Home maintenance tips to include in an inspection report

Why put maintenance in the report at all

InterNACHI's Standards of Practice say reports may include additional comments and recommendations, and InterNACHI's homeowner pages make the case for upkeep plainly: every home should be inspected every year. A maintenance section is how your report stays useful after the negotiation is over, and it gives a new owner a place to start.

Two rules keep it clean. Mark it clearly as maintenance, separate from the defects, so it does not inflate the findings. And keep each tip to what a reputable source says, so the advice is not yours to defend.

A starter list, with sources

Heating and cooling

• FilterENERGY STAR says to inspect, clean or change the air filter in a central air conditioner, furnace or heat pump once a month. Put the filter size you saw in the report.
• Yearly tune-upENERGY STAR recommends a contractor do annual pre-season check-ups. Note the last service date if a tag shows one.
• Outdoor unitTrane's rule of thumb is to keep plants from growing within a 2-foot radius of the air conditioner.

Smoke and CO alarms

• Test monthlyThe U.S. Fire Administration says to test smoke alarms monthly and replace the batteries at least once a year.
• Replace at 10 yearsThe USFA says to replace the entire smoke alarm every 10 years, counted from the manufacture date. If you read a date on an alarm, note it.

Laundry

• Lint filter and ventThe USFA says to clean the lint filter every time the dryer is used and the dryer vent ductwork every year. Note the vent material and its run if you saw it.

Water heater

• The maker's scheduleFlushing and anode checks vary by maker and water. Point to the manual for the model you saw on the label, and note the manufacture year.

Outside

• GuttersInterNACHI says to arrange to clean gutters twice a year, and to use splash blocks or downspout extensions to prevent ponding and splash-back at the foundation.

A yearly look over the house

InterNACHI's annual checkup page notes that documentation from annual inspections creates records for warranty claims, insurance and future sales. If you offer an annual maintenance inspection, this is the place to say so.

Tie each tip to the house

A generic list gets skimmed. "Furnace: 16 x 25 x 1 filter, slot on the left side of the return; check monthly" gets used. For each tip, add the detail you saw: the filter size, the alarm's manufacture date, the water heater's model and year, where the dryer vent exits. That is information only you have, and it turns a template into part of the inspection.

Ages and end of life

InterNACHI's standards say that being near, at or beyond the end of its useful life is not in itself a material defect, and that inspectors are not required to determine service life expectancy. A maintenance section is a good home for the manufacture year you read from a label: a fact the owner can plan around, without turning age into a defect.

Keep it short

Ten to fifteen items is plenty. Keep it shorter than the summary: the point is that it gets used.

Questions people ask