The four-item fall checklist for a Gulf Coast house

Four items, one hour, once a year. Every one of them shows up in inspection reports on houses where nobody did them, and all four are cheaper to do than to explain to a buyer later.

1. Gutters and downspouts

Clear them, then watch where the water goes. A downspout that ends at the foundation is the single most common cause of the crawlspace water we find, and an extension costs less than a tank of gas.

2. Crawlspace vents

Check that they are open, screened, and not blocked by shrubs or stored lumber. Air movement under the house is what keeps the framing dry through a humid autumn.

3. The HVAC drain line

Air conditioning pulls a remarkable amount of water out of the air here, and the line carrying it away clogs with algae. Flush it before the season and confirm it discharges outside rather than into the crawlspace.

4. The water heater pan

Look at the pan, not just the tank. Standing water in the pan means the tank is weeping, rust at the fittings means it is on the clock, and a pan with no drain line means a failure will find the ceiling below it.

None of this requires a ladder you do not own. If any of the four turns up something you would rather not diagnose yourself, that is worth a phone call before it becomes a finding.