Home Inspection Tips & Trends

Inspection Certification Associates prides itself on hiring the best instructors in the home inspection field, so that you can get…

Photos are an important part of home inspections. That being said, many older home inspectors who have been in the…

6 Tips for Sump Pump Inspections Many homeowners who have basements or crawl spaces that suffer water infiltration opt to…

Home inspectors should inspect the electrical system in a home carefully, not just to make sure it works properly, but…

The two main factors affecting the home inspection business are real estate trends and location. The real estate market is…

As a home inspector, it’s important that you have an understanding of the types of wood-destroying organisms and how to…

The cost of a home inspection varies, mostly according to the economic parameters of the area in which you work.…

Electricity is really handy, but it’s also dangerous. That’s why only licensed electricians are supposed to perform electrical work —…

Furnaces are a great invention. They heat our homes so well and so efficiently. But when something goes wrong with…

There’s been a lot of talk in recent years about “sick houses.” What are they, and how can we ensure…

Many professionals improve their knowledge and skills by reading literature relevant to their field. As a home inspector — or…

Mold isn’t just ugly; it can be dangerous too. That’s why looking for mold is such an important part of…

Potential home buyers don’t want to see a cracked chimney. In fact, they probably don’t want to see cracks in…

Mold has always been a part of life — since before life for humans even existed, according to the Smithsonian.…

Many home inspection courses deal with how to look for leaks and water damage. This is because of the top…

Do you think you need insurance coverage for errors and omissions for your home inspections business? You may think you…

When you undertook inspection training, you likely had home inspecting in mind. There are more home inspectors than commercial building…

Depending on when you started your home inspection career, using drones might seem like a crazy, futuristic idea, but it…

When you were thinking of becoming a home inspector, you probably didn’t think about working with the Federal Emergency Management…

  When you take home inspection courses to become certified as a home inspector, you learn a lot about home…

When you undertake home inspection training, your expectations are generally that your clients will be local home and business owners…

How much home inspectors make varies, depending upon factors such as the going rate for inspections in the general area,…

You may wonder if you should join a home inspection association now that you have passed your home inspector exam…

What would a profile of an average American home inspector look like? Would they be a certain age, gender, race,…

More than ever, busy mothers are deciding home inspector training is the path they want to take to a successful…

Podcasting is a fantastic educational tool. With current topics, you can ensure that you are getting the home inspection training…

Training to become a home inspector is no easy feat. Educational courses are meant to facilitate the process, allowing you…

What would you give to start a new career before spring arrives? Would you give a few short weeks of…

Not every house for sale has a homeowner polishing faucets, painting walls and baking cookies inside. Vacant or abandoned homes…

Real estate agents and home inspectors use the phrase “good bones” all the time, but what does it actually mean?…

Now that summer is slipping away and fall is nearing, you can expect to see an influx in critters making…

Noisy pipes can be the bane of a homeowner’s existence, especially when the noise is a mystery. There’s not one…

Not everyone comes to the home inspection industry with a background in construction, plumbing, electrical or any other related field.…

Cool weather is on its way and new homeowners will soon put systems through their paces. If there’s a defect…

It won’t be long before windows are closed and heating systems fire up for another season of heavy use. That’s…

If you’re thinking about becoming a home inspector, you might believe you have most of the facts about the industry.…

During an inspection, a home’s basement might appear to be as dry as a bone. But the first time it…

One of the biggest frustrations of home buyers and home inspectors alike is the fact that you can’t see inside…

There’s nothing that compares to hands-on learning out in the real world. But for some things, you really do need…

Stucco has taken a lot of hits over the past decade or so, but it’s still in the running as…

Probably, most of the homes you inspect will be sound, secure and healthy within reason. But every once in a…

Online home inspection training is both convenient and challenging. Retention rates are lower for online courses than for brick-and-mortar classrooms…

Is there treasure in the attic? Cutting-edge wiring in an unassuming older home? What about a hidden room that’s tucked…

Depending on whom you ask, home inspection training should only happen in the field, in the classroom, or online. Naysayers…

PVC or polyvinyl chloride plumbing pipe has essentially eliminated corrosion in plumbing supply and drain lines, but plenty of homes…

California is one of a few states that doesn’t license home inspectors. But that doesn’t mean inspectors are free to…

Wouldn’t it be great if an inspector could do a home inspection and then help the client by doing some…

Whether you call it a water heater or use the colloquialism, “hot water heater,” these appliances need serious attention to…

Property inspectors tend to specialize in residential or commercial buildings, but some inspectors do both. You might need a little…

The home inspection industry has come a long way since the days of paper forms, clipboards and ink pens. While…

For you, the best part about home inspecting work might be learning new things and the freedom to use those…

Updated for 2022. For personal fulfillment, it’s hard to beat a career that matters so much to so many while…

Periodically, Inspection Certification Associates or ICA School founder, Steve Preins, takes audience questions and fashions the answers into a podcast.…

West Virginia is one of a handful of states that require in-classroom training for prospective home inspectors. Unfortunately, not everyone…

Homes are made up of numerous systems, none of which is more important than the roof. It blocks the heat…

A professional home inspection puts a lot of power into a buyer’s hands, but home inspections can work for either…

Maybe it’s hard to imagine remote training for a hands-on job. Of course, some brick-and-mortar programs might have you believe…

If you want to become a home inspector in Florida, now is a great time to make the leap. Home…

If you live in Illinois and want to become a home inspector, the journey begins with a good education. But…

Aerial inspection services aren’t common enough (yet) to be considered mandatory or industry standard. However, at the rate that drones…

Full-time school and work can throw anyone off balance. But every day, students make it happen without letting either responsibility…

Got inspection questions about roofs? We have answers. Roofs do more than just shield a house from the rain. They’re…

