The Scope and Purpose of a Home Inspection

The purpose of a home inspection is to receive a professional opinion about the overall condition of the structure. A home inspection is a limited visual inspection.

CLICK HERE TO FIND A COPY OF THE TN Standards of Practice

 A home inspection is not a home warranty

This report does not substitute for or serve as a warranty or guarantee of any kind. Home warranties can be purchased separately from insurance firms that provide this service. A home inspection is representative of the condition of the home at the time of the inspection.

 A home inspection is visual and not invasive

The descriptions and observations in this report are based on a visual inspection of the structure. We inspect the aspects of the structure that can be viewed without dismantling, damaging or disfiguring the structure and without moving furniture and interior furnishings. Areas that are concealed, hidden or inaccessible to view are not covered by this inspection. Some systems cannot be tested during this inspection as testing risks damaging the system. For example, overflow drains on bathtubs are generally not tested because if they were found to be leaking, they could damage the finishes below. Our procedures involve non-invasive investigation and non-destructive testing which will limit the scope of the inspection. This home inspection report does not address subterranean systems or system components (operational or nonoperational), including: (i) Sewage disposal; (ii) Water supply; or (iii) Fuel storage or delivery.

 This is not an inspection for code compliance

This inspection and report are not intended for city / local code compliance. During the construction process, when framing is open and conditions can be fully viewed, structures are inspected for code compliance by municipal inspectors in most areas, not all. All houses fall out of code compliance shortly after they are built, as the codes continually change. National codes are augmented at least every three years for all disciplines. Municipalities can choose to adopt and phase in sections of the codes on their own timetables. There are generally no requirements to bring older homes into compliance unless substantial renovation is being done.

 The scope of this inspection

The Home Inspection will be in accordance with the Standards of Practice promulgated by the commissioner of commerce and insurance

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 62-6-301 and 62-6-303(a)(5) [effective July 1, 2006]; and Chapter 65 of the Public Acts of 2005, §§ 4, 11, and 12. Administrative History: Public necessity rule filed April 7, 2006; effective through September 19, 2006. Original rule filed July 3, 2006; effective September 16, 2006.

March, 2024 (Revised)

This inspection will include the following systems: exterior, roof, structure, drainage, foundation, attic, interior, plumbing, electrical and heating. The evaluation will be based on limited observations that are primarily visual and non-invasive. This inspection and report are not intended to be technically exhaustive.

Rules of the Tennessee Home Inspector Licensing Program Chapter 0780-05-12 Home Inspectors Rules 0780-05-12-.04 Application Requirements, 0780-05-12-.05 Renewal Requirements; 0780-05-12-.06 Fees, 0780-05-12-.07 Qualifying and Continuing Education, & 0780-05-12-.10 Standards of Practice SS-7039 (February 2025) 5 RDA 1693 (a) The home inspection report shall include the following: 2. A list of any systems or components that were designated for inspection in this rule but that were not inspected, including underfloor crawl spaces, basements, and attic spaces;

• (A) "Home inspection" means a visual analysis for the purpose of providing a professional opinion of the condition of a residential building, ancillary buildings, any reasonably accessible installed components and the operation of the building's systems, including any controls normally operated by the owner of the building, for the following components:
• (i) Heating systems;
• (ii) Cooling systems;
• (iii) Electrical systems;
• (iv) Plumbing systems;
• (v) Structural components;
• (vi) Foundations;
• (vii) Roof coverings;
• (viii) Exterior and interior components; and
• (ix) Any other site aspects that affect the residential dwelling;
• (B) "Home inspection" does not mean a compliance inspection for building codes or any other codes adopted by this state or a political subdivision of this state. "Home inspection" does not mean any work that is within the scope of practice of architecture, engineering or landscape architecture or is performed by a person qualified to use the title "registered interior designer," all as defined in chapter 2 of this title.

(5) Required Reporting from TN Standards of Practice.

(a) The home inspection report shall include the following:

1. A report on any system or component inspected that, in the opinion of the home inspector, is significantly deficient;

2. A list of any systems or components that were designated for inspection in this rule but that were not inspected;

3. The reason a system or component listed in accordance with part (5)(a)2. was not inspected;

4. A statement that the report does not address environmental hazards, including:

(i) Lead-based paint; (ii) Radon; (iii) Asbestos; (iv) Cockroaches; (v) Rodents; (vi) Pesticides; (vii) Treated lumber; (viii) Fungus; (ix) Mercury; (x) Carbon monoxide; or (xi) Other similar environmental hazards.

