This book is for prospective home buyers, real estate investors, and those interested in starting their own home inspection business. Home inspections are an important step in the home-buying process. Everyone agrees that you should use a home inspection service before buying a home. Home inspectors conduct a thorough examination of your home to detect any problems before you purchase. A detailed home inspection usually takes a few hours, and you get a written report. But there are two problems: first the cost a good home inspection can cost several hundred dollars depending on the size of the house. And who has extra money when you are trying to afford a new home? Second, they are not flawless, mistakes are made. It is difficult to test everything in a house in just a couple of hours. No one will examine a house like the prospective owner. Now you can be armed with the right information and save a lot of money and time. Through explanations, the experiences of others, and dozens of forms and checklists you will learn all about: * Foundations: floors, walls, paint, windows, decks, garage doors, roofing, flashings, chimneys * Plumbing: piping, fixtures, faucets, water heating and fuel storage systems, pools and equipment * Wiring: main service panels, conductors, switches, receptacles, heating, air conditioning and heat pumps, ceilings * Floors: railings, doors and windows, attics, walls, foundations, kitchens, and bathrooms. In addition you will gain valuable information about: septic systems, wells, water quality testing, mold, radon testing, asbestos, termites, carbon monoxide testing, and lead testing. The companion CD-ROM is included with the print version of this book; however is not available for download with the electronic version. It may be obtained separately by contacting Atlantic Publishing Group at sales@atlantic-pub.com Atlantic Publishing is a small, independent publishing company based in Ocala, Florida. Founded over twenty years ago in the company president’s garage, Atlantic Publishing has grown to become a renowned resource for non-fiction books. Today, over 450 titles are in print covering subjects such as small business, healthy living, management, finance, careers, and real estate. Atlantic Publishing prides itself on producing award winning, high-quality manuals that give readers up-to-date, pertinent information, real-world examples, and case studies with expert advice. Every book has resources, contact information, and web sites of the products or companies discussed.