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Spring is here, and many homeowners can now focus on home exterior renovations. You, too, want to create a good first impression by revamping your house’s exterior. This is essential if you want a fun and comfortable place to host warm-weather events, such as family get-togethers, barbecues, and summer parties.
Your house’s exterior may have deteriorated over the years due to storms, climate, and time passing. In this article, we’ll discuss the most common exterior home repairs and how to get started.
Gutter Repairs
Your gutters can become loose, clogged, or fall off entirely. Pounding them back or installing fascia hanger brackets are recommended fixes. If the gutter is clogged, you can take the sections apart and remove the dirt and debris. For this exterior home repair, you will need safety goggles, non-slip shoes, and a pair of work gloves.
Small holes and leaky gutter joints can be sealed by a gutter sealant, if you press the new seals firmly.
Roof Repairs
Regular roof repairs can prevent damage from happening to your home and keep your roof looking its best for decades to come. You should call a professional to repair the roof if you notice:
- Poor ventilation due to damaged vents
- Leaks close to pipes and vents, around gutters, below damaged shingles, and near the chimney
- Vent flashing failure and damaged roof vents
- Improperly installed, damaged, or missing chimney cricket
- Rotten soffit and fascia boards
Siding Repairs
Your house’s siding is made to last, but it takes a beating every year from the freezing cold, sun, rain, and wind. Fortunately, dents, holes, and other damage to siding can usually be fixed inexpensively and quickly. You can complete some siding repairs, such as fixing a few cracks or gaps and addressing minor cosmetic issues.
Porch and Deck Repairs
The elements can damage even the most resilient and strongest outdoor flooring. For instance, you may notice unattractive stains on your porch. In addition, there may be weak railings, missing flashing, excessive wobble, weak joints, rotting posts, missing joist nails, and lag screws on your deck.
Many deck and porch repairs fall within the realm of DIY projects. You can replace rotted porch sleepers with supporting beams, retighten screws, remove rusted nails, or replace loose rails and broken floorboards. In addition, you can sand the deck and refinish it if it has some discoloration.
Some porch and deck problems may require a professional. For instance, an expert can replace a rotting wood porch. Moreover, they can dig around the footing and pier to install new columns or porch posts. Some deck maintenance experts even offer monthly deck inspections and power washing.
Window and Door Repairs
Your windows and doors are some of the most used sections of your house’s exterior. Over time, seasonal changes and constant usage may destroy the structural integrity of the windows and doors. As a result, you will start to see ice build-up on the glass, discoloration of the wallboard, and moisture in between the windowpanes.
Your door may have some problems that need to be fixed, such as:
- A door that won’t stay latched
- Door hinges that constantly creak and squeak
- Door feels drafty
- Screws coming loose from your door
- A door latch that misses the strike plate
- A door that swells when the humidity or temperature changes
You can try to make temporary repairs, such as lubricating the hinges and fixing the sash, or using a caulk gun to seal visible gaps. On the other hand, exterior home repair contractors can replace a broken window or door with enhanced weather performance panes.
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Repaint
Rotting wood, water stains, mildew, and mold can weaken your home’s exterior paint and start to eat into your walls. In addition, UV radiation, dust, and wind batter your walls, wearing down its paint. Therefore, if you notice chipping paint or exterior wall cracking, it’s time to apply a fresh coat of paint to the outside of your house.
Painting is a time-consuming but fairly easy job that you can do on your own. You can begin by walking around the house’s exterior and identifying damaged surfaces, such as stucco, siding, metal, masonry, and wood. You will then remove dust and dirt build-up on these surfaces with a pressure washer.
You will need rags, a step stool and tape ladder, plastics, painting trays, and paint rollers or brushes to complete the repainting job. Choosing the ideal paint colors for your house’s exterior facade is also part of the repainting process. You can maintain the current color or use a color visualizer to find that perfect shade.
Wrapping Up
Your home’s exterior is vulnerable to damage due to several factors. That’s why you should conduct regular repairs to improve the house’s safety and comfort. Some of these repairs are easy enough to be completed by the homeowner, while others will require a repair company. Be sure to do your research and reach out to a professional if you aren’t comfortable with any of these projects.
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