Central Oregon had a real winter this year – lots of snow, wind and cold – but the weather that made the skier exalt may make the home- owner wince now that spring is here.

A post-winter home inspection is very much in order just now to make sure the weather didn’t do a number on your home.

”Take a walk around the outside of the house and eyeball everything. If something looks out-of-whack, it probably is,” says Mark Butcher, the owner of Rent-a-Husband, a handyman and remodel business in Bend.

Butcher recommends starting at the top. Get out a ladder and inspect the house top-to-bottom, making notes of what needs repair and help.

Roof

Check for loose and missing shingles. Shingles that curl should be replaced, too. Look at the cap of the chimney to make sure it’s still there. The flashing around the base of the chimney may need to be resealed with liquid concrete and a fresh coat of black roof tar might need to be put around the base of the chimney where it goes into the house to prevent leaking. Check the chimney inside at the ceiling to make sure it hasn’t leaked over the winter. Often, a slow leak will manifest in bubbled paint and blistered sheetrock.

”People probably burned a lot more wood than usual this winter,” says Butcher. ”Make sure you get that stove pipe cleaned.”

The seals and flashing of all skylights should be checked to see if they are loose or starting to gap.

Check the vent screens that provide roof ventilation. Butcher says birds love to knock them out and nest in the cavities.

Look for old wasp nests and knock them down. The wasps aren’t active right now, so it’s a good time to get rid of the nests to prevent wasp worry in July.

Gutters and downspouts

”Get those gutters cleaned out,” says Butcher.

After removing the leaves and branches, take a hose and rinse out the downspouts until the water runs freely. Check to see that the water is running away from the house and not pooling up next to the foundation. Also make sure that the downspouts haven’t pulled away from the house due to snow load over the winter.

Siding, windows and doors

Siding may have shrunk over the winter, and Butcher says there are apt to be nails sticking out. Use a nail set to pound in popped nails (the nail set – a pointed metal object used for sinking nail heads – won’t leave hammer marks on the siding).

Check all doors and windows for cracked or shrunken caulking. Especially check the tops of windows. Butcher says this is a particular concern for new houses that have lived through their first winter.

”Houses are going up so fast now that often the caulking isn’t put in deep enough.”

Remove the window screens and wash them.

”That accumulation of a winter’s worth of dust will blow right back inside the house the first day you have the windows open,” says Butcher.

Foundation and under the house

Remove all foundation plugs to let the underside of the house breathe and dry out. Go underneath the house to check pipe insulation.

”Critters chew that stuff off so fast,” says Butcher. Inspect the heat ducts to make sure they are strapped to floor joists, not just resting on the ground.

Check the foundation for large cracks. Hairline cracks are typical and not a threat, but larger cracks (over one-eighth of an inch) will need to be repaired by a professional.

Decks and fencing

Remove popped nails or screws from decking and replace with new screws. During the winter, the wood on gates may have swelled and sagged, resulting in a gate that won’t close. Butcher says to shave the wood down so that there is a one-half-inch gap between the gate and gatepost.

Sidewalks and paths

Rake gravel back onto paths and replace any that’s mysteriously disappeared over the winter. Concrete sidewalks that have heaved badly over the winter will probably need to be repaired professionally.

Smoke alarms

Change all smoke alarm batteries in the house.