By Barry Stone
Dear Barry,
When we bought our home, the inspector seemed to do a very thorough job. But there's one problem we've noticed since moving in: Whenever we turn on the cold water faucet at our bathroom sink, we hear a dripping sound directly below. Does this sound like a serious problem? How should we proceed? Should we hire another inspector or a plumber? -- Kathy
Dear Kathy,
If your inspector is a good one, he will be glad to come back and take a look at your plumbing problem. My advice is to give him a friendly call and ask that he review this condition.
The dripping sound beneath your sink is likely to be a minor problem, and hopefully, your inspector will be able to provide an accurate diagnosis. Otherwise, you'll need to call a licensed plumber.
It is not surprising that some conditions escape the attention of even the most thorough inspectors. Home inspectors have about three hours, more or less, to determine every significant defect in a home. The fact that a competent inspector misses only a few defects in the course of this process is nothing short of an amazing accomplishment. It speaks well of the forensic skills of individual inspectors and is a testament to the standards of practice and educational programs provided by professional organizations such the American Society of Home Inspectors and the National Association of Home Inspectors.
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