Home inspection tools are an essential part of the home inspection business because they ensure home inspectors’ safety, efficiency, and success. These home inspector tools not only provide a thorough evaluation of a home’s condition, but they also significantly impact the overall quality of the inspection process. It’s important to use the right tools for home inspectors to provide accurate reports of a property.
Importance of Quality Home Inspection Tools
Think of it like this- would you trust a surgeon with blunt instruments? Just as the right tools empower a doctor, the right equipment empowers a home inspector to do a thorough, accurate, and efficient inspection.
NACHI and ASHI recommend using proper tools for home inspection which allows more detailed and accurate assessment. According to our recent survey, it shows:
- Using professional home inspection tools can increase their accuracy by up to 96%.
- 83% of home inspectors said that having best home inspection tools and equipment helps to boost their business efficiency and client satisfaction.
So, whether you’re performing your first inspection or looking to improve your toolkit, here’s a list of the best and must-have tools for home inspectors in 2024 to ensure an accurate, efficient, safe, and organized home inspection.
Basic Home Inspector Tools
1. Flashlight
NEBO Inspector 500+ Pen Light
- Benefits: Essential for illuminating dark spaces like attics and basements.
- Customer Ratings: 4.4 Stars
- Price: $28
2. Electrical Testers
AstroAI Multimeter Tester
- Benefits: Helps to test the electrical components during home inspection
- Customer Ratings: 4.5 Stars
- Price: $13
3. Screwdrivers
RARTOP Precision Screwdriver Set
- Benefits: Vital for removing electrical panel covers to inspect wiring.
- Customer Ratings: 4.6 Stars
- Price: $26
4. Pliers
BLACK+DECKER Plier Set
- Benefits: Needle-nose and channel-lock pliers are great for tightening or loosening bolts.
- Customer Ratings: 4.6 Stars
- Price: $16
5. Tape Measure
Amazon Basics Tape Measure (16 Feet)
- Benefits: Helps to measure the room dimensions and window sizes.
- Customer Ratings: 4.7 Stars
- Price: $8
6. Microwave Testers
Digital LCD Display Microwave Leakage Detector
- Benefits: It can be used to verify any leakage from microwave ovens within a few minutes.
- Customer Ratings: 4.3 Stars
- Price: $27
Specialized Home Inspection Tools
1. Moisture Meter
- Benefits: Moisture meter helps to easily know if the wood/wall moisture content is dry, moist, or wet.
- Customer Ratings: 4.3 Stars
- Price: $13.99
2. Outlet Tester
Southwire 40022S Receptacle Tester
- Benefits: Ensures electrical outlets are wired correctly and functioning safely.
- Customer Ratings: 4.8 Stars
- Price: $7
3. GFCI Receptacle Tester
Sperry Instruments GFI6302 GFCI Outlet/ Receptacle Tester
- Benefits: Tests Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter outlets for proper operation, a must for kitchen and bathroom inspections.
- Customer Ratings: 4.7 Stars
- Price: $14
4. Thermal Imaging Camera/IR Scanner
NOYAFA Industrial Thermal Imaging Device
- Benefits: Reveals heat and energy efficiency issues, including insulation gaps and electrical hot spots.
- Customer Ratings: 4.0 Stars
- Price: $149
5. Radon Monitors
Airthings 2950 Wave Radon
- Benefits: Continuous radon detector to help detect radon presence in home.
- Customer Ratings: 4.4 Stars
- Price: $159
6. Carbon Monoxide Analyzer
TopTes CT-300 Portable Carbon Monoxide Detector
- Benefits: Helps to detect CO gas concentrations timely and accurately, reducing the risk of CO poisoning and protecting families.
- Customer Ratings: 4.6 Stars
- Price: $45.99
7. Combustible-gas Detector
Natural Gas Detector, TopTes PT520A Gas Leak Detector with 17-Inch Gooseneck
- Benefits: It can accurately help you locate the gas leakage of various combustible gases in tight spaces, such as methane, natural gas, propane, LPG, gasoline, etc.
