Inspections aren’t just for buying and selling. There are a lot of reasons why a homeowner might want a home inspection, and the changing of seasons is one of them. With summer in full swing, it’s a good time to ramp up business. Promote the importance of finding out whether a home is solid and well insulated, and whether the HVAC system isn’t on its last legs.

Summer accounts for one of the largest electricity draws that homeowners have all year long. With temperatures soaring, air conditioners get a workout. But sometimes AC systems work harder than they have to because the house is full of air leaks.

Cool, conditioned air is expensive. With a home inspection, the owner can learn whether the attic insulation is up to snuff and whether there are any gaps around windows and doors that let heat in.

If stuffiness is a problem, the home’s ventilation might be inadequate. The same applies to a damp interior, which can also lead to mold and mildew. When you point out obvious air leaks and find ventilation issues, you help the homeowner stay more comfortable and save money.

There are a few ways that an AC system might let your client down. If it hasn’t been maintained, it might be ready for replacement. That’s a costly problem. But when performed early enough, an inspection lets the owner catch it instead of being blindsided when the air one day goes out.

Although home inspectors aren’t usually HVAC specialists, some defects need very little investigation. For example, certain noises coming from one of the units might indicate a leaf stuck in a fan or a major system failure in the works.

A summertime home inspection lets the owner deal with AC defects before they become full-blown disasters. And that saves money on major repairs or premature system replacement in the long run.

Every time summer comes around, some parts of the country seem to experience weather that’s increasingly severe. Heavy thunderstorms are a summer calling card, and some states deal with tornadoes and hurricanes. An inspection spots roofing damage before it costs a mint to repair.

Any time a tree branch lands on the roof or high winds lift the edges of shingles, there’s a chance for widespread damage. But even with a slight problem, such as a missing shingle, water from the next storm might make its way indoors.

With a summer roof inspection, your client can protect one of the most important systems in the whole house. Most roofing materials last a minimum of 10-15 years. An inspection lets the owner consider a repair instead of waiting until water is dripping into the attic.

The home systems affected by summer weather encompass almost everything. Siding can take on storm damage, and windows and doors might develop leaks that make air conditioning work harder. And if the attic is poorly ventilated, your client might feel like he lives in an oven. It’s also a great time to have areas such as the chimney inspected. After all, the client isn’t using it.

If you’re just starting out, you might suffer from a common affliction that plagues many other small business owners. And that’s worrying about generating enough business. What makes your home inspections so good that people will want to make those important referrals? You do, of course!

There are many home inspectors around the U.S. who started out exactly where you are now. Maybe you’re fresh out of school, or maybe you already have a little time in the field. But everyone has to begin at the beginning. It’s how you move ahead that matters. That’s how you build your reputation and get those all-important referrals.

Reliability equals trust, and trust gets referrals. And it applies to everything that you do as a home inspector. It’s all about standing by your word. Show up early for appointments and don’t cancel unless there’s no other possible choice.

Customers rely on you, and that happens during a very stressful time period for them. The more that you can ease their stress, the more likely they’ll be to tell a friend or two. The same applies to your real estate agent peers. When they hear good things about you, they’ll have greater confidence about referring new customers.

Imagine how frustrated you’d feel if an inspector showed up wearing grungy clothes, dirty shoes and then trampled through the house leaving a mess in his wake. Chances are, you’d never do such a thing. But you might unwittingly commit other faux pas which could sully your reputation.

Think about the type of inspector you’d like to see and how you’d like them to perform in your home. If you don’t want to shimmy under a dirty crawlspace, think about whether you’d be disappointed if an inspector charged you full price for part of the work. Be the inspector that you’d want to hire. Others will want to hire you, too.

Lack of communication can be maddening, especially when there are so many other stress factors. And while home inspectors often work solo, that doesn’t mean customers don’t need to ask for clarification or just want a little assurance that the house isn’t on its last legs.

A phone call takes only a few minutes and an email takes less than that. When customers contact you, always make yourself available or schedule a time to call back. It seems like a small detail. Good communication can also protect you, says Working RE If a customer ever has a complaint, written communication, even in an email, can support your case.

The hands-on inspection might feel like the bigger part of the job to you. But to a customer, the report is more important. That’s why the home inspection reporting software you choose makes a difference. A professional report that’s easy to read and contains plenty of images helps paint the picture for a customer who doesn’t attend the inspection. For those who do, it serves as reinforcement.

