Home Inspector Podcast

There are exclusions of a home inspection. The home inspector is not required to determine the condition of any component or system that is not readily accessible; the service life expectancy of any component or system; the cause for the need of correction, repair or replacement of any system or component; and future conditions.

There are limitations to a home inspection. A home inspection is not technically exhaustive. An inspection will not identify concealed or latent defects. Not all defects or problems with the building will be found during a home inspection. 

A home inspection shall identify, in written format, defects within specific systems and components defined by these Standards that are both observed and deemed material by the inspector.  Inspection reports may include additional comments and recommendations. 

A material defect is a specific issue with a system or component of a residential property that may have a significant, adverse impact on the value of the property, or that poses an unreasonable risk to people.  The fact that a system or component is near, at or beyond the end of its normal useful life is not, in itself, a material defect.

The home inspection will not reveal every issue that exists or ever could exist, but only those material defects observed on the date of the inspection.  A home inspection does not predict future events.  The inspector is not required to determine future conditions. For example, a roof may leak at any time, even right after a home inspection has been performed and no indications of a roof leak were observed.

To get a better idea as to what an actual home inspection report looks like, visit our webpage with sample reports provided by home inspectors. Feel free to use them to make your inspection reports better.

The home inspection is based on the observations made on the date of the inspection and not a prediction of future conditions according to the InterNACHI® Home Inspection Standards of Practice. 

A system is an assembly of various components that function as a whole. A component is a permanently installed or attached fixture, element, or part of a system. For example, an air-conditioning system consists of components such as the thermostat, evaporator, condenser, compressor, expansion valve, blower, filter, and supply and return air ducts.

A home inspection is a non-invasive, visual examination of the accessible areas of a residential property, performed for a fee, which is designed to identify defects within specific systems and components defined by these Standards that are both observed and deemed material by the inspector.  The client and Inspector may modify the scope of work before the inspection process.

The InterNACHI® Home Inspection Standards of Practice are the foundation upon which you build your own step-by-step process of performing a home inspection. The standards are considered a minimum, and list the systems and components that you are required to inspect.  They also help reduce your liability by defining the scope of your visual-only inspection, and by listing the systems, components, and conditions that are not required to be inspected. Familiarize yourself with the standards, which may change over time as the industry changes.  Be sure to refer your clients to the online version of this live document at www.nachi.org/sop.

To become an InterNACHI Certified Home Inspector and attain the Certified Professional Inspector (CPI)® designation and Certificate, you must complete the certification requirements, one of which includes completing this Standards of Practice Course.  Check out the Home Inspector Certification Requirements.

When in doubt about what the Standards of Practice (SOP) requires in a particular situation, the inspector should err on the side of caution and exceed what the SOP requires.  It is better to do a little more than what may be required than to do less and risk a potential claim and harm to your reputation.

Welcome to the InterNACHI® Home Inspection Standards of Practice Course. This course is part of several certification requirements to become an InterNACHI Certified Home Inspector. To check your progress in attaining this certification, visit your Members-Only Account.

Join InterNACHI's Ben Gromicko for a webinar on becoming a successful home inspector. This webinar will provide tips on software, time management, marketing & business, and much more!

Join us as Mark Houser, a public insurance adjuster, tells us about the ways to make extra money that benefits everyone. Learn a different way of thinking when doing your inspections to make you even more money. Learn what saves your clients money and, at the same time, makes you money in this free InterNACHI® Webinar. 

We will go through a house, inspect it, find defects, and write a report. We'll learn how to perform a home inspection according to the Standards of Practice. We'll also discuss business, marketing, software, websites, and real estate agents. Everyone who registers will receive the video recording to watch later, so register now. It's free and open to everyone. InterNACHI's Ben Gromicko will be teaching in this webinar.

A real estate market correction is no excuse to sit on the couch staring at what’s missing in your revenue. In fact, when the market booms again (as it always eventually does), you’ll wish you had the time to invest in everything you have time for right now – things like continuing education, researching new ways to improve your workflow through software and technology, and casting a wider marketing net in order to have an even larger book of business in the next busy season.

Ever wonder how AI can help you with your next home inspection? What about how it can improve your business? The future is now! Join Dylan and Jim from Techcyte and learn how artificial intelligence can help you with mold testing.

When it comes to solar power, knowing the right information can be a huge game-changer for your business. Learn the permit requirements and how to perform rough and final inspections, all from the perspective of the AHJ (authority having jurisdiction). Know what you’re looking for and more with Dave Killgore, CPI.

Listen to Equal Prominence of the InterNACHI® Code of Ethics Course at https://www.nachi.org/code-of-ethics-course.htm. The InterNACHI® Code of Ethics is at https://www.nachi.org/code_of_ethics.htm.