This is the season, while the days are still pleasant, to take a good look at your home’s exterior. Even though Nashville winters rarely bring the snow and ice common to Northern cities, it’s beneficial to check your exterior trim to ensure that everything is in good condition.
Peeling or bubbling paint, cracking or dried caulking, small holes or rips in screens, and clogged gutters often lead to bigger problems, decreasing your home’s energy efficiency and leading to larger repair bills. While we know you like Christmas surprises, we figure you don’t want that particular surprise in your stocking this year.
Home maintenance should be an ongoing effort, and even having just a general seasonal checklist makes good sense, allowing you to nip problems in the bud.
Look Up, Then Down
As you survey your home’s exterior, look up to the roof first. If you have gutters, check for any areas that might have paint problems or show signs of mold. Note any problems caused by overhanging tree limbs. Take particular note of vents, ducts and penetrations, checking the sealing and the caulking. Gaps can allow cold air into your home; larger holes invite pests looking for a warm place for the winter.
Circle your exterior a second time, paying special attention to the trim around windows and doors, the areas of siding behind the shrubbery and the foundation itself. You’re looking for the same telltale signs of aging materials; cracks, peeling, small holes, discoloration and mold growth all point to the need for maintenance and repair.
Periodic Check-Ups
Check weatherstripping and caulk at all doors and windows, both indoors and out; look at the sills and the trim, and assess the condition of the paint, stain or sealer. If you can feel a draft you should eliminate it. Little air leaks can quickly add up to dollars spent on heating bills, and there are some simple ways to detect problem areas.
Don’t forget the garage door. If you have fencing around your property, whether it’s wood or metal, you should check gate operation and the overall condition of paint or stain. Assure that the fence sections are still sturdy and do not need bracing.
Taking Care of Problems
If you note any paint-related problems, you have a couple of options. If you’re handy and fit, and you choose to tackle small projects on a DIY basis, assemble all the tools and materials you will need, and pick an afternoon of uninterrupted time to complete the work. Make sure to check impending weather so you can pick a day where the weather suits you. The later you wait, the colder it gets.
If there are larger concerns that need to be addressed, give us a painting company a call. Many times they will come out and give you a free estimate. Just make sure that you don’t take advantage of them. If you ask them for a free quote, make sure you are seriously considering using that particular company.
Time For a Change?
Just as the time of year signals a change in the weather and the need to winterize your home, so may the approaching holidays have you in the mood for a new look. Maybe it’s time to touch up exterior trim, or perhaps to repaint a room or two inside.
Are you in the mood for a smoky grey to replace the drab brown of your soffits and shutters? Or, perhaps you’d like a “Colonial Red” front door to welcome the holidays this year. Maybe a brighter entry will enhance your holiday spirit, or your kitchen would be happier with a new color.
Check out some of the emerging color trends. A previous blog post we wrote spoke of the process involved in determining and promoting those trends. It’s an interesting “science.”
Fall Is Here
With fall upon us, it’s time to winterize your home now. Don’t wait until the last minute, when it’s either too cold to get out there and take care of this comfortably, or too late.
Did these tips help? Do you know of other important actions that need to be taken to winterize your home? Maybe you have a story about your attempt to winterize your home, successful or unsuccessful. We want to hear them!
Comment below and start a conversation with us. As always, any good stories will be republished on the blog, with your permission of course!