Most of the issues we flag in fall and winter inspections didn't appear overnight. They started in June, July, and August — a clogged gutter that overflowed during a thunderstorm, an air conditioner that ran all season with a dirty filter, a little grading problem that sent every heavy rain toward the foundation. By the time it shows up in an inspection report, it's a negotiation problem. In summer, it's still just a Saturday chore.
We've inspected thousands of homes across Akron, Cleveland, and the rest of Northeast Ohio. Here's the checklist we'd give any homeowner this time of year.
Northeast Ohio summer storms dump a lot of water fast. Gutters clogged with spring seed pods and debris overflow right at the foundation. Make sure downspouts discharge at least four to six feet from the house. Short downspouts are one of the most common causes of the basement moisture we find.
Soil settles over winter. Walk the perimeter and look for spots where the ground slopes toward the house instead of away. A few bags of topsoil now can prevent the foundation seepage that shows up in next spring's inspection reports.
You don't need to climb up there. From the ground, look for lifted or missing shingles, especially after a storm. Check the attic on a hot day for daylight coming through or staining on the sheathing. Small roof issues become big ceiling issues by winter.
Decks, fences, and trim take a beating from freeze-thaw cycles. Probe any soft spots, check deck ledger boards and railings, and reseal where the finish has worn. Rotted deck structure is a safety call-out on every inspection we do.
Replace the filter, clear vegetation at least a foot or two around the outdoor condenser, and gently rinse the coils with a hose. If the system is struggling on the first hot week of June, have it serviced before July — not during the heat wave when every HVAC company is booked solid.
Ohio basements and summer humidity are a famous combination, and not in a good way. If your basement smells musty or feels damp, run a dehumidifier and keep humidity under about 50 percent. Sustained moisture is how mold colonies get started long before anyone sees them.
Push the test button on smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, trip and reset your GFCI outlets in kitchens, baths, and the garage, and make sure the sump pump actually runs by lifting the float. We find dead detectors and seized sump pumps in homes of every age and price point.
If a sale is anywhere on your horizon, summer is the time to get ahead of it. Everything on this list is the kind of finding that ends up in a buyer's inspection report — and it always reads worse on paper than it looks in person. Some sellers go a step further and book a pre-listing inspection so there are no surprises once they're under contract.
Either way, an hour walking your own property this month is the cheapest inspection you'll ever get. And if you'd rather have a professional set of eyes on it, we're here.
Serving Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Medina, Strongsville, and communities throughout Northeast Ohio, our experienced inspectors deliver clarity, honesty, and timely reports so you can confidently move forward with your real estate decisions.