Deliver the report as soon as you can after the inspection is complete, at least within 24 hours. That breeds goodwill and makes the customer happy. In decades past, handwritten or typed inspection reports required more time. But with Home Inspection Report software, you can finalize a report and send it to the customer before you leave the site. That’s more efficient than software that requires you to sync your phone or tablet to a home computer first.

Your work will speak for itself, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need a little marketing and advertising. Some inspectors stop by and chat with real estate agents, dropping off a stack of business cards in the process. Some are actively involved in social media. Some build a website, and some advertise in a local newspaper.

It doesn’t matter how you choose to market your home inspection services. It only matters that you make the effort to generate more business and referrals. Get your name out there. Have it embroidered on your shirts, use a magnetic placard for your vehicle and leave business cards and flyers everywhere that you can.

Every new business owner has a few doubts. That’s human nature. Business might be slow at first, and that’s normal, too. With every customer that you meet, inspection that you perform, real estate agent you visit and advertising effort you make, you have an opportunity to build your reputation. In fact, you will build a reputation whether or not you try. Take the more direct route, and you’ll cultivate your good name.

Nothing heightens home safety awareness quite like an unexpected disaster. It’s happening right now in Anchorage, Alaska. In the aftermath of the McHugh fire, homeowners with a renewed concern about protecting their property are requesting home inspections, even for houses that aren’t for sale.

No one wants to benefit from another person’s misfortune. But when a disaster strikes, sometimes the lessons learned through the process can help save more lives in the long run.

The cause was initially a mystery, like many fires. But the Department of Natural Resources in Alaska soon determined that it sparked from an unattended campfire that was built in an unprotected area and not fully extinguished. Escaped campfires are completely preventable, says the DNR.

That one campfire led to an amazing 842 acres of damage, according to Alaska Public Media. Homeowners were put at risk as the blaze grew. But with the help of nearly 100 out-of-state firefighters and the luck of some rain, the fire was eventually contained.

Of course, a wildfire isn’t the same as a home electrical fire. But fire prevention has been at the forefront of Alaska homeowner minds since the blaze broke out. If it can be prevented, as many fires can, then it’s worth the time and expense to do so. And with vegetation a real factor in the way that a fire can spread, there’s more than electricity to worry about.

Home inspections are up in the Anchorage area now, as homeowners want to find and resolve risks before they have the opportunity to turn into a disaster. The Anchorage Fire Department will come to a home, inspect and then make recommendations, such as cutting back vegetation and other risk factors. As of July 25, there were about 100 people on the inspection waiting list.

Disasters seem to me happen when they’re least expected.

The fire department looks for certain fire risk factors, but they’re not always on call for home inspections. An inspection by a certified home inspector can go the extra mile. For example, you might locate a risky outlet tucked away in an attic where damaged wiring could lead to a tragedy.

Marketing your skills to homeowners is another way to strengthen goodwill with the community and provide a potentially life-saving service. There doesn’t need to be a disaster for there to be disaster awareness. And with a campaign to remind homeowners of the risks, especially with autumn on the horizon and winter not far behind, you could help homeowners stay safer and healthier.

Fire risks are no respecters of people. They can happen in a brand new home as easily as one that was built 100 years ago. But the average homeowner doesn’t have the same skill set that you do. An awareness campaign can make your business stronger and it can help families throughout your area stay safer year-round.

There’s a reason why homes that have been used as meth labs usually require professional abatement. Entering the building even once can be a health risk. But would you know how to spot a meth lab in the middle of suburbia, or anywhere else for that matter?

Some clues are like a warning sign flashing up ahead. And some are a little more subtle. Even if the exterior doesn’t speak volumes, as many meth labs do, there are clues inside that can help you make a quick decision to head outside for fresh air while you call the authorities.

Time was, a run-down house meant that the owners probably fell on hard times. Maybe they abandoned it or simply stopped caring about upkeep. But nowadays, a ratty-looking house should arouse suspicion.

There’s no real reason that a meth house should be in disrepair, but the fact is that many of them are. Maybe it’s because shabby houses are sometimes abandoned, which makes them prime pickings. Or maybe the owners really did fall on hard times and resorted to manufacturing meth.