- Customer Ratings: 4.6 Stars
- Price: $39.9
8. Laptop
HP 15 Laptop, 11th Gen Intel Core i5-1135G7 Processor, 8 GB RAM, 256 GB SSD Storage
- Benefits: Increases the productivity, efficiency, quality of inspections, and customer satisfaction and eventually increases the income and profit of home inspectors.
- Customer Ratings: 4.3 Stars
- Price: $469
9. Tablet
Apple iPad (10th Generation)
- Benefits: Helps inspectors to generate reports, click pictures, notetaking and many more features on the go.
- Customer Ratings: 4.8 Stars
- Price: $321
– Must Read: Best Laptops and Tablets for Home Inspectors
Safety Home Inspection Equipment
1. Respirator Mask + Safety Glass
Respirator Mask, Half Facepiece Gas Mask with Safety Glasses
- Benefits: Protects against inhaling harmful dust and mold spores.
- Customer Ratings: 4.6 Stars
- Price: $17.99
2. Gloves
NEOTRIL Safety Work Gloves MicroFoam Nitrile Coated
- Benefits: Protects hands from sharp objects, electrical shocks and insulation materials.
- Customer Ratings: 4.8 Stars
- Price: $8
3. Roof Boots
ORISTACO Steel Toe Safety High-cut Boot
- Benefits: Helps to maintain grip and protect your feet from being punctured by sharp objects such as iron nails.
- Customer Ratings: 4.1 Stars
- Price: $49.9
Additional Home Inspection Equipment
1. Ladder
Yvan Telescoping Ladder,12.5 FT
- Benefits: One button retraction aluminium telescopic extension extendable ladder, multi-purpose ladder for home inspectors.
- Customer Ratings: 4.5 Stars
- Price: $119.9
2. Inspection Mirror
Inspection Mirror with Telescoping Magnetic Pickup Tool and Set-Extendable Magnet Flashlight
- Benefits: Helps view hard-to-reach areas without direct access.
- Customer Ratings: 4.7 Stars
- Price: $22
3. Smartphone with Camera
- Benefits: Helps to document findings with photos for reports.
- Customer Ratings: 4+ Stars
- Price range: $300-1200
4. Cleaning Microfiber Cloth
4 Pairs Microfiber Auto Dusting Cleaning Gloves
- Benefits: Keeps your hands clean from the dirty things that need to be touched. Also keeps tools and equipment clean and functional.
- Customer Ratings: 4.5 Stars
- Price: $9
Organizational Tools for Home Inspectors
1. Tool Belt or Vest
Tool Belts for Men Heavy Duty Tool Pouch Bag
- Benefits: Ensures easy access and transport of tools during inspections.
- Customer Ratings: 4.5 Stars
- Price: $26
2. Label Maker
Brother P-Touch Lightweight PTH110, Easy Portable Label Maker
- Benefits: Helps organize and label samples, findings, and equipment.
- Customer Ratings: 4.7 Stars
- Price: $29
3. Inspection Software
- Benefits: Streamlines the inspection process with digital checklists and report generation.
Building a Home Inspection Toolkit
Creating an effective home inspector’s toolkit is necessary for performing efficient and thorough inspections. According to our recent survey, 95% of inspectors believe that using a specialized toolkit to improve operational efficiency is beneficial.
Here is how to build yours:
- Start with basic tools and gradually add specialized equipment as needed.
- Focus on quality and durability to ensure your tools withstand the rigours of the job.
- Keep your toolkit organized and well-maintained to save time and avoid mishaps.
The average cost of a complete home inspection toolkit is: $2250
Conclusion
Having the best tools for home inspections is a must for anyone in the home inspection and real estate industry.
My final recommendation for all home inspectors is to always keep up with the latest tools and technologies, as it can significantly improve your efficiency, accuracy and business.
Remember that the tools you use have a significant impact on the quality of your work, so choose carefully and invest in your success.
