Home inspectors are not required to inspect window and door screens by the Standards of Practice of both national home inspector associations, the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI), along with the state of Florida and many other states. Here’s how it is stated by InterNACHI: “The inspector is not required to inspect or operate screens.” The other organizations' citations are similar.

    While the Standards of Practice set minimum standards, a home inspector may choose to exceed them, and can note missing or damaged screens in a home. Because homeowners often remove the screens from windows of a home for sale, to make the view through windows more appealing and rooms brighter, the screens may be stored in the garage or attic at time of home inspection.

    Even if the exlusion of window and door screens is not stated directly in the home inspector’s contract agreement, one of the Standards of Practice mentioned above will be referenced as part of the contract agreement.

    Also, the inspection may be limited to less than what is outlined in the standards when agreed to by the homebuyer and specified in an inspection agreement. A four-point insurance inspection would be example of a limited inspection.

    Also, see our blog post Are openable windows required to have window screens? Will windows with no screens pass a home inspection? 

    Click on any of the links below to read other articles about what is required to be included, or not, in a home inspection:

AFCI •• Air conditioner •• Ants •• Appliance recalls •• Appliance testing •• Attic •• Awnings •• Barns and ag blgs. •• Bathroom exhaust fan •• Bonding •• Carpet •• Ceiling fans •• Central vacuum •• Chimneys •• Chinese drywall •• Clothes dryer •• Dryer exhaust •• CO alarms •• Code violations •• Condemn a house •• Crawl space •• Detached carport •• Detached garage •• Dishwasher •• Docks •• Doors •• Electrical •• Electrical panel •• Electromagnetic radiation •• Fences •• Fireplaces •• Furnace •• Furniture •• Garage door opener •• Garbage disposal •• Generator •• GFCIs •• Gutters •• Ice maker •• Inspect in the rain •• Insulation •• Insurance •• Interior Finishes •• Grading & drainage •• Lead paint •• Level of thoroughness •• Lift carpet •• Low voltage wiring •• Microwave •• Mold •• Move things •• Help negotiate •• Not allowed •• Outbuildings •• Paint •• Permits •• Pilot lights •• Plumbing •• Plumbing under slab •• Pools •• Questions won't answer •• Radon •• Range/cooktop •• Receptacle outlet •• Refrigerator •• Reinspection •• Remove panel cover •• Repairs •• Repair estimates •• Retaining walls •• Roaches •• Rodents •• Roof •• Screens •• Seawalls •• Septic loading dye test •• Septic tank •• Sewer lines •• Shower pan leak test •• Shutters •• Sinkholes •• Smoke alarms •• Solar panels •• Specify repairs •• Sprinklers •• Termites •• Toilets •• Trees •• Troubleshooting •• Wall air conditioners •• Walk roof •• Washing machine •• Water heater •• Water pressure •• Water shut-offs •• Main water shut-off •• Water softener •• Water treatment systems •• Well •• Windows •• Window air conditioners •• Window blinds •• Wiring 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 

  To learn more about doors and windows, see these other blog posts:

• What causes sweating (condensation) on the inside of windows in the winter? 

• Is every exterior door of a house required to have a landing outside? 

• What are the small slots at the bottom of the outside of my window? 

• Why does condensation form on the outside of some windows and not others in the morning? 

• Why is the garage door track a white tube? 

• What is the raised metal plate on the floor under the garage door?

• Why do I have to hold down the button to close the garage door? 

• How can I tell if a window or glass door is safety glass? 

• What are the code requirements for safety tempered glass for doors?• 

• Should a front door swing in or out? 

• How many exit doors are required for a house?

• How many exit doors are required for a mobile/manufactured home?  

• Can a bedroom door open into the garage?

• What are the building code requirements for a door from the garage to the house?

• What is "low-E" window glass? 

• What does ANSI 297.1 on glass mean?

• Why is a double cylinder deadbolt lock on an exterior door a safety hazard? 

• How can I check my garage door to make sure it is safe?  

• What is an egress window?

• Does a home inspector test all the windows and doors in a home? 

• How difficult is it to change a window to french doors or a sliding glass door?

• How do you determine if a door is left-handed or right-handed?

• Why are window security bars dangerous? 

   Visit our DOORS AND WINDOWS and "DOES A HOME INSPECTOR…?” pages for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.