It’s no secret that homeowners are responsible for a lot of upkeep around the house. From painting to plumbing, there’s plenty to keep up with. However, exterior maintenance is one area that gets overlooked too often. What? Yes.
If you are neglecting your home’s exterior in any way, from exterior paint jobs and landscaping to gutters and window repair, you’re putting more money into repairs and replacements than necessary down the road.
In this guide, we give you six home exterior maintenance tasks you should never ignore:
Inspect and Maintain Your Roof
Make sure you inspect and maintain your roof. You should make it a regular habit to check for leaks, loose tiles, and damaged flashing. This can be done by walking along the ridge of your home with a flashlight in hand and looking for signs of moss growth or rot in areas where water has collected.
If there is any damage or deterioration found on the surface of your roofing material, then it’s time for repairs before further damage occurs.
According to a Forbes Home report, the cost of repairing a roof can fluctuate significantly depending on the extent of the damage. Minor repairs may cost as little as $150, while major repairs can cost up to $7,000. The average cost for roof repairs in the United States is currently $950. The factors that influence the final cost of the repair include the type of materials used for roofing, labor costs, and the size of the roof that needs to be repaired.
Maintain Porch Posts
Porch posts not only provide structural support for your porch but also enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home’s exterior. Regular maintenance of porch posts is crucial to ensure they remain functional and visually appealing.
To keep your porch posts in good condition, inspect them regularly for signs of damage, such as cracks or rot. Pay attention to the base of the posts, as they are most vulnerable to water damage. In case of any damage, make timely repairs or replacements to ensure your porch remains safe and secure.
According to Belco, a manufacturer of porch posts, columns, and porch posts are commonly crafted from wood and may develop cracks or decay over time, necessitating replacement. To ensure the successful replacement of porch posts or columns, it is critical to consider all relevant factors, including material selection and safety considerations.
The company adds that neglecting the porch post-maintenance can lead to serious safety hazards, which may result in costly repairs or even accidents.
Clean Gutters and Downspouts
The gutters and downspouts are a vital part of your home’s exterior. They help to channel rainwater away from your foundation and prevent it from entering your home, which can cause damage to the structure.
If you notice that water is pooling around the base of the house or if leaves and debris are clogging up the gutters, then it’s time for maintenance.
If your gutters are damaged or missing entirely, now would be a good time to install new ones before winter weather hits and cold temperatures make repairs more difficult.
Power Wash Exterior Surfaces
Power washing is one of the easiest ways to keep your home looking shiny and new. Power washing removes mildew, dirt, and grime from exterior surfaces. It’s also a great way to remove those unsightly stains on the siding of your home caused by algae or mold growth.
According to Pure Wow Home, it is recommended to include power washing your home in your routine maintenance schedule at least once or twice a year. However, there is no definitive answer on how often you should do it because different factors, such as the climate and pollution levels, can affect the speed at which your house accumulates dirt.
You can simply assess the amount of dirt on your home by running your finger along the siding. If enough dirt accumulates to fill your fingertips in a one-second stride, then it is time to schedule an appointment with a professional pressure washer cleaner.
Check and Repair Window and Door Frames
Your home’s windows and doors are one of the most important parts of your exterior. They allow you to enjoy the fresh air but also help keep heat inside during winter and cooler temperatures outside during summer. If they aren’t properly maintained, however, these fixtures can become drafty and inefficient, not to mention unattractive.
When checking your windows and doors, make sure to:
- Check their frames for rot or loose nails. If you find any signs of rot in the wood around them, have it repaired immediately before water damage begins to occur within your walls or foundation, as well as underneath flooring materials like carpeting or tiles.
- Check each hinge joint on every door frame carefully at least once per month so that you’ll know if one needs repair work done on its hinges before they break completely off.
Landscape Maintenance
If you want your home to look its best, lawn maintenance is a must.
There are a few ways you can keep your yard looking great:
- Maintain the soil by fertilizing it with organic matter like compost or manure. Fertilizer helps grass grow faster by providing essential nutrients that are otherwise lacking in the soil.
- Keep weeds under control by mowing regularly. This will prevent dead spots from developing into large patches of weeds that make your lawn look unkempt and unprofessional.
- Create an irrigation system so water doesn’t get wasted when it rains heavily or during periods of drought. It’ll just flow right through without soaking into the ground at all.
Conclusion
If you’re looking to keep your home looking its best, you must understand what maintenance tasks are most important. USA Today states that an American’s typical yearly expenditure for home maintenance is $3,018.
However, this amount can vary based on the age and condition of the home. Generally, you should anticipate spending 1% to 4% of your home’s value on annual maintenance costs. For instance, if your home is valued at $300,000, your expenses for upkeep may range from $3,000 to $12,000 per year.
We understand that while there are plenty of other things that need doing around the house and yard, these six items will make a huge difference in how your home looks from the outside.