Chapter 39 Further Reading: Home Inspections
Standards of Practice and Professional References
1. ASHI Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics American Society of Home Inspectors (ashi.org)
The defining document for what a standard home inspection does and does not cover. Reading ASHI's published standards of practice is the single most clarifying thing you can do to understand what you're paying for when you hire an inspector. The standards define required and excluded scope with precision. Free download on the ASHI website. InterNACHI publishes a similar standards document that is equally instructive and available at nachi.org.
2. InterNACHI's "Now That You've Had a Home Inspection" Homeowner Booklet International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (nachi.org)
A free PDF distributed to buyers after inspections by InterNACHI-certified inspectors. Written to translate common inspection findings into plain English, organized by system. An excellent companion to any inspection report. Particularly useful for homeowners trying to understand what a finding means and what to do about it.
Books
3. The Complete Book of Home Inspection by Norman Becker McGraw-Hill Professional
Now in multiple editions, Becker's comprehensive guide covers every major building system from a home inspector's perspective. Organized identically to how an inspection is conducted. Useful both for understanding inspection reports after the fact and for conducting informal self-inspections of your own property. Photographs and illustrations throughout. One of the most practical home inspection reference books available.
4. Inspecting a House: A Guide for Buyers, Owners, and Renovators by Rex Cauldwell Taunton Press
Cauldwell writes from an inspector/contractor's perspective, with unusually clear explanations of structural, mechanical, and safety issues. Particularly strong on electrical and plumbing systems. The chapters on what to look for when buying an older house are especially applicable to houses in the 40-60+ year age range that present the most complex inspection scenarios.
5. The Home Buyer's Inspection Guide by William L. Ventolo Jr. and Martha R. Williams Dearborn Real Estate Education
Focused on the home buying transaction context. Strong on using inspection reports in negotiations, understanding inspection contracts and liability, and the decision framework for specialty inspections. Readable and practical for first-time buyers.
Government and Regulatory Resources
6. EPA Radon: A Citizen's Guide to Radon U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (epa.gov/radon)
The EPA's primary public resource on radon. Covers what radon is, how it enters homes, how to test, and how to mitigate. Includes the national radon map showing geographic risk levels by county. Free online. The EPA also publishes "A Homebuyer's and Seller's Guide to Radon" specifically for real estate transactions — also free and highly recommended.
7. HUD Lead Disclosure Requirements U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (hud.gov)
Federal regulations require sellers to disclose known lead paint in homes built before 1978 and to provide buyers with the EPA pamphlet "Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home." Understanding these disclosure requirements — as both buyer and eventual seller — is important background for pre-1978 home purchases. HUD's website has the full regulatory text and a plain-English summary.
Online Tools and Resources
8. InterNACHI's Inspection Narrative Library nachi.org
InterNACHI maintains a searchable library of standard inspection report narratives — the actual language used by certified inspectors to describe thousands of different conditions. Searching for a phrase from your inspection report here often returns a description of exactly what the inspector saw, what it means, and what should be done. Invaluable for decoding unfamiliar report language.
9. State Contractor License Verification Your state's contractor licensing board (searchable via "[state name] contractor license lookup")
Before hiring any contractor based on an inspection recommendation — or to verify a home inspector's license — use your state's online license verification system. Every state with a contractor licensing requirement maintains a public database. Confirms that a license is active, carries no disciplinary history, and covers the type of work being performed. Takes two minutes and is always worth doing.
10. HomeAdvisor / Angi True Cost Guide homeadvisor.com/cost
An aggregated database of actual project costs reported by homeowners across the country, searchable by project type and zip code. Particularly useful for translating inspection findings into cost estimates when you don't have contractor quotes yet. Use it to establish a range before getting bids — if a contractor's quote is significantly above the reported range for your area, ask why.
Specialty Inspection Resources
11. National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO) nassco.org
The trade association for sewer inspection and rehabilitation professionals. NASSCO certifies technicians in pipeline assessment and publishes standardized condition coding systems. Their public resources include explanations of pipe assessment ratings and a contractor locator. Useful if you need to understand the language in a sewer scope report or find a qualified sewer scope provider.
12. Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA) csia.org
The certification body for chimney sweeps in the United States. CSIA-certified sweeps have passed written and practical exams and adhere to a professional code of ethics. Their website includes a certified sweep finder tool and consumer guides to chimney inspections, sweep selection, and the difference between Level I, II, and III inspections. Use this to find qualified chimney professionals and to understand what a Level II camera inspection involves before you commission one.