St. Joseph in Census QuickFacts
For 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts counts 28,756 households in St. Joseph, with 2.36 persons per household. QuickFacts gives the median value of owner-occupied housing units in 2020-2024 as $154,200, and the owner-occupied housing unit rate for 2020-2024 as 62.8%.
About this checklist
NOAA's engineering weather set has no station near St. Joseph; the nearest listed, Kansas City, is about 45 miles away. This checklist uses no weather figures and follows the calendar instead.
The year is split into quarters. Each one has three short lists: what to look at from the yard, what to check up close at the wall, and what to add to a list for a contractor. The lists are written for someone standing on the ground.
A simple kit
- binoculars for second-story walls, gables and the soffit;
- a phone for photos, taken from the same corners each time;
- a flashlight and a small mirror for the backs of downspouts and the underside of trim;
- a plastic putty knife, for lifting debris out of channels without scratching;
- exterior sealant suited to the materials it will touch, with a caulk gun;
- a garden hose with a gentle nozzle and a long soft brush;
- a notebook with a page for each side of the house.
January to March
From the yard
- On a calm, clear day, scan each wall with binoculars for pieces that look out of line with their neighbors.
- Look along the roof edge for gutters pulling away or sagging between hangers.
- Note any wall where snow or ice slid off the roof and piled up against the siding.
Up close
- Where piles sat against the wall, look for warped pieces, swelling at cut ends or lifted paint.
- Check that the dryer vent hood flap still opens and closes freely.
- Look at the channel trim around windows for debris packed in at the bottom.
For the contractor list
- Any piece that is cracked through or missing.
- Gutters that have pulled loose from the fascia.
April to June
From the yard
- After a spring shower, watch where water leaves the gutters and downspouts, and where it lands.
- Look for plants, vines or tree limbs touching the walls or roof edge.
Up close
- Wash each wall with low-pressure water, working downward from the eaves; a high-pressure jet can force water up under the laps.
- Where growth or grime stays behind, work it loose with the long brush, using only a cleaner the siding's maker allows.
- Measure the gap between the lowest course and the soil or mulch below it, and compare it with the gap the siding's maker calls for.
- Look behind outdoor lights, cable brackets and the hose faucet for gaps in the seal.
For the contractor list
- Soft or spongy trim near the ground.
- Downspouts that dump water against the foundation.
July to September
From the yard
- Look at vinyl on sunny walls for waves or panels that seem to bulge.
- Watch for reflected sunlight from a neighbor's window or your own landing on a wall; strong reflections can distort some vinyl, so note the spot.
Up close
- Check painted trim and siding for blistering, cracking or bare spots, especially on window sills.
- Look where the air conditioner lines enter the wall, and check that the seal around them is intact.
- Before the first cookout, set the grill and any fire pit where heat cannot reach a wall.
For the contractor list
- Areas that need repainting, with notes on which walls show it first.
- Any distorted vinyl, with a photo.
October to December
From the yard
- Once leaves have fallen, scan the gutters and the corners where two roof slopes meet.
- Look at the soffit for holes or gaps where birds, wasps or rodents might get in.
Up close
- Replace cracked caulk at window and door trim, corner boards and wall openings.
- Push on corner posts and trim boards to find anything loose.
- Close the indoor valve to each outside faucet and let the line empty before the first hard frost.
- Stack firewood, ladders and lawn furniture where they leave the wall open to air.
For the contractor list
- Loose corner posts or trim you could not secure from the ground.
- Any gaps at the soffit that need closing.
On a storm day
- Wait until the weather has passed and it is safe outside.
- Circle the house and study the corners, the gable peaks and the course just under the soffit, where wind can lift a piece.
- Take pictures first, starting with a view of the whole wall and then each damaged spot, before anything is picked up or patched.
- Keep any blown-off pieces in the garage; a repair crew can use them to find a matching profile and color.
- Ask your insurer how they want damage reported before a permanent repair is made.
Finding help
When the contractor list grows, ask two or three companies for written prices and put the same questions to each:
- What state license or registration, if any, covers this work, and what is the number?
- Does the repair need a city permit, and who applies for it?
- Can you show proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation?
- How will you match the new pieces to the old, and what is the plan if they do not match?
- What written warranty covers the repair?
A siding file
Keep a file for the outside of the house: product name, color and profile, where spare pieces are kept, the photos from each quarter, and every repair with the date, the company and the price. The file makes the next repair easier to plan.