I’ve inspected hundreds of homes, and the pattern is always the same: the GFCI nobody reset after it tripped, the smoke detector everyone ignores, the water heater T&P valve never tested. These are slow drifts from safe to unsafe.
Twice a year, walk your home with this checklist. Bring a GFCI tester (plug-in kind, ~$8), a step stool, and a flashlight. Budget 90 minutes.
Electrical
1. GFCI Outlets — Trip Test
What: Every GFCI in kitchens, bathrooms, garage, laundry, and exterior.
How: Press TEST. RESET should pop out and power should cut to that outlet and downstream outlets. Plug in a lamp — dead. Press RESET to restore. Test standard outlets on the same circuit with your plug-in tester to confirm they’re protected.
Red flag: If TEST doesn’t trip the outlet, replace it immediately — zero shock protection. GFCIs have reduced household electrocutions by ~83% (ESFI), but only when they work.
2. Outlet and Switch Condition
What: Faceplates, outlet tension, heat damage.
How: Wiggle plugs — they should grip firmly, not fall out. Look for discolored or melted plastic. Every outlet needs an intact cover plate.
Red flag: Discoloration means stop using that circuit and call an electrician; wiring behind it may be damaged.
3. Extension Cords and Power Strips
What: Damage, daisy-chaining, routing hazards.
How: Trace every cord and strip. Look for frayed insulation, cords under rugs, strips plugged into strips. Feel cords after extended use — warm warns; hot means problem.
Red flag: Discard damaged cords — don’t tape them. The NFPA reports electrical distribution equipment is involved in ~13% of home structure fires.
Fire Safety
4. Smoke Detectors — Function Test
What: Every detector, including interconnected units.
How: Press and hold TEST — should alarm within seconds. For interconnected units, test one at a time and confirm others sound. Check manufacture date on back; replace any unit over 10 years old.
Red flag: No sound = replace immediately. Chirping means low battery or failing unit — replace, don’t just pull the battery.
5. Carbon Monoxide Detectors
What: Operation, placement, and age.
How: Press TEST — should alarm. Verify placement within 10 feet of every sleeping area, on every level, not in dead air spaces next to windows. Replace at 7 years (check your model).
Red flag: The CDC estimates 400+ Americans die annually from CO poisoning. If it alarms, evacuate and call 911. CO binds to hemoglobin 200+ times more readily than oxygen.
6. Fire Extinguishers
What: Pressure, accessibility, age.
How: Gauge needle should be in the green. Reachable without moving obstacles. Most residential units last ~12 years. Check for corrosion or damaged nozzle.
Red flag: Needle in the red = replace. Keep one per floor and one in the kitchen near the stove — but not directly next to it where fire blocks access.
7. Dryer Vent — Lint Check
What: Lint in the duct and exterior exhaust hood.
How: Pull the dryer away, disconnect the duct, look inside with a flashlight. Outside, check the hood flap opens freely. Run the dryer on air-only briefly; airflow should be strong.
Red flag: The U.S. Fire Administration attributes ~2,900 dryer fires per year to uncleaned vents. Restricted airflow = clean the full run with a vent brush before using the dryer.
Plumbing
8. Water Heater T&P Relief Valve
What: The temperature-and-pressure relief valve.
How: Place a bucket under the discharge tube. Lift the T&P lever briefly — water should flow freely and stop when released. Tube should run to within 6" of the floor.
Red flag: A stuck T&P valve is the most dangerous plumbing failure in a home — if the thermostat runs away and the valve can’t relieve pressure, the tank can rupture violently. Won’t open or won’t close = replace same day. It’s a $15 part.
9. Visible Leak Survey
What: Under sinks, around toilets, appliance connections, water heater.
How: Open every under-sink cabinet — feel for dampness. Check toilet bases for soft flooring. Inspect washing machine hoses for bulging or cracking; stiff rubber = replace (use stainless-steel-braided).
Red flag: Any active drip needs investigation today. Burst washing machine hoses are a top cause of catastrophic water damage — replace rubber hoses every 5 years.
10. Water Pressure
What: Whole-house static pressure.
How: Screw a gauge (~$12) onto an exterior hose bibb with all other water off. 40–80 psi is normal.
Red flag: Above 80 psi stresses every plumbing connection and voids appliance warranties. Install or repair a pressure regulator.
Structural
11. Handrails and Grab Bars
What: Stair handrails, bathroom grab bars, balcony railings.
How: Grab each rail and push, pull, shake — zero wobble. Stair rails: continuous, 34–38" high. Grab bars: anchored into studs or toggle bolts, not drywall anchors.
