Inspector Spotlight - Tim Palmer
I have worked with Tim for quite some time now. He knows his way around a house and rarely get ruffled. He has contributed to this article as well. I’m not sure how home inspectors do it. I mean, think about it, the have to get into the dirtiest, hottest and smallest places in our homes – attics, (have you seen how small some of those hatches are and in awkward places too), around furnaces and hot water tanks, sump pumps etc. We can make their job a little easier and help to avoid having to make awkward requests when they are trying to inspect a home. Just put yourself in their shoes……. 🙂
How to prepare for a home inspection:
Although Home Inspectors try not be invasive, they still need to do their jobs and be as thorough as possible and inspect the systems and structure of the home. Each room must be as accessible as it can be.
Home Inspectors need to see into every room of the house to inspect various items.
It’s very uncomfortable have a Home Owner say, ‘go on in, they are just sleeping’, (and yes, this actually happens).
Here are some things you prepare ahead of time, to make the inspection go smoothly & quickly and assist the Inspector so he doesn’t have to do gymnastics to get to the areas he needs to inspect.
Pets & Attics
1 – Arrange for Pets to be out of the way. Pets are our Family and want to either greet every visitor or protect you from a visitor. To keep both the pet and the Inspector safe from accidental incidents or harm, arrange to have them contained or out of the way during the Inspection (every Inspector has been bitten, scratched, clawed, jumped on, drooled on, or left covered in fur).
2 – Clear Areas for Access – Inspectors check all windows, electrical outlets, all plumbing, attics, basements, bathrooms, furnaces, Hot Water Tank, Water Softner, Sump Pumps, Electrical Panels, Air Conditioners, All Appliances, the house foundation, roof, eavestroughs, drainage, decks, outbuildings, garages, sheds, chimneys and more.
3 – Ensure attic access is cleared of storage items and clothes are out of the way if access to the attic is in a closet (often this is the case and its best to remove or cover clothes that are under the attic opening, as when the hatch is opened, sometimes insulation or other debris falls out and onto your clothes). Are there shelves that can be removed to make access easier? Ensure there are no boxes or bins in the way of the ladder the Inspector will need to use to climb into the attic.
Basements & Dog doo-doo
4) Ensure the systems of the house – Furnace, Hot Water Tank, Water Softener etc., have clear access. Many Home Owners store items like bins, boxes, tools etc., in these areas, making it difficult to inspect these items.
Inspector will check all electrical outlets, so try to pull furniture away from the walls where possible.
Inspector will check garage, so tidy garage and move any stored items away from the windows and doors.
5) Outside – Inspectors normally start with the exterior. Ensure gates are unlocked and decks and pathways are clear. Inspector will normally use a ladder to access the roof and will need a safe spot to put it (this is usually a deck area or flat area where the roof is the least sloped).
Also – PLEASE – remove any dog poop – as the poor Inspector walks around the house, he is looking at the roof, eavestroughs, chimney, windows, siding etc., and not where he is walking. If he accidentally walks through it, then he has to wear those stinky boots all day, in his car and possibly to your front door or the next house he has to inspect.
It’s a day in the life – Like the Dirty Jobs show.
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If you need advice about a particular issue or about home inspections, just reach out to me. See you soon!
