The premier source for home inspection news and information. Whether you're a homebuyer or a licensed home inspector, you'll find valuable insight on the world of home inspection training and competency on this blog.
The use of garages has evolved to the point where Americans view them as extensions of their home's living space. Take a peak in your neighbor's garage and you'll find gym equipment, pool tables, televisions, workbenches, washing machines, and of course, stacks of storage boxes. One of these days you might even see a car inside! Licensed home inspectors, however, are trained to look past the furnishings and see structure through the trees.
If a garage is attached to the house, the first order of business during a real estate home inspection is to verify that the wall separating it from the house is fire-rated. A certified home inspector should make sure there is at least half an inch of drywall or gypsum board in place. Some areas of the country may even have tougher standards. Becoming a home inspector means you must find out about the particular standards of your area!
Inspecting a garage is a great chance to see exposed wood framing. A certified home inspector can check bracing, sill plates and the bolts that hold the framing to the concrete foundation. Reportable deficiencies include racking or twisting of the framing and insect-damaged wood from termites, for example. Home inspection training courses will provide you with all the creepy details concerning termite infestation.
If there is a door that connects the garage to the house, this is another key area for a real estate home inspection. This door must be fire-resistant, which means that it is sealed with weather stripping to prevent fire and toxic smoke from seeping into the living quarters of the house. The door shouldn't have any holes or glass parts, so it will be able to withstand the heat of a fire for at least 20 minutes. Check with your local fire department for specific requirements.
Finally we have the labor saving device known as the automatic garage door opener. With all its moving parts, there is much a licensed home inspector has to be on the lookout for. One note of importance is that the door opener's motor must be plugged into a wall outlet, and not an extension cord. One significant safety feature of an automatic garage door opener is the automatic reversing function. When the door is descending, it will reverse directions and begin moving up if it hits something. Home inspectors must determine if the auto-reverse function is working according to the book.
Certified home inspectors should understand that by venturing into the garages of America, they will encounter dusty copies of National Geographic magazine, turntables that haven't worked since 1966, shelves of Mason jars, and maybe even an automobile or two. Have no fear, however, because your home inspection training will prepare you to step into that garage with confidence and inspect it by the numbers.
We all remember the Maytag commercials with the lonely Maytag repairman. As a certified home inspector, you'll inspect kitchen appliances and see if it's high-time to wake up the Maytag man and have him fix an appliance or two.
Licensed home inspectors are expected to inspect all appliances that are a permanent part of the home. They do not inspect freestanding items (a microwave, for example) unless these appliances are to be sold as part of the house. When evaluating appliances, certified home inspectors should always operate them to make sure they work. We'll take a look at three common items that are covered in any good home inspection training course: garbage disposals, dishwashers and cooking surfaces.
Garbage disposals slice up food material and send it down the drain line. The main problem with disposals is that they jam; most models have a fitting for a hex wrench, which allows the user to manually turn the blades and clear up the jam. Certified home inspectors should turn on the disposal for a few seconds to check if it's operable. Possible deficiencies in this appliance include: too much vibration, leaking or a missing splashguard.
Dishwashers are simple enough to understand. An electric pump sprays hot water on your dishes and cups. To get the job done right, dishwashers require a water temperature of 140 degrees Fahrenheit; a typical cycle is anywhere between 30 and 90 minutes. A professional house inspection course will keep you out of hot water in this area.
Licensed home inspectors should run the dishwasher and then stop it by unlocking the door prior to playing with the timer. At the end of the cycle, notice if there's too much water remaining in the cabinet; a little water, however, is no problem as it helps keep the seals from drying out. The rotating arm spray should be checked to make sure it moves without obstructions. Problems to note on the inspection report would be things like no hot water, poor drainage or a door that doesn't open and close properly.
Your cooking surfaces are going to be either gas cook tops or electrical cook tops. When it comes to gas, inspectors need to turn on the burners and check out the flame. The cook flame should be bright blue and respond quickly to the turning of the control knob. If you smell gas, investigate further. Evaluating an electric gas stove involves making sure the heating elements don't get too hot and that the controls work properly. Online home inspection classes are one way to ensure you know your cooking surfaces.
Your home inspection education will give you the training to have a successful home inspection career, and with luck, avoid the lonely fate of the Maytag repairman.
Most Americans would admit that buying a house is one of life's most stressful experiences. Surprisingly, however, some home buyers skip the real estate home inspection and take their chances.
Here are the top 10 reasons to get a home inspection before you sign your name on the dotted line:
1) Your biggest investment: Americans aren't big savers. Instead of piggy banks, Americans own homes. If you buy a lemon of a house, you may watch your biggest investment go belly up.
2) Radon: Radon is a gas that rises from the ground and sometimes seeps into houses, causing health problems. Licensed home inspectors perform advanced radon testing.
3) Mold: Is there a water leak in the basement, bathroom or kitchen? The right combination of moisture, warmth and wood can produce mold in as little as 48 hours. Allergies and respiratory issues may follow.
4) Termites: Need we say more?
5) Septic system: If you buy a house with a faulty septic system, it can cost upwards of $20,000 to replace. A certified home inspector can identify the tell-tale signs of poor performance.
