Home Inspections and Coronavirus Covid-19
I wrote the following for one of the local associations. Sharing here . . .
Good morning, everyone. Wow, are things moving and changing quickly. From a home inspection perspective, I'm implementing the following protocols to protect your sellers:
All tools, especially my phone, will get cleaned with an anti-bacterial wipe prior to entering the home. I’ve taken the phone out of the otter box protection since that’s almost impossible to clean.
Only those tools necessary will enter the home and only when they're needed. Once used, they will be returned to the tool bag outside the home.
I will be cleaning all surfaces that I touch with an anti-bacterial wipe - door knobs, windows, bath fixture, all of it. For more information on cleaning, see the CDC Guidelines.
I'll be trying to avoid touching my face - as you know, that's a hard one, so . . .
I'll be washing my hands - a lot. I'll bring my own soap and a clean towel.
On the exterior of the home, in the attic, in the crawlspace, I'll be wearing surgical gloves. They will be disposed of immediately after use.
If you are the listing agent, expect a text or phone call to see if your seller wants me to wear a mask. While the government suggests they aren't necessary for healthy individuals, the goal is to make your buyers and sellers feel as safe as we can. If wearing a mask aids in this, I'll do it.
Traditionally, I've taken my shoes off to avoid making a mess. I'll be switching to disposable booties instead.
I'll be maintaining social distancing - this one is easy for introverts like me.
I will be adding even more video to my reporting. If buyers wish, I can Facetime from the home.
If anyone else has suggestions, please send them along.
Be safe.
UPDATE On Covid-19 Home Inspector Protocol: March 20, 2020
After a week of working with this protocol, I found a couple of spots that needed tweaking. A big one is customer management. Once the buyers get to the property, they have a natural inclination to touch things. Not making a value judgment on this, but facing the reality of the situation. So I’ve added a final step of cleaning every surface that they touch with sanitizing wipes. If it sounds as though I’m following behind them with a wipe in each hand, that’s exactly what I’m doing.
Another change is in my outdoor protocol. With the warmer weather we are experiencing, I can set up my cleaning station outside, so I don’t need to glove up there. I do the exterior of the home, wash thoroughly and resume the rest of the protocol.
If you are a Realtor reading this blog entry, may I suggest that you and your broker have each home inspector provide you with their protocol for the inspection process?