Sellers have always needed help to get ready for a home inspection here in Las Vegas!

Here’s a list of inspection guidelines that combine time-tested advice with guidance for today’s safety concerns. On the inspection day:

• Set some rules.

Whether or not regulations require it, ask inspectors to wear masks, gloves, and either booties or anti-slip socks inside the home. Request they sweep up debris they may stir up inspecting the attic, cellar, or other spaces. Have hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes available and ask inspectors to use them after touching any surfaces. Here are some additional ideas related to home showings.

• Give inspectors room to work.

Inspectors need access to things they check, but they’re not allowed to touch or move the seller’s personal items, so if inspectors can’t get to something, they’ll have to come back, prolonging the process. Sellers should free up unobstructed paths to water heaters, HVAC units and grates, electrical panels, cellar or crawl spaces, and attics. If attic entry is in a closet, the contents should be removed or covered in plastic in case dirt is dislodged when the access panel is opened. Sellers should move vehicles out of the garage, so inspectors can walk through easily, making sure objects aren’t blocking the garage door motion sensors.

• Explain how things work.

If inspectors can’t determine how something works, they may report it “inoperable.” Better for sellers to tell inspectors how systems, appliances, and other equipment operate, including special instructions, which will also help prevent a setting or a system from being altered. To ensure safety, sellers should leave an instruction sheet. Before the inspection day:

• Clean windowsills and tracks.

Inspectors open and close every window, so sellers should wipe off dead bugs and dust.

• Clear dryer vents.

If the dryer vent isn’t clean, it goes on the inspection report! Service the HVAC. If it hasn’t been done recently, have sellers service the heating and cooling system, replacing filters if applicable.

• Caulk where needed.

Sellers should fix missing caulk around sinks, tubs, tile, and countertops in the kitchen and bathroom.

• Change light bulbs and batteries.

Sellers should make sure all lights work, as well as remote controls for ceiling fans, lights, garage door openers, and other devices staying with the home.

• Check the ice maker.

If the freezer has an ice maker, it should be turned on and making ice.

• Test all doors and special property features.

Sellers should check locks, hinges, and latches on all doors to make sure they work smoothly. If the home has lawn sprinklers, outdoor lighting, a spa, or a pool, the mechanical functions should all work properly.