Home Inspector: Defects Illustrated

Real pages

A look inside the pages

Every page has one large drawing of what you'd see in the house and a box with what to remember: the number, the rule or the line that goes in the report.

ASHI SoP: inspect, describe, report — and you don't estimate remaining life, cost or cause.

InterNACHI doesn't require walking the roof; ASHI requires describing the method you used.

Three foundation cuts and three materials: what the ASHI SoP asks you to describe.

Service drop: 10 ft over sidewalks, 12 ft over driveways, 18 ft over streets (NEC 230.24)

Copper, PEX, CPVC, galvanized, polybutylene: the ASHI SoP asks you to describe supply and drain piping materials.

Natural draft, induced draft, condensing: describe energy source and distribution — heat exchanger excluded.

IRC R310.2: 5.7 sq ft net (5.0 at grade), 24 × 20 in minimum, sill 44 in max

The double tap written up in 4 blocks: what, where, why, recommend

These are real pages from the book. The table of contents is the full one: 8 parts and 55 topics.

Type and material: two words that turn a look at the wall into a report line.

Bottom of the basement stairs, flashlight on: what do you write for this foundation?

You're on a ride-along. The licensed inspector stops at the foot of the stairs, points his flashlight at the wall and asks what you'd put in the report for the foundation.

It's easy to say “poured concrete” and leave it there, or plan to look it up in the course manual that night. The Standards ask you to describe the foundation, and a material on its own is only half the description.

Page 19 draws three foundation cross sections side by side (basement, crawlspace and slab) next to the three materials you'll run into. The box lists what the ASHI SoP asks you to describe, so you know which two things the report line needs.

Exam traps

Spot the trap before the test does

Every page ends with a note box like these: the mix-up the exam counts on.

p. 5 · INSPECT, DESCRIBE, REPORTEXAM TRAP

Not required: remaining life, repair costs, repair methods or the cause of a defect.

p. 41 · THREE FURNACES, ONE REPORT LINEEXAM TRAP

The ASHI SoP does not require inspecting the heat exchanger. Don't dismantle to look.

p. 48 · BEDROOM EGRESS WINDOWSEXAM TRAP

5.7 sq ft on upper floors, 5.0 sq ft at grade floor or below grade. Don't swap them.

Price US$ 27 ~~US$ 63~~

I want these pages

What you'll see

All the content, part by part

From what the Standards ask you to do and not do, out to the grading and up on the roof, down to the foundation, through the panel, the pipes and the furnace, back inside to the bedrooms and the garage, and on to the report and the numbers that are easy to mix up.

I

Scope and Site

pp. 5-11

What the Standards of Practice Ask You to Do
What You Are Not Required to Do
The Exam and the License: What Varies by State
Grading: Six Inches in the First Ten Feet
Gutters and Downspouts
Siding and Clearance to Grade
Decks: Ledger, Guards and Stairs

II

Roof and Attic

pp. 12-18

How to Inspect a Roof: Walk, Ground or Drone
Asphalt Shingle Defects
Flashing at Walls and Chimneys
Valleys, Penetrations and Boots
Attic Ventilation: The 1/150 Rule
Attic Stains, Frost and Mold-Like Growth
Insulation: Type, Depth and Gaps

III

Structure and Foundation

pp. 19-25

Foundation Types You Must Describe
Foundation Cracks: Which Ones You Flag
Water in the Basement: Signs on the Wall
Notches and Holes in Joists
Notches and Holes in Studs
Beams, Posts and Sagging Floors
Crawlspaces and Wood-Destroying Insects

IV

Electrical

pp. 26-33

Service Drop and Service Entrance
Panel Working Space
Inside the Panel: Double Taps
Wire Size and Breaker Size
Main Panel vs. Subpanel: Neutral and Ground
Grounding Electrode System
Outlets: Polarity, Open Ground, GFCI and AFCI
Wiring Red Flags: Aluminum, Open Splices and Old Panels

V

Plumbing

pp. 34-40

Supply Pipe Materials You Must Identify
Water Pressure and Functional Flow
The Water Heater TPR Valve
Water Heater Location, Venting and Strapping
Drains, Traps and Slope
Cross-Connections and Backflow
Gas Piping: Drip Legs and CSST

VI

Heating, Cooling and Fireplaces

pp. 41-47

Furnace Types and What to Describe
Flue Pipes and Clearances
Combustion Air and Rollout Signs
Air Conditioning: The Temperature Split
Condensate Lines and Secondary Pans
Fireplaces and Hearth Extensions
Chimneys: The 3-2-10 Rule

