Free Homeowner Resource

DIY Home Inspection Checklist for Homeowners

A free DIY home inspection checklist built for homeowners — no tools, no training, no contractor jargon. Walk through your home one section at a time, catch issues early, and know when to bring in a professional.

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1. Exterior 2. Roof & Attic 3. Basement 4. Plumbing 5. Electrical 6. HVAC 7. Moisture & Water 8. Safety Notes

How to Use This Page

A Plain-Language DIY Home Inspection Checklist

This DIY home inspection checklist is meant to be done once a season — ideally in spring and fall — with a notebook in hand. It walks you through the home in eight focused areas and shows you what to look at, what’s normal, and which signs are worth a closer look.

You don’t need any tools beyond a flashlight, a phone for photos, and a willingness to look closely. The whole walk takes one to two hours the first time and less after that. Snap photos as you go — you can run anything unclear past ACE when you’re finished, or compare against the deeper guides in our Common Home Problems hub.

This is a homeowner education resource, not a substitute for a full professional inspection. Use it to stay ahead of issues, not to replace the inspector you bring in when you buy or sell a home.

Exterior & Drainage Checklist

Walk a slow loop around your home, ideally during or right after rain. Most basement and foundation issues actually start with what’s happening outside the wall.

Grading: Soil should slope away from the foundation for at least 6 feet. Note any spots where it slopes back toward the house.
Downspouts: Each downspout should discharge at least 6 feet from the foundation. Add extensions or splash blocks where needed.
Gutters: Look for sagging, separations, overflow stains, plant growth, or downspouts pulling away from the wall.
Foundation walls: Look for cracks (note size, direction, location), efflorescence (white powder), or stains running down from above.
Siding / brick / stucco: Look for loose, missing, or warped panels; broken mortar joints; cracking, holes, or visible separation from trim.
Caulking: Check around windows, doors, hose bibs, and dryer vents. Note any cracks, missing caulk, or gaps.
Windows / doors: From outside, look for visible rot, peeling paint, fogged glass (failed seal), and rotting sills.
Walkways / driveway: Note settling, heaving, or cracks — especially if pushing against the foundation.
Decks / porches: Push against rails. Look at the ledger board (where the deck meets the house) and any visible posts at the base.
Yard drainage: Where does water collect after rain? Pooling near the home is a flag.

Flag for a professional: growing or stair-step foundation cracks, deck ledger pulling away from the home, large areas of rotted siding/trim, water pooling against the foundation that won’t drain.

Roof & Attic Checklist

Most of this can be done from the ground with binoculars and from inside the attic with a flashlight. Don’t walk on the roof unless you’re comfortable and properly equipped — it’s not worth the risk.

Shingles (from ground): Look for missing, lifted, curling, or buckling shingles, and visible bald spots where granules are gone.
Granules: Heavy granule loss in gutters or at downspout outlets often points to aging shingles.
Flashings: Look at chimneys, vent pipes, and skylights. Damaged or missing flashings cause more leaks than shingles do.
Soffits / fascia: Check for staining, peeling paint, or visible damage at the eaves.
Attic access: Open the attic hatch. Note any musty smell or daylight visible at the ridge or eaves.
Insulation: Look for compressed, displaced, or wet insulation. Wet spots usually point upstream.
Roof underside: With your flashlight, scan rafters and decking for staining, rust streaks at nails, wood rot, or active drips.
Ventilation: Soffit vents should not be blocked by insulation. Look for a clear path from soffit to ridge or roof vents.
Frost / condensation: In winter, frost on nails or rafters is a ventilation/moisture flag — see our attic moisture signs guide.

Flag for a professional: active drips during rain, visible daylight, sagging decking, widespread shingle damage, persistent attic frost, or any signs that line up with our ceiling leak signs guide.

Basement Checklist

Walk every wall slowly with a flashlight. Move stored boxes if you have to. Most basement issues hide behind the stuff homeowners stack against the wall.

