You might think winter is the quiet season for your home’s exterior — less rain, no hurricanes, cooler temps. But those small cracks, faint stains, or strange soft spots in your stucco? They could be warning signs that moisture is building up behind the surface.

It started as a hairline fracture—barely noticeable. Upper-left corner of the back wall, just beneath the outdoor light. The kind of thing you see once, then forget about.