This comprehensive text walks readers through every important aspect of inspecting major components of a residential house, including air conditioning and heat pumps, home electrical systems: materials, home exterios, home interiors and home roofs covering installation details, typical problems and their causes, practical implications of problems, and inspection strategies for identifying them.

This volume covers verbal communication, report writing, client perspectives, the real-estate transaction and the inspection process.

Only half of a home inspector's challenge is technical--the other half is effective communication with clients. This text is designed both for beginners who need an in-depth introduction and more advanced practitioners looking for tips, sample dialogue and documents, and an understanding of the scope and ethical aspects of a home inspection.

The text includes Inspection Checklists that summarize the important components and problems home inspectors will encounter, and can be used for actual inspections.