By James John
As any homeowner can attest, your home isn’t going to clean or fix itself. If you want to keep your home in the best condition possible, you need to put in the work. You have to clean both the interior and exterior and fix any minor issues you discover along the way. Focusing on one thing and ignoring another will just lead to more problems piling up. Home maintenance requires you to consider every part of the whole, as one minor issue could have ripple effects throughout your entire home.
If it’s been a long time since you’ve done substantial maintenance work around the house, it’s better to do it now than to wait for something to break. Simple jobs like mowing the lawn and painting over dents and dings go a long way in keeping your home presentable, but you still need to maintain the things that keep your home together.
One of those things is exterior maintenance. Cleaning the roof or the gutter might not be as glamorous a job as redecorating your living room, but it’s one of the most important things you can do to keep your home safe for you and your family. If you follow a proper maintenance routine, you can catch small problems before they become too expensive or complex to fix.
Here are some areas you need to focus on:
- Roof
The roof is one of the most important parts of your home, but many homeowners fail to perform regular roof maintenance. Roofs ensure that your home is dry and kept at a constant temperature all year round. If something goes wrong with your roof, it could lead to leaks and expensive water damage.
If you notice moisture or water stains on your walls, and you’ve ruled out leaky plumbing, the culprit is probably a damaged roof. Check the roof for any holes or damaged shingles and get those patched up as soon as possible. For metal roofs, you might want to look into laser cutting to get the replacements you need. Small fixes now will translate to bigger savings down the line.
While roofs are designed to last a long time, it’s your job to prevent wear and tear and natural buildup of grime from damaging the structure. Make it a point to clean the roof every six months. Dirt and grime could dislodge shingles and allow moisture to seep through.
- Gutter
Cleaning the gutters is one of those jobs we put off time and time again. But neglecting this job can lead to costly damage to your roof and walls. Gutters funnel rainwater away from the roof and your home. If the pipes are clogged, all the rainwater could eventually make its way into your home and basement. You need to include regular gutter cleaning as part of your maintenance schedule.
If you can’t remember the last time you checked the gutters, then you need to do something right away. You don’t want to wait until it’s raining and the water has entered your home to check if there’s something wrong with your gutters. Keep the gutters clean of leaves and debris to ensure unimpeded water diversion. Even a clog in a single area can throw the entire system into disarray.
After cleaning your gutters, wait for rain and check if the water is flowing away from your home. If you notice leaks or overflows, you need to conduct emergency repairs. It could be a sign of a hidden clog or a hole that needs to be sealed.
- Patio
You might think that your patio and pathway only need minimal maintenance, and for the most part, you’re right. If the tiles or pavement have been applied properly, your patio should last for a long time. But it’s not uncommon for the structure to deteriorate with time, especially in a high-traffic area. It could be from natural wear and tear, or temperature fluctuation, or age. Water can also cause the materials to erode and shift.
Replace any broken tiles and fill in any cracks in the pavement. If your patio or pathway is covered in grime or moss, a quick pressure wash should solve the problem.
The bottom line
A comprehensive inspection of your home’s exterior shouldn’t take more than a day. Once you’ve taken stock of the situation, you can then initiate the necessary maintenance and repair work. Any repair jobs should be done immediately to prevent further damage. Do this twice a year and you’ll never have any problems again.
