Detroit homes experience everything from summer heat and heavy rain to freezing temperatures, snow, and repeated freeze-thaw cycles. A little preventive attention throughout the year can help homeowners identify developing concerns, protect important systems, and improve comfort and energy efficiency.
Home Maintenance
Water management is one of the most important parts of property maintenance. Regularly check gutters and downspouts for debris, particularly after leaves fall and following major storms. Downspouts should direct water away from the foundation rather than allowing it to collect beside the house.
Watch the basement and foundation for damp areas, staining, unusual odors, or changes after heavy rain or snowmelt. Moisture problems that are addressed early may be easier to manage than those allowed to continue unnoticed.
Michigan weather can be hard on exterior materials. From the ground, periodically look for missing or damaged roofing materials, deteriorated flashing, damaged siding, peeling finishes, and gaps around exterior penetrations.
Also check walkways, porches, steps, decks, and driveways for deterioration or movement. After winter, pay particular attention to changes that may have developed during freeze-thaw cycles.
Never climb onto a roof unless you can do so safely. When in doubt, have the area professionally evaluated.
Basements can provide early clues about conditions elsewhere in the home. Look for water staining, active leaks, cracks that appear to be changing, plumbing leaks, unusual condensation, musty odors, or visible microbial-like growth.
Don't simply cover a recurring moisture problem with paint or finishes. Determining where the moisture is coming from is an important part of addressing the underlying condition.
A home's sewer lateral is largely out of sight, which makes it easy to forget until a drainage problem develops. Older properties, mature trees, and unknown sewer-line histories can make a sewer-scope inspection particularly worth considering.
A sewer-scope inspection uses specialized equipment to examine accessible portions of the line and can reveal conditions that would not ordinarily be visible during a general home inspection.
Radon is invisible and odorless, so you cannot determine a home's radon level through sight or smell. Testing provides information about radon concentrations during the test period.
Homeowners who have never tested their property—or who have made significant changes to the home—may want to consider professional radon gas testing.
Heating and cooling account for a significant part of a Michigan home's energy use. Simple maintenance can help the equipment operate as intended.
Check HVAC filters regularly and replace them according to the system and filter manufacturer's recommendations. Keep supply and return vents unobstructed, and have heating and cooling equipment serviced as appropriate.
Before winter, check exterior doors and accessible windows for noticeable drafts. Appropriate air sealing and weatherstripping can improve comfort while reducing unnecessary heat loss.
The attic can play an important role in both energy efficiency and the overall condition of a home. Insulation, ventilation, roof penetrations, and moisture conditions can all affect performance.
Warning signs such as unusual attic moisture, condensation, staining, or significant temperature differences deserve attention. Infrared thermal imaging can also help trained inspectors identify surface-temperature anomalies that may warrant further investigation.
Test smoke and carbon monoxide alarms according to the manufacturer's instructions and replace batteries or units when required. Make sure household members know where alarms are located and what to do if one activates.
Home safety devices are easy to overlook precisely because homeowners rarely need them. Routine checks help ensure they are ready when they are needed.
You don't need to be buying or selling a property to benefit from an inspection.
A professional Home Maintenance Inspection can provide an independent look at visible and accessible components of your home. It can be especially useful if you have lived in the property for several years, are planning renovations, or simply want a better understanding of developing maintenance needs.
Try making property care a seasonal habit rather than waiting for something to fail.
In the spring, look for winter-related exterior damage, drainage concerns, and signs of water intrusion. During summer, monitor cooling performance, exterior components, and moisture conditions. In the fall, clean gutters, prepare heating equipment, address drafts, and get the exterior ready for freezing temperatures. During winter, watch for plumbing concerns, unusual condensation, heat loss, and changes caused by snow, ice, or freezing weather.
A few minutes of observation throughout the year can help you recognize when something has changed.
For professional Home Maintenance Inspections, Sewer-Scope Inspections, WDO Inspections, Mold Inspections and Testing, or Radon Gas Testing in Detroit, contact Trademark Inspection Services.
Serving Detroit and communities throughout Southeast and Mid-Michigan.
Keeping water away from the foundation, and knowing the age of the roof, furnace and water heater. Those four things account for most of the expensive surprises.
Yes. A home maintenance inspection is the same thorough look without a transaction attached, which is useful if you have owned the house for years and want a current picture.
The data plate usually carries a manufacture date, and an inspector will note approximate age in the report so you can plan rather than react.
Disconnect and drain outdoor faucets, clear the gutters, and test the heating and detectors. Those three take an afternoon and prevent most winter claims.
Scheduling is easy, and we are here to help.
