WEB FAQS: Website author, credibility, compensation,
accuracy of online information, how to get more technical advice. InspectAPedia® -
This document discusses the issue of assuring the credibility and accuracy of online publications,
the importance of avoiding conflicts of interest, and the use of citation of authoritative sources and technical article peer review within each profession.
Also see our Accuracy Assured Pledge.
Our site offers impartial, unbiased advice without conflicts of interest.
We will block advertisements which we discover or readers inform us are associated with bad business practices,
false-advertising, or junk science. our contact info is at
InspectAPedia.com/appointment.htm.
Accuracy Assured Pledge: (Separate document) Information Accuracy & Un-Biased Reporting are Assured for our online articles
Pro-bono professional assistance may be provided to elderly, disabled, limited-income individuals or for religious institutions. Just contact us and explain your pro-bono request.
Free Information: Find our free, researched, un-biased and in-depth building and environmental diagnosis & repair advice at InspectAPedia.com
Pro-bono professional assistance may be provided to elderly, disabled, limited-income individuals or for religious institutions. Just contact us and explain your pro-bono request.
Several people have asked who is the prime website author. In
the un-policed forum of electronic publishing media such as internet, concern
about the quality of the material you're reading and the credentials of the
authors are entirely appropriate. Daniel Friedman is the principal researcher and
writer for articles found here but there are many other individual contributors, researchers, and critics
who participate in the effort. Credits to other participants are cited at individual articles.
Website Credibility
Beyond author competence, the reader needs to test any author's
attitude towards information. This test is essential, particularly in the
construction field where opinions are loud and rampant and rarely distinguished from
arm-waving "opinion."
Remember that
Even the most honest contractor is always inclined to solve your problem with the methods and materials familiar to that contractor.
There may be other better methods or materials available.
It is always safer, as well as more profitable, for a contractor or
consultant to spend more of your money. This means giving the "safe" answer to
replace, make new, dig deeper, cut more, or do the ultimate repair, immediately,
where other less costly methods may be quite suitable.
We are scrupulous at our websites about the following:
Researched information is distinguished from un-researched "opinion" - the
latter being labeled as such.
Where possible we include citations of authoritative research/information or sources.
Feedback from readers, expert and novice, is carefully considered, and
corrections or additions to website content are made as appropriate.
In accordance with the ethical standards of the Building inspection professions a consultant diagnosing and
advising regarding a construction problem will not perform the actual work, nor
have any financial relationship with the contractors who do so. This avoids the
consultant having his/her judgment "swayed" by the prospect of "making a buck"
from the repair.
Regardless, readers considering potentially dangerous or costly procedures
must consult a qualified expert before proceeding.
What websites are we talking about? Most are linked-to from
our main web page - The Construction Inspection & Diagnosis Information Website which offers
Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, Repair, & Problem Prevention Advice.
(Suggestions for a better name are welcome.) Typical website content is a mix of
original research and technical articles, articles and research contributed to the
website by others, and links to other pertinent research or website published elsewhere
on Internet.
Why was each website created?
Finding that I have been asked certain building science or environmental safety questions repeatedly and
in depth for my clients, it made sense to research and write accurately in some depth, to publish it so it could be
provided easily, and then, to expose it to very broad public comment by providing it on internet.
So these websites and web-published articles have been provided in the online forum of the web for several purposes:
To provide high-quality, well-organized, researched, authoritative information to paying clients, and to the public.
To avoid having to repeat the same information over and over, and to provide it in a well-researched, well organized format to my own clients.
To solicit feedback that improves the quality of the information presented, i.e. to subject it to the broadest possible forum of public review and criticism.
To develop prototype information to be used either at other websites or for possible future hard copy publications.
To conduct research on building failures and environmental concerns, problems, and solutions by inviting questions, comments, feedback.
Why, in general, do I work on a number of public-information website projects?
My value as an expert in construction problem recognition, diagnosis, repair depends on being professional, competent, ethical,
and professionally neutral but as informed as possible on a myriad of construction and environmental topics which concern my clients.
To be well-informed I am a continual student. I've found that researching, writing, and conducting as well as attending education
classes on pertinent construction and environmental topics has been a great way to keep myself as informed as possible.
