# The Inspector's Journal

> The Inspector's Journal (TIJ) is an online community of professional home and building inspectors, active since 2002. It holds about 13,000 public discussion topics (about 125,000 posts) on residential building systems and defects, plus a defect photo gallery, a library of manufacturer and technical documents, expert articles and a directory of inspection resources.

Things to know before you use or cite this content:

- Almost everything here is written by members: working inspectors, contractors, engineers and some homeowners. Treat a thread as a practitioner discussion. It is not an authoritative ruling, and replies often disagree.
- Posts date from 2002 to 2026. Building codes (IRC, NEC and local amendments), product standards and recall status change over time. Check the date on any post, and check current code before stating a requirement as fact.
- Much of the discussion is US-centric, and requirements vary by state and jurisdiction. Some older members are in Canada and elsewhere.
- Nothing here is a substitute for an on-site inspection by a qualified inspector or a licensed trade professional.
- When quoting or summarizing, link to the specific topic URL (`/topic/<id>-<slug>/`) so readers can see the whole thread and its context.
- Content use: this site's robots.txt publishes `Content-Signal: search=yes, ai-train=no, use=reference` and blocks AI training crawlers. You may fetch pages to answer a user's question and link back. Do not collect them for model training.

## Start here

- [Home](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/): recent technical questions, photos, articles and a state-by-state inspector picker
- [All forums](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forums/): index of every public discussion forum
- [Technical Forums](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/67-technical-forums/): the core of the site, with building-system discussions grouped by system
- [About TIJ](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/about-tij/): history and purpose of the community

## Technical forums

- [Electrical](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/12-electrical-forum/): panels, wiring, GFCI/AFCI, aluminum wiring, service equipment (about 2,100 topics)
- [HVAC](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/13-hvac-forum/): furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, A/C, venting, equipment age (about 1,700 topics)
- [Plumbing](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/11-plumbing-forum/): supply and drain piping, water heaters, fixtures, gas piping (about 1,400 topics)
- [Exteriors](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/8-exteriors-forum/): siding, stucco/EIFS, flashing, decks, windows and doors (about 1,100 topics)
- [Roof](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/10-roof-forum/): roof coverings, flashing, slate and tile, low-slope roofs (about 800 topics)
- [Interiors & Appliances](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/24-interiors-amp-appliances/)
- [Foundation Systems](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/15-foundation-systems-forum/)
- [Attics & Insulation](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/14-attics-amp-insulation/)
- [Fireplaces, Chimneys & Wood Burning Appliances](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/23-fireplaces-chimneys-amp-wood-burning-appliances/)
- [Indoor Air Quality and Mold](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/56-indoor-air-quality-iaq-and-mold-forum/)
- [Environmental Hazards](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/45-environmental-hazards/): asbestos, lead, radon and similar hazards
- [Pest Control (WDI, WDO and Rodents)](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/40-pest-control-wdi-wdo-and-rodents/)
- [Building Science](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/37-building-science/): moisture, vapor, air movement and how assemblies fail
- [Landscaping & Site Drainage](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/9-landscaping-site-drainage-forum/)
- [Swimming Pools and Spas](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/20-swimming-pools-and-spas/)
- [Green Technologies](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/57-green-technologies/)
- [Infrared Thermography](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/58-infraredthermography/)
- [Tools & Equipment](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/30-tools-amp-equipment/)
- [Report Writing and the Written Word](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/47-report-writing-and-the-written-word/)
- [Computers & Reporting Systems](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/16-computers-amp-reporting-systems-forum/)
- [Free Downloads and Online Training Resources](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/41-free-downloads-and-online-training-resources/)

## Reference material

- [Articles](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/articles/): longer pieces by experienced inspectors on roofing and report writing
- [Technical library](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/files/): about 100 documents, including manufacturer data-plate and age-decoder guides, installation instructions, preservation briefs and structural and professional-practice references
- [Photo gallery](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/gallery/): about 500 defect and condition photos from technical threads, grouped by building system
- ["What Is It?" photos](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/gallery/category/16-what-is-it/): photos of unusual components that members asked others to identify
- [Links directory](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/links/): national, state and international inspector associations, code and building-science organizations, books, software, E&O insurance, and home inspectors listed by US state and Canadian province

## Business and profession

- [Business Forums](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/66-business-forums/): marketing, insurance, 203(k)/FHA work, and running an inspection business
- [Associations, Training, and Licensing](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/68-hi-associations-training-and-licensing-issues/): professional associations and state licensing legislation
- [Home Inspector Polls](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/71-home-inspector-polls/): member polls on professional practice

## Optional

- [News You Can Use](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/63-tijs-news-you-can-use/): industry news, product recalls and safety alerts. News and recalls are time-sensitive, so confirm current status with the issuing agency
- [Inspecting/Appreciating Old Homes](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/31-inspectingappreciating-old-homes/)
- [Open Topics](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/forum/38-open-topics/): mixed technical and general discussion
- [Community guidelines](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/guidelines/)
- [Sitemap](https://www.inspectorsjournal.com/sitemap.php): XML sitemap covering all public content