The kitchen is often the heart of a home. It is where kids gather after school, your midnight snack occurs, and family dinners and holidays are focused. It also contains some pretty important appliances and safety features that should be inspected before a home owner moves in. When conducting your inspection in the kitchen, make sure to hit these major points. 

1. Appliances: If the home owner has appliances, check them! Make sure their appliances are working and nothing stands out as a red flag. 

2. Cabinets: Spend some time to open drawers and cabinets. Ensure that everything opens properly and looks to be in good condition.  

3. Exhaust fan: Exhaust fans are used to pull excess moisture and unwanted odors out of a particular room. This is particularly important in the kitchen when cooking things that could smoke or cause moisture in the kitchen. Does the fan work? Is it vented to the exterior building? These are important pieces to check for. 

4. Garbage disposal: Garbage disposals are a handy feature that home owners can often use incorrectly. Make sure it works for the new home owners and that there is no excessive rust. 

5. Pipes: Check for leaks in the pipes under the kitchen sink. This is a mess that your homeowner does not want to have to deal with when moving in. 

6. Faucets, Sinks, and Drains: Take a look at the water coming out of the faucet. Make sure the coloring looks good and note how long it takes for the water to get hot. After this, let it run for a minute and guarantee it drains properly.  

7. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter: A ground fault circuit interrupter is an outlet that detects an interruption in current that could be caused by an electrical appliance coming in contact with water. It immediately cuts the power and potentially saves lives. This should be within six feet of the sink.  

8. Smoke Detector. Ensure there is a smoke detector and that it works properly. 41% of house fires start in the kitchen area.  

Kitchens can be a dangerous place in the home if not inspected. Emphasis the importance of this to home owners and keep their happy place, just that, happy!