Virtual Home Inspections: What They Can and Can't Catch

"Virtual inspection" can mean a lot of things now. A buyer across the country watches a live video walk-through. A seller posts a 3D scan of the house online. An insurance company texts you a link and asks you to photograph your roof, your water heater and your electrical panel. All of them are useful. None of them is a home inspection.

01What a virtual inspection is

• A live video walk-through: someone at the house holds a phone while an inspector, agent or buyer watches and asks for angles.
• A 3D scan or virtual tour: a camera maps every room so you can click through it later.
• An insurance self-inspection: an app guides the homeowner to take photos of specific things.
• A virtual add-on: a real inspector inspects in person while an out-of-town buyer watches live.

02What it can catch

• Layout and size, and whether the house matches the listing.
• Obvious damage: big water stains, broken windows, missing shingles you can see from the ground.
• Age and brand of equipment, from photos of the labels on the furnace, water heater and panel.
• Red flags worth a closer look, like a panel brand known for problems or a crack in the basement wall.

03What it misses

A home inspector uses more than eyes:

• Smell: mold, sewer gas, a gas leak, pets, smoke.
• Touch: a soft floor near the toilet, a spongy roof deck, a warm electrical panel.
• Testing: running the furnace and AC, filling and draining sinks and tubs, testing GFCI outlets, checking water pressure, taking moisture meter readings.
• The hard places: attics, crawlspaces and roofs, where the camera holder often won't or can't go.
• What's off camera. The person holding the phone chooses what you see. A seller doing the filming has every reason to skip the stain on the basement ceiling.

The American Society of Home Inspectors has made the same point: inspectors rely on all their senses, and a camera takes most of them away.

04When virtual makes sense

• Narrowing down homes before you fly in or book an inspection.
• Following along with a live in-person inspection when you can't be there.
• Insurance check-ins on a house you already own.
• Follow-up checks, like confirming a repair was done.

05When it doesn't

• As your only inspection before you buy. If you can't be there, hire an inspector to go, and watch live if they offer it.
• For older homes, homes with past water problems, or anything with a crawlspace.

06Choosing an inspector who offers live video

Ask whether they'll stream the inspection or send video clips of problems, how fast the report comes back, and whether you can call them afterward with questions. Our guide to choosing a home inspector covers the rest, and how to read the report helps once it lands in your inbox.

Sources (2)

ASHI Reporter: Why Home Inspections Will Never Go Virtual · Elite Inspections: Virtual Inspection Types, Benefits and Challenges

Photo by sweetlouise on Pixabay.

Related: Buying a House in Winter: What Snow Hides From the Inspector