Exterior home inspections are your bouncer at the door, kicking out lemons before you sign on the dotted line. In Tacoma‘s salty Puget Sound air, where wind whips off Commencement Bay and rain pounds like drum solos, these checks spot trouble from the ground up. No fluff, just pros eyeballing siding, roofs, and foundations to save you from surprise repair bills that hit like a Seahawks playoff loss.
Inspectors climb ladders, poke gutters, tap walls, and sniff out rot without tearing anything apart. They grade elements on a condition scale: good (like new), fair (watch it), or “fix this yesterday” (danger zone). Tacoma’s mix of Craftsman bungalows in North End, mid-century ranches in South Tacoma, and waterfront condos means unique gotchas like mossy shakes, earthquake-prone glacial till, and corrosion from freighters in the bay. Let’s tour the complete checklist, Tacoma-style, so you know what to watch for and negotiate like a boss.
Roof and Gutters: Rain’s First Battlefield
Roofs take the brunt of Tacoma’s endless rain, and inspectors scan shingles or shakes for missing tabs (over 10% is bad), curling edges, granule loss, or moss blankets that trap moisture like a bad sponge. Metal roofs get rust bubble checks from salt air; tile roofs are probed for cracks from winter ice. Flat roofs on Hilltop commercial flips? Extra scrutiny for pooling or alligatoring.
Gutters sag, overflow, or rust through? Red flag: water cascades down walls, rotting trim, and sheathing. Downspouts must extend 5-10 feet away from the house or connect to drains; no kick-outs dumping onto patios. Criteria: Secure flashing around chimneys/vents, no soft spots underfoot, valleys clear of debris. One Tacoma buyer in Stadium District dodged a $15K roof swap after an inspector spotted moss-hidden soft spots and bidet-like leaks.
Siding and Trim: Facade Fakers Beware
Tacoma’s foggy winters and UV summers breed siding woes. Wood lap? Probe for soft rot, insect exit holes, or cupping caused by poor ventilation. Vinyl warps or cracks from heat cycles; check seams/gaps wider than 1/16-inch for water infiltration. Brick/stucco on Proctor homes? Hunt hairline cracks over 1/8-inch; Nisqually quake aftershocks shake ’em loose.
Trim around windows/doors seals the deal; gaps over 1/4-inch invite leaks and bugs. Paint peeling in sheets or blistering? Moisture’s at work underneath, the moisture meter confirms. Inspectors tap for hollow sounds, grade on 20-year life expectancy. Pro tip: Tacoma’s south- and west-facing homes on 6th Ave fade and rot faster due to salt spray from the Sound.
Foundation and Structure: The House’s Backbone
Tacoma sits on glacial till and clay that shifts like a fidgety kid during quakes. Inspectors level-check concrete/block foundations for cracks over 1/8-inch wide (horizontal worst), bowing walls over 1-inch out-of-plumb, or uneven settling (doors sticking signal it). Basements get flashlight tours for water stains, efflorescence (white powdery crust), or hydrostatic pressure cracks.
Crawlspaces? Vapor barriers intact (6-mil min), no standing water/ponding, joists free of punky rot or termite mud tubes. Concrete slabs crack from madrona roots or poor compaction; note stair-step patterns signaling big differential moves. Criteria: Proper grading slopes 6 inches in 10 feet away, no active heaving from frost. Skip this, and your Tacoma dream home tilts like the Leaning Tower of Pizza—$20K+ fix.
Windows, Doors, and Decks: Entry Point Enemies
Foggy double-panes signal failed seals; argon gas is gone; energy bills spike 20%. Doors stick, whistle, or sag? Warped frames, rusted hinges, inadequate weatherstripping. Inspectors test the operation (smooth 90-degree swing), check caulking integrity, and inspect the peek screens for tears/holes.
Decks in Tacoma’s shady backyards rot fast from damp shade and fir needles. Railings wobble under a 200lb load? Code violation: Balusters with gaps under 4 inches fail. Boards spongy, joists undersized/spaced wrong, ledger bolts missing? Instant fail. Stairs need 36-inch treads, 34-inch guards. One North End inspector saved a family from a deck collapse during a summer BBQ.
Grading, Drainage, and Lot Issues: Water’s Sneaky Sabotage
Yards slope toward the house or are flat? Flood city in winter, inspectors measure 5% minimum away, scout low spots breeding puddles/mosquitoes. Driveways crack from heaving clay; retaining walls lean over 1-inch/10ft or weep without drains? Trouble brewing.
Trees too close (under 15ft) drop roots, cracking slabs; Tacoma’s madrones, firs, and maples are culprits. Sprinklers erode soil, and septic systems show wet spots. Vegetation touching the siding traps moisture; trim back 18 inches. French drains clogged? Add to the punch list.
Why Tacoma Exteriors Demand Extra Scrutiny
Our bay breezes carry salt, eating metal like candy; 4.0+ quakes rattle loose bricks yearly. Winter freezes expand cracks overnight, and summer sun bakes sealants brittle. A solid exterior inspection arms you with color photos and report ammo for seller credits. Tacoma deals close in 7-10 days, no time for post-buy regrets.
Ready for a Tacoma Exterior Once-Over?
Skip the DIY eyeball test, wind and rain hide defects pros catch. Call The Sterling Inspection Group for thorough exterior home inspections in Tacoma, WA. Their crew uses drones, thermal cameras, and moisture meters to deliver unbeatable detail across Pierce County.
Contact The Sterling Inspection Group
Address: 3616 Lanyard Dr NE, Lacey, WA 98516
Phone: (253) 256-2927
Website: sterlinginspections.com
Source: sterlinginspections.com
Header Image Source: Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash
