) Manual or automatic fire extinguishing
and sprinkler systems;
(7)
Landscaping irrigation systems;
(8)
Concealed or otherwise inaccessible sewage ejectors, sump pumps and septic or
other sewage disposal system;
(9)
Sewage disposal and water supply; whether the system is public or private, the
quality of the water, including supply flow, pressure or quantity or the
adequacy of combustion air components.
(10) Licensees are also not required to fill
shower pans or fixtures for the purpose of testing for water leaks.
(T) A licensee shall inspect all
readily accessible electrical system(s) and component(s) of a property during a
home inspection and report in the home inspection report the licensee's
findings related to all of the following:
(2) Service entrance
conductors, cables, and raceways;
(3) Service equipment and main
disconnects;
(5) Interior parts or
components of service panels and
subpanels;
(7) Overcurrent
protection devices;
(8) A
representative sample of installed light fixtures, switches, and receptacles;
(9) Ground fault circuit interrupters and arc
fault circuit interrupters;
(10)
Licensees shall report in the home inspection report the
property's amperage rating service, the location of
main disconnects and subpanels, the presence or absence of any smoke or carbon
monoxide alarms, and the predominant branch
circuit wiring method.
(U) A licensee is not required to
inspect during a home inspection or report in a home inspection report any of
the following as it relates to a
property's electrical system:
(1) Remote control devices;
(2) Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms,
security systems and other signaling and warning devices;
(3) Low voltage wiring systems,
components, or parts of a system;
(4) Ancillary wiring systems, components or
parts of a system that are not a part of the primary electrical power
distribution system;
(5) Solar,
geothermal, wind, and other renewable energy systems;
(6) Licensees are not required to measure the
amperage, voltage, or impedance or determine the
age or type of smoke or carbon monoxide alarm;
(7) Test ground fault circuit interrupters
(GFCI) or arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCI);
(8) Test disconnects or breakers.
(V) A licensee shall inspect all
readily accessible heating system(s) and component(s) of a property and observe
operation during a home inspection and report in the home inspection report the
licensee's findings related to all of the following:
(1) Installed heating equipment;
(2) Vent systems, flues, and chimneys;
(3) Distribution systems;
(4)
Report the
energy source and the approximate age of the
heating systems.
(W) A
licensee is not required to inspect or operate during a home inspection or
report in a home inspection report any of the following as it relates to a
property's heating system:
(1) Interiors of
vent or duct systems, flues and chimneys that are not readily
accessible;
(3) Humidifiers,
dehumidifiers, and condensation pumps;
(4) Electric air cleaning and sanitizing
devices;
(5)
Heating systems using ground-source, water-source,
solar, and renewable energy technologies;
(6)
Heat-recovery,
zone control systems, and similar whole-house mechanical ventilation
systems; or
(7) Comment or offer an
opinion regarding the adequacy of the heat supply or materials, distribution
balance or the adequacy of combustion air components,
(X) A licensee shall inspect all readily
accessible air conditioning system(s)
and component(s) of a property and observe
operation during a home inspection and report in the home inspection report the
licensee's findings related to all of the following:
(1) Central and permanently installed cooling
equipment;
(2) Distribution
systems;
(3) Report the energy
source(s) and the approximate age of the cooling
systems.
(Y) A licensee
is not required to inspect, report, or operate
any of the following as it relates to a
property's
cooling system:
(1) Electric air cleaning and
sanitizing devices;
(2) Cooling
units that are not permanently installed or that are installed in
windows;
(3) Cooling systems using
ground-source, water-source, solar, and renewable energy
technologies;
(4) Adequacy of
cooling supply, materials used and distribution balance.
(Z) A licensee shall inspect all readily
accessible interior areas of a property during a home inspection and report in
the home inspection report the
licensee's findings related to all of the
following:
(1) Walls, ceilings,
and floors;
(2) Steps,
stairways, and railings;
(3) Countertops and a representative sample
of installed cabinets;
(4) A
representative sample of doors and windows;
(5) Garage vehicle doors and garage vehicle
door operations;
(6) Appliances in
the primary kitchen: refrigerator, range, range hood, oven, dishwasher, built-
in microwave oven, and food waste grinder by using normal operating controls to
activate the minimal function.
(AA) A licensee is not required to inspect
during a home inspection or report in a home inspection report any of the
following as it relates to a property's
:
(1) Paint, wallpaper, and other finish
treatments;
(2) Personal floor
coverings;
(4) Coatings on and the
hermetic seals between panes of window glass;
(5) Central vacuum systems;
(6) Shared or common recreational
facilities;
(7)
Household appliances not listed in paragraph (Z)(6) of
the rule;
(8) Appliance thermostats
including their calibration, adequacy of heating elements, self-cleaning oven
cycles, indicator lights, door seals, timers, clocks, timing features, and other specialized features of the
appliance;
(9) The operation of
every control and feature of an inspected appliance.
(BB) A licensee shall inspect all readily
accessible insulation and ventilation of a property during a home inspection
and report in the home inspection report the licensee's findings related to all
of the following:
(1) Insulation
in unfinished spaces or
the absence of insulation in unfinished spaces at conditioned surfaces;
(2) Ventilation of attics and foundation
areas;
(3) Exhaust systems found in
the property, including but not limited to exhaust systems in the kitchen,
bathroom or laundry room;
(4)
Clothes dryer exhaust systems.
(CC) The licensee is not required to disturb
insulation or ventilation during a home inspection.
(DD) A licensee shall inspect all readily
accessible parts of a fireplace or fuel-burning appliances in a property during
a home inspection and report in the home inspection report the
licensee's findings related to all of the following:
(1) Fuel-burning fireplaces, stoves, and
fireplace inserts;
(2) Any
fuel-burning accessories installed in fireplaces;
(3) Chimneys, flues, and vent systems.
(EE) A licensee is not required to inspect
during a home inspection or report in a home inspection report any of the
following as it relates to a property's fireplace or fuel-burning appliances:
(1) Fire screens and doors;
(3) Automatic fuel feed devices;
(4)
Mantels and
fireplace surrounds;
(5) Combustion
air components in order to determine their adequacy;
(6) Heat distribution assistance
items;
(7) Fuel-burning fireplaces
or appliances located outside the inspected structures;
(8) Determining draft
characteristics.
