Spring in the Midwest brings melting snow, shifting soil, and a laundry list of small problems that can turn into expensive repairs if left alone. In this episode of Thoughts from the Crawl Space, we walk through a practical seasonal checklist covering roofs, gutters, grading, foundations, crawl spaces, decks, plumbing, and pest prevention so you can catch issues early and protect your biggest investment. Key Takeaways ● Winter leaves clues. Start your inspection outside, looking for missing or curling shingles, granule loss in gutters, and interior staining that points to ice damming. ● Gutters and downspouts do heavy lifting. Keep them clean, sealed at the joints, sloped correctly, and extended four to six feet away from the foundation. ● Grading is the number one exterior defect on home inspections. Soil should slope away from the house roughly one inch per foot for the first six feet. ● Roughly 95 percent of basement water problems come from roof and yard runoff, so controlling water at the surface prevents most foundation headaches. ● Check foundation cracks annually. Hairline cracks are normal curing cracks, but horizontal or widening cracks deserve a professional evaluation. ● Reopen crawl space vents that were closed for winter, look for standing water, mold growth, torn vapor barriers, and wet insulation. ● Walk the exterior for failed caulk, peeling paint, wood rot, and air leaks around windows that drive up heating and cooling costs. ● Inspect decks for loose railings, rotting boards, and lifted fasteners. Most deck collapses trace back to poor ledger attachment. ● Test your sump pump by pouring a bucket or two of water into the pit, service the HVAC, change the furnace filter, and seal any gaps where pipes or vents enter the home. Resources ● Gold Key Inspection Services: https://www.goldkeyinspection.com ● NIPSCO (Northern Indiana Public Service Company): https://www.nipsco.com Connect ● Podcast, Thoughts from the Crawl Space: https://www.goldkeyinspection.com/podcast ● Gold Key Inspection Services: https://www.goldkeyinspection.com #ThoughtsFromTheCrawlSpace #HomeInspection #PestPrevention #HomeOwnership #HomeMaintenance #RealEstate #HomeBuyers #HomeInspector #PestControl #HomeTips #SpringMaintenance #CrawlSpace #Gutters #FoundationRepair #SumpPump #MidwestHomes #Indiana #HomeownerTips
