Thomas Home Inspection

Dear Ms [redacted] :I am writing in response to your letter dated Saturday, August 12, 2017, and to rebut a complaint submitted on August 11, numbered [redacted] .I performed inspections on Mr***'s property for a potential buyerThe buyer requested a home inspection and water quantity reportA buyer has the right to have these tests performedThe buyer was present during testing to witness the process and inconsistency of water flow to the property.I have been performing water quantity testing for a long time and have never run a system to failureThe job of testing a well is to run it to failureThere are several reasons a well can stop producing water:• An old, rusty bladder tank (which was present at this property)• Regulator not functioning properly• Shallow well• Pump failure or blockage from sediment in an interior componentThe property has a submersible pump so it was not accessibleThe water flow was not the best from the beginning of the test.It is obvious that the property continues to have water flow and that Mr [redacted] is not telling the truth as:• They continue to live at the property• They have a renter who continues to live at the property• They have had visitors for an extended stay at the property since the inspection• They were running the hose and pressure washer on the exterior of the house since theinspectionThis property is not in the best overall conditionThe owners are known for not making repairs on anythingI have lived in the same neighborhood for nineteen years and have never seen them do repair work of any kindThis can be proven through the neighbors.I also know for a fact that they have not had a well specialist or a drilling rig on the property since I tested itThis can be verified through neighbors as well.Mr [redacted] is incorrect in saying that I ran his well dryHe is also incorrect in his statement that I informed the buyer that the well test failedI allowed the system to recover in between runnings and turned the system off before flow ceased so as not to damage componentsThe system was run for only minutes total with a minute recovery period in the middleGuidelines state systems should be run for 1-hours non-stop with all faucets opengallons of water per house plus gallons for each bedroom should be runThis property should have been able to run nearly gallons of waterNowhere near that amount of water was runI stopped testing when I noticed the flow faltering for the second timeI have included the water quantity report which states that faucets were closed before flow ceased so as not to damage componentsI also understand this is the second well that has been drilled on this property.I ran no invasive tests at this property - only a well flow/water quantity test.In response to the statement that I am not certified to run this testing:• It is not required that I be certified through NACHI (even though I am, and only two small sections of the well certification course deal with water flow)• Certification is also not required or regulated by Pennsylvania, Crawford County, Vernon Township, or the surrounding areasI know this because I have spoken with the following people and agencies:• Township supervisor• Three code enforcement officers• Two zoning officers• Four different water authorities in the areaThey all said the same thing --- there are no laws or regulations concerning certification on well testingIt is their understanding that this is part of the home inspectors’ duty to test the well when contracted to do soI’m sure they would verify this if askedThe only thing a home inspector is not permitted to perform, according to DEP, is a water purity test.I have spoken with four well drillers and five plumbers, and discovered that they do not perform water flow testingThey stated they only do repairs on the systems.The banks, townships, VA/FHA/USDA loan officers and/or their clients have all contracted my services to do their water quantity testing.In further response to my certifications:• I am a general contractor with over thirty years of experience• I partner with two master plumbers• I have worked with plumbing companies during my twenty-three years in the Laborer’s Local #***• I have been a superintendent for multi-million dollar projectso During this time, I was educated about and would oversee the drilling of wells on the siteo I had to be educated on wells and water flow so it did not compromise anysurrounding areasThis was on a college campus and the main township well hub was located on the campus.This is all the information I can speak of on this issueThis does not include the threatening text messages that I received from Mrs***The bottom line is that Mr [redacted] was not happy with the entire home inspection reportMy opinion is that he thinks he knows everything, and that they are not very nice people.Thank you for the opportunity to respond.Paul Manning Thomas Home Inspections [redacted]

Dear Ms. [redacted]:I am writing in response to your letter dated Saturday, August 12, 2017, and to rebut a complaint submitted on August 11, 2017 numbered [redacted].I performed inspections on Mr. [redacted]'s property for a potential buyer. The buyer requested a home inspection and water quantity report. A...

