61-30.807. Standards of Practice, Interior Components

(1) The interior components that shall be inspected include the following:

(a) Interior walls, ceilings, and floors;

(b) Steps, stairways, and railings;

(c) Countertops and representative number of installed cabinets;

(d) Garage doors;

(e) Interior and exterior doors and windows and their operating locks and latches or other opening mechanisms;

(f) Insulation and vapor retarders in unfinished spaces;

(g) Fireplaces and solid fuel burning appliances;

(h) Vent systems, flues, and chimneys;

(i) Household appliances.

(2) The inspector shall inspect all of the visible and readily accessible interior components that have not been excluded in the scope of services disclosure. When inspecting doors and windows, the inspector may inspect a representative number of doors and windows. The inspector shall inspect household appliances to determine whether the appliances are significantly deficient using normal operating controls. Inspectors will not operate systems or appliances if they have been excluded in the scope of services disclosure or if there is a risk to the property being inspected. Inspectors will first review the system to be operated and use professional judgment as to whether it is safe to operate using normal operating controls and report accordingly.

(3) The inspector is not required to inspect:

(a) Paint, wallpaper, window treatments, and other specialty finish treatments;

(b) Carpeting;

(c) Window treatments;

(d) Central vacuum systems;

(e) Recreational facilities;

(f) Fire screens and doors, if not permanently attached;

(g) Seals and gaskets on fireplaces;

(h) Automatic fuel feed devices;

(i) Mantles and fireplace surrounds;

(j) Combustion make-up air devices;

(k) Heat distribution assists whether gravity controlled or fan assisted in fireplaces.

(4) The inspector is not required to:

(a) Open or operate any windows or doors and access covers that are permanently or temporarily secured by mechanical means, are painted shut, or are blocked by stored items or furniture;

(b) Ignite or extinguish fires;

(c) Light gas fireplaces or heaters, or other unlit pilot light devices;

(d) Determine draft characteristics for fireplaces and chimneys;

(e) Move fireplace inserts or stoves or firebox contents;

(f) Disturb insulation;

(g) Activate any system or appliance that is shut down, disconnected, or otherwise rendered inoperable;

(h) Operate or evaluate any system, component or appliance that does not respond to normal user controls;

(i) Operate any gas appliance that requires the manual lighting of a pilot light or burner device;

(j) Operate any system, appliance or feature that requires the use of special codes, keys, combinations, or devices or where user manual reference is required;

(k) Operate any system, component, or appliance where in the opinion of the inspector, damage may occur;

(l) Determine thermostat(s) calibration, adequacy of heating elements, operate or evaluate self cleaning cycles, door seals, indicator lights, timers, clocks or timed features, defrost cycles or frost free features, or other specialist features as it applies to the appliance device;

(m) Determine leakage from microwaves ovens;

(n) Determine the presence or operation of back draft damper devices in exhaust devices;

(o) Move any appliance;

(p) Confirm operation of every control or feature of a system or appliance.

Rulemaking Authority 468.8325 FS. Law Implemented 468.8323, 468.832(1)(j), 468.8321 FS. History‒New 10-22-13, Amended 7-31-14.