International Standards for the Home Energy Inspection Program

• help protect the health and safety of home occupants;
• empower homeowners with access to consistent, reliable information;
  
• increase the energy performance, comfort level and durability of homes; and
  
• help protect homeowners from fraud, deception, and unfair business practices in the home energy marketplace.

The International Standards of Practice for Performing a Home Energy Inspection™ are available at https://www.nachi.org/sop-home-energy-inspection.htm.

• To establish and maintain excellence of non-diagnostic home energy inspections by outlining the technical requirements developed by InterNACHI; 
• To measure the knowledge, skills and competency of Home Energy Inspectors using InterNACHI’s training, certification, and quality assurance process designed to support the home energy inspection industry; and
• To ensure non-diagnostic home energy inspections are performed to an international standard.

103.3.1 Code of Ethics.

 

Each INSPECTOR shall abide by the InterNACHI International Code of Ethics for Home Energy Inspectors without exception. The Code of Ethics is available to the public at https://www.nachi.org/energy-code-of-ethics.htm.

 

103.3.2 Conflict of Interest.

 

InterNACHI Code of Ethics does not permit a conflict of interest to exist as described in Section 110.0 of these Standards.

• Section I, Duty to the Public, clause 6 of the InterNACHI Code of Ethics states, “The InterNACHI member shall have no undisclosed conflict of interest with the client.”
  
• Section I, Duty to the Public, clause 11 of the InterNACHI Code of Ethics states, “The InterNACHI member shall not perform or offer to perform, for an additional fee, any repairs or associated services to the structure for which the member or member's company has prepared a home inspection report for a period of 12 months. This provision shall not include services to components and/or systems that are not included in the InterNACHI Standards of Practice.”

103.3.3 Continuing Education.

 

Home Energy INSPECTORS shall comply with InterNACHI’s Continuing Education Policy. InterNACHI's Continuing Education requirements are very straightforward and are available at https://www.nachi.org/cont_education.htm. Members must complete 24 hours of continuing education per calendar year, the attendance of which must be verifiable (all member's continuing education accomplishments need to be uploaded to the members-only education log).

 

103.3.4 Home Energy INSPECTOR Training and Certification.

 

A Home Energy INSPECTOR is required to:

• be a certified member of InterNACHI; and
• complete the required training courses listed in Section 108.0 of these Standards.

To become a certified member, you must:

• Pass InterNACHI’s Online Inspector Examination (free to take, free to re-take),
• Complete InterNACHI’s online Code of Ethics course (free, take at your own pace), and
• Complete InterNACHI's online Standards of Practice course (free, take at your own pace).

If you have never performed any fee-paid inspections, you must:

• Submit four mock inspection reports to InterNACHI’s Report Review Committee (free service),

To maintain certification, you must:

• Adhere to the InterNACHI Standards of Practice or the standard required by law in your jurisdiction,
• Abide by the Code of Ethics,
• Continue learning (24 hours/year) per InterNACHI’s Continuing Education Policy, and
• Maintain an online member Continuing Education Log (free).

Within the first year after becoming certified, you must complete:

• InterNACHI’s online Safe Practices for the Home Inspector course (free),
• InterNACHI’s online 25 Standards Every Inspector Should Know course (free),
• InterNACHI’s online Introduction to InterNACHI's Residential Standards of Practice course (free),
• InterNACHI’s online Residential Plumbing Overview for Inspectors course (free),
• InterNACHI’s online How to Perform Residential Electrical Inspections course (free),
• InterNACHI’s online How to Perform Roof Inspections course (free),
• InterNACHI’s online How to Inspect HVAC Systems course (free),
• InterNACHI’s online Structural Issues for Home Inspectors course (free),
• InterNACHI’s online How to Perform Exterior Inspections course (free),
• InterNACHI’s online How to Inspect the Attic, Insulation, Ventilation and Interior course (free),
• InterNACHI’s online How to Perform Deck Inspections course (free), and
• InterNACHI’s online How to Inspect for Moisture Intrusion course (free).

