The 1-Hour Home Health Walk: Spotting Problems from the Outside In

As a homeowner, you get used to the sounds and quirks of your house from the inside. The creaky floorboard, the hum of the refrigerator, the way the sun hits the living room in the afternoon. But how well do you know your home’s exterior?

Your home's outer shell—its roof, siding, and foundation—is its armor, protecting you and your investment from the elements 24/7. Ignoring it can lead to some of the most catastrophic and expensive repairs imaginable. The good news? You don’t need to be a professional contractor to keep an eye on things.

All it takes is one hour, twice a year, to perform a simple “Home Health Walk.” Think of it as a check-up for your house. Grab a notepad (or your phone), a cup of coffee, and let’s take a walk. We’ll break it down into three parts: looking down, looking straight ahead, and looking up.

Step 1: Look Down (The Foundation & Grading)

Start at one corner of your house and work your way around, focusing on the bottom three feet. This is where your home meets the ground, and it’s a critical zone for water and pest issues.

• Foundation: Look for cracks in the concrete or block. Tiny, hairline vertical cracks are often due to normal settling. However, keep an eye on horizontal cracks, stair-step cracks in brickwork, or any crack wider than a quarter-inch. These can signal serious structural or water pressure problems and warrant a call to a structural engineer.
• Grading: Does the ground slope away from your foundation? It should. If the soil or your mulch beds are piled up against the house or slope inward, rainwater will pool against your foundation, creating immense pressure and eventually leading to leaks and cracks. The ground should drop at least six inches over the first ten feet away from your home.
• Pests: Look for termite mud tubes (pencil-sized tunnels of mud) climbing up from the ground. Check for rotting wood near the ground, which can attract carpenter ants and other pests.

Step 2: Look Straight Ahead (Siding, Windows & Doors)

Now, take a few steps back and examine the walls of your home. You’re looking for any breach in the armor that could let water in.

• Siding: Whether you have vinyl, wood, brick, or fiber cement, look for problem signs. Is paint peeling or bubbling? That’s a classic sign moisture is trapped behind it. Are there cracks, gaps, or loose panels? For wood siding, gently poke any discolored spots with a screwdriver; if it’s soft and spongy, you have rot.
• Windows & Doors: Check the caulking around all windows and doors. If it’s cracked, peeling, or missing, it’s a direct pathway for water and drafts. This is one of the easiest and most impactful DIY fixes you can do.
• Vents & Faucets: Examine where pipes and vents exit your home. Is the seal around your dryer vent intact? Is your outdoor hose bib (faucet) dripping? These small penetrations are common failure points.

Step 3: Look Up (The Roof, Gutters & Chimney)

For this step, you can stay safely on the ground. A pair of binoculars can be a huge help here.

• Roof: Scan the entire surface of your roof. Do you see any shingles that are missing, cracked, or curled up at the edges? Look for dark, “dirty” patches, which could be moss or algae—both of which trap moisture and shorten your roof’s lifespan. Pay special attention to the flashing around chimneys, vents, and skylights, ensuring it looks flat and sealed.
• Gutters: We have a whole post on why gutters are non-negotiable, but on your walk, look for the obvious. Are they sagging or pulling away from the house? Are seams leaking? Crucially, where do the downspouts empty? Make sure they are directing water several feet away from your foundation, not dumping it right at the base of your home.
• Chimney: If you have a masonry chimney, check the bricks and mortar joints. Are they crumbling or flaking? Is the chimney cap (the concrete or metal piece on top) intact? A damaged chimney can be a superhighway for water to enter your home.

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From Walkaround to Action Plan

Congratulations! You’ve just completed a comprehensive check-up of your home’s exterior. Now you have a list of observations. Some might be simple fixes, like applying a $10 tube of caulk. Others, like a suspicious foundation crack or a sea of curled shingles, might require a professional opinion.

The goal isn't to fix everything at once. It's to be aware and proactive.

This is where a plan becomes essential. How do you remember to check the caulking again next year? How do you start saving for that roof you now know is 15 years old and starting to show wear? Juggling these timelines and potential costs can feel overwhelming.

This is exactly why we built Properteer. After your walkaround, you can use the Properteer app to log every component of your home's exterior—from the roof to the siding. Add notes from your inspection, upload photos of that suspicious crack, and let our AI help you understand the typical lifespan and replacement cost for each item.

Properteer turns your one-hour walk into a long-term strategy. It will remind you when it's time to do another check-up and help you build a budget, so when the time comes to replace your roof, it’s a planned project, not a panicked emergency. Protect your home's armor and your peace of mind. Try Properteer today and take control of your home’s future.

Q&A: Your Exterior Check-up

Q: How often should I do an exterior home walkaround? A: A thorough walkaround is best done twice a year, ideally in the spring and fall. These seasons offer mild weather and allow you to assess any damage from winter storms or prepare your home for the coming cold. It's also wise to do a quick walk after any major storm.

Q: What are the biggest red flags to look for on my foundation? A: The most serious warning signs are horizontal cracks, stair-step cracks in brick or block foundations, and any crack that is bulging or wider than a quarter-inch. While tiny vertical cracks are common, these larger, directional cracks suggest significant pressure and potential structural issues that need a professional evaluation.

Q: What's the most important thing to check during the walkaround? A: While everything is important, the single most critical element to check is water management. This means ensuring your gutters are clear, downspouts are extended, and the ground slopes away from your foundation. Improper drainage is the root cause of the vast majority of expensive foundation, basement, and siding issues.