The freedom of home education seems like a dream come true for some prospective students. For others, it feels a…

Real estate closings and the accompanying home inspections wait for no man or woman. And they don’t wait for foul…

Starting your own business as a certified home inspector is a big undertaking. The habits that you form now, including…

One of the greatest things about owning a masonry home is that termites will never move in, right? Nope. Those…

Former members of the now-shuttered NAHI are finding a warm welcome at ASHI. The American Society of Home Inspectors has…

When the weather outside is frightful, it’s delightful for a thermal imaging home inspection. It’s the temperature difference between indoors…

Heavy storms, such as the recent Hurricane Matthew, can cause severe problems for homeowners. But downed branches, broken glass, hail…

You might be a die-hard traditionalist or a progressive forward-thinker. And whether you love this new technology or not, drones…

What would you give never to walk a roof or shimmy through a dank crawlspace again? With the direction that…

When infrared technology first became available, the cost of the equipment was so high that it priced itself right out…

The cost of an infrared camera is coming down but there’s another option for home inspectors that’s even more affordable:…

Energy audits take the home inspector’s services beyond obvious (and not-so-obvious) defects and into green living territory. More and more…

Infrared technology or thermography helps you spot more potential home defects than you could with just your eyes. And that…

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) relate to the same thing: drones. And drones equal easier, perhaps…

Swimming pools are permanent fixtures. So why are they often excluded from a home inspection? It’s a matter of choice.…

Home inspectors inspect what’s visible and accessible inside and outside the home. That’s what essentially every Standards of Practice say.…

Appliances don’t always convey when a house is sold, so many of the homes that an inspector inspects will have…

Crawlspaces are, by definition, not exactly spacious. Some of them are entirely vacant aside from the occasional wild critter. They’re…

Attics are hot in summer, cold in winter, dusty, dirty, and part of a complete home inspection. Inspectors typically work…

Homebuyers are quick to notice obvious things about the exterior of a house, such as the condition of the front…

The appeal of a historic home, or one that’s got the same birthdate without the special designation, is the stuff…

Winter is coming? Say it isn’t so! Unfortunately, frigid temperatures and everything that goes with them will be here before…

Are buyers in your area seeing double? While some areas require no home inspection at all, some are at the…

Customers love plastic, and you might, too. Don’t want the hassle of credit cards and credit card vendors? You might…

Is this thing on? How many home inspectors perform inspections and have almost no communication with the customer at all?…

The new inspection contingency form is a boon for everyone in Minnesota. If you’re a home buyer, seller or inspector…

There should be no question: a home inspection is always the right choice. The tougher it is to find and…

On-demand inspection report access could help every prospective buyer compete. A Seattle-based home inspection startup wants to trim down the…

Alex Bakman is CEO and Founder of Snappii, a leading mobile business app development company. Snappii lets customers design and…

Sometimes technological advances are just for the sake of gadgetry. And sometimes they really mean something. If you’re wondering where…

Tankless or on-demand water heaters haven’t overtaken standard tank-style appliances just yet, but they are gaining popularity. With recent legislation…

Believe it or not, your cell phone is one of the most useful tools that you own. So you’re giving…

Metal roofs aren’t just for old farm houses anymore. What began life as a rather humble roofing material is enjoying…

Some people love to complain, but good planning can help minimize the risk. If you’re a home inspector for long…

It might look harmless, but some vermiculite have a nasty personality. Much has been made about the danger of asbestos…

Appliances, plumbing and every other condo feature is just as likely to suffer defects as those in a single-family home.…

Condensation isn’t an anomaly, it’s a collection of water from the air. You’ve seen condensation on a water glass and…

The shabby look might be cute in photos, but a shabby deck endangers the whole family. Summer is in full…

Scandalous news usually ranks higher than anything else, so it shouldn’t surprise any home inspector when a rotten one makes…

Recent clarifications in the FHA underwriting process have inadvertently created confusion in another area. Are appraisers and inspectors really all…

What’s the last thing that a homeowner might feel like doing after learning that his house is in foreclosure? Being…

Jeffrey Brookfield is the Business Development Consultant with AmeriSpec of Canada. In this role he provides leadership, guidance, coaching and…

There’s a longstanding belief among some home inspectors that it’s bad form or even unacceptable to recommend a contractor who…

New home inspectors tend to have the same question about getting their fledgling inspection business up and running: what kind…

Stucco is one of the most common home cladding materials in the state of Florida. Its uniform appearance covers certain…

The primary reason contracts exist is to set forth in clear terms the scope of an agreement. That helps every…

As a home inspector, you don’t issue a rating or measurement for a customer’s indoor air quality. However, some of…

You’ve finished your ICA School training, or you’re about to. In no time at all, you’ll be ready to take…

Self-paced, online study sounds awesome! But then the reality of late nights and finding the time and peace to focus…

What have you done for yourself lately? That’s the subject of ICA School director of education, Steve Preins’, latest podcast.…

Building code changes with the times, but that doesn’t mean older homes have to comply. With a new addition or…

For whatever reason, some homeowners make accessing the attic more difficult than it ought to be. The most common method,…

For the most part, the home inspection industry stays relatively the same. You learn the process of inspecting real estate,…

There are national and state home inspection associations, and at both levels there are plenty of members. Then there are…

Running a home inspection business is challenging, but getting it off the ground in the first place can seem like…

If you’re on the fence about whether or not to enroll with ICA School, part of your quandary probably deals…

Home inspection customers aren’t tasked with inspecting, but they are in charge of who does the job and what happens…

Thinking about enrolling in ICA School’s home inspection course? You’re making a great choice. Our program is one of the…

Doctors do a residency, architects do an internship, and home inspectors should go through a mentoring period. Most career-focused education…