Spectora uses Reminder windows as a place for onboard Inspector-only information.

Open the reminder windows by selecting the pencil icon to the right of titles in the ITEMS column (and some in the SECTIONS column containing the Standards of Practice).

Most reminder windows in the INL Residential template contain links to pages providing inspection-related information. Links can be copied and pasted into comments as desired. Most of these links are to pages on my website, so they'll be stable.

LIST OF LINKS

In the INL Spectora template the following links are all live. In the following list I will leave a few live as examples:

ROOF

ROOF: GENERAL REFERENCE

  • IRC Roof-covering Links;
  • Asphalt Shingle Reference Library;
  • Concrete Roof Tile Reference Library;
  • Clay Roof Tile Reference Library;
  • Metal Roof Reference Library;
  • Wood Shake and Shingle Reference Library;
  • Inspecting Stone Slate Roofs Reference Library;
  • Inspecting Composite Slate Reference Library;
  • Inspecting Fiber-cement Roofing Reference Library;
  • Inspecting Roll Roofing Reference Library;
  • Inspecting Low-slope Roof Systems Reference Library;
  • Inspecting Underlayment Reference Library;
  • Stains Below Roof Vents;
  • Telescoping Ladder Maintenance;
  • FM Global: Roof Inspection Resources;
  • About Ladders.
ROOF STRUCTURE EXTERIOR

Inspecting the Roof Structure Exterior

UNDERLAYMENT

Inspecting Underlayment

GENERAL ROOF FLASHING

Text

ROOF DRAINAGE

Text

VENTS on the ROOF
CHIMNEY ABOVE the ROOF

Text

SNOWGUARDS

Text

STEEP-SLOPE

ASPHALT SHINGLES
  1. Inspection Concerns;
  2. Shingle Cracking and Splitting;
  3. Identifying Batch Problems;
  4. Properly Evaluating Shingle Bonding;
  5. Voiding the Manufacturer's Warranty (not what you think);
  6. Blisters VS Hail Damage;
  7. Causes of Shingle Buckling;
  8. Shingle Granule Loss;
  9. Diagnosing Wind Damage;
  10. Biological Growth;
  11. Factors Affecting Shingle Aging;
  12. Shingle Performance Comparison;
  13. Controlling Ice Dam Growth;
  14. Asphalt Roofing Manufacturer's Association.
  15. Text
CONCRETE ROOF TILE

Inspectors: These narratives are based on installation guides from the Tile Roofing Alliance. They may not completely apply to the areas in which you inspect (like South Florida!). Check to see what is required where you work.

  1. TRI Installation guides,
  2. Concrete Tile Inspection Concerns;,
  3. Minimum Slope and Headlap,
  4. General Fastening Schedules,
  5. Walking Concrete Tile,
  6. Aging Characteristics of Concrete Tile,
  7. Matching Historic Tile.
CLAY ROOF TILE

Inspectors: These narratives are based on installation guides from the Tile Roofing Alliance. They may not completely apply to the areas in which you inspect (like South Florida!). Check to see what is required where you work.

  1. TRI Installation guides;
  2. Walking Clay Tile;
  3. How Clay Tile Ages and Fails;
  4. Clay Tile Fastening;
  5. Clay Tile Flashing;
  6. Biological Growth;
  7. Matching Historic Tile; and
METAL ROOF

Inspecting Metal Roofs

STONE SLATE
  • Inspecting Stone Slate Roofs
  • National slate association
COMPOSITE SLATGE
  • Inspecting Composite Slate
  • Text
ROLL ROOFING

Inspecting Roll Roofing

WOOD SHAKES
  • Wood Shake Inspection Concerns;
  • Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau.
WOOD SHINGLES
  • Wood Shake Inspection Concerns;.Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau:
FIBER CEMENT

