How to do a routine house inspection: DIY Guide

The need for pricey home repairs rarely materializes overnight. There are often warning signs – sometimes developing slowly over months or years – that signal a worsening issue.

Taking a quick walk around your home a couple of times a year can help you catch these problems while they’re in the early stages, before they grow into a catastrophe with an equally big impact on your wallet.

Here are the top issues to look for while conducting a routine home inspection.

Look for cracks in your house’s foundation

Serious foundation issues can be among the most expensive home problems to fix, often requiring new underpinning, soil redistribution, and structural reinforcement. Signs of foundation damage are cracks in the walls, uneven or sloped floors, growing gaps between floors and walls, and window and door frames that suddenly stick when they didn’t before.

Foundation issues are common among older homes that have endured decades of freeze-thaw cycles, soil erosion, growing tree roots, and heavy storms, all of which can cause the structure to resettle.

Foundation issues can also be caused by mistakes made during the construction process; these can include outdated building techniques used on century homes, but building errors can certainly occur in new builds, too.

Whatever the cause, it’s important to catch  issues early while there may still be options for foundation crack repair. If the break is just a hairline crack, you may be able to fix it yourself with a concrete repair sealant, which helps stop the crack from deepening and prevents moisture from getting in.

Deeper cracks on a steep diagonal or with widening gaps are a sign of a larger issue, however, and should have a professional assessment sooner rather than later.

Check your roof – outside, and in

Doing a visual check of your roof twice a year – whether on a ladder or from the ground with binoculars – can help spot small issues before they turn into costly leaks or pest invasion.

Keep an eye out for missing, damaged, or worn shingles, and check that the flashing – the metal strips that seal the joints around chimneys, vents, and skylights – is intact, with no rust, lifting, or gaps. Flashing tends to fail first around poorly installed skylights, which are a common source of roof leaks. Also look for any rotting or gaps in your fascia and soffit, which offer an entry point to critters looking for a place to nest.

Finding rusted nails and bits of shingle on the ground can signal that your roof is nearing its lifespan, or needs a patch job.

There are also checks you can do indoors to determine the condition of your roof; look for leaks in the attic, water spots forming on the ceiling, or signs of mould or mildew. Blistering or bubbling paint on the walls can indicate trapped water.

One great way to prevent roof damage is with regular gutter cleaning; doing this at least once a year (or more frequently if you have a yard with a heavy tree canopy), helps prevent blockages and water overflow, which can contribute to dangerous icicles and ice damming in the winter.

Assess the grading around your home

Your home’s grading – the level and slope of soil around your house – plays an important role in keeping your foundation in good shape and your basement leak-free.

When your grading slopes away properly from your home, it diverts water runoff away from your foundation walls. When this slope deteriorates, as it can over time and with storm damage, it raises the risk of flooding, cracked foundations, and damaged landscaping.

The main thing to look for is water collecting near the base of your home. It’s worth taking a look at how water has drained away after heavy rainfall; standing pools are a red flag that the grading needs a fix.

That pooled water can work its way into your home’s foundation, leading to basement moisture buildup or visible leaks, as well as musty smells and mould growth.

Examine doors and windows for wear, tear, and missing seals

One of the biggest money wasters are drafty doors and windows; they sap your home’s energy efficiency, making it tougher to maintain an even and comfortable temperature – not to mention skyrocketing heating bills!

The first step is to find and seal gaps, whether thorough window replacement, re-caulking, or glazing. To locate them, you can do a draft test by holding a stick of lit incense or a smoke pen near your window or door frame to see if there’s movement. If the smoke flickers with no other air source, it’s a sign that an outdoor breeze is making its way in. Also check for:

• Signs of wear or deterioration in your window and door seals

• Signs of water damage, rot, or warping on your window sills and sashes

• All hardware for signs of rusting, sticking, and breakage

• The ease at which your windows are opening and shutting; if they’re sticking, there could be a structural or moisture problem at play

Inspect walls and ceilings for water damage

The most common symptom of water damage is brown or yellow staining that spreads on your ceiling or along your walls over time. Dark black or green spots, as well as a musty smell that won’t go away, are signs of mould.

A sign of more urgent water damage is sagging or bowing drywall or plaster – this can indicate there’s a large amount of water that’s built up in the ceiling or beyond a wall. If you’re able, press lightly on the area to see if it’s soft or has give. Contact a Pro immediately – such as a roofer or plumber, depending on the water source –  if there’s risk of a leak.

Water damage in the floor can present as floorboards that feel spongy underfoot, visible buckling, peeling, and separation between the floor seams, and warped and curling floorboards.

Check out our other DIY Guides:

• Home safety checks DIY Guide

• Plumbing inspection DIY Guide

• Seasonal lawn mowing DIY Guide