Having a home inspection conducted on your home, whether it’s a pre-listing inspection or a buyer’s inspection, can be a stressful time for a homeowner. Some folks think, “Someone is going to go through my house and pick it apart!” The professionals at HomePro Inspections get it, and we know there are other ways to look at the home inspection process and keep it in a positive light.
For a homeowner, if you are doing a pre-listing inspection, the home inspection process puts you in control by providing you with a list of items you may want to take care of before listing your home for sale. We’re not there to call your baby ugly; we’re there to help you get your home in tip-top shape. This allows you to take care of things on your own time and as you see fit. Of course, some things may seem picky, but you probably want to ensure everything is corrected.
You can fix that leaky toilet valve or replace a defective GFCI on your own terms if you have the skills. A prospective buyer may ask for a plumber or an electrician to perform these maintenance issues at a much higher cost. Of course, if any of these tasks are outside your skill or comfort level, it is best to hire a professional.
Preparing for a home inspection from a home inspector’s point of view means making sure that everything is accessible. If we can’t get at it or operate it, we can’t thoroughly inspect it. The following is a list of things you can do as a home seller to help make the pre-listing inspection process smoother and allow the home inspector to perform their job as thoroughly as possible.
Make sure all utilities are turned on.
Electricity, gas, and water should be on for the home inspection. Without utilities, there are a lot of aspects of the home inspection that we cannot address. This should be common sense, but we run into it often enough that it is worth mentioning.
Our Standards of Practice state that we are not required to turn on any utility or light gas pilots. The last thing we want is for something to flood or explode; it may be shut off for a reason. If we are granted permission by a homeowner to turn on a valve and light a gas pilot, we will do so.
If the utilities are off, we must disclose what we could not thoroughly inspect and recommend that a qualified professional inspect the appliance or system after the utility has been restored.
Gas pilots
While most newer gas appliances have electronic ignitions, older appliances may have standing pilots that must be manually lit. To test a gas appliance's functionality, we need to see it in operation.
The most common appliances we come across with unlit pilots include gas fireplaces, water heaters, and garage furnaces. Homeowners tend to shut off gas fireplaces and garage furnaces in the spring, and water heaters are commonly shut off in vacant homes.
Access
There are a lot of places a home inspector needs access to in order to fully perform a thorough home inspection, some of which most people don’t even think about. Below is a list of the common areas we are sometimes challenged with regarding stored items and access.
· Attics are the most common area that we have trouble accessing. If the access is sealed, it has to be cut open. Although the purchase agreement has a statement allowing us to open attic access panels, people forget and get upset when we cut holes in their homes. Ensuring we have permission and access is a big help for us. If given consent, we will cut the attic access panels open.
· Garages, either detached or attached, need to be accessed during a home inspection. Please remember that we will need a key or garage door opener.
· The electrical panel needs to have adequate access. Home inspectors must safely remove the access panel's front cover. Please ensure that no personal items are stacked in front of the panel. This may include cabinets, shelves, and hanging pictures.
· If your home has a crawl space, please ensure that your home inspector has clear access to it and that it is not locked. Sometimes, we come across access panels that are sealed and nailed shut. If this is the case, we cannot inspect the crawl space.
· Furnaces and water heaters must have unobstructed access to them. The home inspector needs to be able to remove access panels to inspect these appliances.
· Blinds and window coverings should be open to reduce the risk of damage to your window coverings and help the home inspector. Home inspectors occasionally damage poorly mounted window coverings during regular operation, and it can take a lot of time to open and close them.
· Appliances that are functional should be plugged in. If a stove, refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine, or dryer is unplugged, we will assume it is unplugged for a reason.
· Pets need to be secured. More than once, I’ve had a cat hurry out the door as I entered a home, garage, or crawl space. I once had a pit bull freak out when I turned on my flashlight to look under a kitchen cabinet. Luckily, the homeowner was there to grab the dog before it came after me. They explained the dog was a rescue pet with some past flashlight issues.
Summary
Ensuring your home inspector has access to all areas of your home will allow them to perform your pre-listing home inspection thoroughly. By providing you with a comprehensive list of any issues in your home, you will have control over how to resolve them.
At HomePro Inspections, our home inspectors are trained to inspect all areas of the home. Any issues found are documented in your home inspection report and recommended for resolution by yourself or a qualified professional.
Visit our website to learn more or to schedule your home inspection in the Rochester, Owatonna, and Faribault, MN areas. You can contact us today at (507) 202-8942 or use our online “Schedule Now” feature to schedule an appointment.