Here are some of the resources available:
1. Home Inspection Video - See a home inspection!
2. Read an actual home inspection report.
3. Read/search Barry Stone's column, Inspector's In the House (below).
4. Send a question using the form to the right. ===>
5. If you are a Seller, get your own inspection before you put your home on the market.

California does not require any license to be a home inspector, so it is important for both home buyers and sellers to make sure that they hire an inspector who is a certified residential inspector and who carries errors and omissions insurance. To help you think through the selection of your home inspector, click here for our 10 Tips.

QUESTIONS/ANSWERS Click on any of these topics to read questions and answers by syndicated columnist Barry Stone.
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As a buyer, you can be present on the home inspection (and we really recommend it). Being there gives you a chance to ask questions, to see and discuss what Mark has found, and to ask other questions about your new home. Some of the areas inspected include: structure, heating and cooling, roof, electrical system, plumbing and fixtures, attic, basement and/or crawl space, foundation, gutters, insulation, interior and exterior walls, porches and decks, and the water heater and appliances.

A good inspector helps both buyers and sellers become aware of any defects that weren't already known. (If they had been known, they would have been disclosed.) Please note: Sellers have no obligation to repair any defects. Repair requests are just that--requests. However, if an unknown defect is a safety issue, violates the then-current building code, or affects functionality, many sellers will accommodate the request in one way or another. A good inspection helps to put all those issues on the table so that everyone is satisfied with the transaction.

For information about various topics, just click on any of the links to the left or run your own search! One of our 600+ articles is posted below.

Venting of Attic Can Prevent Shingle Damage
Inspector's in the House by Barry Stone, Certified Building Inspector

Dear Barry,
The buyers of our home hired a home inspector. According to the report, the edges of our roof shingles are curling. This comes as a total surprise, since the shingles are only five years old. How could this roof be wearing out so soon?
Wayne J.

Dear Wayne,
Curling can result from substandard manufacture of the shingles, but the more common cause is inadequate ventilation of the attic. With insufficient venting, an attic can become very hot during summer months, causing asphalt shingles to become dry and brittle after several years of exposure.

Code requirements for attic venting are minimal at best, and municipal building inspectors have the discretionary power to waive these requirements at the time of construction.

With prematurely aged shingles, your first step is to inspect the attic vents, typically found at the gables, the eaves or on the roof itself. To ensure that they are clear of obstruction, look for visible light in the attic. Eave vents often become blocked with insulation, and low clearance within the attic can restrict your ability to clear them.

If additional vents are needed, they are not difficult to install. An effective way to meet and exceed current ventilation requirements is to install turbine vents near the roof ridge. For further details and specific evaluation of your roof situation, contact a licensed roofing contractor.

Distributed by Access Media Group. To write to Barry Stone, please visit him on the web at www.housedetective.com.