What Do They Look At in a Home Inspection: Plain-Language Guide
The question of what do they look at in a home inspection has a subtle distinction from “what do they look for.” The look-at framing emphasizes the visual attention and observation method, while look-for emphasizes targeted issue searching. Credentialed inspectors do both on every appointment. They walk a systematic route through the property with eyes practiced enough to register patterns most buyers would not catch on a self-walkthrough. They also pursue targeted issue searches in the categories most likely to surface costly findings. This guide covers both lenses: the visual systematic walkthrough at the surface, and the deeper look-for work underneath.
The visual systematic walkthrough
The visual walkthrough is the foundation of every credentialed home inspection. The inspector looks at the entire property in a deliberate sequence, photographing accessible systems and noting conditions in real time. The route typically begins outdoors with grading and cladding, climbs the roof or inspects from a ladder, enters the attic, walks each interior room, and finishes in the basement, crawl space, or mechanical room. The visual pass alone takes 90 to 120 minutes on a 2,000-square-foot single-family home.
Visual attention is the inspector’s primary tool. Credential standards from ASHI and InterNACHI require the inspector to look at every readily accessible surface in the ten functional categories: roof, exterior, structure, plumbing, electrical, heating, cooling, interior, insulation and ventilation, and built-in appliances. This guide reflects ASHI and InterNACHI guidance current as of 2026; site-specific scope varies with accessibility.
What they look at outdoors
Outdoors the inspector looks at the cladding type and condition (siding, brick, stucco, stone), trim and fascia, exterior doors and windows from outside, decks and porches with their railings, walkways, driveways, retaining walls within ten feet of the house, and visible foundation walls. The inspector looks at grading slope at each elevation, drainage patterns and downspout terminations, sprinkler heads where visible, and any exterior penetrations (vents, electrical service drop, gas line entry, hose bibs).
The visual pass surfaces the obvious issues: peeling paint at a south-facing exposure, gaps in caulking at corner trim, deteriorated wood at the bottom edge of siding panels, or sloped grading pushing water toward the foundation. Each finding becomes a photographed and narrated report entry.
What they look at on the roof
The roof pass looks at shingle condition, valley flashing, chimney and wall-step flashing, vent boots at pipe penetrations, ridge and gutter condition, soffit and fascia, and skylight curbs. On accessible pitched roofs the inspector walks the surface; on steep or icy roofs they inspect from a ladder at the eave or from the ground with binoculars. The visual scan looks at granule loss patterns (heavier on south and west exposures suggests UV and hail), shingle curl, exposed nail heads, and any patch repairs.
Skylights warrant their own attention because curb flashing and seal degradation are common leak sources. Chimneys get a separate look at crown condition, flashing, and any rust or staining suggesting flue gas backflow.
What they look at in the attic
The attic pass looks at insulation depth and type, framing condition, ventilation paths (soffit-to-ridge airflow), evidence of past roof leaks at sheathing, exhaust fan terminations, and any wildlife evidence. Inspectors look at the underside of the roof deck for staining, daylight (suggesting failure of underlayment or sheathing), and any signs of active or historic moisture. They look at the placement of bathroom exhaust ducts to confirm termination outside rather than into the attic.
An attic with vermiculite insulation in older homes gets a separate look because vermiculite is associated with asbestos contamination. Knob-and-tube wiring buried in insulation gets flagged for fire risk. The companion guide on what home inspectors check covers the same category from a verb-variant angle.
What they look at in plumbing
The plumbing look-at includes visible supply piping, drain-waste-vent piping, water heater (tank or tankless), main shutoff, hose bibs, sinks, tubs, showers, and toilets. The inspector runs each fixture under observation: turns on faucets, fills sinks, flushes toilets, and watches for leaks, slow drains, or improper repairs. They look under sinks for staining, corrosion at supply connections, and any cross-connections.
The water heater gets attention to age via the data plate, TPR-valve discharge configuration, combustion-air provisions on gas units, and any visible signs of past leaks at the drip pan or relief discharge.
What they look at in electrical
The electrical look-at includes the service drop or lateral, meter, main panel and any sub-panels, branch wiring where visible, a sampling of receptacles and switches, GFCI and AFCI protection, smoke and CO alarms, and the bonding and grounding system. Inside the panel the inspector looks at breaker condition, lug torque indicators where visible, double-tapped breakers, exposed conductor lengths, and panel-cover screws.
The branch-circuit sample tests one or two outlets per room with a plug-in tester for correct polarity, ground continuity, and GFCI trip-and-reset where applicable. Federal Pacific Stab-Lok, Zinsco, and certain Challenger panels get flagged regardless of current condition.
The look-at lens versus the look-for lens
The look-at lens registers what the inspector sees on the systematic walkthrough. The look-for lens applies targeted searches in higher-risk categories. Both run simultaneously. The look-at lens notices peeling paint at a window casing; the look-for lens then probes whether the casing is rotted underneath and whether the window seal has failed. The look-at lens notices a hairline foundation crack; the look-for lens then checks for efflorescence indicating water movement and for matching cracks at adjacent locations suggesting active settlement.