Each year you must pass InterNACHI’s Online Inspector Examination (free), with a score of 80 or better.

 

103.3.5 Quality Control Agreement (QC Agreement) with an ADVISOR.

 

Each Home Energy INSPECTOR shall enter into a contractual agreement (QC Agreement) with a Home Energy Inspection ADVISOR to ensure that Home Energy Inspections™ are performed in accordance with Section 104.0 of these Standards. This QC Agreement is required. This is essential to the Quality Assurance (QA) of the program as described in Section 103.5 of these Standards. The required QC Agreement is outlined in Section 109.0 of these Standards.

 

103.3.5 Twenty Home Inspections. A Home Energy INSPECTOR shall submit to their ADVISOR valid proof of performance of at least twenty home inspections that meet the International Standards of Practice for Performing a General Home inspection (htttp://www.nachi.org/sop.htm).

A Home Energy Inspection ADVISOR shall abide by the following provisions:

 

103.4.1 ADVISORS shall be members of InterNACHI. A Home Energy Inspection ADVISOR shall be trained and certified by InterNACHI as a member of InterNACHI and shall maintain their membership status.

 

103.4.2 ADVISORS are INSPECTORS. A Home Energy Inspection ADVISOR shall fulfill all requirements of an INSPECTOR as described in Section 103.3 of these Standards.

 

103.4.3 ADVISORS provide the Quality Control. ADVISORS shall provide review, monitoring, supervision, and guidance (Quality Control) to Home Energy INSPECTORS in accordance with these Standards to identify and correct non-conformity of the Home Energy Inspection process as described in Section 103.5 of these Standards.

 

103.4.4 Agreement with INSPECTOR. Each Home Energy INSPECTOR shall enter into an QA Agreement with a Home Energy Inspection ADVISOR to ensure that Home Energy Inspections™ are performed in accordance with Section 104.0 of these Standards. The QA Agreement is outlined in Section 109.0 of these Standards. The ADVISOR shall submit to InterNACHI a printed copy of each QA Agreement signed by both INSPECTOR and ADVISOR. 

 

103.4.5 ADVISOR Qualifications. A Home Energy Inspection ADVISOR shall have sufficient qualifications, skills, and abilities to review, monitor, supervise, and guide Home Energy INSPECTORS. It is intended that the ADVISOR have more experience or accreditation than the INSPECTOR. The qualifications of a ADVISOR are as follows:

• ADVISOR must have successfully completed the required training courses listed in Section 108.0 of these Standards.
• ADVISOR must have performed at least one hundred home inspections according to the International Standards of Practice.
• ADVISOR must have performed at least ten Home Energy Inspections™.
• ADVISOR must have the required Skills and Certification as described in Section 106.0 of these Standards.

103.5.1 Home Energy Inspection ADVISOR Responsibilities. The responsibilities of the ADVISOR are:

• Review of inspections by a Home Energy INSPECTOR. A Home Energy INSPECTOR shall submit to their ADVISOR valid proof of performance of at least twenty home inspections that meet the International Standards of Practice for Performing a General Home inspection (htttp://www.nachi.org/sop.htm). The ADVISOR shall provide resolution opportunities to any deficiencies found in the home inspection reports.

• Five Probationary Inspections. Prior to becoming a certified Home Energy INSPECTOR, the individual shall experience a probationary period where a Home Energy Inspection ADVISOR provides review, monitoring, supervision, and guidance. The probationary period covers a minimum of five (5) Home Energy Inspections™, after which the ADVISOR shall determine if additional supervision and guidance is needed. The ADVISOR shall be responsible for reviewing inspections conducted during the probationary period of the INSPECTOR. The ADVISOR shall provide resolution opportunities to any deficiencies found in the Home Energy Inspections™.

