Useful Links page for homeowners and home-buyers:
RESIDENTIAL AIR CONDITIONING:
APPLIANCES:
- Amana – Owner’s Manuals & Installation Instructions
- Bosch – Owner’s Manuals & Installation Instructions
- GE Appliances – Owner’s Manuals & Installation Instructions
- Jenn-Air
- Maytag – Owner’s Manuals & Installation Instructions
- Thermador – Owner’s Manuals & Installation Instructions
- Whirlpool Appliance Doctor
BASEMENTS / CRAWL SPACES:
- The Old House Web – Moisture, Insects, & Structural Problems
- Crawl Space or Basement Insulation
- Drain Pro – Moisture in the Basement
CONCRETE & MASONRY:
- Masonry Advisory Council On-Line
- Portland Cement Association
- Concrete Building Systems in Residential Construction Slag Cement Association
ELECTRICAL:
- Hazards of Aluminum Wiring and Federal Pacific Electric Panels along with many other Home Inspection topics on web site
- Joe Tedesco’s NEC Electrical Inspection Information
- Mike Holt Enterprises, Inc. NEC Forum
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES:
- ” A Brief Guide to Mold, Moisture, and Your Home” from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency•
- Lead Based Paint Information from the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development •
- Radon Zone Map of Kentucky from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency
EXTERIOR SURFACE COMPONENTS:
- BIA – The Brick Industry Association On-Line Technical Notes•
- EDI – Exterior Design Institute for EIFS.
- VSI – Vinyl Siding Institute.
- The Door and Window Industry Information Web Site
FIREPLACES & SOLID FUEL BURNING APPLIANCES:
- The Chimney Safety Institute of America
- Hearthnet – Articles and Q & A
- Majestic Fireplace Product Manuals
INSPECTION FORUMS
HEATING SYSTEMS:
- The National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors•
- International Ground Source Heat Pump Association
INSULATION & VENTILATION:
- NIA – National Insulation Association•
- ICAA – Insulation Contractors Association of America
- Cheating – The Insulation Industry’s Dirty Secret.
- Fiberglass Fraud Through Overblowing
INTERIORS:
LEGISLATIVE ISSUES:
- NAHI Position Statement on Regulation of Home Inspectors
- ASHI Position Statement on Regulation of Home Inspectors
- ASHI Link to compilation of State Home Inspector Regulations
- Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government – (LFUCG) Home Inspector Licensing Information)
MISCELLANEOUS TECHNICAL:
- NFPA – National Fire Protection Association
- ANSI – American National Standards Institute
- ASTM – American Society for Testing and Materials
- The Building Science Corporation
- Technical Information Links on the ASHI Web Site
- The Foundation of Real Estate Appraisers
PLUMBING:
ROOFING:
- ARMA – Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association
- NRCA – National Roofing Contractors Association
- RCMA – Roof Coating Manufacturers Association
- Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau
SLAB ON GRADE CONSTRUCTION:
STRUCTURAL:
- Eng.-Tips Forum – Structural Engineering Forums
- SBA – The Structural Board Association
- SIPA – Structural Insulated Panel Association
WOOD DESTROYING INSECTS & PESTS
- The National Pest Management Association
- Structural, Industrial and Medical Information on Insects from the University of Kentucky Entomology Department
- Protecting your home from Termites from the University of Kentucky Entomology Dept.
