Yes, a home inspection can still be performed when one or more of the utilities are off. The problem is that the inspection can become significantly limited.

A home inspector does more than simply look at the systems in a home. We operate many of them using their normal controls to see how they are functioning at the time of the inspection. If the electricity, water, gas, oil, or propane is off, there may be a lot of things we simply cannot test.

For the most complete inspection possible, the utilities should be on and the home should be in normal operating condition when the inspector arrives.

Why Having the Utilities On Matters

Think about what happens during a typical home inspection.

We run faucets and showers. We flush toilets. We operate heating and cooling equipment when conditions permit. We test receptacles and GFCIs. We operate installed appliances, exhaust fans, sump pumps, garage-door openers, and many other components.

If the utility needed to operate something isn’t available, we may still be able to visually inspect it, but we can’t tell you how it performs.

That’s an important difference.

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What If the Electricity Is Off?

There are still portions of the electrical system that we can visually inspect when the power is off. We can look at the electrical panel, visible wiring, service equipment, and other accessible components.

What we can’t do is operate much of the electrical system.

Depending on the home, that can include receptacles, switches, lighting, GFCIs, heating and cooling equipment, sump pumps, sewage-ejector pumps, well pumps, appliances, exhaust fans, and garage-door openers.

I also don’t believe an inspector should simply turn on a breaker or energize equipment that someone has intentionally shut off. We don’t necessarily know why it was turned off. There could be a problem with the circuit or equipment, or someone may be in the process of repairing it.

What Does a Home Inspector Look for Inside an Electrical Panel?

What If the Water Is Off?

This can be an even bigger limitation.

When I inspect a home, I’m not just looking at the plumbing. I’m running water through it.

We want to see how the faucets operate, whether toilets flush properly, how the drains perform, whether leaks develop at traps or supply connections, and what happens when more than one fixture is being used.

A plumbing system can look perfectly fine when it’s dry and leak as soon as it’s pressurized. A drain can look fine and then back up or drain slowly once water starts flowing through it.

If the water is off, we lose the ability to perform much of that testing.

Do Home Inspectors Look for Water Infiltration in Basements?

What If the Gas, Oil, or Propane Is Off?

The same basic principle applies to heating equipment and other fuel-burning appliances.

If the fuel supply is off, I may be able to visually inspect the furnace, boiler, water heater, fireplace, venting, fuel piping, and other accessible components. What I can’t determine is whether that equipment actually starts and operates properly.

An inspector should not simply open a closed gas or fuel valve or light a pilot that has been extinguished. Again, we don’t know why it was shut off in the first place.

The equipment should be placed into normal operating condition before the inspection.

Will the Home Inspector Turn the Utilities On?

Generally, no.

If a home has been winterized or a utility has intentionally been shut off, the property owner or an appropriate qualified professional should restore the system before the inspection.

This is particularly important with water.

I would not want to walk into an unfamiliar winterized home and simply open the main water valve. There could be a disconnected pipe, damaged fixture, open valve, or another condition that could result in significant water damage.

The home should be ready for inspection before the inspector arrives.

What Should Be Ready on Inspection Day?

Ideally, the electricity and water should be on, along with gas, oil, or propane where applicable.

Heating equipment and water heaters should be operational. Pilot lights should be lit where applicable. Appliances that are staying with the home should be connected. Electrical panels, heating equipment, plumbing fixtures, attics, crawlspaces, and other areas that need to be inspected should also be accessible.

Air-conditioning equipment is a little different. Even when electricity is available, there are times when outdoor conditions make operating the air conditioner inappropriate.

The goal isn’t simply to have the utilities turned on. The goal is to have the home in its normal operating condition so we can inspect as much as reasonably possible.

Should You Reschedule If the Utilities Are Off?

That depends on the situation.

If I arrived at a house and the entire home had no electricity or running water, that would create a significant limitation. Depending on the circumstances and the timing of the real-estate transaction, rescheduling might make sense.

If one individual appliance or system isn’t operational, it may make more sense to proceed with the inspection, document the limitation, and make arrangements to have that particular item checked later.

The important thing is that the buyer understands what wasn’t tested and why.

What Is a Material Defect in a Home Inspection?

What About a Vacant or Winterized House?

We inspect vacant and winterized homes, but buyers need to understand the limitations.

If a house has been winterized, the plumbing may have been drained and the water turned off. We can still inspect visible portions of the plumbing system, but we can’t test it the same way we can when the system is pressurized and water is flowing.

Once the plumbing is restored, problems that weren’t visible while the system was dry can sometimes show up.

That’s why having the home properly prepared before the inspection is so important.

Can the Utilities Be Turned On After the Inspection?

They can, but that doesn’t replace the testing that couldn’t be performed during the original inspection.

If a major system couldn’t be operated, a return visit may be appropriate after the utilities have been restored.

The timing also matters. Buyers generally want this information while they still have time to understand the condition of the home and address significant concerns within their real-estate transaction.

The Bottom Line

A home inspection can still be performed when the utilities are off, but it won’t provide the same amount of information as an inspection of a fully operational home.

Having the electricity, water, and applicable fuel supplies on allows us to do what we’re there to do: operate accessible systems, look for problems, and give the buyer as much useful information about the home as we reasonably can.

That’s really what a home inspection is about—helping a buyer better understand the home they are purchasing.

Should Buyers Attend the Home Inspection?

About the Author

John Martino is a New Jersey licensed home inspector and Board-Certified Master Inspector with LookSmart Home Inspections, LLC.

John specializes in independent, buyer-focused home inspections and performs one inspection per day, allowing the time needed to carefully inspect the property and explain the findings to his clients. His inspections may include the home inspection, radon testing, wood-destroying insect inspections, mold testing, sewer scope inspections, and other inspection services as appropriate.

Through the LookSmart Home Inspections Learning Center, John shares practical information based on more than two decades of inspecting New Jersey homes. His goal is simple: help home buyers better understand the house they are purchasing, the inspection process, and the conditions commonly discovered during a home inspection.