The use of garages has evolved to the point where Americans view them as extensions of their home’s living space. Take a peak in your neighbor’s garage and you’ll find gym equipment, pool tables, televisions, workbenches, washing machines, and of course, stacks of storage boxes. One of these days you might even see a car inside! Home inspectors, however, are trained to look past the furnishings and see structure through the trees.

If a garage is attached to the house, the first order of business during a real estate home inspection is to verify that the wall separating it from the house is fire-rated. A home inspector should make sure there is at least half an inch of drywall or gypsum board in place. Some areas of the country may even have tougher standards. Becoming a home inspector means you must find out about the particular standards of your area.

Inspecting a garage is a great chance to see exposed wood framing. A home inspector can check bracing, sill plates and the bolts that hold the framing to the concrete foundation. Reportable deficiencies include racking or twisting of the framing and insect-damaged wood from termites, for example. Home inspection training courses will provide you with all the creepy details concerning termite infestation.

If there is a door that connects the garage to the house, this is another key area for a real estate home inspection. This door must be fire-resistant, which means that it is sealed with weather stripping to prevent fire and toxic smoke from seeping into the living quarters of the house. The door shouldn’t have any holes or glass parts, so it will be able to withstand the heat of a fire for at least 20 minutes. Check with your local fire department for specific requirements.

Finally we have the labor saving device known as the automatic garage door opener. With all its moving parts, there is much a home inspector has to be on the lookout for. One note of importance is that the door opener’s motor must be plugged into a wall outlet, and not an extension cord. One significant safety feature of an automatic garage door opener is the automatic reversing function. When the door is descending, it will reverse directions and begin moving up if it hits something. Home inspectors must determine if the auto-reverse function is working according to the book.

Home inspectors should understand that by venturing into the garages of America, they will encounter dusty copies of National Geographic magazine, turntables that haven’t worked since 1966, shelves of Mason jars, and maybe even an automobile or two. Have no fear, however, because a home inspection school will prepare you to step into that garage with confidence and inspect it by the numbers.