Buyers reading a report sometimes wonder why the inspector flagged a minor visual issue. The answer is usually that the visual was the entry point for a targeted check that surfaced something deeper. The narrative paragraph explains the connection.
What they look at in HVAC
The HVAC look-at includes the furnace or boiler exterior condition, data-plate age and capacity, flue connections, combustion-air provisions, filter condition, visible ductwork, supply and return register placement, and a sample temperature differential across the system. Cooling is operated only above 60 degrees F outdoor temperature; below that the unit stays off and the report notes the limitation.
The inspector looks at the condensate drain line for proper slope, the thermostat for function, and the air-handler cabinet for any signs of past leaks or rust. Heat exchangers get a visual look through accessible panels; full disassembly is outside scope. The hiring-a-home-inspector hub covers what HVAC add-on services to consider.
What they look at in interior rooms
Interior rooms get a wall, ceiling, and floor scan, window operation check, interior door function, stair and railing safety, and a representative sample of receptacles and switches. The inspector looks at corners and ceilings for staining suggesting past water issues, at flooring for cupping or buckling near plumbing fixtures, at door-frame plumb to indicate structural movement, and at window operation including locking hardware.
Built-in appliances are operated on a normal cycle: range burners and oven, dishwasher fill and drain, built-in microwave heating, and exhaust hood operation. The inspector looks at appliance function rather than at warranty status, repair history, or remaining service life. The companion piece on what they look for in a home inspection covers the targeted-issue-search angle of the same walkthrough.
What stays outside the look-at scope
Outside scope: environmental hazards (radon, mold, asbestos, lead) unless contracted separately, geotechnical soils, code-compliance certification, swimming pools in some jurisdictions, low-voltage and alarm systems, cosmetic finish quality judgments, and concealed conditions behind finished surfaces. The standard inspection is non-invasive. Items concealed by drywall, permanently affixed flooring, or stored belongings stay concealed.
Front Range buyers contract radon measurement as a near-universal practice because Colorado is EPA Zone 1. Pre-1978 homes often add a lead-paint test. These add-ons require separate sampling protocols outside the standard look-at scope.
How to use what the inspector looked at
The report consolidates the look-at observations into category-by-category narratives with photos. Buyers should read the full narrative and not just the one-page summary, because the narrative explains why the inspector flagged what they flagged. The summary is the consolidated negotiation list; the narrative is the reasoning.
Decide which findings belong on the inspection-objection list (Safety items always, material Repair items usually) and which the buyer accepts as deferred maintenance. The inspection is the buyer’s most reliable window into the property before closing. Use it.
Differences in observation across inspection types
A standard residential inspection differs from new-construction phase inspections, pre-listing inspections, and warranty-period inspections in what gets emphasized. New-construction phase inspections look at framing, mechanical rough-ins, and pre-drywall conditions that get concealed in a finished-home inspection. Pre-listing inspections look at the same scope as a buyer inspection but the seller commissions them and uses the findings for pre-market repairs. Warranty-period inspections (typically 11 months after a new-construction closing) look for builder workmanship issues that the one-year warranty covers.
Each inspection type uses the same look-at fundamentals; the targeted searches shift to fit the timing and the client’s question. Buyers should know which inspection type they are buying because the scope and the report format differ.
What inspectors look at that buyers commonly overlook
Buyers self-walking a home typically look at flooring, cabinetry, appliances, and obvious cosmetic finishes. Inspectors look at the spaces buyers skip. They look at the back of the water heater where the TPR-valve discharge terminates, at the attic-side of bathroom exhaust ducts where they should terminate outside but often terminate into the attic instead, at the underside of the deck where ledger attachment to the rim joist either uses flashing or does not, at the foundation wall behind the laundry-room utility sink, at the panel grounding electrode connection at the cold-water pipe, and at the crawl-space side of the supply lines where small leaks build over years.
None of these spaces are obvious. All of them surface conditions that influence the report’s grading. The inspector’s value lies disproportionately in looking at the spaces a buyer would not think to check.
What changes when the buyer attends the appointment
Buyers who attend the inspection get a better return than buyers who skip it. The inspector points out findings in real time and explains the reasoning. The buyer asks questions the report does not anticipate. Photographs the buyer takes during the verbal walkthrough fill gaps the written report leaves. A buyer who arrives for the final hour catches the verbal summary without absorbing the full four-hour appointment, which is the minimum useful attendance window. A buyer who shows up for the full appointment gets the complete picture.
Children and pets do not belong at the inspection. The inspector is climbing ladders, entering crawl spaces, and operating gas appliances. A focused buyer who can ask substantive questions is the ideal attendee. The seller should not be present except for very brief access coordination.
How report photos document what was looked at
Reports include 40 to 100 embedded photos on a typical residential inspection. Each photo documents a finding, an observation, or a system component the inspector wants the buyer to remember. Photos with arrows or callouts indicate specific defects. Photos without annotations usually document representative conditions or baseline observations. A report with fewer than 20 photos on a 2,000-square-foot home is probably under-documented.
References
- ASHI Standard of Practice — American Society of Home Inspectors
- InterNACHI Residential Standards of Practice — International Association of Certified Home Inspectors
- HUD homebuyer inspection guidance — U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
- EPA radon program overview — U.S. Environmental Protection Agency