How to Prepare for a Home Inspection

When you’re selling your home, you’ll need to have a home inspection—sometimes even more than one—before everyone can sign on the dotted line. Whether you, as the seller, pay for a home inspection pre-listing or the buyer does as part of the sale conditions, you want your home to be ready to inspect and look its best. Use our tips to prepare for a home inspection and minimize the issues a local home inspector will find.

1. Clean Up 

While the inspector won’t be rating your level of cleanliness, a messy or dirty home may lead them to suspect there’s more that’s not being properly maintained. Cleaning and decluttering your home also allows the inspector easy access to everything they need to inspect without having to shuffle your belongings around or climb around clutter.

Don’t forget about your home’s exterior, too. Tidy up outside to allow access to your foundation, HVAC unit, deck, stairs, and more. These things are all part of a home inspection, so make sure they’re easy to get to.

2. Replace or Clean Filters

Since the inspector will be checking your home’s systems and appliances, you’ll want to make sure the filters are fresh. In addition to replacing your furnace and HVAC filters, also check appliances like your dishwasher, washing machine, and fridge’s water system. Cleaning your dryer’s lint filter is a good start, but before an inspection is a great time to clear out the venting duct so it’s free of lint, too. 

3. Label Your Fuse Box

Having an easy-to-access and clearly labeled fuse box will make your local home inspector’s job much easier. If your fuse box isn’t labeled, it’s a good time to verify which fuse controls what and clearly and accurately mark each one.

4. Fix Plumbing Issues

You may have tuned out a dripping shower or running toilet over time, but an inspector won’t, and even minor plumbing problems can lead to a ding on an inspection report. Fix any fixtures that aren’t working properly before the inspection—otherwise, you’ll likely have to fix them after they’re reported. Minor plumbing issues may be less expensive to fix than the cost of a home inspection, so take care of them sooner rather than later.

5. Clear the Roof and Gutters

Roof problems are among the most common reasons to fail a home inspection and one of the most expensive fixes to have to make pre-sale. Make this part of the inspection go smoothly by clearing debris and moss off the roof and out of the gutters, checking for missing shingles, and ensuring downspouts are clear and functioning. 

Significant roof issues can cause buyers to walk away after the home inspection, so make sure you know what condition your roof is in before the inspection. Unless your buyers waive a home inspection, the roof can be a deciding factor when it comes to closing the sale.

6. Test Safety Features

Before the inspection, test safety features like smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors and check that your fire extinguishers are present and up to date. If your home’s safety measures aren’t up to snuff, you may be required to update them—safety issues are normally mandatory fixes after a home inspection. 

7. Check Doors, Windows, and Cabinets

A squeaky door, cabinets that aren’t flush, or a window that sticks may be a minor inconvenience for you, but they can be a black mark on an inspection report. Ensure all doors, windows, and cabinets open and close properly, check your window latches to make sure they work, and adjust any hinges or other hardware as needed.

8. Deal With Pest Problems

No one wants to see a wasp nest on the porch or a trail of ants in the kitchen, and signs of pest problems can count against you during an inspection—they may even lead to concerns of a serious infestation like termites or rodents. Keep on top of pest problems and eliminate any infestations before inspection day.