Most Common Exterior Home Repairs to Look for After Winter
Winter’s end means warmer weather, longer days, and fresher air. Before you can enjoy these springtime perks, however, it’s a good idea to take a look at your home’s exterior surfaces for signs of damage. Indeed, those cold, snowy days can do a number on your home’s face and neglecting to make all necessary repairs can leave your property vulnerable to other seasonal threats like moisture intrusion, pest invasion, rot, mold, and more. With that in mind, here are some of the most common exterior home repairs to look for after winter.
What Are the Most Common Spring Home Repairs?
Roof and Siding Repair
Your home’s roof and siding are the two biggest targets for winter weather. Heavy snowfall can weigh down your roof, freeze into pores and cracks, melt and trickle down onto your siding, freeze again, and so on. This combination of moisture and freezing temperatures can cause portions of your roof and siding to warp, crack, and peel. Should this happen, these exterior surfaces won’t just be an eyesore but also an avenue for moisture, air, pests, dirt, and other unwanted visitors to gain entry to your home. If this past winter wasn’t too harsh, you might be able to get away with minor roof and siding repairs as well as some paint touch-ups. If the damage is severe, however, you might need to invest in roof and/or siding replacement to reinforce your home’s exterior barriers.
Exterior Painting
Paint is most often thought of as a cosmetic concern, but paint also has key protective qualities that keep your exterior safe from various environmental threats, such as wind, water, and sunlight (UV rays). Of course, even the best paint products deteriorate over time, especially after enduring particularly harsh conditions. After winter, you might notice that certain portions of exterior paint are peeling away, losing their color, or otherwise falling apart. If this is the case, it’s imperative to repaint your surfaces to restore their beauty and provide fresh protection. Before getting started, you must thoroughly clean your exterior surfaces via power washing or other means -- this will help remove any residual paint that hasn’t completely peeled away, blast away dirt, debris, mold, and mildew, and provide a clean, smooth surface for new coatings.
Deck, Patio, and/or Walkway Repairs
Home extensions like decks and patios are also major targets for winter weather, regardless of their composition (i.e. wood, metal, composite, etc.). Moisture from a buildup of snow, for instance, can easily enter the pores and cracks of a wood deck or concrete walkway/patio and create deep fractures. Wood is also highly susceptible to mold, mildew, and rot when exposed to moisture. As spring approaches, you’ll no doubt want to get the most out of these outdoor spaces, so prepare to make repairs where they’re needed. Wood and concrete filler can be injected into cracks, and rotted wood should be removed and replaced with fresh features. In addition to fixing up your deck, patio, and/or walkways, it’s also worth protecting them with a fresh coat of sealant or deck stain using the appropriate products for their material.
If you’re looking forward to spring, get a head start on post-winter repairs with the help of Anderson Painting. To learn more about us and all we do, call today at 919-610-1855 or email us at info@andersonpaintingnc.com!
