SECTION .1100 - N.C. HOME INSPECTOR STANDARDS OF PRACTICE AND CODE OF ETHICS

11 NCAC 08 .1101             DEFINITIONS

The following definitions apply to this Section:

(1)           "Abnormal" means nontypical or unusual conditions that could cause damage to systems and components of the home.

(2)           "Arc-fault circuit interrupter" means a device intended to provide protection from the effects of arc faults by recognizing characteristics unique to arcing and de-energizing the circuit when an arc fault is detected.

(3)           "Automatic safety controls" means devices designed and installed to protect systems and components from excessively high or low pressures and temperatures, excessive electrical current, loss of water, loss of ignition, fuel leaks, fire, freezing, or other unsafe conditions as stated in manufacturer's instructions.

(4)           "Central air conditioning" means a system that uses ducts to distribute cooled or dehumidified air to more than one room or uses pipes to distribute chilled water to heat exchangers in more than one room, and that is not plugged into an electrical convenience outlet.

(5)           "Component" means a readily accessible and visible aspect of a system, such as a floor or wall, but not individual pieces such as boards or nails where many similar pieces make up the component.

(6)           "Cosmetic damage" means blemishes or defects that do not interfere with the functionality of the component or system.

(7)           "Cross connection" means any physical connection or contact between potable water and any source of contamination.

(8)           "Dangerous or adverse situations" means situations that pose a threat of injury to the inspector, or those situations that require the use of special protective clothing or safety equipment.

(9)           "Describe" means report in writing a system or component by its type, or other inspected characteristics, to distinguish it from other systems or components used for the same purpose.

(10)         "Dismantle" means to take apart or remove any component, device, or piece of equipment that is bolted, screwed, or fastened by other means and that would not be disassembled by a homeowner in the course of routine household maintenance.

(11)         "Enter" means to go into an area to inspect all visible components.

(12)         "Functional drainage" means a drain that empties at a rate equal to or greater than the supply water flow to the fixture.

(13)         "Functional flow" means a usable flow at the highest fixture in a dwelling when another fixture is operated simultaneously.

(14)         "Gray water" means wastewater generated from household activities that do not involve human waste, such as bathing, showering, handwashing, and laundry, which typically contains some residues from soap, detergent, and dirt.

(15)         "Gray water system" means a water reuse system contained within a single-family residence

or multiunit residential or commercial building that filters gray water or captured rainwater and reuses it for nonpotable purposes such as toilet flushing and irrigation.

(16)         "Ground-fault circuit interrupter" means devices intended for the protection of people that de-energizes a circuit or portion thereof within an established period of time when currents are out of balance.

(17)         "Habitable space" means a space in a building for living, sleeping, eating, or cooking. "Habitable space" does not mean a bathroom, toilet room, closet, or any space used or designed for storage.

(18)         "Harmful" means conditions that cause damage to systems and components of the home.

(19)         "Inspect" means to make a visual examination.

(20)         "Installed" means attached or connected such that an item requires tools for removal.

(21)         "Normal operating controls" means homeowner operated devices such as a thermostat, wall switch, or safety switch.

(22)         "On-site water supply quality" means water quality based on the bacterial, chemical, mineral, and solids content of the on-site well water.

(23)         "On-site water supply quantity" means the rate of flow of on-site well water.

(24)         "Operate" means to cause systems or equipment to function as intended.

(25)         "Readily accessible" means within reach, without the use of a ladder, not blocked by appliances, and approachable or enterable for visual inspection without the risk of damage to any property or alteration of the accessible space, equipment, or opening.

(26)         "Readily openable access panel" means a panel provided for homeowner inspection and maintenance that has removable or operable fasteners or latch devices in order to be lifted off, swung open, or otherwise removed by one person; and its edges and fasteners are not painted in place. This definition is limited to those panels within reach standing on the floor or from a four-foot stepladder, and that are not blocked by stored items, furniture, or building components.

(27)         "Readily visible" means seen by using natural or artificial light without the use of equipment or tools other than a flashlight.

(28)         "Representative number" means, for multiple identical components such as windows and electrical outlets, one such component per room; and, for multiple identical exterior components, one such component on each side of the building.

(29)         "Roof drainage systems" means gutters, downspouts, leaders, splash blocks, and similar components used to carry water off a roof and away from a building.

(30)         "Sewage pump" means a device used at elevations where mechanical assistance is needed to move effluent to a sewage system.

(31)         "Shut down" means a piece of equipment or a system that cannot be operated by the device or control provided for homeowner operation. If its safety switch or circuit breaker is in the "off" position, or its fuse is missing or blown, the inspector is not required to reestablish the circuit for the purpose of operating the equipment or system.

(32)         "Solid fuel heating device" means any wood, coal, fossil, or other similar organic fuel burning device, including fireplaces whether masonry or factory built, fireplace inserts and stoves, wood stoves (room heaters), central furnaces, and combinations of these devices.

(33)         "Structural component" means a component that supports non-variable forces or weights (dead loads) and variable forces or weights (live loads).

(34)         "Sump pump" means a device used to remove non-effluent drainage.

(35)         "System" means a combination of interacting or interdependent components, assembled to carry out one or more functions.

(36)         "Technically exhaustive" means an inspection involving the use of measurements, instruments, testing, calculations, and other means to develop scientific or engineering findings, conclusions, and recommendations.

(37)         "Under floor crawl space" means the area within the confines of the foundation and between the ground and the underside of the lowest floor structural component.

History Note:        Authority G.S. 143-151.49;

Codifier determined that agency findings did not meet criteria for temporary rule Eff. October 15, 1996;

Temporary Adoption Eff. October 24, 1996;

Eff. July 1, 1998;

Amended Eff. February 1, 2007; April 1, 2005; May 1, 2003;

Readopted Eff. October 1, 2018;

Amended Eff. October 1, 2024.