Home Inspection Requirements

Below are the requirements a home inspector shall inspect during a residential home inspection as per Standards of Practice. Here at Betr Home Inspection, LLC we go above the standard requirements to ensure your home is more substantially addressed.

The inspector shall inspect:

• the exterior wall-covering materials; 

• the eaves, soffits and fascia;

• a representative number of windows;

• all exterior doors;

• flashing and trim;

• adjacent walkways and driveways;

• stairs, steps, stoops, stairways and ramps;

• porches, patios, decks, balconies and carports;

• railings, guards and handrails; and 

• vegetation, surface drainage, retaining walls and grading of the property, where they may adversely affect the structure due to moisture intrusion. 

II. The inspector shall describe:

• the type of exterior wall-covering materials.

The inspector shall inspect:

1. The foundation - According to the standards,the inspector shall describe in the report the type of foundation and the location of the access to the under-floor space. 

2. the basement;

3. the crawlspace

4. structural components. 

The inspector shall report as in need of correction:

1. observed indications of wood in contact with or near soil;

2. observed indications of active water penetration; 

3. observed indications of possible foundation movement, such as sheetrock cracks, brick cracks, out-of-square door frames, and unlevel floors; and

4. any observed cutting, notching and boring of framing members that may, in the inspector's opinion, present a structural or safety concern.

The inspector shall inspect:

• the heating & cooling systems, using normal operating controls.

• the location of the thermostat for the heating system;

• the energy source; and

• the heating method.

The inspector shall report as in need of correction:

• any heating system that did not operate; and

• if the heating system was deemed inaccessible.

The inspector shall inspect:

1. the main water supply shut-off valve;

2. the main fuel supply shut-off valve;

3. the water heating equipment, including the energy source, venting connections, temperature/pressure-relief (TPR) valves, Watts 210 valves, and seismic bracing;

4. interior water supply, including all fixtures and faucets, by running the water;

5. all toilets for proper operation by flushing;

6. all sinks, tubs and showers for functional drainage;

7. the drain, waste and vent system; and

8. drainage sump pumps with accessible floats.

The inspector shall describe:

1. whether the water supply is public or private based upon observed evidence;

2. the location of the main water supply shut-off valve;

3. the location of the main fuel supply shut-off valve;

4. the location of any observed fuel-storage system; and

5. the capacity of the water heating equipment, if labeled.

The inspector must inspect the drain, waste, and vent (DWV) system.  The inspection image above is of PVC DWV pipes, including fittings, indications of cleaning and gluing, support, and a clean out.  The inspector is not required to determine whether there are sufficient cleanouts.

The inspector shall inspect:

• the service drop;

• the overhead service conductors and attachment point;

• the service head, gooseneck and drip loops;

• the service mast, service conduit and raceway;

• the electric meter and base;

• service-entrance conductors;

• the main service disconnect;

• panelboards and over-current protection devices (circuit breakers and fuses);

• service grounding and bonding;

• a representative number of switches, lighting fixtures and receptacles, including receptacles observed and deemed to be arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI)-protected using the AFCI test button, where possible;

• all ground-fault circuit interrupter receptacles and circuit breakers observed and deemed to be GFCIs using a GFCI tester, where possible; and

• for the presence of smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors.

The inspector shall inspect:

• readily accessible and visible portions of the fireplaces and chimneys;

• lintels above the fireplace openings;

• damper doors by opening and closing them, if readily accessible and manually operable; and

• cleanout doors and frames.

The inspector shall describe:

• the type of fireplace.

The inspector shall report as in need of correction:

• evidence of joint separation, damage or deterioration of the hearth, hearth extension or chambers;

• manually operated dampers that did not open and close;

• the lack of a smoke detector in the same room as the fireplace;

• the lack of a carbon-monoxide detector in the same room as the fireplace; and

• cleanouts not made of metal, pre-cast cement, or other non-combustible material.

Credit goes to InterNachi Standards of Practice for references above!!