The premier source for home inspector 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.
Anyone researching the potential of a home inspection career on the Internet has probably come across some mention of E&O Insurance. And while some might have no idea what E&O insurance is all about, others may think of it solely as something doctors need to combat malpractice suits. The truth is that certified home inspectors need E&O insurance as much as any other professional.
So what exactly is E&O insurance? It stands for errors and omissions insurance, and it covers home inspectors when they are accused of doing a job poorly or not delivering expected results. If a client brings you into court, E&O insurance will handle the legal fees as well as any settlement that is paid out. A legal suit can easily destroy a home inspection business not covered by E&O insurance; astronomical defense fees, coupled with a negative settlement, may be impossible for an independent business to overcome.
Now you may be saying, what if I get excellent home inspection training, learn my profession well and handle each home inspection job with professionalism and care - why do I need E&O insurance? First-class training is good, but you are a card-carrying member of the human race, and that means you will make mistakes. Does it mean your mistakes during a real estate inspection will lead to legal allegations? Not necessarily, but why take the chance?
It's also important to realize that your general liability insurance doesn't cover errors and omissions on your home inspection report - that's what E&O, or professional liability insurance, is there to take care of.
Remember, E&O insurance rates for home inspectors have been steadily rising, so it's important you research several insurance carriers before making a decision. It's also important to make sure that the language in the policy addresses the specific exposure your business may face. Many professional home inspection associations offer discounted rates on E&O insurance.
If you become a home inspector who works for himself, you will have to inspect more than just faucets and chimneys, you'll have to look into insurance coverage the way any business owner would. But not to worry, if you rely on your home inspection courses, industry associations and make yourself a true student of the profession, by visiting home inspection blogs and websites, you should be able to get up to speed with E&O insurance.
Labels: Certified home inspectors, home inspection career, home inspector
Part of the appeal of a home inspection career, arguably, is that certified home inspectors work independently without the nuisance of a boss "breathing down their neck." Although there is some truth to this, it is important that home inspectors listen to their conscience and live by the Golden Rule of treating others (and their property) as they would expect to be treated. This is all the more important, of course, when no one in the house is watching them.
In our own homes, we wouldn't think of tracking mud across the living room carpet or leaving windows open despite a forecast of rain. Licensed home inspectors need to treat each house, first and foremost, as someone's home. This isn't to suggest that there is an epidemic of thoughtless, cavalier home inspectors in America, but sometimes inspectors get busy, and the little courtesies slip.
Bob Golden, CRI, of Safeguard Home Inspection in Roswell, Ga., wrote on this topic in the Sept./Oct. issue of the National Association of Home Inspector's (NAHI) magazine NAHI Forum. He wrote about his practice of checking for anti-tip brackets behind ovens. The process involves opening the oven door and tilting the oven forward with a push from the back. Recently, a homeowner spotted Golden during an inspection and become angry, mistakenly thinking he was mistreating the appliance. The incident reminded Golden that certified home inspectors must go to great lengths to make sure their inspections demonstrate respect for private property.
Golden noted his way of conducting respectful home inspections: "I am so mindful of being careful with a homeowner's property that I make an imaginative presumption that my actions are being monitored by a hidden camera. I always think to myself: How would this look if I were being watched right now?"
In addition to the Golden Rule, individuals considering a home inspection school should carefully research their options online. Potential home inspection students should also become frequent visitors to industry trade group websites like NAHI and the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI). Armed with home inspector training, knowledge of the Golden Rule and the resources of home inspection trade groups, how can anyone go wrong?
Labels: california home inspection, Certified home inspectors, home inspection, home inspection career
Laguna Hills, Calif. - Sept. 14, 2007 - Periodic adjustments in the real estate market, not only provide new opportunities for home buyers, but also for people interested in a home inspection career. Licensed home inspectors now have the opportunity to emphasize the importance of their services to both buyers and sellers.
Real estate home inspections provide an objective evaluation of the house that allows home buyers to make an informed decision. Home sellers, on the other hand, can have a home inspection job prior to listing a house. This will allow the seller to make any necessary repairs beforehand. In a market slowdown, home inspections give both sellers and buyers peace of mind.
