Inspecting 100-300 Year Old Homes

In this webinar, home inspectors will learn how to properly evaluate 100- to 300-year-old homes with a clear understanding of how age, materials, and historical construction methods impact today’s inspection process. Inspectors will gain insight into identifying original structural systems such as hand-hewn beams, post-and-beam framing, stone foundations, and balloon framing, while recognizing common defects that develop over centuries of settlement and modification. The course will also cover outdated electrical, plumbing, and heating systems, moisture management challenges in fieldstone and brick foundations, insulation limitations, and the implications of multiple renovations layered over time. Most importantly, inspectors will learn how to apply modern Standards of Practice to historic properties, communicate limitations clearly, and write accurate, defensible reports that reflect both the home’s character and its risks.