Scroll down to find links to resources on the following subjects:
- Building Codes
- Building Science
- Business (Home Inspection)
- Concrete
- Document Templates
- Electrical
- Exterior
- Flooring, Hardwood
- HVAC
- Marketing
- Standards Organizations
- Plumbing
- Reporting
- Roof
- Structure
- Soil Movement
Builder Magazine (Hanley-Wood online)
Huge choice of articles, whitepapers, and courses on a variety of building-related technology and subjects.
BUILDING CODES
Date key building code issues went into effect (GFCI & other electrical, Door from garage to living space, asphalt shingle fastening & valleys, stair components, plumbing, and more...) Thank you Jerry Peck!
All building codes for free! These can be copied and pasted from.
BUILDING SCIENCE
Crawlspace Science, Jesse Waltz, Professional Engineer
Building Science Corporation (BSC) free articles and papers
One of the greatest resources available anywhere for home inspectors wanting to learn more about how building design and construction methods affect the movement of moisture, air and heat, how they deteriorate materials, systems, and components, and affect human health. A huge amount of well-written and organized information is available for free:
- Articles
- Studies
- Reports
- White Papers
- Guides & manuals
- Information Sheets
90 articles: Building Science Insights
Individual Article Links
Moisture-safe Unvented Wood Roof Systems, John Straub, Johnathan Smegal, John Smith
Mold in Residential Construction Materials, BSC
Infraspection IR SOP Bldg Envelope, Infraspection
BUSINESS RESOURCES: HOME INSPECTION
InterNACHI
- Marketing Department
- Education, design service, certifications/logos, website content (text/video/education transcripts), document templates, articles on success, much more… most free to members:
- Home Inspection Business Course
- Inspection Marketing Forum
- Free online webinars
ONLINE BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
Inspection Support Network (ISN)
ISN provides business management services that are compatible with major inspection software.
- Scheduling
- Payments
- Pre- and post- inspection notification, and automated emailing
- Business tracking
- Website integration
InterNACHI message board discussion about ISN
WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT
BASICS
- What is a domain name?
- Hosting (read the reviews)
- Using WordPress to control your website appearance and content
WordPress Content Management System (click the image to enlarge)
CONCRETE
- Visual Inspection of Concrete, comprehensive InterNACHI online article.
- Visual Inspection of Concrete Structures, Civil Engineering Portal online article.
- 308R Guide to Curing Concrete, American Concrete Institute
- Understanding Cement/Concrete.com (website)
- American Concrete Institute
- Portland Cement Association
DOCUMENT TEMPLATES
- Booking Sheet Template
- Pre-list letter to agent
- Prelist to seller
- Post-insp. letter to buyer
- Read This Before You Move In
- Systems Excluded
- Systems Excluded bank-owned
- Asbestos Waiver
- Radon Waiver
Note: All documents are supplied as a courtesy and should be vetted by your attorney before use to ensure that they are appropriate for the jurisdictions in which you inspect.
ELECTRICAL
Take Siemens free electrical online course (scroll down to POWER DISTRIBUTION COURSES). Siemens is a major manufacturer of electrical equipment and this course is very relevant to home inspection.
EXTERIOR
BRICK/MASONRY
- Guide to Inspecting Residential Brick Veneer
- Guidelines for Inspection of Masonry and Stucco
- Masonry Defects- Photos/Explanations- 200pp
- Brick Wall Failure
- Spalling brick (document)
SIDING INSTALLATION MANUALS
- HardiePlank Installation Manual
- Inspecting HardiePlank (fiber-cement) Lap Siding
- Composite Siding and Trim Installation Manual (This is LP, no national standards exist)
- Inspecting Composite Siding lap Siding
- Vinyl Siding Installation Manual (Vinyl Siding Institute)
- Inspecting Vinyl Siding
STONE
- Inspecting Manufactured Stone
- Technical Manual (Cast Stone Institute)
- Installation Guide for Adhered Manufactured Stone Veneer (Masonry Veneer Mfgr's Assoc.)
- Recommended Home Inspection Report Language for Artificial Stone Veneer
HVAC
InterNACHI message board HVAC forum
- Date of manufacture of a furnace, air conditioner, water heater, heat pump, boiler, air handler, evaporator, cooler or other HVAC equipment.
- Measuring Air-conditioning Temperature Splits
FLOORING, HARDWOOD
- Causes and Cures of Hardwood Floor Problems (National Wood Flooring Assoc.)
- Installing Hardwood Flooring (Wood Flooring Manufacturer's Association)
MARKETING
Jump StartGreat marketing tutorial with Preston Kincaid!
STANDARDS ORGANIZATIONS
FM Global: FM Global is an American mutual insurance company with offices worldwide, that specializes in loss prevention services primarily to large corporations throughout the world in the Highly Protected Risk (HPR) property insurance market sector. One of FM Global’s main areas of focus is researching and developing products or techniques that help mitigate property risks, As part of this process they have developed Property Loss Prevention Data Sheets that provide information relevant to home inspection, especially commercial inspection.
