If you are selling your residence, here are some ways to ensure that your Home Inspection will go more smoothly, with fewer concerns to delay closing.

• Make sure the Home Inspector has access, not only to the house, but also to the furnace, water heater and air- conditioning units (especially in closets, attics and crawlspaces).
• Remove items blocking access to HVAC equipment, electric service, panels, water heaters, etc.
• Check to see that the garage is open and that any water heater, utility panel and shutoffs and resets for ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) within are accessible.
• Unlock areas the Home Inspector must access, such as attic doors or hatches, electric service panels, closets, fence gates and crawlspaces.
• Ensure that all utility services are on, with gas pilot lights burning.
• Be sure your pets will not hinder the Home Inspection. Ideally, they should be removed from the premises or secured outside. Tell your agent about any pets at home.
• Replace burned-out bulbs to avoid a “light did not operate” report that may suggest an electrical problem.
• Remove stored items, debris and wood from the foundation. These may be cited as conditions conducive to wood-destroying insects.
• Trim tree limbs to 10 feet from the roof and shrubs to 1 foot from the house to allow access.
• Attend to broken or missing items such as doorknobs, locks and latches, windowpanes, screens and locks, and gutters, downspouts and chimney caps.

Checking these areas before your Home Inspection is an investment in selling your property, and will expedite your closing.