Guides / Outside the house
Exterior checks
Most expensive repairs start outside as something small: a split in the caulk, a downspout that lets go, a patch of siding that stays damp. A slow walk around your house once a season, with a notebook or your phone camera, catches most of them while they are still cheap.
What to check
- Foundation
- Look for new cracks, especially horizontal ones or any wider than about 1/8 inch, and for soil that has settled against the wall. Photograph cracks with a coin for scale so you can compare next season.
- Grading
- Ground should slope away from the house. A common target is a drop of about 6 inches over the first 10 feet. Low spots next to the wall send water toward the foundation.
- Siding and trim
- Check for soft wood, peeling paint, gaps, and anything touching the ground. Keep soil and mulch a few inches below the bottom of the siding.
- Windows and doors
- Look at the caulk around frames and the condition of sills. Cracked caulk on a south or west face usually fails first because it gets the most sun.
- Decks, steps and railings
- Push on railings, look for loose boards and rusted fasteners, and check where the deck ledger attaches to the house.
- Outdoor faucets and vents
- Make sure hose bibs do not drip, dryer and bath vents have working flaps, and nothing is nesting in them.
When to do it
Do a full walk in spring and fall, and a quick look after any major storm.
Call a licensed professional for
- Foundation cracks that are widening, horizontal, or letting water in
- Rot in structural framing, sills or the deck ledger
- Siding damage larger than a single board or panel
This guide is general information for US homeowners. Codes, climates and houses vary. It is not a substitute for an inspection or advice from a licensed contractor, and in an emergency call 911.