Glossary & Terms

Available for visual inspection without moving personal property, cutting holes in walls or dismantling anything. This also means available for inspection without putting the inspector or the property at risk.

Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters were first required in 1999 (on some circuits) to provide a higher level of fire protection by detecting arcing on the circuit before it can become an electrical fire. As of 2014, all 120 volt 12020 amp circuits in a residence require AFCI protection. Our inspectors may recommend AFCI protection but the absence of them is not necessarily a defect. Electrical systems become more dangerous over time and we often recommend upgrading older systems with AFCI protection to increase safety. AFCI devices should be tested regularly by pressing the “test” button on the device. If they fail to reset, they fail the test and should be replaced. Some modern devices will provide more information by flashing a fault code.

Ampacity is the maximum current that a conduction or device can carry continuously without exceeding its temperature rating. (i.e. without overheating).

An appraisal is the estimation of a home’s current market value. A licensed appraiser completes this estimation, which is calculated by comparing the recent sales of homes in the area as to the property that is being appraised. This is required by mortgage lenders to be sure that the money they are lending to a new homeowner or a current homeowner is a fair amount for the home.

A property labeled in “as is” condition usually indicates that the seller is unwilling to perform most if not all repairs. It could also mean that it is priced “as is”, which is typically lower than market pricing in the area.

The American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) was founded in 1976 to increase consumer awareness of the occupation and to enhance the overall professionalism of the industry. In states like Georgia, with no licensing or certification requirements for home inspectors, organizations like ASHI can help consumers (and Realtors) connect with professional home inspectors that meet or exceed national standards.