5. This report does not address subterranean systems or system components (operational or nonoperational), including: (i) Sewage disposal; (ii) Water supply; or (iii) Fuel storage or delivery. 

(6) General Exclusions. (a) Home inspectors are not required to report on: 1. Life expectancy of any component or system; 2. The cause(s) of the need for a repair; 3. The methods, materials, and costs of corrections; 4. The suitability of the property for any specialized use; 5. Compliance or noncompliance with adopted codes, ordinances, statutes, regulatory requirements or restrictions; 6. The market value of the property or its marketability; 7. The advisability or inadvisability of purchase of the property; 8. Any component or system that was not inspected; 9. The presence or absence of pests such as wood damaging organisms, rodents, or insects; or 10. Cosmetic damage, underground items, or items not permanently installed.

(14) Interior Components. (c) The home inspector is not required to inspect:1. Paint, wallpaper, and other finish treatments on the interior walls, ceilings, and floors; 2. Carpeting; or 3. Draperies, blinds, or other window treatments.

Complete standards of practice Link provided below

Your expectations

The overall goal of a home inspection is to help ensure that your expectations are appropriate to the house you are proposing to buy/sell. To this end we assist with discovery by documenting observations during the home inspection. This should not be mistaken for a technically exhaustive inspection designed to uncover every defect with a building. Such inspections are available, but they are generally cost-prohibitive to most homebuyers.

Pest problems or concerns

This home inspection report is not a comprehensive pest report, Please see the NPMA-33 form (WDI/Termite Letter), if ordered, for an account of wood destroying insect issues. This home inspection report is not a comprehensive structural pest inspection. This home inspection report does not address any rat, mice or cockroach infestations that may be present.

 How to Read This Report

Getting Information to You

This report is designed to deliver important and technical information in a way that is easy for anyone to access and understand. If you are in a hurry, you can take a quick look at our "Summary Page” and quickly get critical information for important decision making. However, we strongly recommend that you take the time to read the full Report, which includes digital photographs, captions, diagrams, descriptions, videos and hot links to additional information.

The best way to get the layers of information presented in this report is to read your report online (the HTML version), which allows you to expand your learning about your house. You will notice some words or series of words highlighted in blue and underlined – clicking on these will provide you with a link to additional information. The HTML version of this report also contains streaming videos. Short video clips often contain important information and critical context and sounds that can be difficult to capture in words and still pictures.

For the most reliable viewing experience, I recommend viewing the report on as large a screen as practical, as much detail can be lost on small devices like smartphones. For similar reasons, reports should only be printed in color to retain as much detail as possible and minimize misinterpretation of photographs.

This report can also be printed on paper or to a PDF document.

ADD ON INSPECTION SUITE.

This report also has added sections that have contractor specific concerns that can be separated easily by copying the URL. Electrical, Plumbing, HVAC and Roofing sections are added.

Ancillary Inspections (Separate inspections outside the scope of the home inspection) are also included in the main report for easy and access to include any of the following that were requested and ordered by client to include but not limited to: Dock Inspections, Sewer Scope, Septic Dye test, Swimming Pool, Hot tub/Spa, Well/Water Inspections, Chimney Scope or EMF

 Chapters and Sections

This report is divided into chapters that parcel the home into logical inspection components. Each chapter is broken into sections that relate to a specific system or component of the home. You can navigate between chapters with the click of a button on the left side margin. Most sections will contain some descriptive information done in black font. Observation narrative, done in colored boxes, will be included if a system or component is found to be significantly deficient in some way or if we wish to provide helpful additional information about the system or the scope of our inspection. If a system or component of the home was deemed to be in satisfactory or serviceable condition, there may be no narrative observation comments in that section and it may simply say “tested,” or “inspected.”

 Observation Labels All narrative observations are colored, numbered and labeled to help you find, refer to, and understand the severity of the observation. Observation colors and labels used in this report, but are not limited to:

Acceptable: Item is Functioning as designed, Items may have some cosmetic issues, minor cracks, nail pops or blemishes. Any item or note listed is for client information

Marginal: Item is not fully functional and requires servicing or repair

Defective/Major Concern: Repair items that may cost significant money to correct now or in the near future, or items that require immediate attention to prevent additional damage or eliminate safety hazards. Item needs immediate repair, replacement or is a safety concern. It is unable to perform its intended function

Safety: This refers to an item or situation that is unsafe and will require attention

Repair: Repair and maintenance items noted during inspection. Please note that some repair items can be expensive to correct such as re-finishing hardwood floors, but are considered simply repair items due to their cosmetic nature

Maintenance: This is recommendations for ongoing type home maintenance items and should be addressed promptly

Due Diligence: Observation such as a buried oil tank that may require further investigation to determine the severity and / or urgency of repair

Incomplete: Items that have not been completed. Item was unable to be inspected for safety reasons or due to lack of power, inaccessible, or disconnected at time of inspection.