6) Lead paint: Lead paint is found in some homes built before 1978. If the paint job is in good shape -- no flaking or peeling -- you're generally in good shape. But if children nibble the paint job or eat paint chips, the health cost could be high. Someone with a home inspector license can tell you what you're dealing with.
7) Fireplaces: A black film called creosote often builds up inside the fireplace after many years. If it's too thick, then you've got a potential fire hazard on your hands.
8) Roof: Nobody thinks about the roof until it fails. Don't spend a fortune on a house and then fork over thousands more when you discover the roof is no good.
9) The objectivity factor: Many home buyers get emotional when looking at a house. Certified home inspectors, fortunately, aren't distracted by pretty drapes -- they're looking for problems. Can you do that?
10) The professional factor: If you're a legal secretary, for example, you know a home inspector can't sit down and do your job. It's the same with certified home inspectors; there is a reason, after all, why they are trained and licensed as professionals.
Turn on the television these days and chances are you'll hear something about mold. Increased publicity about this problem increases the likelihood that certified home inspectors will field questions on this subject.
Mold in the home can lead to serious health concerns for residents, including allergies and other respiratory ailments. Often there is a lot of hype in the media about health hazards, but toxic mold is a reality and people do get sick. Licensed home inspectors need to treat the problem seriously and check for mold during a home inspection job.
It's certainly necessary for certified home inspectors to know what mold looks like and where in the house it's commonly found: wood studs, drywall, ceiling tiles, ductwork and carpets, to name a few. But it's also increasingly important for licensed home inspectors to know what mold is. A solid home inspection training course will school you in the basics of this important issue.
Mold is a microscopic organism that helps break down organic material in the environment. One of its favorite snacks is cellulose, which is commonly found in wood. And if it weren't for fungi, such as mold, we'd be up to our eyeballs in ten thousand year's worth of yard waste. This we can appreciate, certainly, but when mold starts growing on our floors joists, all thanksgiving goes out the window. A home inspection career means you'll help people identify this potential health hazard.
Mold needs three important ingredients to prosper: moisture, warmth and food. Very often mold encounters these conditions in the bathroom, basement or kitchen. This is one reason licensed home inspectors are always on the look out for moisture and water damage in a house, which might lead to a serious mold problem. According to the National Association of Home Builders, standing water in an area with a temperature between 40 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit can produce mold in as little as 48 hours.
Mold comes in many colors, including black, white, orange, green and brown. It often appears as a black stain. The best way to see what mold looks like, is to check out photos on the Internet. During a home inspection job, a strong flashlight is the weapon of choice for examining stains and spots.
One reason a home inspection is so important, is to identify mold for a potential home buyer. For homeowners who've had some mold issues and are hoping to sell their home, a few home inspector training tips may help:
- Get that house dry - identify water leaks
- Install exhaust fans in damp areas of the home
- Put plastic down on the floor of crawl spaces
- Remove water damaged carpets
- Don't forget to vacuum regularly
When you become a home inspector, you'll learn many things you expected, and some you didn't. The need to identify mold may come as a surprise, but any professional home inspection class will feature it as part of their training.
More and more Americans are moving closer to the sun. Spend any time around warm-weather cities like Orlando, Phoenix and Las Vegas, and you'll be convinced they're simply giving jobs and housing away to newcomers. And the modern marvel that makes life possible in sultry climates is none other than air conditioning (AC).
Some Americans living in northern states might consider AC a luxury, but for people living in Texas and Arizona, AC is as mandatory as a refrigerator. Certified home inspectors will generally encounter two kinds of AC systems: central air conditioners and room air conditioners. A career in home inspection will make you mighty familiar with their characteristics.
Room AC units are easy to spot, because they're usually stuck in a window or built into the wall, with both the air compressor and air handler contained within the unit. The most important thing to check for with a window unit is whether it has been safely installed -- becoming a home inspector means you'll learn to put on a "safety hat" while on the job. When it comes to central AC, however, the compressor is generally located outside by the foundation.
The biggest obstacle in effectively inspecting air conditioning units is the calendar. You can't properly inspect an AC unit unless it's hot outside. You should never turn an air conditioner on in cold weather! Anything below 60 degrees Fahrenheit is not recommended. The best a certified home inspector can do during cold weather is to check the air filter and compressor for any signs of decay, as well as evaluating any visible chords or lines.
Let's assume, however, that it's a hot August morning when you show up for your home inspection job. First, turn on the unit and see if it's operational. Also, note down any excessive wear or damage visible on the unit, as well as its approximate age. Once it's on, see how quickly and how well it cools down the house or the particular room. If the unit was added after the house was built, rely on your home inspection training to see if there any electrical hazards.
For central AC units, it's a good idea to see how well the outside compressor has been maintained. Hedges and trees should be well away from the unit, while leaves and other debris should be kept off its surfaces; a lack of free-flowing air will reduce the efficiency of the compressor.
In general, a well-kept AC unit will begin emitting cool air within minutes. And once you've got your home inspector license, it won't take you much time to get right in there and start evaluating a home's air conditioning system.