Walls: Look for cracks. Note size, direction, and whether they go through to the outside.
Efflorescence: White powdery deposits indicate moisture is moving through the wall.
Stains: Brown rings, watermarks at floor level, or vertical stains from above all point to past or current water entry.
Floor: Look for cracks, lifted tiles, water marks at seams, or damp patches.
Smell: A musty or earthy smell is a flag, even if you can’t see active moisture.
Corners and floor-wall joint: This is where seepage tends to show first.
Windows / window wells: Note moisture, debris, blocked drains, or rotted frames.
Sump pump: Pour a few litres of water into the pit to confirm the float and pump cycle. Test the backup if there is one.
Sewer cleanout: Note location and condition (you’ll need it during a backup).
Floor drains: Pour a cup of water down each every few months to keep traps wet and odours out.

Flag for a professional: horizontal cracks in block walls, growing cracks, active seepage, mould growth larger than a small contained spot, or a non-functioning sump pump in a flood-prone area.

Plumbing Checklist

A lot of plumbing is just looking and listening. Don’t take anything apart — just check the visible fittings and watch how fixtures behave.

Main shutoff: Find it. Make sure you (and your family) know where it is and that the handle moves.
Water heater: Look at the base for staining or visible corrosion. Note the age (sticker) — tank water heaters typically last 8–12 years.
Visible supply lines: Look for green/blue corrosion on copper, white mineral build-up, or beads of moisture at fittings.
Under each sink: Look for staining, soft cabinet bottoms, or active drips at the trap and supply valves.
Toilets: Listen for phantom flushes (running silently). Check the floor flange for movement.
Showers / tubs: Check grout and caulk lines around the surround for cracks, gaps, or mildew.
Fixtures: Run each fixture briefly. Note slow drains, low pressure, or unusual noises.
Hot/cold balance: Note how long water takes to heat up — major changes can hint at a water heater issue.
Visible drains: Look for staining at horizontal drain pipes or ABS joints in the basement ceiling.
Outdoor faucets: Check for drips after closing. In cold climates, confirm shutoff and drain in fall.

Flag for a professional: active drips, soft cabinet bottoms, corroded supply lines, water-heater base corrosion, sewage smells, or repeated drain blockages on the same line.

Electrical Checklist

Electrical is the area where homeowners should look but not touch. Open the panel cover only if you’re comfortable; if not, just use the breaker labels and the outside of the panel.

Panel exterior: Look for visible rust, scorching, or moisture. Note the panel brand and approximate age.
Breaker labels: Are they accurate and legible? An accurate panel directory is a small investment with big payoffs in an emergency.
GFCI outlets: Press TEST on each one (kitchen, bathrooms, exterior, garage, basement). Reset after.
AFCI breakers: If equipped, press the TEST button monthly per manufacturer guidance.
Outlets / switches: Look for scorching, browning, looseness, or warm-to-touch faceplates.
Cover plates: All outlets and switches should have intact cover plates — no missing or broken ones.
Cords: Look for damaged power cords, daisy-chained surge strips, or extension cords used as permanent wiring.
Smoke / CO alarms: Press TEST on each. Replace batteries; replace units per manufacturer’s recommended interval.
Light flickers: Note any room where lights flicker when an appliance kicks on.
Outdoor wiring: Check exterior outlets for intact in-use covers and undamaged conduit.

Flag for a licensed electrician (same day): any burning smell, scorch marks, sparking, warm outlets/breakers, repeated tripping on the same circuit, or aluminum/knob-and-tube wiring with any of the above.

HVAC Checklist

Most HVAC issues either announce themselves with smells, sounds, or temperature differences — or sneak up through rising bills. Walk this list at the start of each heating and cooling season.

