One of the simplest ways to get started with strong home maintenance is to take a careful walk around your home at least every year, ideally every quarter, looking for changes in the house. Issues often start on the outside, where surface-level fixes can be fast and easy, and get worse as they permeate in, such as with water damage or wood damage. Catching these changes to your home early can help you make low-drama fixes without needing to discover a major problem after it is out of control.

What to look for? We’re glad you asked – Homelight’s Top Agent Insights shines a light on some great things to check for.

Check on the Foundation

Whether you’re looking on the outside of the home or the basement itself, really check the foundation thoroughly. Soil settles and changes where the pressure on the foundation rests, which can result in different pressures than when the home was built. Over time, cracks in the foundation can create major problems for the home, but catching cracks when they are hair-line fissures can be easier to fix and mitigate the damage. If your nervous about what you find, have a foundation repair professional check it out. 

Look At Siding and Exposed Wood Elements

Storms and tree branches falling can dent or break siding and wooden components of your home’s exterior. Often, if this happens when you aren’t home, you may not notice until water has been leaking into your home and causing damage for quite a while. Ideally, you’d check out wood damage immediately if you know there was a storm, but if you’re doing your quarterly walk around the home and see something, make an appointment to have it fixed or learn how to DIY a quick repair. 

Investigate the Roof

Depending on the angles from which you can approach it, you may need to evaluate your roof from the ground and by looking out windows on the second story of your home. Still, noticing missing or loose shingles is key to getting the full life out of your roof. Too much damage can accelerate deterioration, making you need a whole new roof sooner than you would otherwise. Get those small repairs done to save hassle and extend the roof’s life.

Bonus Check: Check for How Water Pools During the Rain

If you’re also working with some landscaping and wanting your home to look its best for years to come, walk around the house during a heavy rain. If water pools near the foundation, those hairline fissures may get water in them, freeze, and get worse, so definitely look to have a landscaper help you route water away from those pooling zones. Natural runoff can carry water away from the foundation and make it little less likely to cause foundation damage.