Bringing You Peace of Mind

Home Inspection: Home Exterior

Home Owner Tips

EXTERIORS

Building exteriors exposed to sun, wind, and rain need a lot of care and attention if they're to do their jobkeeping the weather out. The hot sun on the south and west faces of a building will cause greater war in these areas. Conversely, the north and shady sides are more susceptible to moss, mold, and other moisture-related problems. Once again, maintenance is king; Make sure gutters and downspouts are clear and in good repair, cut back bushes and plants so they don't retain moisture next to the house, maintain painted or stained surfaces, and caulk gaps around doors, window, trim and other building joints.

Inspection Focus

The exterior is inspected visually at grade level. The inspector's evaluation is based on generally accepted building practices and the age of the components.

Foundation Walls

Inspectors will attempt to identify the type of materials used in the foundation and look for abnormal cracks, wear, or movement. If warranted, additional structural inspections may be recommended.

Siding

Exterior trim, eaves, fascias and soffits should be dry and painted to protect it from the elements. Siding should be free of contact with grade and / or trees and shrubs. Moisture conditions that continually affect exterior siding should be corrected. Caulking and / or flashing should be applied where building materials intersect.

Veneer

Veneer is poraus and can be damaged by water penetration, freezing and subsequent thawing. Bricks, stones, or blocks, and other masonry can be severely damaged and need replacement when moisture is allowed to remain over a period of time. Space between the veneer and the insulating sheathing is required and is accomplished with the use of brick ties. Veneer also requires a proper footing to carry its weight. Movement caused by improper ties or footing are detected by the presence of cracks in mortar or waves in walls.

Doors

Doors may be wood or insulated metal. Most exterior doors are three feet wide and have three solid hinges, positive air tight weather seals and dead bolt locking capabilities. If a house experiences settling or movement within the walls, one of the first noticeable signs will likely be at the doors. If a door sticks it usually means that the door or door frame is no longer square.

Windows

Windows can be single pane, single pane with storm systems, or have double or triple insulated glazings. Styles can be fixed, double hung, casement or sliding. They can be wood or metal and should operate easily and close securely. Insulated windows may suffer from moisture condensation between panes indicating broken thermo seals.

Hose Faucets

Exterior hose faucets should be checked for leakage and loose fittings. In colder climates hose faucets should be winterized to avoid freezing damage and garden hoses should be removed.