12 chapters · 65 lessons · about 12 hours. Each lesson teaches one concept from the official National Home Inspector Examination outline, then hands you ten practice questions to prove it.
▶ 10 video lessons — watch free4 lessons · ~43 min
Grading & Surface Drainage
Spot negative slope at the foundation and know how far and how fast grade must fall away.
Retaining Walls, Window Wells & Drains
Judge retaining-wall distress, window-well drainage, and where downspouts must discharge.
Driveways, Walks & Patios
Classify flatwork settlement, trip hazards and material failures — and what is merely cosmetic.
Vegetation & Moisture Pathways
Recognize how trees, planting beds and irrigation create moisture and pest paths into the house.
5 lessons · ~60 min
Siding Systems & Failure Modes
Tell vinyl, fiber cement, wood and brick veneer apart and name each one’s classic failures.
Flashing, WRB & Drainage Planes
Explain kickout flashing, weep holes and the drainage plane — and what happens when each is missing.
Windows, Doors & Safety Glazing
Identify failed seals, sill defects, and every location where safety glass is required.
Decks, Porches & Balconies
Inspect ledger attachment, guards, stairs and footings — the deck-collapse checklist.
Soffits, Fascia & Exterior Trim
Read soffit and fascia condition as evidence of roof-edge water and ventilation problems.
6 lessons · ~69 min
Asphalt Shingles: Install & Aging
Judge exposure, nailing and aging indicators, and estimate remaining life of an asphalt roof.
Tile, Slate, Metal & Low-Slope Roofs
Know the inspection points and failure modes of non-asphalt coverings and membranes.
Roof Flashing: Valleys to Penetrations
Trace valley, step, chimney and vent flashing details — where most roof leaks actually start.
Gutters & Roof Drainage
Size up gutter slope, discharge and overflow patterns that put water against the foundation.
Attic Ventilation & Net Free Area
Balance intake and exhaust, compute the 1/150–1/300 ratios, and spot short-circuited venting.
Roof Structure From Below
Read sheathing sag, delamination and framing distress from inside the attic.
6 lessons · ~73 min
Foundations & Crack Patterns
Match crack patterns to their causes and separate normal shrinkage from differential settlement.
Framing: Spans, Notching & Boring
Apply joist/rafter span logic and the notching-and-boring limits that keep members structural.
Columns, Beams & the Load Path
Follow loads from ridge to footing and catch missing bearing, crushed posts and altered members.
Crawl Spaces & Basements
Evaluate moisture, vapor retarders and supplemental supports below the first floor.
Wood-Destroying Organisms & Rot
Distinguish termite evidence, carpenter ants and fungal rot — and probe where they hide.
Anchorage & Lateral Connections
Check anchor bolts, shear transfer and seismic/wind hardware the way the exam expects.
7 lessons · ~83 min
Service Entrance & Capacity
Read service size from conductors and equipment, and verify drop/lateral clearances.
Panels: Bonding, Taps & Breaker Sizing
Catch neutral/ground violations, double-taps and breakers oversized for their conductors.
Branch Circuits & Conductor Ampacity
Pair wire gauge to breaker (14→15A, 12→20A, 10→30A) and handle aluminum branch wiring.
GFCI & AFCI Protection
List every required GFCI/AFCI location and describe how each device is tested.
Grounding & Bonding
Explain electrodes, water-pipe and gas bonding — and why grounding differs from bonding.
Devices, Fixtures & Junction Boxes
Spot open splices, missing covers, reversed polarity and other everyday unsafe conditions.
Knob-and-Tube & Legacy Panels
Recognize K&T, FPE and Zinsco equipment and report the hazard without overreaching.
6 lessons · ~70 min
Supply Piping & Pressure
Identify copper, PEX, CPVC, polybutylene and galvanized supply — and each material’s risk.
Drain, Waste & Vent Defects
Explain trap seals, slope and venting, and why an S-trap fails where a P-trap works.
Water Heaters & TPR Discharge
Inspect TPR valves and discharge piping, combustion air, venting and seismic strapping.
Fuel Gas Piping & Shutoffs
Check sediment traps, appliance shutoffs, bonding of CSST and leak evidence.
