Has Frosty Left A To-Do List For Your Exterior? What To Look For Now That Spring Is Here

As the last of the snow melts and Frosty takes his leave for another year, I think we can say spring is finally here! Its been a long winter!! With the warm weather finally arriving, our first thought is to get outside and enjoy the new season. However, there is usually a laundry list of work to be done, as winter has left its mark on the exterior areas around our homes. Whether it is raking the last of the leaves left behind from the fall season, or cleaning up the branches and twigs left behind from Mother Nature’s windy fury,there is always work to be done in New England this time of year.

One area of the home that is often left out of our spring To-Do list is the exterior. We often maintain the interiors of our home with projects that beautify and expand the functionality, while keeping the exterior upkeep as an afterthought. The exteriors of your home has to withstand the elements of all four seasons. When asked what people would consider a top priority when it comes to exterior maintenence, most would answer repairs like roofing, doors and windows are at the top of this list. While these are very important areas of maintenance, we must also keep other aspects of our exteriors at the front of our exterior maintenance schedule to prolong the life of our home. This is important to take into consideration if you are selling your home and want to increase value and curb appeal.

Areas To Inspect On Exterior Of Homes

Gutters- A blocked gutter can cause several issues

1. Water can back up and overflow from the gutter leaking down the side of the house causing paint to fail and worse water entering your home.
2. Clogged gutters can also rot fascia boards that they are hung to, causing an area that water may also enter into your home.

Wood Trim And Siding- Inspecting your siding and trim is very important for it can alleviate future more expensive repairs down the road. A few things to look for are as follows:

1. Inspect all your wooden trim looking for any large holes in trim that could be caused by rot or by believe it or not woodpeckers. Woodpeckers have increasingly become attracted to wood homes in our area and are causing extensive damage to exterior wood siding and trim. Left untreated the woodpecker will continue to peck away through the trim into the sheathing of the house and so on. Wood rot left unrepaired will continue to rot leaving the sheathing and other surfaces of your home exposed to the elements as well as insects and furry creatures. Undomesticated furry creatures do not make good roommates or house guests! Trust us on this one!
2. Inspect areas around your windows and doors and make sure the caulking in these areas is still sound and not failing. All of the areas with failing caulking can lead to water leaks and premature rotting of wood surfaces.
3. Check your homes exterior paint on siding and trim. If the paint is chipping or falling off it is time to consider painting the exterior of your home.

There are many more areas to inspect on your homes exterior and if you need help we are happy to help you inspect the areas suggested and offer suggestions to prevent future problems.