Your home provides you with a sense of security, privacy, and protection from your immediate surroundings. It shelters you from external elements and weather changes. Have you ever wondered if you were doing your part to safeguard it against weather changes as well?
Neglected water damage can pile up and lead to major repair costs. Make sure to take preventative steps while you still can before it reaches that point. Here are some aspects of your home’s exterior that you should examine the next time you conduct your routine inspection and maintenance.
Use Waterproof Paint on Exterior Walls
Paint today is fine-tuned for certain uses, and that’s why interior pain is not recommended for the exterior walls of your home. Exterior paints are made with additives that make them durable under different weather conditions. Exterior paints come in two types: oil-based and water-based. Of the two, the former does a better job at handling weather changes, humidity, and opposing dirt.
Considering that you want to make your exterior walls durable, sealing or repairing wall cracks should be part of your to-do list too. Sealing these cracks doesn’t take rocket science to do it well. All you need is a couple of basic materials, depending on the type of wall. Some tools one can use are joint compound, self-adhesive fiberglass mesh, or concrete bonding adhesive. In any case, after the chosen agent has dried, put over some paint on it to blend better with the rest of the wall.
It’s important to note that wall cracks can be caused by a problem with the foundation of your house. To know more about this, be sure to have your cracks inspected by a professional.
Reseal Doors, Windows, and Roof
One of the main ways rain can enter the interior of your house is through windows and doors leading outside. Sealing them is a sure way to keep any rain in.
Windows
There are multiple ways to seal your window. One recommendable sealant to use is caulk. It does a good job of sealing gaps and is effective on different surfaces. It is also waterproof, as evidenced by its continued use in multiple areas in bathrooms.
Doors
If you’ve had weatherstripping installed before, check to see if they’ve sustained any signs of damage or deformity. If they do have any, it’s time to replace them. Before adding fresh, new weather stripping, wipe off any dust and debris from the nooks and crannies of your door frame.
If you already have sealants applied for the gaps of your door yet still experience some leaking, inspect the hinges or screws. Something could be loose.
Roof
If your roof has been leaking, the culprit could be your roof vent, roofing shingles, roofing paper, or the roof deck itself. With that said, be sure to investigate first. Whichever part it might turn out to be, the best solution is to cut away the damaged part or section and replace them accordingly.
Fix up Gutters
After prolonged use, gutters will eventually become corroded since they are made of metal. This causes them to become leaky, rusty, and have holes here and there.
Before you go on inspecting for rust, you should have a clean gutter beforehand. Scrub off the tainted area with a hard brush. Afterward, apply a coat of anti-rust primer to prevent it from rusting again. But if the rust damage has caused holes in your gutters, consider using a waterproof sealant to cover portions eaten away by rust unless the holes are too big. Replacing these portions with new parts would make more sense.
Cut off Branches Hovering Over Your House
It’s inevitable for these branches to scrape your roof, walls, or windowpanes, slowly but surely. You might think this to be harmless but constant scraping may contribute to damage on the exterior of your home. This is not to say that we recommend you cut your tree. If you have any trees close to the structure of your house, trim their branches regularly so that they don’t touch your house. To add further, trimming back your branches prevents accidents too. It’s worth the effort.
Final Thoughts
Nobody wants to deal with leaks and pools of water in their house. Wouldn’t it be nice to be wrapped in a warm blanket on the couch, sipping hot chocolate inside?
It’s only natural that you look after what looks after you. Make the most of your house by taking the essential precautions alongside your routine inspection and maintenance. Furthermore, preventative maintenance will always be preferable to costly repairs.