And there are other Modifiers or instruction in the report

 Summary Page

The Summary Page is designed as a bullet overview of observations noted during inspection. This helpful overview is not a substitution for reading the entire inspection report. The entire report must be read to get a complete understanding of this inspection report as the Summary Page does not include all photographs or photo captions.

HOME MAINTENACE IS IMPORTANT

All Equipment Should be on a maintenance program that follows the manufacturers recommendations

Lots and Grounds Maintaining drainage systems, grade, and landscaping around the structure is important to prevent water intrusion. Grading should slope away from the structure and vegetation should not touch the structure in order to prevent water and pest intrusion. Drainage systems should move water far enough away to ensure it cannot flow back to the structure.

Exterior Recommend inspecting all caulking, stained and painted areas annually for deterioration and maintenance as needed. All windows are inspected as access allows. Most windows will be opened and closed during the inspection. Particular attention is paid to windows, but there are times we cannot access windows to inspect. We will note in the report any Moisture inside the layers of glass we can see but this can be limited by window treatments, rainy days, fog, or many other factors. If you see any windows concerns during your final walk through, such as moisture inside the layers of glass or the rubber seals migrating let us know and we can update the report.

Roof Recommend having the roofing system inspected annually for unusual wear or damage. Gutter and drain systems should be cleaned and maintained as needed.

Electrical All electrical repairs and updates should be performed by a licensed electrician.

Attic Recommend a qualified individual inspect the attic periodically for water, pest and rodent intrusion.

Garage All moving parts of garage doors and openers should be periodically inspected for safety and integrity and have a proper maintenance schedule.

Structure Most hairline cracks in foundation walls, poured slabs and finished walls/ceilings are normal settlement, but should be monitored for adverse changes.

AC For system longevity and efficiency, filters should be changed every 30 days or according to manufacturer's recommendations, and the system be inspected and serviced annually by a qualified HVAC technician.

Heating system For system longevity and efficiency, filters should be changed every 30 days or according to manufacturer's recommendations, and the system be inspected and serviced annually by a qualified HVAC technician.

Plumbing Because water can be turned off during real estate sales and transfers, it is recommended that all visible plumbing lines, fixtures and connections be inspected at final walk through, and again periodically for leaks. Follow manufacturers maintenance recommendations for all mechanical devices (water heaters, septic pumps, etc.)

Laundry Room Recommend washer hoses and connections be inspected for leaks at final walk through and again periodically. Dryer lint traps, ducts and exit covers should also be occasionally inspected and cleaned to guard against lint accumulation that can be a fire hazard. This is a visual inspection only of these fixtures

CLICK HERE TO FIND A COPY OF THE TN Standards of Practice

 FINAL COMMENTS

At Bentley Inspections, we strive to provide informative and thorough home inspections, representing the condition of the property at the time of inspection. We recommend, at final walk through, to observe areas that may have been previously blocked by personal items, furniture or area rugs. Visually inspect items you have asked to be repaired. We recommend that all repairs be done by a licensed or qualified professional in that field. Items or areas that we find in need of repair may have hidden damage that cannot be visually observed during the inspection and thus may be found when repairs are being made. We do offer a re-inspection at a charge, should repairs be extensive or beyond your ability to properly assess.

If there are any concerns following this inspection or during final walk through, please contact us at 865-986-2516. Pictures always help and can be emailed to office@bentleyhomeinspection.com. Thank you for using Bentley Inspections, LLC,.

TN SMOKE ALARM INFORMATION:

Free Smoke Alarm including installation Information:

Enter your home address and contact your responding Fire Department, For information: 

Click on Link Below or Copy and paste in your browser for a copy

https://tnmap.tn.gov/fdtn/

The safety of smoke detectors in your home cannot be overstated. This small device serves as an early warning system, detecting smoke and alerting you to the presence of fire before it spreads and becomes uncontrollable. In the event of a fire, a smoke detector can provide crucial seconds or minutes for you and your family to evacuate safely. Regularly testing and maintaining your smoke detector ensures that it is always ready to serve its life-saving purpose. Investing in a smoke detector is a small price to pay for the peace of mind and protection it provides for you and your loved ones.

Carbon Monoxide detectors: Any home with gas appliances or wood burning stoves and fireplaces should have a working CO Detector installed, It is hard to access and determine if visible Smoke Alarms are Combo alarms