Whatever the reason for an unkempt appearance, shabby houses should cause you to look a little closer when you pull into the drive. In many cases, there are enough clues outside to merit a call to the police and keep you safe outside.

You might be outside, but that doesn’t mean you’re entirely safe. The hazard of meth isn’t just the drug, but also in the ingredients used to make it and the extremely dangerous byproducts. Home inspector, Wayne Meyer, writes for ASHI Reporter that 5 – 7 pounds of waste remains after manufacturing just 1 pound of the drug. And waste is sometimes discarded outside.

Here are some clues:

Most, if not all, surfaces and finishes require full replacement after meth abatement is complete.

If the exterior of the home gave you no pause, the interior probably will in a meth house. The first thing that you’ll likely notice is the same chemical odors that you could have encountered outside. In fact, all of the signs that might be outdoors could be contained inside. That includes the trash, empty packaging and even burn marks.

Kitchens and bathrooms are meth hotspots, so evidence of a lab is likely to be found in one of those areas. If the house looks relatively tidy but the odors persist, check under sinks for a mini meth lab containing the same chemicals. Red stains, particularly in sinks, on floors and across countertops, should be your sign to get to safety and call the authorities.

A meth house is almost a total loss once you consider the abatement required to make it safe and habitable again. Ventilation is only the beginning. Cleanup crews work wearing hazmat suits to prevent contamination. And in some cases, demolition is the only answer.

Abatement includes removal of every piece of furniture, wallpaper, drapes, carpets, and anything else that could have absorbed the meth vapors during manufacture. In many cases, no surface in the home is safe. If successful, it might be restored by a combination of chemical neutralization, washing and sealing of residual contaminants. But local authorities have the final say.

Home inspectors encounter a great many hazards on the job. But few are as dangerous as a meth house. Breathing chemical waste fumes puts your health at risk from the minute you walk through the door.

If you’re ever in doubt, don’t take a chance. Make the call to police or find out if another agency in your area is responsible for meth lab identification and handling. You might miss out on payment for an inspection, but your lungs will thank you.

Testimonials are almost as good as a one-on-one referral. And there’s no better time than now to start building up your comment base.

According to a 2012 study by Search Engine Land, the majority of responders said they believe online reviews are trustworthy. Of them, over half said reviews drive them to local businesses. That’s an impressive number.

So if you want to get in on the testimonial action for your home inspection business, here are 4 pointers that work.

Grumpy customers are more likely to go out of their way to leave a review. But happy customers tend to leave testimonials and positive reviews if the process is easy. That’s why you should take advantage of every possible channel for promotion.

Social media is a great platform for testimonials. It takes very little time, and your customers are probably already there. KISS Metrics says you should list your home inspection business with local search directories, too.

For example, Yelp and Google Places reviews pop up when new customers search for home inspectors in your area. Some of them are connected, too. That means reviews at one local search platform can show up in the results for another platform.

No, we aren’t talking about paying for good reviews. But rewarding customers for their time, not for a positive review, is rarely a bad idea.

Fast food chains offer incentives for leaving reviews. So do some retail stores. So it stands to reason that your customers will take a few minutes to leave a testimonial if you make it worth their while.

You could offer coupons, or host a giveaway where every reviewer is automatically entered in a contest for a prize such as a gift card. Just remember that the reward is for taking the time to review, not for leaving a glowing report.

In every life, some rain must fall. Bad reviews happen to the best of home inspectors. What’s important is how you handle them. Conflict resolution can build public trust and solidify your company’s good reputation.

Some businesses ignore bad reviews. But American Express Open Forum says that’s a bad strategy. It’s also a missed opportunity to build goodwill.

Probably the best way to inspire more home inspector testimonials is to be a great home inspector. When customers get what they pay for, they’re more likely to be happy. When they get more than they expected, they might be thrilled.

Be punctual. Send the home inspection report as soon as possible. Use great images. Make yourself available for phone calls or emails. Invite the customer to the home inspection.

The importance of professionalism and dependability can’t be overstated. In the home buying process, your inspection could be one of the few pleasant spots.

Most of your customers are probably up to their ears in paperwork, not to mention all of the goings on of daily life. It’s easy to get too busy to remember the little things. So if you want more testimonials, don’t forget the most obvious way to get them: ask.

If you want more testimonials, be the home inspector that you’d want to hire. Provide a great service and work on building your company brand.