How Do I Prepare My House for a Home Inspection?
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- How Do I Prepare My House for a Home Inspection?
To prepare for a home inspection, make sure every utility is on and pilot lights are lit, clear access to the attic, electrical panel, water heater, HVAC, crawlspace and garage, empty the space under sinks, keep pets away, and leave keys and remotes for gates, outbuildings and pool equipment. Anything the inspector cannot reach is marked Not Inspected.
How to Prepare for a Home Inspection: The Short Version
An inspector can only examine what can be seen, reached and operated on the day of the visit. Preparation is about removing the obstacles. When a seller clears the attic hatch, turns on the water and lights the pilot on the water heater, the inspector gets a complete look at the house and the buyer gets a complete report. When those things are missed, the report fills up with Not Inspected marks, and every one of them is a question the buyer will come back with.
The Smart Inspector publishes a free, printable checklist to prepare for a home inspection that covers everything on this page in a single sheet. Print it, work through it the day before, and the inspection will go smoothly.
Utilities On and Pilot Lights Lit
This is the single most common reason an inspection comes back incomplete. Electricity, water and gas all need to be on so the inspector can run the HVAC, test outlets, fill and drain fixtures, check water pressure and operate the water heater, range and other gas appliances. If the house is vacant and a utility has been shut off, have it reconnected before the inspection date.
Pilot lights matter as well. Inspectors do not light pilots, so a water heater, furnace or gas fireplace with an unlit pilot will be marked Not Inspected. Light them the day before and confirm they stay lit. If a gas appliance has a shutoff valve that has been closed, open it.
Finally, make sure breakers are on and that nothing has been switched off at the panel to save energy. A tripped or switched-off circuit reads as a problem until it is investigated, and the inspector will note it either way.
Clear Access to Everything the Inspector Needs to Open
A thorough inspector opens, enters and operates. Anything blocked by stored belongings, furniture or a locked door cannot be examined. Walk the house with this list and move whatever is in the way.
- Attic access. Clear the closet or hallway beneath the hatch and remove anything stored on top of it. If the attic is walk-in, clear a path to the equipment.
- Electrical panel. Nothing in front of it, and remove any furniture or shelving that blocks the cover from being removed.
- Water heater. Clear the closet or garage corner so the inspector can see the tank, connections, venting and pan.
- HVAC equipment. Indoor air handler or furnace, plus the outdoor condenser; move stored items and trim vegetation that crowds the unit.
- Crawlspace door or hatch. Unlock it, clear the opening and remove anything stacked against it.
- Under every sink. Empty the cabinets in the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry room so supply lines, drains and shutoffs can be seen.
- Garage. Enough clear floor space to reach the walls, the panel if it is there, the water heater and the door opener.
- Windows and exterior doors. Unlock them and clear the sills so each one can be opened and closed.
Anything on this list that stays blocked will be recorded as Not Inspected. On a pre-listing inspection, that means you have paid for an incomplete report; on a buyer’s inspection, it means a follow-up request from the buyer’s side.
Pets, Keys, Remotes and Codes
Pets should be off the property or secured in a crate during the inspection. The inspector will be opening exterior doors, moving through the garage and the yard and entering spaces a curious animal would love to follow them into. It is safer for the pet and less disruptive for the inspector.
Gather everything that unlocks or operates something and leave it in an obvious spot, ideally on the kitchen counter with a note. That includes keys to gates, side doors, sheds, workshops and the pool equipment enclosure; the remote for the garage door opener; any codes for keypads or alarm systems; and keys to interior rooms that are normally locked.
Small thing, big difference: a garage door remote left on the counter means the opener and its auto-reverse safety feature get tested. A missing remote means a Not Inspected mark on one of the most-used mechanical systems in the house.
Outbuildings, Pool Equipment and Sprinklers
If the buyer has ordered add-ons, the equipment for them needs to be accessible too. A pool inspection means the pump, filter, heater and electrical for the pool need to be reachable and powered, and the pool itself should be at normal operating level and running. A sprinkler inspection means the controller must be powered and accessible so each zone can be run.
Detached structures such as workshops, guest quarters and storage buildings are inspected only when the additional structures add-on is selected, but if it has been, unlock them and clear enough floor space to move around. The same goes for a pool house or a well pump enclosure if a water sample test has been ordered.
If you are the seller and are not sure what the buyer has ordered, ask your agent. If you are the buyer preparing to book, you can see each add-on on the booking form and decide what applies to the house.