• 5% of the Home Energy Inspections™. For each Home Energy INSPECTOR with which they are in contractual agreement, the ADVISOR shall annually re-inspect a minimum of five-percent (5%) of the Home Energy Inspections™ performed by the INSPECTOR. This is a critical part of the Quality Assurance. 

• File maintenance. The ADVISOR shall be responsible for the maintenance of quality control files and documentation. InterNACHI may at any time perform an audit or review of the Advisor's file maintenance, including a request for copies of files and documentation.

• The ADVISOR shall provide resolution opportunities to any deficiencies found in any home energy report. To the extent possible, homes should be randomly selected for re-inspection by the ADVISOR.
  

• Spot checks on well-performing INSPECTORS should periodically take place. New INSPECTORS should be prioritized. 

103.5.2 Quality Control Inspections. The re-inspections performed by ADVISORS have the following provisions:

• The ADVISOR is as experienced, trained and certified, as the INSPECTOR.
  
• The ADVISOR must do an independent inspection of the home. The ADVISOR's inspection should not occur at the same time as the INSPECTOR's inspection, but it can be done sequentially to avoid having to schedule another visit to the house.
• The ADVISOR should not discuss the inspection with the ADVISOR until after each inspector has collected their own data and produced a written report.
• The house must be in similar condition during both inspections and use the same level of data. If a blower door test was performed during the INSPECTOR's inspection, then it must be done during the ADVISOR's inspection as well. The ADVISOR's inspection must be done prior to any home energy improvements or upgrades are done on the home.
  
• The ADVISOR should not conduct all QA re-inspections on improved or upgraded homes. At least half of the re-inspected homes should not have undergone any improvements or upgrades.

103.5.3 QA Inspection Results. The ADVISOR's report results must be comparable to the INSPECTOR's report results. 

• If the results for the same home differ by more than 10% in terms of estimated energy use (source MBtus), the ADVISOR must notify InterNACHI (the DOE Account Manager) to determine necessary corrective or disciplinary actions (according to Section 103.5.8).
  
• A re-inspection of the home may be required as determined by the ADVISOR. 
• If an INSPECTOR is consistently performing inspections that are not comparable with the ADVISOR's QA inspection results, corrective or disciplinary action (according to Section 103.5.8) should be taken to provide the INSPECTOR with resolution opportunities to any deficiencies found by the ADVISOR in the Home Energy Inspections™.

103.5.4 InterNACHI’s free, online report uploading system. INSPECTORS may upload their reports for review using InterNACHI’s free report uploading system (FetchReport.com) and provide the ADVISOR access to the reports as described at https://www.nachi.org/fetchreportfriendlyseal.htm.

 

103.5.5 InterNACHI’s free, online agreement system. INSPECTORS may use InterNACHI's online inspection agreement, which is electronically signable and legally binding. It allows the client to read and sign the inspection agreement before the INSPECTOR does the inspection, or, at least before they view their report online. https://www.nachi.org/onlineagreement.htm. InterNACHI has provided an agreement addendum specifically addressing Home Energy Inspections™.

 

103.5.6 Registry of Home Energy Inspectors. InterNACHI shall maintain a registry for all Members of InterNACHI including trained and certified Home Energy INSPECTORS and ADVISORS. The registry shall include the inspector’s name, company name, address, website, phone number, email, unique Member ID Number. This registry is publicly available at https://www.nachi.org/memberlist.htm and can be searched using http://inspectorseek.com/.

 

103.5.7 Consumer Complaint Response Process. Each INSPECTOR shall utilize InterNACHI’s Consumer Complaint Response Process described in Section 103.5.10 of these Standards. INSPECTORS shall make clients aware of the Complaint Process. INSPECTORS shall respond to complaints arising from their inspections. INSPECTOR shall maintain records of complaints received and their resolutions for a minimum of three years after the date of the complaint.

 

103.5.8 Discipline Procedures

103.5.8.1 Probation. If InterNACHI determines at any time that a Member has not adhered to the requirements of these Standards, InterNACHI shall notify the Member of the specified deficiencies and shall require that specific corrective action be taken.