Who are these websites for?
For clients, associations, and the public.
Some website info was developed as a prototype website for the American Society of Home Inspectors. That portion which
was ASHI-specific has been transferred over to American Society of Home Inspectors website
where I and others maintain it. But some of my specific and in-depth projects are my personal interests and are mine
to continue researching - so they remain at our main website - The Construction
Inspection & Diagnosis Information Website, and also at the Original Prototype ASHI Website.
What's the payback for "free" web-published technical articles?
It's rarely money. Rather it's in establishing valuable contacts with other experts in my fields of interest, and in getting critique
and corrections to my data from experts whom I'd otherwise find difficult to contact. Electronic media makes contact and comment easy. This feedback and these contacts have been the chief payback for providing the data.
Is there any income from the websites or from web published articles?
Some home buyers read the depth of material I've developed and correctly surmise that I'm serious about the profession and
am interested in competence and accuracy. In these cases the quality of material presented encourages people to hire me to perform a home inspection or to consult on specific problems.
About the advertisements:
While our technical writing and publishing in the building science and environmental field dates from the 1970's,
at the end of 2005, we began experimenting with paid advertising through Google to help defray the operating costs of this website.
we have no relationship with or control over any of the advertisers, nor are we endorsing specific advertisers.
Our site has thrived based on offering impartial, unbiased advice and that will not change.
We do not select or approve the advertisers on the site - ads are generated by Google based on our page content.
So far modest income received from this experiment pays our web hosting fees and costs of technical research.
We remain committed to assuring that the presence of web-advertising does not mislead
or inconvenience our readers. we have found that often Google-generated-ads actually add useful information,
such as providing additional sources for repair products or investigation services.
We will prohibit insertion of Google-generated advertisements if we discover or if readers inform us of advertisements
associated with bad business practices, false-advertising, or junk science.
Our contact information is at Contact Us.
We invite reader comment on this approach to offsetting our website cost as well as reader comment on or suggestions for the technical content
of our articles. Comments should be sent to Daniel Friedman.
What is the Proper Balance Between Making Money and Spending Time on These Other Activities?
Given all this researched, published, free-online information, what is the "Proper" balance between
making money and making the effort to increase one's professional competence. It's a personal decision for each professional.
our professional practice divides my time between field work (which produces income and supports
my family and business), forensic laboratory analysis of building and environmental samples, and building science research, writing, and teaching - which are how I develop my own expertise.
Different professionals stop
at different points along the range of continuing education and public service. Some never take another course after passing their state boards or obtaining
whatever certifications are necessary to begin practice. Such practitioners may be adequate in their specialty, or maybe not, depending on the specialty and
what's developing in it. It's the same with professional home inspectors. A portion of my ongoing personal education gets reflected in my
website development projects. Teaching or research and writing have always been a great way to learn.
Yes. One is the risk of inaccuracy in the data. It is impossible to completely eliminate this risk and all readers and users of information provided via
the Internet need to be wary, and to consult a qualified professional who can examine actual on-site conditions before taking any dangerous or costly actions.
The very public exposure of data at this website has as a primary objective the discovery and correction of any inaccuracies.
A second concern for web publishers is sometimes the abuse of a writer's time by his or her readers.
Free and well-researched information, often at greater depth than some consultants include in their fee-paid work, invites some internet readers assume that it's fine to telephone, or fax questions to the author
instead of actually reading the material, literally demanding additional free consulting. Each such free "client" thinks of him or her self as "just one little question," and may fail to consider that there may be hundreds or thousands of such requests a week at an active website.
While we very much welcome questions about the clarity, content, or data missing from our web-published articles, a telephone call
from someone who is simply in a hurry and who doesn't mind using the time of an author can be a difficult demand to meet.
On balance, feedback and even questions from readers is invaluable as a source of improvement of site content and for learning.
Critique, contributions wanted: Contact Us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website, and if you wish, to receive online listing and credit as a contributor. Particular thanks are due to the many experts and also consumers who read and critique technical articles at InspectAPedia.com.
Additional technical contributors & reference sources for this article are listed below.
Use links just below or at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.
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