Documentation Worth Leaving Out
An inspector reports on what they observe, but paperwork helps the buyer understand what they are looking at. Sellers who gather the following and leave it in a folder on the counter make the buyer’s decision easier and the negotiation calmer.
Include receipts and warranties for recent work such as a roof replacement, a new water heater, HVAC service or foundation repair. Add permits for any permitted work, manuals for built-in appliances, the age of the major systems if you know it, and any prior inspection or engineer reports. If you had a pre-listing inspection, include that report and the invoices for the repairs it prompted.
None of this changes what the inspector marks on the TREC form, but it gives context to the findings. A note that the roof was replaced two years ago, with the invoice, answers a question before the buyer’s inspector even raises it. For sellers, our page on pre-listing home inspections explains how to get ahead of the buyer’s inspection entirely.
The Day-Before and Day-Of Checklist
Work through this sequence and the inspector will be able to do the job completely.
- Two days before: confirm utilities. Electricity, water and gas on. Reconnect anything that was shut off on a vacant house.
- The day before: light pilots and clear access. Water heater, furnace and gas fireplace pilots lit. Attic hatch, panel, water heater, HVAC, crawlspace and under-sink cabinets cleared. Windows and doors unlocked.
- The day before: gather keys, remotes and paperwork. Everything on the kitchen counter with a short note.
- Morning of: pets and people out. Pets off site or crated. Sellers and occupants leave for the duration; the buyer and their agent may attend.
- Morning of: final walk. Replace burned-out bulbs so fixtures test as working, run the dishwasher and disposal once to confirm they operate, and check that no breakers have tripped overnight.
- Print the checklist. The free printable checklist covers all of the above in one page.
Why Preparing for a Home Inspection Matters to Both Sides
For the seller, a well-prepared house produces a complete report the first time, which means no follow-up access requests, no second visit and no lingering Not Inspected marks that a buyer might read as hidden problems. It also reflects well on how the house has been cared for, and buyers notice.
For the buyer, preparation on the seller’s side is what makes the inspection worth the money. The Smart Inspector’s inspectors are known for being extremely picky, and they can only be picky about what they can reach. Complimentary thermal imaging, the in-person walkthrough and the same-day report all deliver more when the attic is open, the water is on and the panel cover comes off.
If you are the buyer and have concerns about access, mention them to your agent before the inspection date so they can be resolved with the seller’s side. And when you are ready to schedule, the online booking form takes a few minutes, or call (817) 842-0330 and Candice, our administrator, will get it on the calendar.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if the utilities are off during the home inspection?
The inspector cannot test what has no power, water or gas, so the affected systems are marked Not Inspected on the TREC report. That includes the HVAC, water heater, outlets, fixtures and appliances. On a buyer's inspection it usually leads to a request for the seller to restore service and a return visit. Confirm utilities are on at least two days before the inspection to avoid it.
Do I need to light the pilot lights before the inspection?
Yes. Inspectors do not light pilots, so a water heater, furnace or gas fireplace with an unlit pilot will be recorded as Not Inspected. Light them the day before, confirm they stay lit, and open any gas shutoff valve that has been closed. This is one of the simplest items on the checklist and one of the most frequently missed on vacant homes.
Should I move furniture away from the walls for a home inspection?
Not generally. A home inspection is non-invasive and the inspector does not move furniture or stored belongings. What you must clear is access to specific things: the attic hatch, the electrical panel, the water heater, the HVAC equipment, the crawlspace opening, the space under sinks and the garage walls. Focus your effort on those spots rather than the whole house.
Can my dog stay home during the inspection?
It is better if the dog is off the property or secured in a crate. The inspector opens exterior doors, works in the garage and yard and enters spaces a pet may try to follow them into. A loose animal is a distraction at best and a safety issue at worst. If the pet cannot leave, crate it in a room the inspector can still access when needed.
Is there a printable checklist to prepare for a home inspection?
Yes. The Smart Inspector publishes a free, one-page checklist to prepare for a home inspection covering utilities, pilot lights, access points, pets, keys and remotes, and documentation. It is linked on this page and can be printed and worked through the day before the inspection. Sellers, listing agents and buyers preparing a vacant purchase all find it useful.
Should the seller be at the house during the inspection?
No. Sellers and occupants are usually asked to leave for the duration so the inspector can move freely and the buyer can ask candid questions during the walkthrough. Leave keys, remotes, codes and any documentation on the counter with a note, and make sure your agent has confirmed the start time and access arrangements with the buyer's side.
Ready to schedule? Every inspection includes complimentary thermal imaging, a same-day report and an in-person walkthrough.