Complaint Review: Brian J. Dressler - Fairfax Virginia

BRIAN J. DRESSLER OF GUARDIAN HOME INSPECTIONS IS VERY BAD HOME INSPECTOR! Under NO circumstances should anyone EVER hire Brian J. Dressler of Guardian Home Inspections. He is a very BAD inspector--for buyers, sellers, AND realtors--who seems intent on killing sales. In his overzealousness not only did he commit actual inspection errors, but he made assumptions about prior damages that are factually untrue, which frightened the buyer and destroyed the sale for the seller, realtor, AND buyer. In his monstrous male hubris, he thought only about himself and covering his liability instead of impartially providing verifiable information so the buyer could make her own decision. Instead, he provided erroneous information and failed to take into account ANY other factors, specifically that the buyer was a first-time homebuyer and young single mother who was unfamiliar with homeownership and naturally nervous. AVOID him at all costs! Unable to find anything broken, malfunctioning, or not up to Code in the home, he appear to actively search for things that could be improved, which constitutes overstepping the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) Standards of Practice, the state Standard of Care, and the job he was hired to do. Indeed, instead of using the word “repair” once, he used the word “recommend” in every single one of the items he cited.

His errors include: • Rating a heat pump at 1.5 tons that is 2.5 tons as clearly shown on plate. Can’t he read? • He stated that no water expansion tank was attached to the hot water heater, which Fairfax County Code states “can eliminate it with the inclusion of one of the valves listed below: pressure reducing valve with integrated, multi-direction bypass (identified with “B” in model number) when street pressure is over 80 PSI,” as clearly shown on pressure reducing valve metal tag, making water expansion tank unnecessary, according to the Code. Doesn’t he know this? http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/construction/water_heaters.htm http://codes.iccsafe.org/app/book/toc/2012%20VA_Plumbing_HTML/index.html • Further, the hot water tank electrical wiring connection is tight and secure, but he stated “no strain relief installed,” which the Code make NO mention of and does NOT require. Doesn’t he know this? • The HVAC system has received annual servicing (have receipts as proof), but absent ANY facts, he presumptuously stated “system appears to need routine maintenance and servicing.” Further, the websites below (including national umbrella organization ASHI and a training manual) determine an Air Temperature Drop between 14F and 20F is “acceptable,” but he stated the system’s drop to 14F was “marginal.” Didn’t he get trained in accordance with ASHI Standards of Practice? ashireporter.org/HomeInspection/Articles/The-Word-Temperature-Drop/1958 ,carsondunlop.com/home-inspector-training/what-you-should-know-about-air-conditiong-capacity-part-three/ lowes.com/cd_Test+Your+Central+Airs+Cooling+Ability_1351517191983

• He stated a six-year-old fully operational smoke detector as over 10 years old as clearly shown on sticker and is in full compliance with the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (VUSBC) and Code of Virginia 15.2-922. municode.com/library/va/fairfax_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=FACOCO_CH61BUPR_ART5SMDE Can’t he read?

• He stated some windows were painted shut when none are and all open. Doesn’t he have any biceps? • He assumed that wallpaper was removed from all the walls and “uneven surfaces were observed throughout,” when it had only been removed in the bathrooms.

• Based on a quarter-size residue left by a moist Brillo pad under the sink, he assumed the sink leaked WITHOUT even touching the pipe or disposal--which were completely dry--and neither of which leak. He jumped to the wrong conclusion in the absence of ANY proof.

• Based on minor ceiling cracks, he jumped to the wrong conclusion that there had been a previous water leak and, without even touching the cracks to determine if the area was spongy or gave way, suggested that an active leak may be present. In fact, the cracks are result of normal house settling, NOT damage.

• To save electricity, we installed 10 watt corkscrew-type lightbulbs in the bathrooms, which illuminate slowly. Apparently, Dressler is completely unaware of this type of bulb because he flipped the light switch on and off, then noted the bulbs were “inoperative.”

• He even contradicted his own findings, stating at one point that there were “no active leaks” in the plumbing system and at another point that the kitchen sink leaked. Which is it? • Amazingly, he overstepped ASHI’s Standards of Practice, state government Standard of Care, and his role as inspector by actually suggesting IMPROVEMENTS to the property where none are necessary.

For example, he stated “none or inadequate ventilation” in a small bathroom with a window by recommending installing a power vent fan! He went on to recommend replacing the new washer/dryer hoses where “no leaks were observed” with stainless steel braided hoses! Why?! He went on to recommend replacing the non-leaking, fully operational bathroom shower heads (which don’t even need washers)! Why?! And he recommended “installing a curtain to prevent water from leaving the area” of the bathtub when showering! Huh? Does home inspection training really cover such common sense advice or was he so frustrated at being unable to find ANYTHING wrong with the home that he was desperate to pad his inspection?

• He overstepped his bounds again by noting “strong mildew odor,” when in fact the house was inspected by a professional mold and mildew remediation company two years earlier and none was found. And, not based on finding ANY ductwork problems, he nevertheless recommended having it cleaned to remove allergens when all the ducts were thoroughly cleaned by a professional two years earlier! Couldn’t his allegedly “professional” eye tell the difference?

• Not only was he erroneous, he was destructive. He dislodged a hose in the dishwasher and failed to reattach it; he tore the bathtub plastic border away from the tile and didn’t reattach it; he kicked the base of a door and left brown shoe scuff marks; and he punctured the plastic shield on the thermostat, letting dust in and potentially damaging the mechanism. His flawed contract performance violates the “Fairfax County Code 18VAC15-40-190 Unworthiness and incompetence 7. Engaging in improper, fraudulent, or dishonest conduct in conducting a certified home inspection” and “Title 54.1 Professions and Occupations, Chapter 5. Asbestos, Lead, and Home Inspection Contractors and Workers,” a DPOR complaint, and makes him liable for economic damages for unnecessarily frightening the buyer and single-handedly destroying a sale. According to the Department of Professional and Occupational Regulation (DPOR), Dressler obtained his initial certification only three weeks earlier. His carelessness is further supported by the state: In 2010, the state cited him for a violation for “misconduct in the practice of contracting when he failed,” as Responsible Management for Homemedik LLC, “to obtain the required permits” for a home improvement job, which corroborates his habit of carelessness and incompetence. See file #2705092755 http://www.dpor.org