Furnace filter: Check monthly during heating season. Replace per manufacturer guidance, or sooner if visibly dirty.
Visible flue / venting: Look at the flue pipe for rust, gaps, or disconnected sections.
Furnace exterior: Listen for rattles, squeals, or banging at startup. Note any burning, chemical, or sweet smells.
Vents / registers: Walk every register. Note rooms with weak airflow, persistent temperature differences, or condensation.
Return air: Confirm return-air vents aren’t blocked by furniture, rugs, or curtains.
AC condenser (outside): Clear leaves and debris within 2 feet. Hose off the fins gently. Check for ice buildup on lines — that’s a flag.
Condensate drain: Look at the drain line for blockages, mould, or pooling water at the base of the furnace.
Thermostat: Verify it cycles the system. Replace batteries if applicable.
Ductwork: In unfinished spaces, look for visible disconnections, sweating, or rust at joints.
Carbon-monoxide alarms: Confirm one near each sleeping area; press TEST monthly.

Flag for a licensed HVAC pro: persistent burning smell, no heat, repeated short-cycling, ice on AC lines, sweating ducts in unfinished spaces, or any CO alarm activation (evacuate first, then call).

Moisture & Water Damage Checklist

Moisture finds the cheapest path. This is the section where most homeowners discover something useful — and where this DIY home inspection checklist tends to pay for itself.

Ceilings (every room): Look for stains, discoloration, soft spots, or sagging. Read our water stains on ceiling and ceiling leak signs guides.
Brown spots: Note shape, location, and whether they grow after rain. See brown spots on ceiling.
Bubbling or peeling paint: Especially on ceilings or near plumbing — see bubbling paint on ceiling.
Walls: Look for staining low on walls (basement seepage) or near windows (flashing/condensation).
Around windows: Look for moisture between panes (failed seal), staining at sills, or peeling paint at the frame.
Under sinks: Look at the cabinet bottom — soft, swollen, or stained particle board is a flag.
Behind toilets: Note any staining at the floor or flange.
Bathroom corners: Look at where wall meets floor — shower-pan leaks tend to show up here first.
Basement / crawlspace: Use a flashlight to scan every joist bay for staining, mould, or wet insulation.
Attic: Check after a rainstorm and again in winter for condensation. Compare against roof leak vs condensation.

Flag for a professional: any active dripping, growing stains, softness in drywall, mould growth larger than a small contained spot, or repeated returns of the same stain after a repair.

Section 8

Safety Notes — Read Before You Start

A DIY home inspection checklist is a homeowner education tool. None of these checks are worth getting hurt over. Use the safety notes below to set your guardrails before you walk the home.

Personal safety

Don’t walk on the roof. Check it from the ground with binoculars or a long lens.
Use a sturdy ladder on level ground. Have a second person spot you anytime you’re elevated.
Wear safety glasses, work gloves, and a dust mask in attics and crawlspaces.
Don’t enter an attic or crawlspace alone if anything feels off — structurally, electrically, or air-quality-wise.
If a smell, smoke, or alarm changes the situation, stop and leave the area.

Electrical safety

Never remove the panel cover unless you’re trained and comfortable. Looking from the outside is enough.
Don’t open or probe outlets, switches, or fixtures.
Burning smells, scorch marks, sparking, warm outlets — stop the checklist and call a licensed electrician the same day.

Gas & carbon-monoxide safety

Any gas smell — leave the home, then call the gas utility from outside.
Any CO alarm activation — leave the home, then call the gas utility / a licensed HVAC pro.
Don’t restart a furnace that’s smelling unusual until it’s been inspected.

When in doubt

If you’re unsure about anything you’re seeing, treat the uncertainty itself as the signal — consult ACE for context, then bring in a qualified professional.
This checklist is educational guidance, not a substitute for a full professional inspection.

Done the Walk? Let ACE Help with What You Found.

Once you’ve been through the DIY home inspection checklist, upload photos of anything you’re unsure about and let ACE help you sort through what’s a flag and what isn’t.

Upload a Problem → Browse Common Problems

Educational Guidance Only. This DIY home inspection checklist is a homeowner education resource and is not a licensed home inspection, engineering assessment, or professional opinion, and not a substitute for a full professional inspection. Always consult a qualified professional before making decisions about structural, electrical, plumbing, or any significant home system.