Inspecting Fiber-cement roofs

LOW-SLOPE

BUILT-UP
  • Inspecting Built-up Membranes
  • Text: Identifying the Number of Plies
EPDM
  • Inspecting EPDM Membranes
  • Glossary of Low-slope Terms
  • TEXT: List of links to single ply manufacturers
MODIFIED BITUMEN

Inspecting Modified Bitumen

TPO
PVC
  • Inspecting PVC membranes
  • Glossary of Low-slope Terms
  • TEXT: List of links to single ply manufacturers
SPRAYED POLYURETHANE FOAM

Inspecting Sprayed Polyurethane Roofs

PARAPET WALL

Text

 

EXTERIOR

GROUNDS
  • Inspecting Residential Lawn Irrigation Systems
  • Text
UNDERGROUND FUEL OIL TANKS

Evidence of Buried Fuel Oil Tanks

DRIVEWAY

Visual Inspection of Concrete: comprehensive article on inspecting concrete.

WALKWAYS

Visual Inspection of Concrete: comprehensive article on inspecting concrete.

ATTACHED EXTERIOR COMPONENTS

EXTERIOR STAIRWAYS
  • Stair Checklist
  • Using UPCodes, you can look up stairway code provisions for your state here. 
CHIMNEY
Text
PARGE COAT

Text

EXTERIOR VENT TERMINATION CLEARANCES

GAS PRESSURE REGULATOR CLEARANCES

Text

GAS COMBUSTION EXHAUST VENT CLEARANCES

Text

EXTERIOR WALL-COVERINGS REFERENCE: GENERAL

BRICK CLADDING
  • About Inspecting Brick Walls
  • Brick Cladding VS. Solid Masonry Walls
  • Types of Brick
  • Text
STRUCTURAL BRICK
  • About Inspecting Brick Walls
  • Structural Brick Wall Failure
  • Brick Cladding VS. Solid Masonry Walls
  • Text
COMPOSITE SIDING
  • Inspecting Composite (LP Smartside)
  • Text
STUCCO/EIFS
Training is offered by both InterNACHI and the Exterior Design Institute.
FIBER-CEMENT SIDING
  • Inspecting Fiber-cement Siding
  • Inspecting HardiePlank (fiber-cement) Siding
  • About Asbestos-containing Siding
VINYL SIDING
  • Inspecting Vinyl Siding
  • Text
WOOD SIDING

Inspecting Wood Siding

MANUFACTURED STONE VENEER
  • Inspecting Manufactured Stone veneer
  • Installation diagrams

GARAGE REFERENCE

Garage Inspection Concerns

STAIRS TO LIVING SPACE
  • IRC Stairways R311.7
  • stairway provisions for your jurisdiction  here
FIRE SEPARATION

For fire separation provisions, go here, Select your jurisdiction, and scroll to Fire Separation R302

GARAGE ELECTRICAL

Text

GARAGE VENTILATION

Text

GENERAL STRUCTURE

STRUCTURE REFERENCE: GENERAL

FOUNDATION WALLS
  • Reinforced Concrete Damage Ratings  Use this link to learn how to rate concrete damage according to the classification system developed by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).
  • Inspecting Adjustable Steel Posts
  • View the standards for wood foundation construction.
  • Efflorescence in Foundation Walls
CONE OF COMPRESSION

Text & diagram

FRAMED FLOOR STRUCTURE
  • Inspecting Floor Structures
  • Notching and Boring Guides for sawn and engineered lumber, studs, joists, beams, and Glulams.
  • Text: Perimeter Bearing Requirements
BASEMENT

Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings Choose your state and look in IRC Chapter 3

ATTIC

ATTIC ACCESS

Text

ATTIC CONDITIONS

Text: Particulates and Other Hazards

THERMAL INSULATION
  • Attic Thermal Envelope
  • Attic Thermal Insulation
ATTIC UTILITIES

