How Do You Know if They Are Qualified?
Ask These 7 Questions.

The State of Pennsylvania sets only certain minimum requirements and individual home inspector qualifications vary considerably. Just like having a State Drivers License doesn't necessarily make you a safe driver, likewise, COMPLYING WITH STATE INSPECTOR REQUIREMENTS doesn't necessarily make you a good home inspector. You need to look further than STATE REQUIREMENTS when determining an inspector's qualifications.

It takes an experienced, well trained home inspector who has exceptional understanding of all the systems that make up a home to find problems that the current owner may not even be aware of.

Here are some questions and answers to help you qualify your home inspector:

1. How much initial training have they had?
   A. They should have at least 60 hours of intensive initial training. Savvy buyers ask to see their Training Certificate.

2. How much Continuing Education do they have?
   A. They should have a minimum of 40 hours of Continuing Education for each year they've been inspecting homes. Ask to see the Continuing Education course completion documents.

3. How many home inspections have been performed by the company?
   A seasoned inspection company should have performed several thousand.

4. What professional associations do they belong to?
   A. They should have a current membership in the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and/or the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI). Click here for ASHI training certificates.

5. Does the inspector have General Liability and Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance to protect you if they break or miss something?
   A: Reputable home inspectors have both types of insurance, and will gladly give you a "Certificate of Insurance" if you ask for it to authenticate their insurance coverage.

6. Are they Pennsylvania State Certified for radon testing?
   A. Home inspectors performing radon tests are required to meet the minimal certification requirements of the Pennsylvania Radon Division.

7. Are they National Radon Safety Board (NRSB) accredited for radon testing?
   A. Obtaining accurate radon results in a real estate transaction requires an exceptional level of skill. Insist only on home inspectors with NRSB accreditation.