TL;DR
- A completed visit does not establish that systems worked when utilities were off or areas were inaccessible. Record what was inspected, tested and left unexamined.
- Ask the inspector to identify each limitation and its reason in writing. A missing reported defect is not proof that an untested system works.
- Have the owner, utility and qualified professionals coordinate any restoration or access work. Do not turn on services, breakers, valves or pilots yourself to finish the visit.
- Give each material gap a required follow-up, responsible person and decision date. Keep the related cost or purchase assumption unresolved until appropriate evidence supports it.
Read the limitations before treating the report as complete
When water is off, a locked space cannot be entered or equipment is shut down, ask what the inspector actually did. Visible piping may have been observed without plumbing operation being tested. Those are different kinds of evidence.
InterNACHI's standard describes a limited visual inspection of accessible areas. It excludes operating shut-down systems, shut-off valves and electrical disconnects, as well as entering areas the inspector considers unsafe. The ASHI standard currently displayed similarly excludes operating shut-down systems and requires reporting designated systems that were not inspected and why.
These trade standards do not replace local rules or your inspection agreement. Ask which scope applies to your inspector and property. As checked November 10, 2026, ASHI's page says its approved revision awaits implementation and the displayed standard remains current. Do not confuse a proposed or approved revision with the terms governing your appointment.
Turn each limitation into a purchase question
Start with the seller-appointment preparation guide to confirm the visit and authorized access. Then create a separate system-level record. “Inspection done” is too broad when important parts could not be examined.
This is an original evidence worksheet, not a substitute inspection form or technical restoration procedure.
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| System or area | The specific plumbing, heating, electrical component or space affected |
| Utility/access status | Who confirmed the status, when and what remained uncertain |
| Work actually performed | What the inspector observed or operated, as stated in the report |
| Limitation | Exact untested or inaccessible item and the written reason |
| Safe coordination owner | Who is authorized to arrange restoration, clearance or access with the right professionals |
| Follow-up evidence | Inspector revisit, specialist evaluation or other scoped evidence recommended for the gap |
| Timing | Expected availability and the actual purchase decision date to discuss with your adviser |
| Budget/purchase effect | The assumption that remains unsupported and the decision it affects |
Preserve the inspector's wording rather than turning “not tested” into “failed.” The first describes a limitation; the second asserts a result you may not have. Equally, do not turn “not tested” into “fine” because the visible parts looked ordinary.
Coordinate access without operating the house yourself
Tell the owner and inspector about the limitation. Ask what safe, authorized conditions would permit the intended follow-up and who is responsible for arranging them. The owner, utility and relevant qualified professionals determine whether and how restoration or access can occur.
Do not turn on utilities, flip disconnected equipment into service, light pilots, open shut-off valves or enter an area the inspector declined as unsafe. Do not ask the inspector to ignore a safety judgment. The buying decision needs evidence, not a forced test.
Ask the inspector what a revisit would cover and what would remain outside that scope. If a specialist is needed, describe the unresolved system question and request the appropriate evaluation. Confirm access, availability and fees rather than assuming a second visit is included or can happen before your deadline.
A fictional water-off inspection record
Invented exercise: an inspector completes the accessible walkthrough of a house with water service off. The report records visible plumbing observations and says operational testing was not performed. There is no real house, defect or repair estimate behind this example.
| Item | Evidence available | Next decision |
|---|---|---|
| Visible plumbing | The report describes what was observed | Retain that finding within its stated scope |
| Plumbing operation | Not tested because water was off | Ask the inspector what follow-up could answer the operational question |
| Restoration/access | Not arranged | Owner and qualified parties coordinate whether safe restoration and access can be provided |
| Repair budget | A cosmetic-only assumption would depend on untested operation | Leave that assumption open pending evaluation rather than inserting a made-up repair bill |
After follow-up, update only what the new evidence actually establishes. A revisit does not automatically clear concealed conditions or every plumbing component. Keep remaining limits attached to the record.
If access or safe restoration cannot be arranged, the uncertainty has not disappeared. Discuss the transaction timing and available purchase choices with the appropriate adviser. Do not assume you have an automatic extension or other contract right.
Decide with the missing information visible
The house-selection guide separates investigating a candidate from setting a supported purchase price. Use that distinction here. You can seek a scoped revisit, obtain specialist evidence, reconsider the supported project assumptions or decide the unresolved exposure does not fit. This article cannot decide a property's condition from the fact that a utility was off.
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