Attic Utility Inspection Concerns

RADIANT BARRIER

Potential Hazards of Radiant Barrier Sheathing

  1. Radiant barrier sheathing Study 1
  2. Radiant Barrier sheathing  study 2

ROOF STRUCTURE

ROOF STRUCTURE REFERENCE: GENERAL

  • Inspecting the Roof Structure
  • Conventional Roof Framing
  • Truss Roof Framing
  • Roof Sheathing
  • H-clips are not always required
  • Evaluating Fire Damage
ROOF STRUCTURE VENTILATION
  • Roof Structure Ventilation
  • Text
CONVENTIONAL ROOF FRAMING
ROOF TRUSSES

Inspecting Truss Roof Framing

ROOF SHEATHING

Inspecting Roof Sheathing

ROOF FRAMING HARDWARE and FASTENERS

Inspecting Roof Framing Fasteners and Connectors

FIRE DAMAGE

Post-fire Assessment of Roof Framing

 

GENERAL INTERIOR

INTERIOR REFERENCE: GENERAL

  • Kitchen inspection
  • Stairway inspection
  • Hardwood floor inspection
  • Door inspection
  • Window inspection
  • Thermal pane window failure
  • About Mold
FLOORS
  • Wood floor inspection
  • Problems, Causes and Cures: manual by the National Hardwood Floor Association
DOORS: INTERIOR and EXTERIOR

Door inspection

WINDOWS
STAIRWAYS
  • Stairway Inspection Concerns
  • You can look up stairway provisions for your state here. 
LAUNDRY ROOM
  • Inspecting Dryer Vents
  • Text and diagrams
FIRE SAFETY SYSTEMS
  • Use this link to look up the fire safety codes for the areas in which you inspect.
  • For fire wall/ceiing  separation provisions, go here, Select your jurisdiction, and scroll to Fire Separation R302
FIRE SEPARATION

For fire wall/ceiling separation provisions, go here, Select your jurisdiction, and scroll to Fire Separation R302

EMERGENCY ESCAPE and RESCUE OPENINGS
  • EMERGENCY ESCAPE and RESCUE OPENING REQUIREMENTS (web page with diagrams)
  • IRC Section R310 Emergency Escape and Rescue Openings Requirements may vary by jurisdiction. Follow the link, choose your state, and scroll to section R310
ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS

About Mold

For information about other environmental hazards, visit the SECTION on Environmental Hazards.

PESTS

Text: Some jurisdictions may have special requirements...

THERMAL IMAGING

Text: Including thermal images in the report may give the impression that...

BEDROOMS

(partial duplicate of Interior Reference: General)

  • Wood floor inspection
  • Door inspection
  • Window inspection
  • Thermal pane failure

 

KITCHEN

KITCHEN REFERENCE: GENERAL

Kitchen Inspection Checklist

DISHWASHER

Text: Older dishwashers, especially if they have not been used recently...

RANGE

Inspecting Gas and Electric Ranges InterNACHI article

REFRIGERATOR

Refrigerator Inspection InterNACHI article that includes a list of inspection concerns.

COOKTOP

Inspecting Gas and Electric Cooktops InterNACHI article

KITCHEN ELECTRICAL

Text: Kitchen appliances with motors...

 

ELECTRICAL

ELECTRICAL REFERENCE: GENERAL

INSPECTION LINKS

  • Inspecting the Service Drop
  • Inspecting Service Panels
  • Inspecting Branch Wiring
  • Electrical Grounding
  • Electrical Bonding
  • Bonding Bushings

REFERENCE LINKS

  • 2023 National Electric Code (choose your state)
  • Federal Pacific Stab-loc Circuit Breaker Hazards- J. Aronstein  (3,000 panels studied)
  • Zinsco Electrical Panels (history and Inspection recommendations)
  • Siemens Technical Education online course (excellent and free)
  • Mike Holt's website.
  • GFCI Required Locations in a home -2014  (Jerry Peck)
SERVICE DROPO/LATERAL

Inspecting the Service Drop

ELECTRIC METER
SERVICE ENTRANCE CABLES

Text:

