Countdown to InspectionWorld2026

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inal preparations are taking place for InspectionWorld 2026, as speakers and sessions have been announced and travel plans are being made by home inspectors all over the country. 

It’s not too late to register for the highly anticipated, annual educational and networking event. This year’s InspectionWorld (IW) coincides with ASHI’s 50th anniversary and takes place from February 15 to 18, 2026, at Valley Forge Casino & Resort in Valley Forge, just over 20 miles from the Philadelphia International Airport. 

A special vendor hall kickoff will take place on February 15, followed by three days of educational programming as part of this premier home inspector conference for home inspection professionals across North America. 

Keynote Announcement

This year’s keynote speaker will focus on all things AI, with insights from Suraj Rajdev, a Google employee and adjunct professor at Northwestern University. Rajdev is a well-established expert in the digital space with a particular focus on AI. His keynote, “The AI Revolution: The Next Frontier of Digital Transformation,” will explore the AI craze of the past several years, with a wide range of opinions on the level of disruption to expect. 

His noteworthy talk will outline the history of AI, look at where the capabilities stand today, and share what to plan for in the future. Attendees can also expect to hear about how AI intersects with the real estate industry and, more specifically, the home inspector category. 

Rajdev has spent more than 11 years in a variety of analytics roles at Google and currently leads the data/AI, marketing analytics, and consumer insights team for the home and consumer services industries. His role is to help his customers make more informed, data-driven decisions, leveraging data and analytics. He has also worked in the CPG, telecom, and retail industries and has a deep understanding of the marketing analytics domain. He also teaches at Northwestern University, leading business courses on AI, digital transformation, and marketing. He is very active in the industry, speaking at conferences, contributing to boards at a number of organizations, and is a published writer and operates his own consulting practice, Data First Mktg. Prior to Google, Rajdev was a career consultant (most recently at Deloitte), where he spent eight years tackling strategy and operations challenges for companies in a variety of industries. He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial and operations engineering and an MBA from the University of Michigan. 

More Speakers

In general, this year’s conference will feature some of the biggest names in the industry. This includes everyone from ASHI Past President Bruce Barker, who quite literally wrote the book on the National Home Inspector Examination, to electrical expert Mike Twitty, a current ASHI School instructor, and experts at Clarke Engineering, the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, the International Code Council, Monroe Infrared, and more. 

“We have a very big range of speakers this year,” says Edwin Barrera, director of education and curriculum development at ASHI. “We will also have a lot of future-facing topics, from smart homes and a session on EV charging systems to PV and generator power systems.” 

Other session speakers and topics this year include: 

Brian Eisenman: Don’t Get Hurt Like They Did! 

Brianne Smith: Expand Your Scope; Protect Your Future

Bruce Barker, ACI: Inspection Quiz

Dan McLaughlin: Administration, Plumbing Fixtures & Residential HVAC Sizing

Dan McLaughlin: Residential Ventilation

Dan McLaughlin: Concrete

David Goldstein, ACI: Structural Defects – When to Recommend an Engineer

David Goldstein, ACI: Consulting Work – Becoming an Expert Witness

Diana Goldstein: How Does Your Business Look Naked?

Duane Morrison, ACI: Building a Scalable Inspection Company

Brad Keyes: The Future of Comfort: Heat Pumps, HVAC Trends, & Refrigerant Regulations

Graham Clarke, ACI: The Ins & Outs of Crawl Space Inspection

Graham Clarke, ACI: Cracks, Creaks, & Concerns Navigating Structural Integrity in Home Inspections

Joseph Wages: The Grounding Electrode System

Joseph Wages: GFCI & AFCI Requirements,
An Adoption History

Mark Goodman, ACI: Smart Homes 

Mike Twitty, ACI: Inspecting PV & Generator Power Systems

Mike Twitty, ACI: Inspecting EV Charging Systems

Peter Muehlbronner, ACI: Pool Inspections
& the Real Estate Market

David Goldstein, ACI: Discussing ASHI’s New Standard of Practice for Home Inspections

Carson Dunlop & Associates: Business Opportunities & Exploring Franchising

Sandra Hyde: Townhouse Building Safety Features

Bill Fabian: Infrared Applications for Home Inspectors

Tom Urban: Masonry Fireplace & Chimney

This year, ASHI members will also be able to earn ASHI CEs for some of their time spent with speakers, colleagues, and vendors. 

For a complete schedule and session details, or to register, visit homeinspector.org/education/inspectionworld-annual-conference. 

International Residential Building Code Boot Camp

February 14 & 15, 2025 

$399 for two-day IRC B1 Residential Exam prep class 

The International Residential Building Code Boot Camp is not your typical code review class. The 2024 International Residential Code (IRC) has taken effect in many jurisdictions across the US. The hands-on IRC Boot Camp is intended to develop expertise in navigating the actual code book. 

The class will go through the IRC codes chapter by chapter. A series of open-book quizzes will be administered to reinforce familiarity. At the end of day two, inspectors will take a final open-book mock B1 exam covering all chapters. All quiz answers are reviewed collectively and self-graded.  

The class is ideal for individuals interested in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the IRC, as well as those preparing to take the ICC International Residential Building Inspector Certification Exam (B1).   

Each attendee will need a copy of the 2024 IRC with speed tabs to fully participate in the class. To ensure you have a book, reserve a copy ahead of time by emailing education@ashi.org. A very limited supply of books will be available onsite.

Chimneys 101

February 15, 2025

$249 for one-day CSIA Chimneys 101 inspection class

The Chimneys 101 inspection course will be taught by John Pilger out of Smithtown, New York. With more than 30 years of certification, Pilger has been a leader in the chimney industry since 1983. 

Inspectors can expect this 7- to 8-hour course to offer the latest information presented by CSIA Certified Chimney Sweeps who are experts in inspection. This class will follow the inspection process using factual and material-based content and design. This course will provide a complete overview of the anatomy of a fireplace, chimney, and up-to-date standard of care referencing the NFPA 211 as well as review the importance of a thorough and factually based inspection.

Pilger owned and operated Chief Chimney Services for 35 years and served as CSIA Past President and Trustee. A long-time member of the NY State Chimney Sweep Guild and NFPA 31 committee, he also teaches for CSIA and NFI. Pilger holds multiple industry certifications and an applied science degree in fire protection technology. Pilger is a former fire marshal and fire chief and continues to serve his community as he advocates for chimney safety through education and leadership.