Included in this report are the overall condition of the home, with specific attention to the plumbing and electrical systems, the heating and cooling equipment, the siding and the roof, the foundation and the homes frame. This particular home inspection certification program is offered as a partnership with numerous colleges and universities that oversee the various course materials and curriculum.

The home builders organization offering the online home inspection courses was established twenty years ago. Its mission remains to offer home inspection education, occupation training, as well as construction and inspection technical support.

The programs include classroom training, field training, seminars, and continuing education courses in addition to the Internet-based program.

More than 2000 home inspection professionals have now graduated from the associations training program, in various parts of the United States and Canada. While any of the home classes are open to the general public specific organizations or groups can arrange their own private training sessions as well.

Many reputable home inspection-affiliated organizations have endorsed these training programs. These include the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI,) the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI,) and the California Real Estate Inspectors Association (CREIA).

More than 15 agencies of the federal or state governments in the U.S. and Canada and other affiliated associations have approved these home inspection courses for continuing education credits or credits towards renewal of memberships.

12 home inspection lessons make up the entire online certification course. The courses look at the major elements of a residence and the primary components and issues in a home inspection.

All of these courses start with detailed material about the construction of residential dwellings. These include the basic of building design and the materials and practices that go into home construction.

The primary focus of every course, however, is home inspection. This includes the study of home construction practices, the recognition of construction defects, the guidelines for inspecting homes, and the methodology of home inspection reporting.

Every core course also provides appendices that come with expansive glossaries, articles to be used as handy references, lists of inspection procedures and lists of common home construction defects.

Each course is formatted independently so that each home inspection student can take each class as she or he wishes, or can switch back and forth between classes. There is a suggested format, however. Part of the home inspection learning process is expansive questioning.

The review questions number in the hundreds and graded exams are given at the end of each course, or a major segment of the course. Testing structures are flexible and exam proctors can be arranged as necessary. 75 percent is generally required to pass any inspection course.