Most of these items are a glance. The point isn't to fix anything today. It's to find the small thing while it's still small, and to write it down.
Takes about two hours with a flashlight, a phone camera, and a notepad. Photograph anything you check — a photo from last season is how you know whether something changed.
Outside, walking the house
- Roof from the ground: lifted or missing shingles, moss, debris in the valleys, flashing around the chimney and vents
- Gutters: full, sagging, pulling away, seams dripping
- Downspouts: connected at the ground, pointed away, extensions in place
- Grading: soil sloping toward the house anywhere; mulch piled against siding
- Siding and trim: peeling paint, soft wood, gaps at corners and around windows
- Caulk at windows, doors, and where pipes enter
- Brick: stair-step cracks, white staining (water behind it)
- Foundation: new cracks wider than a pencil pro
- Deck: soft boards, loose rails, ledger board where it meets the house, stair stringers
- Driveway and walks: heaving, trip edges, settling at the garage
- Steps and handrails: tight, well lit
- Exterior lights and motion lights working
- Hose bibs: dripping, frozen in winter, covers on after November
- Irrigation: broken heads, zone spraying the house, backflow preventer cover in winter
- AC condenser: two feet clear all around, coil fins clean, pad level, no vines
- Dryer vent flap outside: opens, no lint ball, no bird nest
- Gas meter and regulator: nothing growing on it, no smell
- Trees: limbs over the roof, dead limbs anywhere, trunk damage
- Fence and gates: posts solid, latches work
- Crawlspace vents and door: closed in winter, screens intact
Attic and crawlspace (flashlight)
- Attic: daylight through the roof deck; dark or wet insulation; stains on rafters
- Attic: disconnected or crushed ductwork; bath fans venting into the attic instead of outside
- Attic: droppings, nests, chewed wires pro
- Exposed pipes in attic or garage before winter
- Crawlspace: standing water, wet soil, vapor barrier in place
- Crawlspace: sagging insulation, mold smell, termite tubes on piers pro
- Crawlspace: dehumidifier running and draining
Systems
- HVAC filter: date on it, replaced if due
- Condensate line: clear; float switch not tripped; cup of vinegar in spring and summer
- Thermostat batteries (if it takes them)
- Furnace: any rust, soot, or burning smell on first run of the season
- Water heater: age on the label; rust or water at the base; pressure-relief valve not dripping; expansion tank present
- Water pressure at an outside spigot with a $10 gauge: 40–80 psi
- Electrical panel: cover on, breakers labeled, nothing warm to the touch, no buzzing pro
- GFCI outlets: press test, then reset — kitchen, baths, garage, outside
- Under every sink: drips, soft cabinet floor, corroded supply lines
- Supply lines: braided steel, not rubber — washer, toilets, sinks
- Toilets: running, rocking at the base, flapper closing
- Washer hoses: no bulges; dryer vent hose not kinked
- Garage door: auto-reverse stops on a 2×4; rollers and hinges lubricated; springs not rusted through pro
- Sump pump: lift the float — it should run
- Main water shutoff: turns, and everyone knows where it is
Inside, room by room
- Smoke and CO detectors: test button; date on the back (replace at 10 years)
- Fire extinguisher in the kitchen: gauge in the green, within date
- Ceilings: new stains, especially below bathrooms and around chimneys
- Windows: open, lock, no fog between panes; screens intact
- Exterior doors: latch, lock, weatherstrip seals, threshold tight
- Bathrooms: grout and caulk at the tub and shower; exhaust fan pulls a tissue
- Floors: soft spots near doors and under windows
- Fireplace: damper opens and closes; no smoke smell; last sweep date
- Range hood filter clean; refrigerator coils vacuumed; water filter dates
- Any outlet or switch that's warm, discolored, or sparks pro
Once a year: easy to live in
- Lighting on every path, step, and stair — brighter bulbs where it's dim
- Night lights between bedroom and bath
- Loose rugs and cords where people walk
- Handrails on both sides of stairs, solid; a rail at the entry step
- A sturdy grab point in the shower; a bath mat that doesn't slide
- Thresholds and door transitions that catch a toe
- Smoke detector within reach to silence, or a hush button on a remote
pro marks the items where a finding means calling someone, not fixing it yourself.
Next guideRepair or replace?