The Winter Home Inspection Checklist (Interior Edition): Catch Small Issues Before They Become Big Utah Spring Repairs
Listen, I get it. When it's 28 degrees outside and there's still snow on the ground in Sandy or Herriman, the last thing you want to think about is climbing into your attic or crawling under sinks. But here's the thing: February is actually the perfect time for an interior home inspection.
Why? Because you're stuck inside anyway, your house has been "stress-tested" by Utah's dry winter air and cold snaps, and you've got a couple months before the spring thaw turns small problems into big, expensive headaches.
I'm Michael, co-owner of Your Handyman Pros with my wife Kristy, and we're B100 licensed general contractors (Lic #12888335-5501) here in the Salt Lake Valley. We've seen what happens when homeowners skip the mid-winter check-in. Spoiler alert: it usually involves emergency calls in April when that "tiny gap" in the baseboard turns into a full-blown drywall project.
So grab a flashlight, maybe a cup of coffee, and let's walk through the five critical areas you should be checking right now, before spring cleaning season kicks into high gear.
1. Trim & Baseboards: The Telltale Signs of Utah's Bone-Dry Winter Air
Utah winters aren't just cold, they're dry. Like, Sahara Desert dry. And your trim and baseboards? They feel it.
What to Look For:
Gaps between baseboards and walls where they used to sit flush
Separation at corner joints, especially in 45-degree miters
Nail pops where the trim has pulled away from the wall studs
Paint cracking along seams (this often means the wood itself has shrunk)
Walk around every room with intention. Run your hand along the top edge of your baseboards. If you feel gaps or see visible cracks, that's your house telling you it's been dealing with humidity swings all winter.
The Fix: Most of these are quick repairs, recaulking, filling nail holes, maybe re-securing a loose piece. But if you're seeing widespread separation, especially in newer builds in Riverton or Herriman, it could point to a bigger issue with your HVAC humidity levels or improper installation. That's where having a licensed GC (like us) take a look can save you from band-aiding something that needs a real solution.
2. Doors & Hardware: When "Sticky" Becomes "Stuck"
Doors are honest. They don't hide problems, they just stop working properly.
What to Check:
Doors that drag or won't latch (especially on second floors or in basements)
Sticky locks or deadbolts that take muscle to turn
Drafts around door frames, use your hand or a lighter flame to detect airflow
Sagging hinges where the door hangs lower on one side
Interior doors that suddenly don't close right in February? That's often foundation settling or seasonal wood movement. It's normal to a point, but if your bedroom door went from "fine" to "I have to shoulder-check it to close" in one winter, we should talk.
Pro Tip for Exterior Doors: Stand inside near your front door on a windy day. Feel a breeze? Your weatherstripping is shot. A $15 fix now beats a $300 heating bill later. And if your deadbolt is getting harder to turn, don't just spray WD-40 and call it good, check the strike plate alignment. Misaligned hardware wears out fast and can become a security issue.
3. Plumbing Check: The Silent Leak Under Your Sink
This one's sneaky. You won't always see water damage until it's too late.
Your February Plumbing Checklist:
Check under every sink (kitchen, bathrooms, laundry room) for moisture, water stains, or that musty smell
Test your shut-off valves, turn them clockwise until they stop, then back open. If they're frozen or won't budge, they need replacing before you have an emergency.
Look for slow drips on exposed pipes in basements or crawl spaces
Run all your faucets and listen for weird sounds, gurgling, banging, or hissing can point to pressure issues or air in the lines
Here's a reality check from years in the field: most shut-off valves in Utah homes over 15 years old have never been touched. Homeowners assume they work until the day they need them, and then, nothing. The valve breaks off, water sprays everywhere, and suddenly it's a way bigger job.
Why This Matters in February: We've had some serious cold snaps this winter. If you had any freeze events, even brief ones, you might have micro-cracks in pipes that won't show up until spring when you start using more water. Catching a slow drip now = $50 repair. Catching it in May when your drywall is sagging = $2,000+ project.
