You probably spend the majority of your time inside your home, so it’s easy to focus most of your attention on interior maintenance tasks.
However, the outside of your home is just as important!
Keeping up with the maintenance of your home’s exterior is crucial to the long-term condition and health of your abode.
Exterior home maintenance can protect your home from pests, moisture, rot, decay, and the elements by performing simple exterior maintenance tasks.
Let’s take a look at some simple maintenance tasks you can do around the outside of your home:
1. Invest in Proper Weed Management
Maintaining the exterior of your home doesn’t have to always involve your home itself.
Having a clean yard is important too!
To ensure your yard is clean and safe, invest in proper weed management.
You can try DIY weed removal, but these methods aren’t always effective. Instead, consider hiring a professional to ensure the weeds in your yard are eliminated in the long term.
2. Clean Out Your Gutters
When leaves and other debris accumulate in your gutters, rainwater cannot drain properly away from your home’s foundation.
It’s important to clean out your gutters on a regular basis. Here are some tips:
- For lightly clogged gutters, you can use your garden hose and an attachment to flush out debris without having to climb a ladder.
- Repair leaking gutter seams by removing all debris and applying flashing caulk or a similar sealant to the seams and at the corners of the gutters.
- Install rain gutter guards and screens to prevent debris from building up in your gutters.
3. Maintain Your Deck
Sometimes all your deck needs is a good washing, but it may need more work if there are loose boards, cracks, or decay.
If this is the case, use a pressure washer to blast off any dirt before carrying out repairs. Look for areas of decay and small holes made by insects.
It’s possible to simply replace damaged boards instead of replacing the whole deck.
You should also apply a waterproof coating to your deck after cleaning it to keep it well-maintained.
4. Trim Your Trees and Bushes
Overgrown vegetation can harm your home’s exterior. For instance, tree branches that hang over your roof can cause damage to shingles.
Ensure that dense shrubs are not growing against your siding – they should be kept at least 1-2 feet away from your home.
You should also remove fallen branches and clear your yard of other debris to discourage pests.
5. Take a Look at Your Roof
By inspecting your roof on a regular basis, you can easily spot defects and imperfections that can lead to costly repairs if left alone.
Issues in your roof can lead to moisture, rot, and pests coming inside your home.
Look for broken shingles, missing shingles, sagging, flashing damage, rust spots, and more.
As long as your roof is not nearing the end of its lifespan, you should be able to make repairs instead of having it replaced.
6. Pressure Wash the Exterior of Your Home
Cleaning the overall exterior of your home can be a tedious task, but using a pressure washer can make the job easier!
Pressure wash the exterior of your home to remove stains and dirt and give your abode a nice refresh!
Plus, washing the exterior of your home can help boost its curb appeal.
7. Look at Your Windows and Doors
Yes, you should do a visual inspection of your windows and doors from the exterior of your home!
Here are some things you should look out for:
- Look for damage to weather stripping and hardware around your windows and doors.
- Check for cracks in the glass and frames of your doors and windows.
- Cracked and peeling paint on your door can lead to further damage.
- Inspect and repair window gaps between your trim and siding. Apply new caulk.
- Look for rotted wood around your windows. This has to be repaired, or you may have to replace your entire window.
- Protect wooden window frames by applying a protective coat of paint to prevent moisture and rot.
- Make sure to inspect your basement windows for drafts, loose frames, and cracked panes.
8. Service Your HVAC System
Whether you have a window air conditioner or a heat pump, it’s important to make sure these systems are clean and working properly.
For the best efficiency and airflow, clean the exterior unit of your cooling and heating system by removing dirt and debris from around it.
You can also cover the exterior unit to protect it from snow and ice during the winter.
When you are using a window unit air conditioner, make sure to seal the window around the unit to maximize efficiency.
Exterior Maintenance of Your Home
These are just a few ideas to get you started when it comes to properly maintain the exterior of your home.
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