Every home requires maintenance.  Things that change subtly over time go unnoticed if you are around them everyday.  Unless you specifically look to see issues you will most likely miss them.

Every Spring and Fall homeowners should take a look at the home’s exterior for signs of maintenance needs.  Here are ten things to watch for in your DIY Fall Visual Inspection:

1. Unprotected Wood – Look to see if there is wear, fading, or damaged siding, or trim that is now more susceptible to deterioration.  Exposed wood can absorb water and that can cause the wood to change shape, attract pests, or create moisture issues inside.  Identify unprotected wood and create a plan to address the issue before winter.

2. Vegetation Concerns – Branches growing toward your home or over your roof may cause damage.  If a homeowner can have them trimmed back before they get large and hang over the home, it can save on expenses.  Trimming a small branch that is not over a home is far more affordable than trimming a large branch hanging over the home.  In addition, you save on repairs of potential damage from falling debris from the trees.  
   
   In addition to branches over the home make sure the plants around the home are trimmed back at least 6″ from the structure. This helps allow moisture to evaporate and provides fewer areas for pests (ants, termites, etc) to hide as they try to get into your home.  
   
   Finally, ensure that branches are not in contact with electric lines that go overhead to reduce the risk of power outages. If the utility company needs to come through and trim the branches around the lines they will not look the way you would prefer them to look.  Be proactive in maintaining these.

3. Lawn Maintenance Issues – High traffic areas in your yard may have less grass than they did earlier in the Summer.  Such areas could produce mud issues in the winter months when there is snow and rain.  As a result, pets, children or you could track that mud into your home, creating issues inside.  This time of year is great for planting grass and getting it healthy before the first freeze comes.

4. Grading Issues – One of the greatest threats to your home is water.  Over time, the soil around your foundation naturally settles.  As a result, the slope that may have once been draining water away is now directing water toward your foundation.  Adding the appropriate backfill around your foundation should result in the grade dropping at least 1″ per foot.  This should extend at least 4-6′ past the foundation.

5. Gutters and Downspouts – Water overflowing the gutters can create moisture issues for your fascia and soffit, lawn, and foundation.  Clean the gutters and downspouts to ensure water flows away from the home.  This includes extending the downspouts to get that water 4-6′ away.  Consider hiring a gutter company to clean your gutters and downspouts to reduce your risk of injury.

6. Voids Beneath Hard Surfaces – Water and animals can sometimes create a void beneath your hard surfaces like driveways, sidewalks, porches, stairs, and patios. These voids allow water to get underneath and erode the soil as well as potentially impact the foundation.  In addition, it creates a point of shelter for rodents and animals in that void. Fill these areas with dirt.  As you put the dirt in compress it as best you can to minimize additional deterioration.

7. Door and Window Weather Stripping – Weather stripping can have a dramatic impact on the efficiency of your home.  This directly impacts your comfort level and your utility bills.  Look around the front and back doors to see if the weather stripping around the bottom, sides and top creates a seal.  Feel around the interior of your windows to ensure they are airtight. Also, look at the bottom of the garage door to ensure the gasket goes all the way across (this helps with air as well as keeping out pests).

8. Roof Conditions – While it would be ideal to get up on the roof, it is highly recommended that only professionals navigate this task.  For your Fall Visual Inspection, you can evaluate from the ground and use binoculars.  First, look for any shingle rows that are not aligned properly.  Watch for straight lines and see if any of them have a shingle that may have slipped out of alignment. Also, see if any shingles have a part that is missing. These conditions indicate necessary repairs.  
   
   You can use binoculars to look at the boots around the plumbing and utility vents.  These boots should go “downhill” the entire way.  They should not be concave and trap water.  Then take a look around the chimney to see if the flashing has any gaps or if the bricks have any cracking in the mortar or deterioration of the bricks themselves. These conditions could create concerns with snow and rain.

9. Lighting – The fall is a good time of year to replace lighting that may be inaccessible in the winter months.  Lighting plays an important role in home security.  Replace all inoperative bulbs as well as missing covers.  Homeowners should ensure all exterior lighting is operational.

10. Fence Repair – Give your fence a thorough examination in the fall.  Some fence materials require more maintenance than others.  Examine wood fences for loose or damaged pickets, wobbly columns, and exposed wood. Secure or replace these compoenents as necessary.  Stain or paint wood fences to prolong their life expectancy.

This is not an exhaustive list.  But, these ten things can help you save money and ensure small projects do not become bigger ones because of neglect over time.  Spend an hour or two inspecting your home’s exterior this weekend and seeing what you want to get taken care of before the weather changes.