A home inspector is not required to ignite a pilot light, if it is off, to test a gas appliance such as a water heater, older furnace, or gas fireplace, according to the Standards of Practice of both national home inspector associations, the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors (InterNACHI) and American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI), along with the State of Florida and other states. This is how it is stated by ASHI: “The inspector is not required to ignite or extinguish fires, pilot lights, burners, and other open flames that require manual ignition.” 

    Even if the exlusion of lighting pilot lights 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.

    While the Standards of Practice set minimum standards, a home inspector may choose to exceed them and light an appliance pilot flame as necessary. 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. 

    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 

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

Here’s links to a collection of more blog posts about WATER HEATERS:

• Are water heaters required to be raised off the floor? 

• Can a Temperature and Pressure Relief (TPR or T&P) valve be mounted to discharge horizontally?

• Where are gas water heaters not allowed to be installed?  

• Is the minimum size water heater inlet pipe 1/2" or 3/4" according to the building code? 

• Can you use a light switch for a water heater disconnect? 

• How can I tell if a water heater is HUD-approved for mobile/manufactured homes?

• Does a water heater need a shut-off valve? 

• Why should a tankless water heater have an isolator/service valve kit installed?

• When was a gas water heater first required to be elevated 18 inches above a garage floor?  

• Can the temperature and pressure relief (TPR) valve discharge pipe for a mobile/manufactured home water heater terminate under the home? 

• What is the purpose of a thermostatic mixing valve above a water heater? 

• Does a tankless gas water heater still work with no electricity during a power outage?  

•  Why do water heaters have a sacrificial anode? 

• What is the difference between a manufactured/mobile home water heater and a regular water heater? 

• Does a tankless water heater require a pressure relief valve?

• When is a water heater drain pan required?

• What's the valve with the flip-up handle on the water heater for?

• Why is an older water heater an insurance problem?

   Visit our WATER HEATERS 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.