Maintaining the exterior of your home is crucial for ensuring its longevity and sustaining its value. It is crucial to maintain the exterior of your home to ensure its longevity and sustain its value. For people whose houses are completely new; home exterior maintenance can be an alarming task. Whether you have lived in a rented place or you change homes with the seasons, these essential tips will give you ideas about keeping your home’s exterior in good shape.
1. Examine and Clean Gutters on a Daily Basis
The most neglected task in exterior home maintenance is cleaning the gutters. Cleaning the gutters keeps dirt and rainwater away from your home’s infrastructure. Congested gutters can lead to the issues towards home’s infrastructure, roof damage and water damage. It is necessary to examine and clean your gutters at least thrice a year, typically in the fall and spring. According to the Insurance Information Institute, water damages is the 2nd most frequently filed insurance claim in the United States.
2. Accessing and Repairing Roof Damage
The first thing that protects your home from outside dirt is your roof. That’s why you should regularly inspect your roof for leaks, any damage and other problems. If you catch small mistakes early, you won’t have to pay a huge price. If you can’t do it yourself, call an expert.
3. Infrastructure Checking
It will lead to serious problems if you do not examine and predict the structure of your home in time. Therefore, the composition should be steamed daily to avoid any deterioration. If minor problems occur, keep them readily available at home and contact a professional for major or serious problems. The American Home inspectors’ states that infrastructure issues can lead to repair costs ranging from $5000 to $7000.
4. Paint and Caulk
Painting and caulking are essential for protecting and maintaining the exterior of your home. Mostly the gaps in caulk are around windows and doors and especially check your paint on a daily basis to avoid peeling paint. A proper coat of paint and proper caulking is very helpful to prevent moisture from entering your home and serious damages. According to Home advisor of Canada, repainting your home can lead to a return on investment(ROI) of up to 51%.
5. Landscaping Maintenance
Proper landscaping not only keeps your home strong but also doubles its protection and security. Keep your house away from bushes and poisonous trees to prevent any kind of damage. Take special care that your garden slopes away from your foundation to prevent standing any wastage water and damage. It can add up to 20% more to your home’s value.
6. Scan and Clean Siding
Home’s siding can lead to dirt, mold over time. You should clean your siding regularly with a power washer or a soft cloth and a bristle brush. To maintain the integrity of your home’s exterior, inspect and examine any damage on regularly basis and address it promptly. A very well maintained siding can last up to 40 years,
7. Check Doors and Windows
Drafts and moisture are mostly entering from windows and doors. Use devices like weather stripping around your windows and doors to ensure they are maintained and working properly. Replace any damaged items immediately so that energy efficiency is not affected. Drafts increase the energy efficiency costs up to 30% (by the U.S department of energy).
8. Inspect outdoor Lighting
It is an essential part of home exterior maintenance to regularly inspect your outdoor lighting. Proper lighting gives an enhanced look and provides safety and makes your property aesthetic. Always check wiring and connections and clean fixtures and lenses. Ensure the proper placement and review energy efficiency.
9. Use Lime in your Grass
Always use lime in your grass in November. Lime contains nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium which makes the soil friendlier. Lime also prevent from entering the moss and weeds which makes the soil acidic free. Lime maintains the pH of soil that is neutral 7.0.
10. Seasonal Changes Preparation
Different challenges occur for your home exterior maintenance when the season changes. In the spring you should always focus on cleaning and inspecting for any winter damage. In summer it will be great if you are doing painting and landscaping. Cleaning gutters and checking seals should be done in the fall. It can prevent weather related damages that affect 15% of homes annually .
Bonus Tip: Schedule Professional Inspection
Since many of the tasks are done by the head of the household, it would be a good idea to have professional people inspect things regularly or periodically. Because professionals can perceive things that may be hidden from the eyes of a common man.
Conclusion
Maintaining the exterior of your home is necessary in order to make your house look good and attractive. By following this exterior home maintenance checklist, you can keep your home looking its best and authentic and you will save your money in the long run as well.
Be sure your home will become a safe and comfortable place for you and your family.
Related Questions
How often should I clean my gutters?
It is recommended to clean your gutters at least thrice a year, typically in the fall and spring, to prevent dirt and rainwater from accumulating and causing damage to your home’s infrastructure.
What are some common issues that can arise from neglecting exterior home maintenance?
Neglecting exterior home maintenance can lead to issues such as roof damage, water damage, and infrastructure problems, which can result in costly repairs. Additionally, it can also affect the overall appearance and value of your home.
Why is it important to inspect my home’s infrastructure regularly?
Inspecting your home’s infrastructure regularly can help you identify and address minor issues before they become major problems, which can save you thousands of dollars in repair costs. Additionally, it can also help prevent damage to your home’s foundation and structure.
