THE HOME INSPECTON – 9 PREPARATION TIPS

By Robin Shapiro

The following tips are for sellers in order to speed up their home inspection. The inspection can take anywhere from one to three hours, or even longer. These tips will help to expedite the inspection – make it go smoother: 1) Confirm that water, electric and gas services are on, with gas lights burning. 2) Replace burned out bulbs to avoid a “light is inoperable” report that may suggest an electrical problem. 3) Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and replace dead batteries. 4) Clean or replace dirty HVAC equipment, electric service panels, water heaters, attics and crawl spaces. 5) Remove items blocking access to HVAC equipment, electric service panels, water heaters, attics and crawl spaces. 6) Remove stored items, debris and wood – “conducive conditions” for termites. 7) Unlock areas the inspector must access – attic doors or hatches, electric service panels, closets, fence gates and crawl spaces. 8) Trim tree limbs to 10 feet from the roof and shrubs which could block access to the house. 9) Attend to broken or missing items like door knobs, locks and latches, windowpanes, screens, gutters, downspouts, and chimney caps.

Checking these areas before your home inspection is an investment in selling your property at the best possible price. This column was written mainly by John Esposito, NYS licensed home inspector.  Call him at “The House Detective”:  718-318-1263.  

Call me.  Love, Robin.