5 Ways To Prepare Your Home For an Inspection

You don’t have to feel helpless when it comes to a home inspection. There are some things you can do to better prepare your home for the inspector’s visit. At GreenLInk Home Inspections, we have seen a lot in our 25 years of experience when it comes to the seller’s preparedness. Here are five ways you can prepare your home for a buyer’s inspection or your own pre-listing inspection.

1. Have Your HVAC Serviced

It's a good idea to have your heating and cooling system cleaned and serviced by a licensed HVAC contractor. They should check refrigerant levels, clean the coils, change the air filters, and change the thermostat batteries. This needs to be done less than a year before selling your home. Make sure you have all paperwork ready and available for the inspector.

2. Check All Your Plumbing For Leaks

Check around all of your faucets, under sinks, and at the base of bathtubs and toilets for any leaks that you can have repaired prior to the inspection. If you see water damage then you should have that repaired as well with the contractor of your choice. These are things that a buyer will expect to have repaired before they close on the home, so it's better to get everything done as early in the process as possible. It will be easier to take care of any water-related issues before the inspector comes through.

3. Clean Your Gutters & Downspouts

Gutters and downspouts should be routinely maintained, but you especially want to check them prior to a visit by the inspector. Any debris could prevent proper draining and lead to water damage around your house or on your roof. The inspector will make sure that water is draining away from the house as it should be. Have a look around your roof while you are taking care of your gutters.

4. Make Any Necessary Replacements or Repairs

Ensure all your lightbulbs are working and replace them if they aren't. If there is a lightbulb out then this could slow down the inspection as it may warrant further investigation into the cause. Update the caulking and grout in your bathroom. Replace torn screens, missing roof tiles, and damaged visible insulation.

5. Check Batteries in Smoke Detectors & Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Check batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, because this is something the inspector will definitely check. Go ahead and replace them if you haven't already done so in the last several months. Make sure that you also have a fire extinguisher.

Schedule Your Home Inspection

GreenLInk Home Inspections is the premier Long Island service provider for residential inspections and commercial inspections, as well as engineering services. Not only have we been in the industry for many years, but we actually teach a state licensing program for other prospective inspectors. Contact us at (516) 774-4565 for more information or request a quote now. We serve Long Island residents in Suffolk County, Nassau County, Seaford, Merrick, Massapequa, and beyond.