Exterior rot on a building inspection

Rot to window trim

One of the more signifigant and common findings on many homes is rot to the exterior of the home. This type of damage is often reffered to “fungus damage” by termite or pest inpsectors.This type of damage is often one of the most costly items that home inspectors find. As home inspectors we can give our clients tips on how to properly maintain a home to avoid future damage.

Tips such as clearance to grade between siding and trim componets. For example as a general rule you want to have at least 2 inches of clearance between concrete and at least 6 inches of clearance from soil between the base of the siding and grade.As you can see in the picture below there is not enoughf clerance betwwen the bottom of the siding and the rock, which led to damage to the siding.

Poor ground clerance can lead to rot

In the case of the picture above the trim is actually acting trapping the water and leading to rot to the siding. The trim is rotting as well because it’s too close to the surface of the deck boards.

Defered maintance can lead to future expensive repairs

Another thing that is important is the condition of the paint and caulking, make sure that the paint is in good condition and that all gaps between the siding, windows and trim componets is properly sealed. You can see in the image above that the paint is in poor condition and worn and peeling.

As home inspectors we are always on the lookout for rot to the exterior, when we see alot of rot to the exterior it is a sign of deferred maintenece. One of the other concerns when we find rot to the siding or trim is that there could be unseen damage to the framing and substrate behind the area(s).

Long story short if your looking to buy or sell a home hire a quaifed and trusted home inspection company like North Bay Inspection.