6. LAUNDRY ROOM: One of the biggest areas of concern is with water leaks, particularly behind the washer and dryer. The home inspector will be looking for leaks, dryer vent damage, debris, etc. Clear access to these areas.

Don’t let this be you: Although this may work great for laundry day, it doesn’t work well for the area to be accessed for inspection. Cleaning up small things can decrease headaches and increase the overall assumptions that your home is well cared for.

7. LOCKED AREAS: Ensure that all areas needing to be inspected, such as attics, bedrooms, closets, garages, and storage areas are unlocked and accessible to the home inspector. Remember that buyers will be going through your home. Be certain to care for your valuables in ad-vance. All items such as jewelry, family heirlooms, watches, guns, etc. should be taken to a trusted friend or to a safe, locked storage area, or simply kept with you while the inspection is underway.

8. BELOW SINKS: All areas below sinks should be cleared for inspection. Assess areas below sinks for leaks. If you don’t know how to repair something, read a home maintenance guide or call a professional.

The picture at right is not considered good access. This area needs to be cleared for inspection.

9. HOME APPLIANCES: Remove all storage items from the insides of home appliances such as the microwave, stove, dishwasher, etc. Clearing access to all appliances decreases the likelihood of damage to the unit and allows for proper inspection and functional testing.

TIP: There has been more than one inspector who started the oven only to look inside 10 min-utes later to find melted children’s toys, paper-work, etc. Never use your oven for storage.

10. STORAGE AREAS: A common problem home inspectors run into is people stacking boxes in the garage which doesn’t allow access to properly test the functionality of the garage door openers. If the garage has become the transitional area for personal items prior to mov-ing, we recommend organizing these items as best as possible in the center of the garage and away from the garage door openers, as well as the main door enter-ing the garage.

Copyright © 2010 Farren West. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. This publication is protected by copyright, and permission must be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise.

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Attic

Even if you don’t have ownership of this area, a potential buyer may want to see what it looks like. Because if the HOA has an issue (i.e. pest) this will still entail work in your unit and health/safety hazards for occupants.

No personal items blocking access to cover

Cover opens easily, not sealed to the ceil-ing with paint/caulk

Crawlspace

Even if you don’t have ownership of this area, a potential buyer may want to see what it looks like. Because if the HOA has an issue (i.e. water in the crawlspace), this will still entail contractors working to remedy the concerns.

No personal items blocking access to cover

Crawlspace cover opens easily, not screwed shut

Electrical Panel

The inspector will be inspecting the wires behind the dead front cover, not just the breakers.

Mounting screws are operable, not painted shut

Panel cover opens, not painted/caulked to the wall

Furnace/AC/Boiler

This is often the heat source for the unit.

No personal items within 2-3 feet of front of unit

Air filter is clear of obstructions

Water Heater

Shut off valves are accessible

Water heater label is accessible, legible

If you have a gas water heater

Firebox/burners (area near thermostat) are accessible, not blocked

Laundry Room

Area behind the washer/dryer is accessible, not blocked

Dryer vent, plumbing, electrical are visible

Unlock All Areas

Garage door is unlocked

Garage storage is unlocked

Minimize Personal Items

Below Sink: Plumb-ing, electrical, dis-posal, and base of cabinet are free from obstruction

Showering Area: Window sill area, and shower/tub area are cleared of personal items

Closets: At least 50% of ceiling/floor clear of personal items

All stored items removed from inside oven/microwave

Transition storage: often the garage is used for preparation of stored items for moving.

Locate items in the center of the garage allowing access to water heater, furnace, electrical panel, garage door.

Notes

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Quick-Check Guide1. ATTIC: If the access is located in the master bedroom closet, clear space directly below the access. Remove cloth-ing, shelves, breakables, etc. Remove anything you don’t want broken or covered in insulation. Set it on the master bed to keep it out of the way, as the inspec-tor has no reason to inspect the bed. Make sure the access is not painted shut and can be easily removed.

2. CRAWLSPACE: Sometimes this access is in the same area as the at-tic access. Locate the access and make sure it can be easily removed. Pull back the carpet if it’s covering the access area, which will make it even easier for the inspector to locate it. You may also identify the access panel with a sign. Another great idea is to put down a drop cloth in the event that the inspector doesn’t bring one, thereby preventing him/her from tracking unwanted items from the crawlspace into your home (such as rodent droppings, insulation, mud, and debris).

3. ELECTRICAL PANEL:Generally, these are located in the garage. The electri-cal panel is where the breakers or fuses are stored and operate the electrical system in the home.

If the panel is found in a different room of your condo (such as the garage or living room), make it easily accessible and visible. Again, you can choose to label it. Clearance is roughly 2-3 feet in front and 1 foot on either side. If the panel

is painted over, the inspector may need to cut away the paint. If the panel is on a finished interior wall, we recommend cutting the paint away yourself and mak-ing sure the cover can be easily removed. I am refer-ring to the dead front cover/electrical panel cover, the one with the screws, generally 4-6 screws securing it to the wall, not the door, where you can see the breakers. The door gives you access to the breakers. The dead front cover gives the inspector access to the wiring.

CAUTION: DO NOT PUT YOUR HAND IN THE ELECTRICAL PANEL ONCE THE COVER IS REMOVED. Simply remove/loosen and reinstall to safely cover the wires. Electricity can be very danger-ous—if in doubt, don’t do anything.

4. FURNACE/AC/BOILER: This area should be well cleared, roughly 2-3 feet in front and 1 foot on either side. The inspector will be inspecting the burners, the distribution, flue pipe, air filter, etc., therefore access is very important. This may not apply to you if your condo has another form of heating.

5. WATER HEATER: The home inspector will need access to the firebox, the area near the bottom of the water heater, where the gas thermostat is. This only applies to gas water heaters. The inspector will also need access to the shutoffs and area below to ensure that the water heat-er is not leaking. Access to the nameplate, the roughly 4"x6" sticker, on the front of the panel is also impor-tant. This will identify the year of the water heater.

Walk-through