What to note if the exterior looks damp

Across Massachusetts, an exterior is not judged by color alone. Moisture leaves marks, paint that lifts, and wood that feels soft to the touch. Painting over it hides the warning for a while and leaves the problem where it was.

Before you ask for paint, walk the house after a rain. Note the side: street, yard, north, the side that takes the wind. See whether the stain starts high, near the roof, or low, where the ground splashes. That difference changes the repair.

If there is wood in the weather, press a fingernail into an out-of-the-way edge. If it gives, this is not only a paint job. If the surface is sound and the paint is tired, the work can be simpler. Neither call is made well from a blurry photo.

Bring those notes to the call. They do not replace the visit, but they keep the conversation from starting with color when what matters is where the water gets in.