New Online Courses Now Available

In keeping with our commitment to continuing education, NACHI is pleased to announce the release of three new online mini-courses, available free to all of our members, which can be taken again and again without limit:

• Water Heater Discharge Piping: This course helps teach members how to recognize improperly installed TPR valve discharge piping.

• Polybutylene Plumbing: This course helps teach members how to recognize polybutylene plumbing and how to report its presence, including streaming video from a NACHI TV interview with a polybutylene expert. Sample reporting language which gives the client advice about polybutylene plumbing is also included.

• Vermiculite Insulation: This course helps teach members how to recognize vermiculite and how to report its presence using guidelines drawn from the EPA, IAC2 and NACHI. Sample reporting language that gives the client advice about vermiculite insulation and language that explains how the inspection was restricted because of it is included.
  
Please note that members will need their username and password to access these courses. Click here if you have forgotten your password, or email to request it.
 
We are also asking that everyone send their comments and suggested additions to us to help us improve the courses. If you find errors or omissions, please let us know, and if you have pictures to go with your suggested additions, please send those too. Contributors will be credited.
 
NACHI Launches New Resource Site

We’ve just expanded our knowledge resource pool into all things inspection-related with the launch of the OverSeeIt Referral Network, and, of course, membership is free to all NACHI members. Click here to join today!

Spring Checklist for Sellers

The flowers are blooming, trees are leafing out, and For Sale and Open House signs are popping up everywhere. The warm weather also focuses attention on systems and components that may have been dormant for the past six months, such as air conditioners and sprinkler systems. Click here for a checklist of springtime chores that can enhance your seller customers’ chances of a quicker sale.

Free NACHI Decals

We’re pleased to offer our members a supply of free 5-year vinyl NACHI decals – perfect for your toolbox, equipment and automobile. To order yours, simply e-mail a request to fastreply@nachi.org with your name, NACHI ID#, shipping address, and number of decals you desire.

Special Report: Report Writing Made Easier

Writing is a craft that can take a long time to master, but NACHI V.P. Keith Swift, PhD has some useful tips to help make it faster and easier. Click here to read his latest article on the topic.

Fireproofing Your Home
As most inspection professionals know, the majority of house fires start in the kitchen, but there are many other areas of the house that your customers may not think of as fire hazards. Take a home walk-through with Fire Marshal Greg Lang to identify such hazards by clicking here.

New Upgrade to InspectorSeek.com

Not long ago, we told you about our new location verification system that lets you check to see if a postal code or city is in our location database (and automatically updates the database if it's not). Today, we’re pleased we built this system into InspectorSeek.com so that if a location isn't found when someone searches, the system automatically checks Google Maps and other geocoding services, updates our database, and returns the search results automatically. This means that the search engine will automatically work for ZIP codes, and cities that are missing from our database for one reason or another. And thanks to NACHI IT Director Chris Morrell, we’ll be adding this new this functionality to all our search sites!

NACHI.Org Continues Rapid Growth

With literally millions of hits per month, NACHI.org is not just the inspection industry's most popular website, it is now one of the most popular websites on the Internet. Click here to see a graph of our tremendous growth in the past 12 months, reflecting the entire nachi.org domain (including the message board, examinations, etc.), And these impressive stats don’t even include traffic at the many other websites owned by NACHI and used to generate customers for our membership.

Inspection Industry Unified

On May 8th, the National Association of Home Inspectors (NAHI) informed us that they have finally joined the rest of the inspection industry and changed their Code of Ethics to prohibit their members from offering repair services to correct defects they find on their own inspections.
 
Home inspectors are the only impartial parties in the real estate transaction process, and consumers rely on our independent, objective opinions to help make what is often the largest purchase decision of their lives. Therefore, it is with great satisfaction that our profession is now unified in its defense of impartiality. We commend NAHI on this important decision. 

NACHI Certificate Copies Available Free

We’ve now made it simple to print off a limitless number of your personalized certifications for use with your printed marketing material. Click here to download your certificates now. (Note: You will need your NACHI member username and password; click here if you need to retrieve your password.)

Hello, Operator?

Few things are as annoying as automated telephone systems, which leave you stranded in a virtually endless maze when you’re looking for customer service. That’s why I’m such a big fan of Gethuman, a new web site that lists telephone numbers for a wide variety of companies.

The companies are divided into categories for ease of use, and you’ll find hundreds of direct customer service numbers so you can speak with an actual human being. Check it out here.