 

103.5.8.2 Notification. InterNACHI shall provide written notification to Members of any decisions made in accordance with these procedures described in this Section.

  

103.5.8.3 Suspension and Decertification. Any Member accredited by InterNACHI may have their certification suspended or revoked in any of the following circumstances:

• Failure to take corrective action - Suspension. If a Member has failed to follow the requirements as established by these standards, InterNACHI shall immediately suspend the Member.
• Failure to take corrective action after suspension - Decertification. In the event that the deficiencies have not been remedied within the period set forth in the suspension notification, InterNACHI shall immediately decertify (or revoke the certification of) the Member.
• Submission of false information.
• Gross negligence.
• Willful misconduct.
• Misrepresentation or false advertising by the Member in relation to accreditation status in general or with respect to any service provided by the Member.
• Not abiding by these Standards of Practice.
• Not abiding by the Code of Ethics.
  
• Failure to disclose and resolve a conflict of interest.
• Inspector goes out of business.
• Inspector does not re-apply.

103.5.9 Suspension/Decertification Due Process.

 

InterNACHI shall follow due process procedures in relation to suspension or decertification actions against a Member. InterNACHI may, at its discretion, initiate a suspension or decertification action against an accredited Member by providing a written notice of the action. The Member has the right to appeal.

 

103.5.10 Consumer Complaint Response Process

 

Home Energy INSPECTORS shall inform clients about the Consumer Complaint Response Process.

 

Consumer Complaint Response Process. InterNACHI has a system available for receiving complaints. InterNACHI shall respond to and resolve complaints related to inspections. InterNACHI shall retain records of complaints received and responses to complaints for a minimum of five years after the date of the complaint.

 

InterNACHI's Consumer Complaint Hotline: (303) 502-6214 (for consumers only).

 

Alternative Dispute Resolution Service: Mark Cohen, InterNACHI Legal Counsel, currently provides all InterNACHI inspectors an alternative dispute resolution service at http://www.cohenslaw.com/colorado_arbitration_services.html.

 

Client Satisfaction Surveys: InterNACHI's customer satisfaction survey is located https://www.nachi.org/survey.htm. Three versions are available to our membership.

 

AskNACHI: InterNACHI has an online forum for consumers to ask questions about home inspections? Ask InterNACHI certified inspectors about anything! http://www.asknachi.org/.

 

InterNACHI's Quick Answers are provided by email at fast-reply@internachi.org. 

• Determine the general condition of the home with respect to energy performance;
• Educate the homeowner/occupant and help them understand the energy performance of their homes and how they compare to other homes nationwide; and
• Promote energy efficiency to homeowners and encourage investments in energy upgrades.

Note: The Home Energy Report™ is not the U.S. Department of Energy's Home Energy Score, which is number (a miles-per-gallon rating) of a scale from 1 to 10. See Section 102.0 of these Standards. The Home Energy Report™ may include a Home Energy Score, depending upon whether the inspector is qualified to produce one.

