California Real Estate Inspection Association Courses

One of the most common questions asked of home inspectors relates to the condition of the home’s heating and cooling components. The financial strain of replacing these components soon after purchase can be enormous, so client concern is understandable. Providing a thorough, complete, noninvasive, informative examination of the complete central system, as well as individual components, is a must for the successful home inspector.
There are generally two kinds of conventional residential heating and cooling systems – central heating and area heating – serviced by a variety of system types. Gas-fired is the most popular fuel for heating homes in America. Well over 40 million homes across the country use gas-fired equipment as their primary heat source. About 2 million new gas furnaces are sold in the U.S. every year, and almost 60 percent of new single-family homes have gas-fired central heating and cooling. 
Consequently, the majority of home inspections will be conducted on a gas-fired central heating and cooling system, which can come in varying configurations and efficiency types, not to mention those creative DIY installations. However, while it takes a great variety of equipment to control the different fuels and different applications, the functions required for safe, automatic operation are remarkably similar.
This course focuses on noninvasive inspection of the systems and components we refer to as “conventional” heating and cooling. For the purposes of this course, the training focus and learning objectives are for the thorough observation, noninvasive inspection and informative reporting requirements on permanently installed force air, gas-fired, electric-powered central heating and cooling systems, components, and air-to-air heat pumps.
The focus is not simply on the mechanicals of the heating and cooling system cabinet and equipment. Rather, this course emphasizes and expands upon the inspection routine as guided by industry standards of practice, and focuses on safety parameters, effective communication skills for client understanding, and targeting your eyes on the heating and cooling inspection as you turn into the inspection property driveway that first time. 
To enhance the learning experience, the course is seasoned with inspection best practices and in-the-field perspective and experience gained over time, to review and reinforce basic home inspection requirements to meet or exceed standards/regulations and client satisfaction.

A fireplace can enhance the value of a home by contributing to its warmth and ambiance. Fireplaces have been used for centuries for heating, cooking, and decorative appeal. A roaring fire on a cold day lends a pleasant and welcoming atmosphere to any home. The EPA estimates there are thirteen million fireplaces in the United States.
An improperly constructed or maintained fireplace can also spell disaster to an unsuspecting homeowner: Not only can an improperly constructed or maintained fireplace and its chimney pose a significant fire and smoke hazard, it can often create a significant structural hazard within a home or building.
This course will discuss statutory regulations concerning fireplace and chimney inspections, as well as the elements of fireplaces, chimneys, and wood burning stoves. We will discuss the proper methods of construction, installation, maintenance, and safety considerations necessary to enhance a home inspection and provide an increased level of comfort for your clients.
In the following chapters, we will discuss various types of fireplaces and chimneys: masonry, prefabricated metal, antique stone rubble, and vintage. We will also discuss the components of these structures. The components generally include the firebox, damper, lintel, hearth, ash dump, smoke chamber, flue, rain cap, and spark arrestor.
The course also concentrates upon safety features in gas-fired fireplaces, fire blocking between floors, and basic tools for these specialized inspections.

A properly built house offers protection against the weather and provides structural stability. Floors may be concrete slab, suspended wood, or steel joist systems. Walls may be framed using wood, wood structural panels, steel, structural masonry, conventional concrete, insulating concrete forms, rammed earth, or straw bales, and include openings. Types of framing that are used to construct houses include platform, balloon, and panelized framing. A roof may be constructed using traditional stick framing, prefabricated trusses, or steel components.
A home inspector must have a basic understanding of how a house is built in order to detect deviations from accepted building practices and codes.

After exploring the exterior of the home, the home inspector should examine the foundation of the residence. The foundation is the base of the residence. Since the foundation supports the weight of the entire structure; this area of the building must be constructed under strict adherence to all applicable building codes and undergo rigorous safety inspections.
The foundation’s two purposes are to support the entire building and to transfer the weight of the building to the ground. It is imperative that the home inspector pay particular attention to this feature. Foundation problems can cause plumbing leaks, squeaky and uneven floors, sticking doors and windows, and cracked walls.

Plumbing is a vital system for the occupants of a house. Without it, a house’s inhabitants would not have access to water or a means to dispose of waste. A house’s plumbing is the system of pipes and connected fixtures that enables clean water to enter the house and used water and sewage to exit the house. Residential plumbing consists of two separate systems: the aseptic system and the septic system.

The interior of the house refers to the finishes of interior walls, ceilings, floors, doors, counters, cabinets, and stairs. The condition of the house’s interior usually indicates the overall quality of the home and the homeowner’s commitment to its maintenance.

The home inspector should inspect the interior of the house for clues to possible problems like water leaks and structural issues. It is not the home inspector’s job to judge the homeowner’s style or decorative taste.

In addition, inspectors are not engaged in predicting the adequacy, insurability, or remaining life of installed systems, components, and parts. Inspectors do not conduct engineering evaluations such as voltage drop calculations and heating and cooling balancing. They also are not expected to evaluate the eco-friendliness of building materials.

Over the years, many appliances have become commonplace in houses. An appliance is a machine or device that completes one or a number of household jobs.
The appliances that are a permanent part of the home, such as cook tops, vent hoods, ovens, trash compactors, dishwashers, and garbage disposals, should be evaluated during a home inspection. Appliances that are portable and are usually moved with the seller when a home is sold are considered personal property and are not usually inspected. Personal property includes any movable item. Such appliances include the clothes washer and dryer, refrigerator, freezers, and portable microwave ovens.
If, as a part of the sale of a home, the buyer negotiates with the seller to include freestanding items, such as refrigerators or washing machines, you will probably be asked to include these items in the inspection.
In addition, it is important to note that real estate laws in some states stipulate that when a home is sold, the washer, dryer and refrigerator are part of the real estate and must stay with the house. Real estate includes land and anything permanently attached to the land, including buildings, structures, and, in this case, appliances. If you are inspecting in a state whose laws designate such appliances as real estate, then you are expected to inspect these appliances as well.

For most, living in a home without electricity, or another power source, is unimaginable. In such a house, all of the appliances that make living more convenient would be useless. This house has no lights at the push of a button or flip of a switch; no refrigerator to keep food and drinks cool; and no radio, television, or computer.
Because so much of the home is affected by electricity, the home inspector must have a basic understanding of electricity. As always, safety is of paramount importance when dealing with this potentially dangerous form of power.

Insulation has no moving parts. Most of it is not visible once it is installed. Although insulation is not glamorous, it is very important. An occupant’s comfort within a home, and the cost of maintaining that comfort level, is determined by how well the habitable space of a home is insulated. Further, the integrity and condition of a home are influenced by the effectiveness of the insulating system.
This Unit presents the basics of heat transfer. In addition, the Unit discusses in detail the four components of a home insulating system: insulation, air leakage prevention, moisture control, and ventilation.