4. Attic & Ceiling: Where Ice Dams and Insulation Gaps Show Their Work
Your attic is the canary in the coal mine for your home's energy efficiency and weather protection.
What You're Looking For:
Water stains on ceiling drywall (especially near exterior walls or in bathrooms)
"Hot spots" in the attic, areas where insulation has compressed, fallen, or is just plain missing
Frost or ice buildup on the underside of your roof sheathing (yes, inside the attic)
Daylight peeking through roof vents or eaves
If you've had icicles hanging off your gutters this winter, especially big, dramatic ones, that's a sign of heat escaping through your roof. Warm air melts snow from underneath, it runs to the cold eaves, refreezes, and boom: ice dam. Left unchecked, those dams back water up under your shingles and into your home.
The Bountiful/Sandy Connection: Homes in older neighborhoods often have attic insulation that's settled or degraded over decades. Modern code calls for R-38 to R-49 in Utah attics. If you're sitting at R-19 because your insulation is from 1982, you're losing money every single day, and probably dealing with uneven heating throughout your house.
Our Take as GCs: Attic work isn't glamorous, but it's one of the highest ROI fixes you can make. We handle the full scope, air sealing, insulation upgrades, ventilation fixes, and because we're licensed B100 contractors, we can pull permits if needed and tie it into any structural repairs. A handyman might blow in some insulation. We make sure your entire system works together.
5. Closet Systems: Before the Spring Cleaning Frenzy Hits
Okay, this one might seem minor compared to plumbing leaks and attic insulation, but hear me out.
Check Your Closets For:
Sagging shelves (especially wire shelving loaded with storage bins)
Loose or missing shelf brackets
Bowing closet rods that can't handle your winter coat collection
Doors that don't slide or close properly
Spring cleaning is coming. You know it is. And the last thing you want is to be halfway through your "donate pile" when your closet rod gives up and dumps 47 hangers onto your shoes.
The Upgrade Opportunity: If you're finding that your builder-grade wire shelves are barely hanging on, February is the perfect time to upgrade to a custom closet system. Wood shelving, better support, maybe even double-hang rods for maximum storage. It's a project that takes a day or two, makes zero mess, and instantly makes your home feel more organized. Plus, if you're thinking about selling in the next few years? Upgraded closets photograph really well and show buyers you've maintained the home.
Why the "Your Handyman Pros" Advantage Matters Here
Here's the thing about home inspections: they're only useful if you actually do something with the information.
A lot of homeowners go through this checklist, find issues, and then... nothing. Because they don't know who to call, they're worried about cost, or they think they can DIY it (spoiler: some things you definitely can, some you absolutely shouldn't).
That's where Kristy and I come in. We're not just handymen, we're B100 General Contractors licensed with the state of Utah (Lic #12888335-5501). That means if your "small plumbing leak" turns out to be a bigger issue, or if that attic inspection reveals you need structural work, we can handle the entire project.
No passing you off to another company. No coordination headaches. Just one call, one team, and a solution that's done right the first time.
We've been serving Herriman, Sandy, Riverton, Bountiful, and the entire Salt Lake Valley for years, and we've built our reputation on being the contractors who show up, communicate clearly, and treat your home like it's our own.
Your February Action Plan
Don't let this checklist overwhelm you. Pick one area this weekend. Spend 20 minutes walking through your baseboards. Next weekend, check the attic. The goal isn't perfection, it's awareness.
And if you find something that makes you think, "Hmm, that doesn't look right," snap a photo and give us a call. We offer free estimates, and honestly, sometimes a five-minute conversation can tell you whether it's a $50 DIY fix or something that needs a professional.
Ready to get your home checked before spring hits? Visit us at www.yourhandymanpros.com or give us a call. Let's make sure your home is ready for whatever 2026 throws at it: because in Utah, "whatever" usually involves surprise snow in April and sprinkler blowouts you forgot to schedule.
Stay warm out there, Salt Lake Valley. And remember: small fixes now = big savings later.