104.4.1 Comfort concerns, including areas of the home that are too hot or too cold.

104.4.2 Energy billing concerns.

104.4.3 Indoor air quality concerns.

104.4.4 The potential for the homeowner to move to a more comprehensive, diagnostic home energy assessment.

104.4.5 Interest in potential home energy performance upgrades.

104.4.6 Low- and no-cost energy upgrades that can be implemented by the homeowner.

105.1.1 The number and age of the occupants of the home

105.1.2 Address of the home, including the zip code

105.1.3 Energy prices (defaulted by the reporting tool)

105.1.4 Direction faced by front of house

105.1.5 Stories about ground level

105.1.6 Ceiling height

105.1.7 Square feet of heated or cooled floor area

105.1.8 Type of foundation

105.1.9 Attic type

10.5.1.10 Roof absorptivity

10.5.1.11 Number of light bulbs

105.1.12 Percentage of bulbs that are high-efficiency

105.1.13 Foundation or floor insulation

105.1.14 Insulation level of the attic floor

105.1.15 Insulation level of the roof or sheath insulation under the roofing materials

105.1.16 Wall insulation of front, back, left, and right sides of the house

105.1.17 Air tightness

105.1.18 Measured air leakage from a blower door test

105.1.19 Combined skylight square footage and type

105.1.20 Window type and size in total square feet

105.1.21 Clothes washer and dryer information

105.1.22 Refrigerator and freezer information

105.1.23 Water heater age, fuel type, and size

105.1.24 Thermostat type

105.1.25 Heating equipment information, type, age, efficiency, capacity

105.1.26 Percentage of home heated by wood-burning stove

105.1.27 Cooling equipment information, type, age, efficiency, capacity

105.1.28 Thermal distribution information, duct location, insulation, sealant

105.1.29 Boiler pipe insulation

105.1.30 Whole house fan 

105.1.31 Pool information, pump operation, pool heater

105.1.32 Spa/hot tub information

105.1.33 Combustion equipment information, flame rollout, blockage, corrosion, vent connection, combustion hazards

105.1.34 Common air leakage points

105.1.35 Moisture problems

105.1.36 Standard Green MLS features

105.1.37 Other green features, edible garden area, permeable materials for walks and drives, motion sensors for exterior lights, water dripping faucets and fixtures, etc.

105.2.1 The use of blower doors, duct leakage test equipment or an infrared camera.

105.2.2 Any other diagnostic testing of the home

105.2.3 Quantification of any levels of air tightness, duct tightness, or ventilation.

105.2.4 Energy savings estimates may only be generalized and presented along with the qualification that a comprehensive home energy audit must be obtained to calculate energy savings estimates.

105.2.5 Combustion appliance testing.

105.2.6 Department of Energy's Home Energy Score.

Note: The InterNACHI Home Energy Report™ is not the DOE Home Energy Score (http://homeenergyscore.gov/). Refer to Section 102.0 of these Standards.

105.3.1 All data collected in accordance with Section 105.0.

105.3.2 Whole-house solutions overview of how the home works as a system and how to prioritize actions.

105.3.3 Quality installation of HVAC equipment including: proper sizing of equipment, duct sealing, and refrigerant charge and air flow.

105.3.4 Quality building envelope air sealing and proper levels of insulation.

105.3.5 Overview of ENERGY STAR or better products and appliances.

105.3.6 Information regarding access to a more comprehensive home energy audit.

105.3.7 Non-energy benefits of improving the energy efficiency of the home including reduction of carbon emissions.

105.3.8 General statement regarding opportunities to improve the thermal envelope, mechanical equipment, lighting and appliances in the home.

105.3.9 General discussion of concerns regarding combustion safety.

• An inspection is not technically exhaustive.
• An inspection will not identify concealed or latent defects.
• An inspection will not deal with aesthetic concerns or what could be deemed matters of taste, cosmetic defects, etc.
• An inspection will not determine the suitability of the property for any use.
• An inspection does not determine the market value of the property or its marketability.
• An inspection does not determine the insurability of the property.
• An inspection does not determine the advisability or inadvisability of the purchase of the inspected property.
• An inspection does not determine the life expectancy of the property or any components or systems therein.
• An inspection does not include items not permanently installed.

• property boundary lines or encroachments.
• the condition of any component or system that is not readily accessible.
• the service life expectancy of any component or system.
• the size, capacity, BTU, performance or efficiency of any component or system.
• the cause or reason of any condition.
• the cause for the need of repair or replacement of any system or component.
• future conditions.
• compliance with codes or regulations.
• the presence of evidence of rodents, animals or insects.
• the presence of mold, mildew, fungus or toxic drywall.
• the presence of airborne hazards.
• the presence of birds.
• the presence of other flora or fauna.
• the air quality.
• the existence of asbestos.
• the existence of environmental hazards.
• the existence of electromagnetic fields.
• the presence of hazardous materials including, but not limited to, the presence of lead in paint.
• any hazardous waste conditions.
• any manufacturers' recalls or conformance with manufacturer installation, or any information included for consumer protection purposes.
• operating costs of systems.
• replacement or repair cost estimates.
• the acoustical properties of any systems.
• estimates of the cost to operate any given system.