- Inspection of Roof Assemblies
- Roof Systems
- Hail Damage
- Roof Loads and Drainage
- Perimeter Flashing
- Roof Anchorage
- 1-15 Roof mounted PV panels1-30
- Cooling TowersExisting PVC Roof Covers
- Field Verification of Roof Wind Uplift Resistance
- Repair of Single- and Multi-ply Roof Systems
- Repair of Wind Damaged Single and Multi-ply Systems
- Ceilings and Concealed Spaces
- Green Roof Systems
- Panel Roof Systems
- Safeguarding Torch-applied Roof Installations
- Roof-mounted PV Panels
ICC-ES Evaluation Reports: These evaluation reports cover a wide variety of construction products. They provide information about what code requirements or acceptance criteria were used to evaluate the product, how the product should be installed to meet the requirements, how to identify the product, and much more.
REPORT EVALUATION DIRECTORY (Choose "Reports arranged by CSI")
PLUMBING
InterNACHI message board Plumbing forum
- Inspecting Residential Water Heaters (PDF)
- Water Heater Backdrafting (website, excellent information)
- Residential PEX Water Supply Plumbing Systems (PDF)
- Problems with- and Identification of- Kitec Water Supply Pipes (DMartel Plumbing)
- Type B Gas Vent Installation Details (Underwriter's Laboratory)
- Sewage Ejector Installation and Operation Manual (PDF)
- Sump Pump Installation Manual (SSPMA)
- Bonding Gas Pipes Google Results
- Plumbing.com (Website)
- Copper and Concrete (Plumbing.com article)
- Polybutylene Water Pipes (InterNACHI article)
ROOF
ASPHALT SHINGLE
InterNACHI message board Roof forum
- The History of Asphalt Shingles (CASMA)
- Mastering Roof Inspections (Asphalt Shingles (#55-#109)
- Asphalt Shingle Sealant Strips (Donan Engineering)
- Shingle Wind Resistance and Bond Failure Location (Prugar Consulting Inc.)
- Impact Resistance of Asphalt Shingles (Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety)
- Racking of Shingles (GAF Technical Advisory Bulletin)
- Buckling of Shingles
- 66 GAF Technical Bulletins
- InterNACHI Asphalt Shingle Inspection online video course (3.25 hrs, InterNACHI members only)
CLIENT INFORMATION (for inclusion with reports)
HAIL DAMAGE (multiple roof-covering materials)
- Protocol for Assessment of Hail-damaged Roofing (Haag Engineering)
METAL ROOFING
- Mastering Roof Inspections (Metal Roof #110-#119)
- Standard Details for Metal Roofing and Siding (Fabral)
SLATE ROOFS
- What Home Inspectors Need to Know About Slate Roofs (Joseph Jenkins, Excellent!)
- Mastering Roof Inspections (Slate, #120-#132)
- Traditional Roofing Magazine, 8 issues, much excellent information about slate
- InterNACHI Slate Inspection Online Video Course (71 minutes, members only)
TILE ROOFS
- Tile Installation Guides (FREE downloads from the Tile Roofing Institute)
- Technical Briefs (FREE downloads from the Tile Roofing Institute)
- Mastering Roof Inspections (Tile Roofs, #140-#145)
- Walking Tile Roofs (1-minute video w/me)
- Tile Roof Systems: Analysis and Inspection Techniques for Roof Consultants (RCI, formerly Roof Consultants Inc.)
- InterNACHI Tile Roof Inspection Online Video Course (47 minutes, members only)
WOOD ROOFS
ROOF FRAMING
STRUCTURE
DECKS
- Deck Connection and Fastener Guide (Simpson Strong-Tie)
DIMENSIONAL LUMBER
- Notching and Boring Guide: joists, studs, rafters, and beams (IRC)
- Notching and Boring Guide for Joists and Stud Walls (Western Wood Products Assoc.)
- Simpson Strong Tie Wood Connectors catalogue (Check the required fasteners for commonly-used connectors)
ENGINEERED LUMBER
- Engineered Wood Products Primer (American Wood Council)
- Engineered Wood Metal Connector Details (Simpson Strong-Tie)
- APA Engineered Wood Construction Guides
- Notching and Boring of LVL (microllam) (American Plywood Assoc)
- Notching & Boring of I-Joists (Weyerhouser Guide p 36 [see below])
- Weyerhouser Comprehensive guide to Engineered Lumber (43 pp)
FRAMING, WOOD
- Wood Framing Guidelines and Details (PDF)
- Identifying Common Framing Problems (Professional Builder)
- Simpson Strong-Tie Catalog
- Fastener Pull-out Testing: Plywood VS OSB (PDF)
- Permanent Wood Foundations (Southern Pine Council)
SOIL MOVEMENT
- Expansive Soil VS Soil Settlement (for inspectors)
- Foundations Types for Use in Areas with Expansive Soil
STRAW BALE HOMES
- Straw Bale Home Basics (InterNACHI article)