HUMOR:
- Walter Jowers Home Inspector Humor Columns from the Nashville Scene Weekly Wire•
- The Darwin Awards•
- Real Estate Appraisal Humor•
- Paula Hollins Designs Real Estate Humor•
- Kensington Realty Advisors Real Estate Humor
HELPFUL FAVORITES:
NATIONAL INSPECTION ASSOCIATIONS:
- AII – American Institute of Inspectors•
- ASHI – American Society of Home Inspectors
- ISHI –International Society of Home Inspectors
- InterNACHI – National Association of Home Inspectors
- NACHI – National Association of Certified Home Inspectors
- SPREI – Society of Professional Real Estate Inspectors
HOME INSPECTION ASSOCIATIONS BY STATE:
- AAREI – Arkansas Association of Real Estate Inspections
- CREIA – California Real Estate Inspection Association
- CAHI – Connecticut Association of Home Inspectors
- FABI – Florida Association of Building Inspectors
- GAHI – Georgia Association of Home Inspectors
- MAHI – Maryland Association of Home Inspectors
- MSHI – Minnesota Society of Home Inspectors
- NYSAHI – New York State Association of Home Inspectors
- NCLHIA – North Carolina Licensed Home Inspector Association
- NACREI – Nevada Association of Certified Real Estate Inspectors
- SNAPPI – Southern Nevada Ass. of Professional Property Inspectors
- PHIC – Pennsylvania Home Inspectors Coalition
- TAREI – Texas Association of Real Estate Inspectors
- WVAHI – West Virginia Association of Home Inspectors
- WAHI – Wisconsin Association of Home Inspectors
INTERNATIONAL HOME INSPECTOR ASSOCIATIONS:
- CAHI – Canadian Association of Home Inspectors•
- AIBS – Australian Institute of Building Surveyors•
- NZIBS – New Zealand Institute of Building Surveyors•
- OAHI – Ontario Association of Home Inspectors•
- ISHI –International Society of Home Inspectors
REAL ESTATE SSOCIATIONS:
HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATIONS:
ASBESTOS:
CONSTRUCTION INFORMATION:
- NAHB (National Assoc. of Home Builders)
- HBA (Home Builders Assoc. of Kansas City)
- This Old House
- JLC (Journal of Light Construction)
- Simpson Strong-Tie (Metal Connectors & Ties)
- Fine Homebuilding
- Truss Joists for Floors
- HomeTime
- We Build (good site on construction info)
- Home Inspection/Construction Info Website (Dan Friedman’s site – Aluminum Wire, FPE Panels, etc.)
- How Stuff in Your Home Works
- Do It Yourself Home Repairs
- Common Construction Defects and Failures (Decks, Wood Rot, Mold, Chimneys, Crawl Spaces, Roofing, etc.)
CONSUMER HOUSING ADVOCATES & HOTLINE:
- HADD (Homeowners against Deficient Dwellings — Good info on bad builders, shoddy construction, code inspectors, new home construction defects, etc.)
BUIBUILDING CODE INFORMATION:
- Code Check – Help with Building Codes•
- ICBO (International Conference of Building Officials)•
- BOCA (Building Officials & Code Administrators)•
- CABO (Council of American Building Officials)•
- ICC (International Code Council)
FIREPLACES & CHIMNEYS:
- Chimneys.com •
- Rumford Fireplaces •
- Chimney Venting Information •
- CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America)•
- NCSG (National Chimney Sweep Guild)
FOUNDATIONS & REPAIRS:
MOLD & FUNGUS:
- Stachybotrys (Black Mold)•
- Mold Testing Information•
- Toxic Mold•
- EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) – Should Air Ducts be Cleaned?
PLUMBING:
- Plumbing Express – Polybutylene Specialists
RADON GAS:
- NRSB (National Radon Safety Board)
- Air-Check•
- EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
- RTCA (Radon Testing Corporation of America
REAL ESTATE SERVICES:
ROOFING:
- Cedar Shake & Shingle Bureau
- Roofhelp.com (good roofing info site)
- ARMA (Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association)
SIDINGS (Hardboard and/or Masonite Siding Information):
STUCCO & EIFS (Exterior Insulation Finish System):
- EDI (Exterior Design Institute)
- TLPCA (Texas Lath & Plastering Contractors Association)
- Stucco-Pro (Moisture Testing)
- Moisture Warranty Corporation
- Dryvit
- STO Corporation
- Parex, Inc.
- EIMA (EIFS Industry Manufacturers Association)