Red flag: Falls on stairs send over 1 million Americans to the ER annually. A loose handrail might as well not exist. A grab bar that pulls out during a fall worsens the injury.
12. Stair Condition
What: Treads, riser uniformity, lighting.
How: Walk every stair slowly, feeling for soft or squeaky treads. Riser heights should be uniform within 3/8". Verify nosing of 3/4–1-1/4" if treads under 11" deep. Check lighting covers the full run.
Red flag: Uneven risers are the #1 stair hazard — your brain autopilots height after the first step, and a 1/2" difference trips you. Soft treads = structural rot.
13. Deck and Porch Boards
What: Surface, railing, ledger connection, support posts.
How: Walk the deck feeling for soft spots. Probe with a screwdriver — sinks easily = rot. Lean ~200 lbs against railing. Underneath, ledger should be lag-bolted (not nailed) with flashing above. Check post bases for rot.
Red flag: A ledger attached with nails is a collapse risk. Any rot in structural members (ledger, joists, beams, posts) = stop using the deck until repaired.
General
14. Egress Windows
What: Every bedroom window serving as emergency egress.
How: Open each fully — clear opening must be ≥5.7 sq ft, no dimension under 24" wide or 20" high. Must open without tools. Basement well covers should lift off easily from inside.
Red flag: Painted-shut egress windows are illegal and dangerous. Cut the paint seal and service the tracks.
15. Garage Door Auto-Reverse
What: The auto-reverse mechanism.
How: Place a 2x4 flat on the floor in the door’s path. Close with the opener — should reverse on contact. Wave a broomstick through the photoelectric beam while closing — should reverse immediately. Sensors ≤6" off the floor.
Red flag: If it doesn’t reverse on the 2x4, adjust down-force per the manual. If photo eyes don’t trigger, clean lenses and check alignment. A door that can’t detect obstructions has injured children and pets — this test takes 60 seconds.
16. Radon Test
What: Radon in the lowest livable level.
How: Use a short-term kit (~$15–25). Place in lowest livable area with closed-house conditions 12 hours before and during the 48-hour test. Send to lab. For better reliability, run a long-term test (90+ days).
Red flag: EPA action level is 4 pCi/L. At or above, install mitigation. Radon causes ~21,000 lung cancer deaths/year — second leading cause after smoking. Results 2–4 pCi/L warrant consideration, especially with smokers in the home.
17. Mold Survey
What: Visible mold, musty odors, moisture conditions.
How: Check bathrooms, under kitchen sink, around windows, basement corners, past water damage. Use your nose — musty = mold somewhere. Look behind furniture on exterior walls.
Red flag: Patches under 10 sq ft can be DIY-cleaned. Larger areas or mold inside walls need professional remediation. Fix the moisture source first — cleaning without it means mold returns.
18. Attic Ventilation
What: Soffit vents, ridge vents, exhaust fan routing.
How: Access the attic on a cool morning. Soffit vents should show light (not blocked by insulation). Look for moisture on sheathing, rust on nail tips, moldy insulation. Verify exhaust fans vent to exterior, not the attic.
Red flag: Blocked soffit vents are the most common failure I see — insulation pushed right over them. Damp sheathing or rusted nails = moisture rotting the roof from inside. Roof replacement from interior rot is a five-figure mistake.
19. Exterior Grading and Drainage
What: Ground slope at foundation, gutters, downspouts.
How: Walk the perimeter after rain. Ground should slope away ≥6" over the first 10’. Downspouts should discharge 4–6’ from foundation. Look for efflorescence (white powder) on walls — signals water entry.
Red flag: Water at the foundation causes most basement moisture and settlement. Regrade if slope has flattened. Clean gutters before rainy season.
20. HVAC Filter and Clearances
What: Filter condition and clearance around furnace/water heater.
How: Pull the filter and hold it to light — can’t see through = replace. Most homes use MERV 8–11 (too high restricts airflow). Verify ≥30" clearance around furnace and water heater.
Red flag: A clogged filter can overheat the heat exchanger — a cracked exchanger on a gas furnace leaks CO. Replace filters every 1–3 months. Move items away from gas appliances immediately.
The Routine That Keeps It Working
Print this checklist. Put it on your phone. Most checks take under five minutes; the whole sweep is under two hours — four hours a year to catch slow failures before they become emergencies.
Keep a log with dates and findings. When you sell, that log is documentation. When something fails between inspections, the log tells you the trend.
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