• any system that is shut down.
• any system that does not function properly.
• or evaluate low-voltage electrical systems such as, but not limited to:

• phone lines;
• cable lines;
• antennae;
• lights; or
• remote controls.

• any system that does not turn on with the use of normal operating controls.
• any shut-off valves or manual stop valves.
• any electrical disconnect or over-current protection devices.
• any alarm systems.
• moisture meters, gas detectors or similar equipment.

• move any personal items or other obstructions, such as, but not limited to:
• throw rugs;
• furniture;
• floor or wall coverings; o ceiling tiles;
• window coverings;
• equipment;
• plants;
• ice;
• debris;
• snow;
• water;
• dirt;
• foliage; or
• pets.
• dismantle, open or uncover any system or component.
• enter or access any area that may, in the opinion of the inspector, be unsafe.
• enter crawlspaces or other areas that are unsafe or not readily accessible.
• inspect underground items such as, but not limited to, underground storage tanks or other indications of their presence, whether abandoned or actively used.
• do anything which, in the inspector's opinion, is likely to be unsafe or dangerous to the inspector or others, or damage property, such as, but not limited to: walking on roof surfaces, climbing ladders, entering attic spaces, or negotiating with pets.
• inspect decorative items.
• inspect common elements or areas in multi-unit housing.
• inspect intercoms, speaker systems, radio-controlled security devices, or lawn irrigation systems.
• offer guarantees or warranties.
• offer or perform any engineering services.
• offer or perform any trade or professional service other than home inspection.
• research the history of the property, report on its potential for alteration, modification, extendibility or suitability for a specific or proposed use for occupancy.
• determine the age of construction or installation of any system structure or component of a building, or differentiate between original construction and subsequent additions, improvements, renovations or replacements.
• determine the insurability of a property.
• perform or offer environmental audits.
• inspect on any system or component which is not included in these Standards.

106.8.1 Presence/absence of insulation and when observable, the quality of its installation

106.8.2 Recommended levels of insulation by climate zone

• “The House as a System” https://www.nachi.org/house-as-a-system.htm;
• “Energy Movement” https://www.nachi.org/energy-movement.htm;
• “Comfort and Climate” https://www.nachi.org/comfort-climate.htm;
• “Indoor Air Quality” https://www.nachi.org/indoor-air-quality-course.htm;
• "Inspecting HVAC Energy Efficiency" https://www.nachi.org/inspecting-hvac-energy-efficiency-online-course.htm;
• "Calculating Envelope Energy Loss" https://www.nachi.org/calculating-envelope-energy-loss.htm; 
• "Performing a Home Energy Audit" http://www.nachi.tv/energy/bpi-energy-audit.htm;
  
• "Home Energy Blower Door Training" https://www.nachi.org/home-energy-blower-door-training.htm;
• "Inspection with an Infrared Camera" http://www.nachi.tv/infrared/inspection-with-an-ir-camera.htm;
  
• "Home Energy Score for Real Estate Professionals" https://www.nachi.org/home-energy-score-real-estate-education-course.htm;
  
• "Saving Home Energy for Real Estate Professionals" https://www.nachi.org/saving-home-energy-real-estate-education-course.htm; and
• "Sales, Customer Service, and Communication for Inspectors" https://www.nachi.org/customer-service-communication.htm.

EPA approval is located at https://www.nachi.org/epa-rpp.htm

https://www.nachi.org/education.htm

https://www.nachi.org/benefits.htm

https://www.nachi.org/contact