Getting your home ready for the inspection!

OK, now it is time for the dreaded home inspection!  First off, nobody should be dreading the home inspection, unless the house is really in poor condition.  The list of items below will help the homeowner to prepare their home so that the inspector will be able to perform the inspection with ease.  The last thing you want is for the home to be difficult for the inspector!  Clean and neat homes for some reason tend to perform better when it come to a home inspection!  Just saying........

Items the homeowner can repair or take care of before the home inspection:

 □    Prune vegetation away from the house.

  □    Clean the gutters.

  □    Replace or clean dirty furnace/HVAC filters.

  □    Repair leaking faucets.

  □    Install missing covers on electrical switches, outlets and junction boxes.

  □    Replace all smoke alarms installed before January 1, 2002 to comply with

       current standards. Replace batteries in all detectors!

  □    Replace burned out light bulbs.

  □    Pull soil 6" away from the siding, basement windows, foundation                

       vents and decks.

  □    Install 6-8mil. black plastic vapor barrier in the crawlspace over exposed

       soil.

  □     Make sure that the water heater is raised 18" or more if it is the garage or storage room.

  Preparing the home for the day of the inspection:

 •·        Remove any belongings that block access to the furnace, water heater, electrical panel, attic and crawl spaces so the inspector may remove cover panels in these areas.

•·        Verify that gas, water and electricity are on, even in vacant homes.

•·        All gas pilot lights should be lit. The inspector will not light any pilot and will note that item as not working.

•·        Make sure that all appliances normally operated by the homeowner can be tested as needed. Clean and pick up the home so that it is easy for the inspector to get around.  The inspector will not move dirty laundry to look at an item!