How to walk the exterior for winter damage
Once the last freeze has passed, do a spring exterior home inspection: walk all the way around your house and check the roof from the ground, gutters and downspouts, soil slope, caulk, siding and outdoor faucets. You're looking for anything winter moved, cracked or loosened, and for places where spring rain could reach the foundation. Most checks take an hour.
What a spring exterior home inspection covers
Winter damages a house slowly, through freezing, thawing, ice weight and wind. Spring is when you see the results, before the heavy rains arrive. Work from the top of the house down, in the same order water travels: roof, gutters, downspouts, walls, then the ground.
The ground is the part people skip. Water that pools against the foundation can find its way in, and EPA lists a slope away from the house as a basic way to keep moisture out. Soil settles over time, so a yard that drained well when the house was built can slowly tilt the wrong way.
For a benchmark, the residential code used in Massachusetts requires a fall of at least 6 inches in the first 10 feet from the foundation, and many local codes are similar. That's a rule for building new, not something you must bring an old house up to, and your area may differ. Your building department can tell you what applies.
Drainage also helps with pests. EPA's termite advice is to keep soil near the foundation dry, maintain gutters, fix leaks promptly and keep plants off exposed wood.
How to do a spring exterior home inspection
- Wait for the last freeze
Pick a dry day after your area's freezes end, so frozen lines don't give you false results.
- Scan the roof
Use binoculars from the ground. NRCA's spring and fall check is a good match for this walk.
- Follow the water down
Look along each gutter, down each downspout, and at where the water lands.
- Check the slope
Lay a long straight board out from the foundation with a level on top, and see which way the ground falls. Do this on every side.
- Inspect walls and openings
Press gently on caulk and on trim. Note anything brittle, cracked or soft.
- Open the outdoor faucets
Run each one, then go inside and look at the wall behind it for drips.
- Watch the next hard rain
Step out under an umbrella if it's safe, and note where water pools or overshoots the gutters.
Exterior home inspection checklist: what's fine and what isn't
| Area | Fine | Needs attention |
|---|---|---|
| Roof, from the ground | Shingles flat and complete | Missing, curled or split shingles, or loose flashing |
| Gutters | Tight to the house and clear | Sagging sections, debris or gaps at the seams |
| Downspouts | Water flows away from the foundation | Disconnected pieces, or water dumping at the wall |
| Soil at the foundation | Slopes down and away | Flat, sunken or sloping toward the house |
| Caulk at windows and doors | Flexible and continuous | Cracked, shrunken or pulling away |
| Siding and trim | Solid and tight | Cracks, loose boards, soft wood |
| Foundation | No change since last year | New or growing cracks, or a wall that looks out of line |
| Outdoor faucets | Run clean and stop when closed | Dripping, or water showing up inside the wall |
How to fix winter damage to the house, and when to call a pro
Most of this list is small work. Reattach a downspout, clear a gutter, or cut out cracked caulk and apply a new bead. Before caulking, check for mold, because EPA warns against caulking or painting over it.
When you add soil, build the slope gently and keep it from burying siding or wood trim. EPA's termite advice calls for a space between soil and wood, so a mound against the wall can cause a new problem.
If a faucet leaks inside the wall, shut off the water to that line and call a plumber. Keep gutter work on a ladder, and leave anything on the roof to a roofer.
Call a structural engineer or foundation pro if a crack is growing, a wall bows or leans, or doors and windows suddenly stick. Don't patch over those signs before someone has looked at them.
Spring home maintenance checklist questions
How much should the ground slope away from my house?
The code section used in Massachusetts requires at least 6 inches of fall in the first 10 feet. Local rules differ, and where you can't get that fall, a drain or swale may help. Ask your building department.
When is the best time for a spring exterior check?
Do it after your last freeze and before heavy spring rain. NRCA recommends roof checks in spring and fall, so you can combine them.
Should I worry about a crack in my foundation?
Note its size and date it with a pencil mark so you can track it. If it grows, or if doors stick or walls lean, get a structural engineer or foundation pro to look at it.
Sources: professionalroofing.net, law.cornell.edu, EPA
General guidance for U.S. homes, not professional advice. For gas, electrical and structural work, call a licensed pro.