❄Snow, Rot, and a Bruised Ego: A Winter Inspection Gone Wrong

The Inspection Insider

The Inside Scoop for Buyers, Sellers, and Realtors

This Week's Inspection Spotlight: 

I stepped onto a snow-covered deck—and fell right through it. No injuries, just a bruised ego and a big lesson about what winter hides.

Looks Can Be Deceiving—Especially Under a Foot of Snow

I’ve inspected thousands of homes in every kind of weather. Rain, sleet, hail, and a heat wave or two where I thought my boots might melt into the shingles. But nothing humbles you faster than falling straight through a deck—especially when the only thing bruised is your ego.

It was a cold Tuesday in January, and everything was covered in a deceptively peaceful blanket of snow. The kind that makes you think the world is quiet and safe. I was inspecting an older two-story house on the edge of town, a classic with wood siding and a sagging front porch.

The owner had already moved out, and the backyard hadn’t been touched in weeks. There were no footprints, no signs of life—just a thick, undisturbed layer of snow blanketing the yard and the deck.

From the yard the deck looked like it had seen better days, but nothing jumped out as dangerous. It was only a couple of feet off the ground so I stepped onto the deck take a look, knowing full well that snow can cover a multitude of sins—especially when it comes to outdoor structures.

I pressed gently with my foot here and there, testing the boards. Seemed fine. But as I walked toward the railing to check the attachment points, I felt one of the boards flex just a little more than it should.

And then it gave way.

One second, I was upright and professional. The next, my right leg was knee-deep in the deck, stuck between two joists. It was like the deck decided it had had enough and wanted to eat me.

The only thing that saved me from a twisted ankle—or worse—were my thick winter boots. I managed to catch myself with one hand on the railing, which, thankfully, was secure. For a moment, I just stood there, half-stuck, half-sprawled, trying to process what happened.

No one saw it. No one heard it. Just me and the snow and the quiet crunch of broken deck boards underfoot. My pride, of course, took the brunt of the impact.

After freeing myself, I stepped very carefully off the deck to finish inspecting the exterior of the home. That deck was completely rotted underneath. The snow had hidden the worst of it, and to someone less experienced—or a potential buyer doing a casual walkthrough—it would’ve looked just fine.

This wasn’t the first time snow tried to sabotage me on an inspection, but it was definitely the most dramatic. And honestly, it’s a great reminder for both homeowners and buyers: winter hides everything. Rot, cracks, wobbly railings, loose fasteners—if you can’t see the wood, you can’t judge the condition.

For buyers, this means you need to take the inspection report seriously, even if the deck looks okay from above. And for sellers: clearing snow from decks, steps, and walkways isn’t just about curb appeal—it’s a safety issue.

Also: if you’re an inspector, don’t assume “looks fine” means “is fine,” especially when your next step could drop you into a snowbank.

If you're buying a home in the winter, ask your inspector what areas they couldn’t fully evaluate due to snow or ice. In this case, the deck needed to be replaced—something that could easily cost $10,000 or more. That’s not a surprise you want to discover after you move in and host your first barbecue.

Pro Tip of the Week

Snow can hide a lot. During a winter home inspection, critical areas like decks, roofs, grading and walkways might be buried and impossible to fully assess. If that happens, don’t just shrug it off—negotiate a holdback, request photos from other seasons, or have the seller clear snow before the inspection. Once the deal is done, those hidden problems are yours.

What’s Coming Next Week?

Next week: What do you get when you mix a leaky dishwasher hose and a mountain of silicone? A plumbing fail you have to see to believe—plus the real cost of a bad DIY fix.

Ron Henderson, CMI
Certified Master Inspector

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