New Client Agreements Now Online

We’ve just released three new updates to our client agreements, including:

• Commercial Inspection Agreement (Draft): This agreement is designed to be used in all 50 states and all provinces of Canada.

• Professional Services Contract: This agreement is designed to be used between inspector and consultant/consultant when hiring a team to perform commercial inspections.

• Radon Inspection Agreement: This agreement is designed to help explain the exact terms and limitations of a radon inspection between the inspector and client, and to help minimize the inspector’s liability.

Please note that members will need their username and password to access these courses. Click here if you have forgotten your password, or email to request it. Members should email comments and suggestions for improvement to fastreply@nachi.org.

NACHI Interactive Tutorials

Our interactive tutorials can help you learn to make the most of the NACHI web site, including videos that show you how to use different features of nachi.org more effectively:
 
• Learn how to upload images to the NACHI Gallery

• Overview of the NACHI Message Board

• Images and Attachments on the NACHI Message Board

• Joining a Group on the NACHI Forums

• Uploading many e-mail addresses at once (from Excel or other spreadsheet/database program).

• Learn how to use Microsoft Word's AutoCorrect features to speed up your report-writing (specific to those who use Microsoft Word to create their inspection reports)

If you have a suggestion for a tutorial, please feel free to contact us.

More Events Added!

Click here for an update on all the NACHI educational, tradeshow and other events coming to your area!

Introducing KrawlGear - the Biggest Change in Crawling Since You Learned to Walk!

Why let bad backs and bum knees put you out of business? Discover how KrawlGear can help you prevent injuries and increase your profits. Our gear takes a beating so you don’t have to… guaranteed!

“I have owned a Krawler for about 2 weeks, and find that I don't have as many aches and pains… I absolutely love it. Best tool that I own!” - Lyle Standish, California NACHI Chairman

SPECIAL OFFER: The first 10 NACHI inspectors to purchase the Krawler will receive a FREE KrawlKap featuring hard shell head protection. Visit www.KrawlGear.com today!

“Millionaire Inspector” Cruise Planned

Cruise to Alaska with renowned inspection marketing expert Mike Crow and other members of his Millionaire Inspector Community. Learn secrets that will help you improve your business while enjoying the beauty and majesty that is Alaska. Space is limited, so click here to learn more today!

Boston Environmental Program = Added Revenue

Boston Environmental’s EPA-approved TankSure® Program is a fast, non-invasive system for evaluating residential above-ground fuel oil storage tanks that takes about 15 minutes and gives you yet another way to increase your revenue. Click here to learn more.

NACHI Member Discount on the “Ultimate Ladder”

The durable, lightweight Telesteps ladder fits in the trunk of most cars, and is ideal for work in tight spaces. Available in a variety of sizes from 10.5’ to 14.5’ with a 300 lb. weight rating, these ladders are now available to NACHI members for a 5% discount with free shipping from our friends at REWCI. Check out the complete line at www.REWCI.com, or call 1-888-845-6597.

Economical Mold, E&O Coverage

Do you need Mold or E & O coverage? IOA is a binding authority for Lloyd’s of London, offering some of the best, most affordable nationwide protection the industry has to offer. Click here for more information and to compare rates, or contact Rod Morton directly at rod.morton@ioausa.com.

InspectVue Software Officially Endorsed by NACHI

“If you are a NACHI member, you need to be using InspectVue!” – Nick Gromicko, NACHI Founder

Porter Valley’s Insectivore software has been called the most sophisticated report-writer ever, and for very good reason. This affordable easy to use software features scheduling, marketing, narratives & more – and can even be used on your PDA. Other benefits include an 11,000-entry web service that allows enables you to post and e-mail your reports, a complete invoicing system and more. And 7-day/week support is also included. Click here to learn more, call (800) 388-4541 or send an e-mail to info@pvsoftware.com.

Calibration Service – Just $99!

Radon Corporation of America offers calibration services for most makes and models of radon monitors. Our custom designed calibration chamber is one of just several in the United States and is certified by Microbiology Consulting, Inc. We offer 48-hour turnaround from the time we receive your monitor. And for a limited time, we’ll calibrate your test instrument for just $99 and include FREE return shipping. For more information, log onto www.radoncorporation.com, call (877) 24-RADON or drop an e-mail to abitco@cs.com.

$1000.00 Credit Card System – FREE

NACHI News sponsor Bill Janis offers a fast, wireless system for accepting credit card payments from your customers. No upfront cash, no lease, no application or activation fee required. Even the shipping, installation, training and 24/7 support are free. Check it out here, or call Bill directly at (847) 263-1292.