The harsh chilly winters can leave any house’s exterior shattered and out of shape. As per statistics, close to 25 percent households ignore a minimum of one critical maintenance problem, putting themselves at the risks of big bills and heartaches. It, therefore, becomes imperative to prepare the exteriors for cold winds before it gets too late.
Prevention
Prevention is essential as most of the damage can be mitigated if homeowners spend a minor portion of their time on getting decked up for inclement weather. Also, most homeowners aren’t completely aware of what their house insurance policy covers and leaves out. By not maintaining a property properly, house owners risk voiding their insurance, running up huge bills potentially if a thing goes wrong due to neglect.
Check roof condition. Look for broken or cracked tiles, chimney cracks or pointing issues. Clear the drainpipes and gutters of any debris or leaves to reduce overflow and blockage risks. Ensure the external and garage pipes are lagged. Invariably, pressure washing or power washing easily spruces up the house exterior.
External Plumbing
Inspecting outdoor plumbing can be the most critical part of taking care of house exterior, since it surfaces issues that may affect the house’s interiors. If there are taps outdoors, ensure they are devoid of any issues. If water flow is intermittent or losing pressure, it could be indicative of a plumbing system leak. And, if the water flow is extraordinarily robust, then insert your finger within the faucet. If the flow halts with no resistance, the internal plumbing line could have a leak elsewhere. However, if it sprays all around the place, there’s nothing much to be worried about.
Weather Stripping
Inspect and substitute worn-out weather strips. Weather stripping around windows and doors plays a major role in decreasing the volume of cold air entering the house. The worn or cracked stripping must, therefore, be replaced with fresh and efficient stripping. If the caulking looks ragged and worn, re-caulk it with a moisture-resistant, more efficient product.
Rotten Wood Probing
If there are any wooden overlays or fixtures outside the house, they are vulnerable to warping and rot. Although a majority of those fixtures are weather-treated against element exposure, the possibilities of being a target still remains. Go around the house outdoors and inspect the wood to detect any signs of give. Any kind of rot beneath the surface should show up. If there is warping, replace the fixture or restore it by weather-treating and sanding it again.
Foundation Inspection
In case of mild or significant rainfall, it’s important to inspect the ground and land around the garden and house, to make sure the water is getting drained adequately. The grounds could be vulnerable to stone and earth erosion, which could result in structural issues later. If the foundation has cracks, they must be sealed with an epoxy. Most sealants and caulks are generally not strong enough.
Conclusion
Most households keep house exterior repair work at bay, believing their home insurance would cover impending natural/man-made disasters. However, they fail to understand that not keeping up with necessary repairs may result in the insurer not clearing the insurance claim amount.
Prevention
Prevention is essential as most of the damage can be mitigated if homeowners spend a minor portion of their time on getting decked up for inclement weather. Also, most homeowners aren’t completely aware of what their house insurance policy covers and leaves out. By not maintaining a property properly, house owners risk voiding their insurance, running up huge bills potentially if a thing goes wrong due to neglect.
Check roof condition. Look for broken or cracked tiles, chimney cracks or pointing issues. Clear the drainpipes and gutters of any debris or leaves to reduce overflow and blockage risks. Ensure the external and garage pipes are lagged. Invariably, pressure washing or power washing easily spruces up the house exterior.
External Plumbing
Inspecting outdoor plumbing can be the most critical part of taking care of house exterior, since it surfaces issues that may affect the house’s interiors. If there are taps outdoors, ensure they are devoid of any issues. If water flow is intermittent or losing pressure, it could be indicative of a plumbing system leak. And, if the water flow is extraordinarily robust, then insert your finger within the faucet. If the flow halts with no resistance, the internal plumbing line could have a leak elsewhere. However, if it sprays all around the place, there’s nothing much to be worried about.
Weather Stripping
Inspect and substitute worn-out weather strips. Weather stripping around windows and doors plays a major role in decreasing the volume of cold air entering the house. The worn or cracked stripping must, therefore, be replaced with fresh and efficient stripping. If the caulking looks ragged and worn, re-caulk it with a moisture-resistant, more efficient product.
Rotten Wood Probing
If there are any wooden overlays or fixtures outside the house, they are vulnerable to warping and rot. Although a majority of those fixtures are weather-treated against element exposure, the possibilities of being a target still remains. Go around the house outdoors and inspect the wood to detect any signs of give. Any kind of rot beneath the surface should show up. If there is warping, replace the fixture or restore it by weather-treating and sanding it again.
Foundation Inspection
In case of mild or significant rainfall, it’s important to inspect the ground and land around the garden and house, to make sure the water is getting drained adequately. The grounds could be vulnerable to stone and earth erosion, which could result in structural issues later. If the foundation has cracks, they must be sealed with an epoxy. Most sealants and caulks are generally not strong enough.
Conclusion
Most households keep house exterior repair work at bay, believing their home insurance would cover impending natural/man-made disasters. However, they fail to understand that not keeping up with necessary repairs may result in the insurer not clearing the insurance claim amount.
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