One of the most difficult things home inspectors have to try to fit in is continuing education. I like to do 30 hours a year, or more. But, it is time consuming and can be expensive traveling all over the country. There are classes on line, but they are not so good, and the topics are old hat and ones I have had before.
It is important to learn new things. There are so many new products, techniques and practices out there. It really is impossible to keep up with it all.
I was contacted a couple of months ago by Simpson Strong Tie about a continuing ed class they offered in Baltimore. But I was going to Atlantic City for the Rain Camp and could not do it. When they contacted me again about another one just down the road from my house I had to jump on it! It was yesterday, offered in Fairfax VA.
Simpson produces structural attachments, fasteners, hangers, anchors, epoxies, braces, nails, well, you name it! You have all seen their stuff!
They are very proud of their product line, including thousands of offerings.
The class was interesting, including all of their new products. And they do it no charge to the attendees.
But I was particularly interested in wind and earthquake effects on construction, and also corrosion.
The class was full of engineers, with about sixty people attending.
All power point, with interesting videos showing proper framing, deck supporting, wind and earthquake effects on construction and corrosion.
I learned a lot! It is amazing how well a house can be protected from wind and even earthquake with just a couple hundred dollars of fasteners and hangers, put in the right places, creating a "continuous path" from roof to foundation, and installed properly!
I was impressed, with these facts and their presentation.
And they fed us a great lunch! This is the class shuffling back in after the lunch break.
For those who answered questions first, they had a few hats. And I got one!
It was acquired immediately!
Simpson Strong Tie does these continuing ed classes all over the country. This class was good for 7 hours, accepted by everybody.
I highly recommend them for home inspectors.
My recommendation: since we all have to take these kinds of classes, it may as well be in something we don't know or something new! To me that is more enjoyable than the same old, same old just to get hours into the tank.
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