Moisture & Exterior Water-Intrusion Checklist

Failed caulk and blistered paint at window and door trim, siding edges, single-pane sills, and a humid crawlspace. Lake-influenced humidity and shaded, slow-drying elevations let slow leaks reach framing before anyone notices.

On older single-pane windows it's a warning: persistent condensation rots sills and framing over time. Track which windows sweat and how badly — it's cheap to address early and expensive once the sill is soft.

Chronic moisture leaves a trail: moss or algae on shaded elevations, staining, and soft spots that return. Photograph the spots and compare next season — repeat evidence in the same place is the expensive kind.

Elevated humidity, common on near-lake lots. A musty smell plus condensation means moisture is sitting under the house, degrading insulation and inviting rot. Act on it rather than mask it.

Not necessarily, but price it. Get the source diagnosed (grading, humidity, or a leak) before you commit; the fix ranges from cheap grading to a full vapor-barrier and drainage job. Know which before you write.

Window and sill rot and crawlspace humidity — that's where slow damage compounds into framing repairs. Cosmetic paint issues can wait; water reaching wood cannot.