Are inspectors required by standards to provide an operational test of water heaters during a home inspection?

Inspectors are not required by standards to provide an operational test of water heaters during a home inspection, which aligns with the answer provided. The primary purpose of a home inspection is to assess the general condition of the property, identify safety issues, and report on the overall functionality of systems and components.

While inspecting water heaters is a typical part of a home inspection, standards set by organizations like InterNACHI do not mandate that inspectors conduct operational tests. This means that while an inspector should observe the water heater for any visible defects and check for proper installation and operation, they are not specifically obligated to perform tests that involve running the heater or assessing its heating efficiency during the inspection itself.

In practice, while many inspectors may choose to activate and test water heaters to verify their operation, it is not a formal requirement and falls outside of the established standards for inspections. Therefore, inspectors are expected to describe the condition of the water heater based on their observations rather than conducting an operational test.