5 Things to Have Inspected on the Exterior of Your Home

The exterior of your home is the first thing that people see when they come to visit, and it should be well maintained. Have you had a professional inspect the exterior of your home lately? Here are five things that need to be inspected on the outside of your house:

1.  Siding and Exterior Trims

The siding on your home can last for decades, but it does need to be inspected every so often. If you see any signs of hanging nails or exposed fasteners, this means that the siding is starting to separate from the wall and needs to be repaired immediately.

You should also look out for cracks in between each board as well as any exposed wood around windows and doors where water may have seeped into overtime if there’s been a lot of rain lately.

Exterior trims include all window trim boards, door frames, and baseboards; make sure they’re in good shape because these parts tend not to get fixed when something goes wrong with them like rot or insect damage—in which case you’ll probably end up having to replace them.

2.  Gutters and Downspouts

Gutters are there to channel rainwater away from your foundation, so don’t neglect them. If you see that water is pooling around the base of your home or if the gutters look like they’re sagging because their weight has become too much for them to handle, it may be time for new ones. Gutters are important since they help to direct water away from the foundation of your home.

To inspect gutters and downspouts, check for

•           Water accumulating at the foot of your house.

•           Sagging gutters that look like they’re too heavy to hold up anymore.

•           Downspout extensions that don’t direct water away from your foundation as well as they should be able to (they need to slope at least one inch for every ten feet of downspout).

3.  Roofing Materials (Including Shingles)

Roofing materials, such as shingles and flashing tape need to be in good condition. Pay close attention to the ridge cap at each end of your roof; if you see that it’s curling up or has water stains on it, then there could potentially be a leak waiting to happen right along where two sections of the roof meet. A roof inspection can only be done by professionals like charlottesville roofing.

When inspecting the roof, look for:

•           Curled ridge caps along each end of your home’s roof (if you see this, then there could potentially be a leak waiting to happen).

•           Water stains on your shingles or flashing tape around chimneys and vents.

•           Sagging gutters due to too much weight hanging at their ends.

•           Any exposed nails or fasteners as well as loose shingles.

•           All moldings, soffits, and fascia boards need to be inspected closely since they’re prone to water damage if not properly maintained; make sure any replacement parts are installed correctly.

4.  HVAC System

If you have a forced-air heating system, then the first thing to keep an eye out for is dirty filters or registers that aren’t doing their job of directing air where it should be going. Make sure that all vents are clear and open, as well as check your ductwork if this applies to you since leaks in those can cause problems too.

Inspecting your HVAC system will also include:

•           Checking the insulation around your furnace’s vent pipe—the outer jacket needs to overlap by at least six inches both on top and underneath (this prevents warm inside air from escaping into cold drafts).

•           All return registers need to direct airflow up towards the ceiling rather than letting it settle down near floor level; any other type of register should be open and clear.

•           Filters need to remain clean, as should the coils at the back of your furnace for forced-air heating systems (make sure they’re not blocked by any insulation that may have fallen into them).

5.  Electrical Outlets Near Ground Level

If you have outlets near ground level, make sure to inspect them and replace any that look like they’re damaged (the faceplates should be flush with the wall) or are worn around their openings. Outdoor electrical outlets need to remain accessible for when repairs are needed—for example, if a tree branch falls on one of your power lines, causing an outage in some parts of your home but not others.

Inspecting these areas will help ensure that this is possible if it does happen so that no time is lost getting things back up and running again. Damaged outdoor electrical outlets can pose safety hazards since someone could potentially get electrocuted by being too close to them while they’re trying to do something important such as charging their phone or running their lawnmower.

Electrical inspections should also include:

•           Check your main breakers and sub-panels for signs of damage (there shouldn’t be any exposed wires, frayed cables, or anything else that looks like it’s been compromised).

•           Your grounding system needs to remain intact—this is the wire connected from the sub-panel box to an earth ground near one corner of your house; look out for bare spots in its coating as well as corrosion around its terminals since these are both indicators that this could need replacing soon.

Conclusion

The exterior of your home is something that should be checked out regularly since it can deteriorate over time. When inspecting the roof, look for Curled ridge caps along each end of your home’s roof (if you see this, then there could potentially be a leak waiting to happen). It is important to check your HVAC system for any signs of damage as well since this can be a safety hazard. Electrical inspections should include checking the grounding system, wiring, and cables to make sure that they are intact with no exposed wires or frayed ends.

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