With more home sales taking place every year – and real estate industry predicting a 400 per cent increase by 2005 – there’s never been a greater need for home inspectors.

They’re the people who are brought in when homebuyers want to ensure a house is free of potential ownership woes. They inspect such things as wiring, plumbing and structural soundness.

In order to meet a growing need for this service, Seneca’s Faculty of Continuing Education and Training is offering a 10- subject Home Inspection Certificate program that’s available online or in the classroom. The college has joined with Carson Dunlop and Associates, a consulting engineering firm which has been devoted exclusively to building inspections since 1978, to offer the program.

“This gives homebuyers access to more professionals who meet high standards, and it provides the education for an exciting career in growing industry,” says Stan Talesnick, Dean, Faculty of Continuing Education and Training. “For students with backgrounds in areas such as construction, engineering, superintending, plumbing, building and insurance, this will allow the opportunity for a viable second career.”

Students learn about the materials used in the construction of each house system, how they are assembled, what may go wrong, as well as the cause and the implications of problems that result.

Subjects covered include the inspection of roofing structure, electrical systems, heating, plumbing, air conditioning and heat pumps; communications and professional practices are also covered.

Upon graduation, students will able to a perform inspections to the North American standards of practice of the home inspection profession, to look at the systems within a house, evaluate their performance, and determine if they are performing as intended.

“Seneca College brings great structure and credibility to the Home Inspection program,” says Alan Carson, Carson Dunlop And Associates. “Seneca’s education experts have helped enhance the program’s quality and accessibility, and this will help ensure consumers interest are protected.”