Fixtures & Cross-Connections
Find cross-connections and missing air gaps before they siphon waste into supply.
Wells, Septic & Sump Pumps
Know what a general SOP covers at private systems and which indicators trigger referral.
6 lessons · ~67 min
Furnaces: Heat Exchanger to Draft
Evaluate combustion air, flue draft and the limits of heat-exchanger inspection.
A/C & Heat Pumps
Use temperature split, condensate and refrigerant-line clues to judge cooling systems.
Venting Categories & Clearances
Sort Category I–IV venting, B-vent vs direct vent, and clearances to combustibles.
Ducts, Registers & Filters
Trace distribution defects: crushed flex, disconnected runs, filter and return problems.
Boilers & Hydronic Systems
Inspect boilers, radiators, expansion tanks and relief protection on water-based heat.
Thermostats & Safety Controls
Operate systems with normal controls and know which safety switches must be present.
5 lessons · ~52 min
Walls, Ceilings & Floors
Interpret staining, cracking and finish defects as symptoms of the systems behind them.
Stairs, Handrails & Guards
Apply the stair geometry numbers: rise, run, riser uniformity, rail height, sphere rules.
Interior Doors & Bedroom Egress
Verify emergency escape and rescue openings and the egress path from sleeping rooms.
Garage Separation & Door Safety
Check occupancy separation, self-closing doors and the auto-reverse test on the opener.
Smoke & CO Alarms
Place smoke and CO alarms correctly by level, bedroom and fuel/garage exposure.
4 lessons · ~42 min
Insulation Types & R-Value
Recognize insulation materials, expected R-values and installation defects that void them.
Vapor Retarders & Air Sealing
Put the vapor retarder on the right side for the climate and find air-leak superhighways.
Attic & Crawl Space Ventilation
Apply ventilation ratios and clearances that keep concealed spaces dry.
Bath, Kitchen & Dryer Exhaust
Confirm every exhaust terminates outdoors — and why attic termination is a defect.
3 lessons · ~34 min
Masonry Fireplaces
Inspect firebox, damper, hearth extension dimensions and clearances to combustibles.
Chimneys & the 3-2-10 Rule
Evaluate liners, crown, cap and flashing, and apply chimney height above the roof.
Factory-Built Fireplaces & Stoves
Inspect listed fireplaces, inserts and solid-fuel appliances to their listing logic.
8 lessons · ~85 min
Defect vs Normal Wear
Draw the line between material defects, cosmetic issues and ordinary aging.
Diagnostic Reasoning
Reason from observed symptoms to the most likely cause before writing it up.
Recommending Further Evaluation
Refer to specialists at the right threshold — neither alarmist nor complacent.
Defensible Report Language
Write observation → implication → action sentences without playing code official.
Safety Hazards & Priorities
Rank findings: immediate safety hazards vs items to monitor or maintain.
Multi-System Scenarios
Untangle moisture, heat-loss and electrical scenarios that cross system boundaries.
Documentation & Limitations
Document photos, inaccessible areas and limitations so the report defends itself.
Remaining Service Life
Estimate remaining life of roofs, water heaters and HVAC from age and condition.
5 lessons · ~49 min
What the SOP Includes & Excludes
State what a general home inspection covers — and the long list it explicitly does not.
Code of Ethics
Apply the conflict rules: referral fees, repairs on inspected homes, undisclosed interests.
Client Agreements & Liability
Use pre-inspection agreements, limitation clauses and confidentiality correctly.
Communicating With the Parties
Handle clients, agents and sellers on site without compromising the report.
Staying Inside Inspector Scope
Recognize conditions that are outside scope and hand them off cleanly.
Yes. All 65 written lessons are free to read, and the ten-question checks, progress tracking and app sync are included with a free account. No credit card required.
Yes — the 12 chapters mirror the official National Home Inspector Examination content outline, so study time is distributed the way the exam weights it.
About 12 hours of reading across 65 lessons (11 minutes each on average), plus practice time.
No — every lesson is readable without an account. A free account adds the per-lesson quizzes, mastery tracking, flashcards and lesson videos, synced with the EstatePass iOS app.
No credit card required.