Here are ten reasons why a home inspection career is a great career choice:
- Job Security - Millions of homes are bought and sold each year. Even in difficult times, this fact doesn't change. And each year more and more Americans learn how essential a home inspection is before buying or selling their house.
- Flexibility - Real estate home inspection businesses grow as you build relationships in the community. That's why many home inspectors keep their full-time jobs until their name is known by local agents and brokers. You don't have to begin all at once.
- Networking Opportunities - Be part of a profession with strong industry support. Home inspectors can join the National Association of Certified Home Inspectors (NACHI) and enjoy membership benefits, such as discounts on errors and omissions insurance. Allied Home Inspection School provides students their first year membership to NACHI at no cost.
- Don't Punch the Clock - Certified home inspectors make their own future. Becoming a home inspector means you'll decide what your own work priorities are.
- Be Your Own Boss - Many home inspectors are self-employed. They enjoy the benefits of making their own schedule and growing a successful business.
- Do Something You Enjoy - Utilize your skills and experience to transition into a new career as a home inspector. Whether you're a do-it-yourselfer or someone in the building trades, construction or real estate, home inspectors use the skills they've acquired over a lifetime.
- Begin Your Career Quickly - Home inspectors aren't required to have a degree or years of training. People can learn to be a home inspector with 100% online home inspection courses, which allows them set their own pace.
- Become a Pro - Specialization is a key attribute in the job market nowadays. Americans hire and trust individuals based on their expertise. Many home inspectors go on to become specialists in the detection of mold, termites or radon.
- Work in the Field - Make your office in the American neighborhood. Home inspectors enjoy a constantly changing workplace as they inspect new homes and meet new people.
- A Professional Path - Home Inspection is now a well-established profession with a network of accredited training programs, credentials and industry associations. Allied Home Inspection School graduates benefit from a quality, accredited house inspection course that prepares them to be a crucial part of every home sale.
To learn more about training for a home inspection career, please visit Allied Home Inspection School at www.homeinspectioncourse.com or call (888) 925-2108 inside California or (800) 617-3513 outside California to speak with an admissions representative.
Labels: become a home inspector, home inspection career, home inspector career, Press Release
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.
Labels: Certified home inspector, home inspection career, home inspector
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.
Labels: home inspection career, home inspection online course, home inspection training
Unless you establish your home inspection career in the Brazilian rain forest, odds are you'll inspect a variety of heating systems over your career. This week we'll take a look at forced air heating systems, which by far are one of the most popular forms of central heating in America.
Forced hot air is a loop system, where cool air is drawn down to the basement through a system of ductwork. There, it is taken into a furnace (operating on fuels like oil, electricity, or gas) and then heated over hot coils. This heated air is then recirculated through the house, until the desired air temperature is established in each room. Don't worry if this is all new: becoming a home inspector means that you'll study about forced hot air in your home inspection training course.
A certified home inspector's first task is to identify the furnace fuel. A few possibilities were mentioned above, although wood and coal are also common. After that, it's important to begin with the basics: turn the thermostat down and see if the furnace clicks on. Once it's on, check the furnace's flame (blue is ideal, beware of yellow) and then listen carefully for the hum of a smooth fan sound. A comprehensive home inspection job will also include a review of ducts, to make sure they are properly attached.
Other important areas to inspect are:
- exterior of the furnace cabinet (look for rust spots)
- filter
- vent pipe
- damper doors
- age of the unit
- limit controls
As with inspecting any other part of the house, a certified home inspector shouldn't abandon common sense as he goes through his checklist. When it comes to dealing with fuels, your sense of smell will often identify potential hazards. If you smell gas, for example, you may have to deviate from your normal inspection routine, and investigate the issue further. As with any type of heating system, you're dealing with a complex set of operations, so there is no substitute for hitting the books and getting to know the details; this is when you fall back on instruction from your home inspection course.
The best way, therefore, to get the job done is to rely on your home inspection training, head down into the cool of the basement and discover that a career in home inspection teaches you how to take the heat.
Labels: career in home inspection, home inspection career, home inspection training, licensed home inspector
