The National RV Inspectors Association (NRVIA) reported more than 10,000 people a month performing searches on the group’s website to locate inspectors in their area.
Search activity has consistently remained at that level through August and September, with some months recording more than 15,000 search requests, said Stephanie Henson, NRVIA director of administration.
“When we developed the search function on our website, we hoped it would be a way for inspectors to get an occasional referral from people needing an RV evaluated, but I think 10,000 searches a month is incredible,” she said. “Today, most RV buyers are finding an NRVIA Certified RV Inspector through the locator map. It is a testimony to the rising demand for inspection services as more people learn the service is available.”
RV inspections’ popularity led untrained competitors to offer the service, she said.
“We are hearing reports of housing inspectors and even auto inspectors jumping on the bandwagon to evaluate RVs,” Henson said. “However … RVs are complicated pieces of equipment. They are an assembled collection of different components – each of which needs to be evaluated and tested to ensure it works properly.
“It is impossible to thoroughly review all those components and evaluate the life-safety issues of an RV in a 30- to 45-minute review,” she said. “RV inspectors need specific training to know what to look for in an RV and how to document their findings in a thorough report.”
The inspector locator can be found at www.nrvia.org/locate. Prospective inspectors can use the locator to determine markets where RV inspectors are needed.
“As more people become aware of what an RV inspection can do to help them make informed decisions about purchasing an RV, demand for inspections continues to exceed the number of trained inspectors available to perform the evaluations,” said Terry “Cooper” Cooper, NRVIA president. “With more than 1,500 new RVs being built every day and 2,000 used RVs sold every day, the need for inspectors continues to be very high.”
