Winter brings its own set of challenges — some of them visible, others not so obvious. Taking a little time now to check your home’s systems and structure can help prevent small issues from turning into bigger problems down the line.

November in Houston is a strange season. One week it’s sunny and dry, the next you’re reaching for a jacket and wondering if your foundation just sighed. But those swings in temperature and moisture are good teachers—because this is when your home starts showing you what it needs.

Exhibit A: The Cold Spot We found it exactly where she said—right under a west-facing window. Not much to look at. But through thermal imaging, it lit up like a neon sign.

The inspector was coming on Tuesday. My wife told me this in the same tone one uses to announce that a distant aunt has died and the cat is missing — simultaneously. I nodded, trying to recall where I had last seen the flashlight, the hammer, or my sense of basic competency.