  • Because of advances in wiring technology...
  • Cables should fit into the lugs ...
SERVICE PANEL
  • Service Panel Inspection Concerns
  • Double-tapped breakers    Identification and correction
  • Backfed Breakers
  • Shunt Trip Breakers
  • Panel Labels
  • Conductor Types
  • Bonding Bushings
  • Federal Pacific Stab-Lok Hazards
  • Square D QO model RECALL (Plant 15 panels only)
    • QO models can be recognized by the tripped indicator. Square D Home line models do not have this indicator. 
  • Zinsco Panel Hazards
  • Neutral Conductor Concerns
  • Types of Panelboards
  • Excessively low-mounted service panels may allow access by children or animals, or increase the potential for accidental impact.
  • Plug-type fuses in panels that only allow specific amperages per circuit are not a defect just because they use plug-type fuses.
SERVICE GROUNDING and BONDING
  • Electrical Grounding
  • Electrical Bonding
SUB-PANELS

Sub-panel Inspection Concerns

SUB-PANEL GROUNDING and BONDING
  • Floating Neutral Bus Bar
  • Outbuilding Grounding Requirements
BRANCH CIRCUITS and DEVICES
  1. Branch Wiring Inspection Concerns;
  2. GFCI Location History (when and where it was required);
  3. AFCI and GFCI Requirements by State;
  4. Testing GFCI Receptacles;
  5. Outbuilding Grounding Requirements;
  6. Bootleg Grounds;
  7. Conductor Types;
CRAWSPACE and BASEMENT ELECTRICAL

Text:

  • All wiring must terminate...
  • Non-metallic electrical cable must...
  • Sump pumps and sewage ejectors should...
  • A dedicated electrical circuit is an electrical pathway that...
PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM

Text: Do not attempt to inspect photovoltaic systems unless...

 

PLUMBING

WATER SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION

Approved water distribution Pipe Material and Mimimum Support Intervals

WATER HEATER

  • Water Heater Inspection Concerns;
  • Find the date of manufacture using the serial number;
  • Temperature/Pressure Relief (TPR) Discharge Pipe Regulations;
  • Water Heater Backdrafting: Causes and Recognition ;
  • Why Water Tanks Leak;
  • Discolored Hot Water;
  •  Rumbling, Cracking, Popping Sounds; and
  • Electric Water Heater
WATER TEMPERATURE

Text: scalding hazards

GAS SYSTEM
  • 2021 International Fuel Gas Code
  • 2020 LP Gas Code
  • Approved gas pipe distribution materials and maximum support intervals
  • Gas vent termination minimum heights above the roof
  • Inspecting CSST

Text:

  • Note: some jurisdictions require a special ...
  • Do not comment on CSST unless...
DRAIN, WASTE, and VENT

Sewer/waste pipe maximum support intervals

PRIVATE WATER WELL
  • Inspecting Private Water Wells
  • InterNACHI Water Well Inspection Course
SEPTIC SYSTEM
  • About inspecting Septic Systems
  • National Association of Wastewater Transporters (NAWT)
WATER QUALITY

Text: Local health departments may be able to...

 

HVAC 

HVAC REFERENCE: GENERAL

  • Gas Furnace Inspection Concerns;
  • Combustion Exhaust Venting
  • Gas Leak Detection
  • Venting High-Efficiency Combustion Appliances Into Masonry Chimneys
FURNACE
  1. 2021 International Fuel Gas Code ( IFGC)
  2. Gas Furnace Inspection Concerns;
  3. Gas Furnace Operation;
  4. Find the date of manufacture using the serial number.
  5. Combustion Air Requirements;
  6. Furnace Efficiency;
  7. Venting High-Efficiency Combustion Appliances Into Masonry Chimneys;
  8. By-Passing Unfamiliar Thermostats;
  9. Carbon Monoxide;
  10. Identifying A Cracked Heat Exchanger;
HUMIDIFIER