buyer has the right to have these tests performed. The buyer was present during testing to witness the process and inconsistency of water flow to the property.I have been performing water quantity testing for a long time and have never run a system to failure. The job of testing a well is to run it to failure. There are several reasons a well can stop producing water:• An old, rusty bladder tank (which was present at this property)• Regulator not functioning properly• Shallow well• Pump failure or blockage from sediment in an interior componentThe property has a submersible pump so it was not accessible. The water flow was not the best from the beginning of the test.It is obvious that the property continues to have water flow and that Mr. [redacted] is not telling the truth as:• They continue to live at the property• They have a renter who continues to live at the property• They have had visitors for an extended stay at the property since the inspection• They were running the hose and pressure washer on the exterior of the house since theinspectionThis property is not in the best overall condition. The owners are known for not making repairs on anything. I have lived in the same neighborhood for nineteen years and have never seen them do repair work of any kind. This can be proven through the neighbors.I also know for a fact that they have not had a well specialist or a drilling rig on the property since I tested it. This can be verified through neighbors as well.Mr. [redacted] is incorrect in saying that I ran his well dry. He is also incorrect in his statement that I informed the buyer that the well test failed. I allowed the system to recover in between runnings and turned the system off before flow ceased so as not to damage components. The system was run for only 45 minutes total with a 15 minute recovery period in the middle. Guidelines state systems should be run for 1-2 hours non-stop with all faucets open. 150 gallons of water per house plus 50 gallons for each bedroom should be run. This property should have been able to run nearly 350 gallons of water. Nowhere near that amount of water was run. I stopped testing when I noticed the flow faltering for the second time. I have included the water quantity report which states that faucets were closed before flow ceased so as not to damage components. I also understand this is the second well that has been drilled on this property.I ran no invasive tests at this property - only a well flow/water quantity test.In response to the statement that I am not certified to run this testing:• It is not required that I be certified through NACHI (even though I am, and only two small sections of the well certification course deal with water flow)• Certification is also not required or regulated by Pennsylvania, Crawford County, Vernon Township, or the surrounding areasI know this because I have spoken with the following people and agencies:• Township supervisor• Three code enforcement officers• Two zoning officers• Four different water authorities in the areaThey all said the same thing --- there are no laws or regulations concerning certification on well testing. It is their understanding that this is part of the home inspectors’ duty to test the well when contracted to do so. I’m sure they would verify this if asked. The only thing a home inspector is not permitted to perform, according to DEP, is a water purity test.I have spoken with four well drillers and five plumbers, and discovered that they do not perform water flow testing. They stated they only do repairs on the systems.The banks, townships, VA/FHA/USDA loan officers and/or their clients have all contracted my services to do their water quantity testing.In further response to my certifications:• I am a general contractor with over thirty years of experience• I partner with two master plumbers• I have worked with plumbing companies during my twenty-three years in the Laborer’s Local #[redacted]• I have been a superintendent for multi-million dollar projectso During this time, I was educated about and would oversee the drilling of 208 wells on the siteo I had to be educated on wells and water flow so it did not compromise anysurrounding areas. This was on a college campus and the main township well hub was located on the campus.This is all the information I can speak of on this issue. This does not include the threatening text messages that I received from Mrs. [redacted]. The bottom line is that Mr. [redacted] was not happy with the entire home inspection report. My opinion is that he thinks he knows everything, and that they are not very nice people.Thank you for the opportunity to respond.Paul Manning Thomas Home Inspections [redacted]

Review: I hired Paul M[redacted] to do a Home Inspection ($395.00 was paid) the inspection stated that my furnace was in "good working order & providing adequate heat" this was on July 2, 2015. I closed on my home August 30. Within 1 week of living in my home, when the gas company ([redacted]l) came to turn on my gas, it was found that my meter had been pulled (this was a flipped home) and there had been no gas to my home for some time. My boiler runs on gas as I have radiator heat. At that time it was red tagged because the pilot light would not ignite. I then hired [redacted] to service the furnace. It was red tagged yet again with extremely high CO levels. I have since had to replace my entire boiler system. I have been in contact with Mr. M[redacted] of Thomas Home Inspections and he is very aware of all that happened. He stated to me that his wife must have marked the wrong boxes on the inspection. I have simply asked to be refunded the $395.00 I paid him to do a service that was falsely and incorrectly done. He stated he would send me a check in the mail much to his resistance. It has been one month since that conversation. I spoke with him again today asking when I can expect this refund and he stated he doesn't feel this is his problem. Followed by him hanging up on me. I don't believe I am asking too much. I haven't asked him to pay the thousands of dollars to replace the boiler but simply for the money I paid him to be refunded to me as I feel if the inspection had been done correctly, this could have prevented me from closing on this home.Desired Settlement: I would like the $395.00 I paid him for my home inspection fully refunded to me and that is all.