VII

Interior, Garage and Safety

pp. 48-53

Egress Windows in Bedrooms
Safety Glazing Locations
Stairs and Handrails Inside
Smoke and CO Alarms
Garage to House Separation
Garage Door Auto-Reverse

VIII

The Report and Exam Review

pp. 54-59

How a Defect Is Written
Describe, Observe, Recommend: The Words That Matter
Ethics: What the Inspector Can't Do
Numbers That Are Easy to Mix Up
Common Mistakes in Reports
The Whole House in Inspection Order

At the end of the book: EXAM TRAP boxes on the numbers that are easy to mix up, and a whole-house review in inspection order

A different way to learn

Reading the Standards at home vs. standing in front of the house

A text manual

The inspector is expected to observe the roof covering, roof drainage systems, flashings, skylights, chimneys and roof penetrations. Acceptable observation methods include traversing the roof surface, viewing from ground level with binoculars, viewing from a ladder at the eaves, or remote viewing by unmanned aerial device. Where the roof surface is not traversed, the method used and any limiting conditions, including height, pitch, weather and material fragility, are to be reported.

A text manual

You read the roof section twice and still mix up which standard asks what.
You memorize lists of defects with no picture behind them.
You ask on forums whether you really have to walk every roof.

Who it's for

I'm just starting my pre-licensing hours

You get the inspection route laid out page by page, so the course stops feeling like loose chapters. It opens with the three verbs the Standards are built on: inspect, describe, report.

I'm on ride-alongs, but I freeze

When the inspector points at something, you've already seen it drawn. The double tap, for example, comes with its report line in four blocks: what, where, why, recommend.

I've got the national exam on the calendar

You review the numbers that are easy to mix up, each one traced to its source. Bedroom egress: 5.7 sq ft net, 5.0 at grade, sill 44 inches max.

Price US$ 27 ~~US$ 63~~

I want the PDF book

Home Inspector: Defects Illustrated + 2 bonus books

Bonus 1

«Practice Questions»

Check yourself after each part with exam-style questions. Every answer is explained and points you back to the page that covers it.

~~US$ 17.90~~ FREE

Bonus 2

«Field Checklist»

The walk through a whole house in order, with the defects to flag at each stop, ready to print and bring on your ride-alongs.

~~US$ 14.90~~ FREE

Home Inspector: Defects Illustrated + 2 bonus books

Home Inspector: Defects Illustrated: 59 pages in 8 partsUS$ 63
Bonus 1: «Practice Questions»US$ 17.90
Bonus 2: «Field Checklist»US$ 14.90
High-resolution PDF to printIncluded

~~Total value US$ 95.80~~US$ 27You save US$ 68.80

I want Home Inspector: Defects Illustrated for US$ 27

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What people ask most

How do I get the book?

The book and the two free books come as PDFs by email.

Is it a one-time payment?

Yes. You pay once: no subscription, nothing that renews.

Does it replace my pre-licensing course?

No. It's study material that sits next to your course. It doesn't count toward your state's required hours and doesn't come with a certificate. Your hours, exam and field training still apply; the book helps you remember what you see on them. It's independent study material, not official NHIE material and not affiliated with ASHI, InterNACHI or EBPHI, and no book can guarantee you'll pass.

Where does the content come from?

From the ASHI and InterNACHI Standards of Practice, the IRC 2021, the NEC (NFPA 70) and the NHIE content outline published by EBPHI. Each page cites its source, and manufacturer instructions are cited where the standard points to them.

Does it work for my state?

The book follows the ASHI and InterNACHI Standards of Practice, the IRC 2021, the NEC and the topics on the NHIE outline. Many states use these or build their rules on them, but some write their own Standards of Practice, adopt a different code edition or give a state exam. Where that matters, the page says “varies by state”: check your board's SoP and exam before you rely on a number.

I worked in construction for years. Is this too basic for me?

You already know a lot about how a house goes together. What the book adds is the inspector's side: what the Standards ask you to describe, what you're not required to do and how a defect goes into a report.

Can I print it?

Yes. It's a regular PDF you can read on a tablet or print at home. The Field Checklist is laid out to print and bring on ride-alongs.

How does the refund work?

You have 30 days. We refund everything if the file won't open, if the book isn't what you see on this page, if you were charged twice or if the email doesn't arrive: just email us.

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📄 This is a digital PDF book sent to your email: nothing is printed or shipped.