Inspecting Humidifiers

COOLING
  • Inspecting Split AC Systems;
    • Acceptable refrigerant line temperatures.
  • Heat Pump Inspection Concerns;
  • Inspecting Mini-splits.
  • HVAC Mfg. Date Codes (find the date of manufacture using the serial number)
  • Temperature Stratification in Multi-story Homes
  • AC Warranty
DUCTS

Inspecting HVAC Ducts (article)

RETURN AIR

Text:

  • Returns should be located...
  • When a return in a hallway serves adjacent bedrooms...
  • System air filters are sometimes
BOILERS
  • Inspecting Gas-fired Boilers InterNACHI article
  • Find Date of manufacture here using the serial number
  • TPR Discharge pipe Regulations
  • Gas Vent Termination Heights
FIREPLACE and WOOD-BURNING APPLIANCES
  • National Fireplace Institute
  • Substantial text
HEAT PUMP

Heat Pump Inspection

MINI-SPLIT

Inspecting Mini-splits

 

ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS

FEMA NATIONAL RISK INDEX

  • FEMA NATIONAL RISK INDEX

Covers 21 subjects of concern: Fire, Earthquake, Hurricane, Flood, Tornado, ETC.

MOLD
  • About Mold
  • American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology on mold
  • EPA on Mold
  • Misinformation about mold is common and widespread.
RADON
  • Becoming certified to perform radon measurement in real estate transactions
  • U.S. EPA page on radon
  • Cleveland Clinic on health risks from radon
FLOOD
  • FEMA Flood Maps
  • FEMA National Flood Insurance Program
EARTHQUAKE

FEMA Earthquake Hazard Maps

WILDFIRE

FEMA Wildfire Risk Map

WILDLIFE

Text: Whether to comment on the possible presence of potentially dangerous wildlife is a choice...

 

LOG HOME

LOG HOME REFERENCE: GENERAL

Find advice and products here:

  • Sashco
  • Permachink
WALL LOG PROFILES

Text:

  • Log interface profile: how each log fits ...
  • Visible profile: The appearance of the log wall...
WOOD DECAY

About Wood Decay

 

REPORT WRITING

 

GENERAL INSPECTION REFERENCE

ICC STANDARDS: FREE ONLINE

This link includes the following:

  • A full set of ICC codes 2000-2024
  • Codes currently adopted by each state/city jurisdiction
  • Code and Commentary versions
  • 40 different building-related standards
  • Building codes for 24 countries
TEMPLATE LANGUAGE

Text:

THE USE OF "QUALIFIED CONTRACTOR"

I use "qualified contractor" in many recommendations. This is because I sell templates to home inspectors across N. America and in states like Washington and Oregon, supplying the seller or their agent with the entire report is illegal. They are supplied with only comments covering issues that are part of the negotiation. The purpose is to encourage sellers to disclose problems.

If the recommendation to use a qualified contractor for repairs, corrections, replacement, etc. appears only in the report introduction, the seller will not receive it unless it is also included in the comments. This sometimes means that work will be performed by someone not qualified. Deleting this wording from a comment is much faster than having to stop and write it.

HOME INSPECTION RESOURCES

This link takes you to a page containing a variety of resources related to inspecting home systems and their major components.

INSPECTION-RELATED ONLINE FORUMS

The following Facebook groups are good sources of inspection-related discussion:

RESIDENTIAL

  • Home Inspection Reporting
  • Home Inspector Help
  • Home Inspection Narratives
  • Home Inspector's Tutor
  • Home Inspector Resource Network

COMMERCIAL

INSPECTION SOFTWARE

REGIONAL

  • Florida Association of Building Inspectors (FABI)
  • TPREIA/InterNACHI (Texas)
  • North Carolina Home Inspectors
  • Central Indiana Home Inspectors Group
INSPECTION REGULATIONS BY STATE

Home inspection regulations by state