Knowledge: Total Recall
As part of our series on Human Qualities, here is a great example of the importance of the continued pursuit of knowledge, sent in by one of our inspectors:
I gave up a possible four o'clock inspection to attend a NAHI chapter meeting. The guest speaker that Wednesday evening was a fire sprinkler specialist. One of the things I learned from him during the presentation and discussion is that many, but not all, three-ring Omega brand fire sprinkler heads have been recalled as defective.
As irony would have it, the recalled sprinkler heads were fire hazards! The speaker passed around several samples of recalled Omegas so we could get familiar with their size and shape. I recalled having seen a lot of them over the years. But prior to that lecture, I never knew some had been recalled.
A couple of months later, I was inspecting a townhouse in Indian Head, MD. I noticed that all the sprinkler heads in the house were a three-ringed variety. U.S. Inspect does not inspect fire sprinkler systems and has a disclaimer to that effect. In this case, however, I thought it best to have a closer look. I climbed the ladder and discovered that the heads were indeed an Omega brand.
I explained to my clients that the sprinkler heads in the house may have been recalled, and why. Then I advised them verbally and in writing to have a
sprinkler specialist determine if these particular Omegas were on the recall list. They did. They were.
The seller paid for head replacements—between $50 and $60 per unit. Since then, I have found recalled Omega heads at several other properties. But I would never have been able to do so and keep my clients safe, if it hadn’t been for the knowledge I gained that day at the NAHI meeting.
Have a knowledge story of your own to share? Tell us in the comments section below!
(The U.S. Inspect Human Qualities Program promotes and measures our individual and company success in the following five key areas most important to our customers: Dependability, Charity, Diligence, Honesty and Knowledge. We created this blog series as a place to share stories and thoughts about these qualities as they are displayed here at the company and in our daily lives.)
