Get Your Home Ready for Summer – Outdoor Maintenance
It is incredibly important to maintain your house throughout the year. Maintenance will not only keep your home as perfect as the day you bought it, but it can also help you to save thousands of dollars on repair costs. In this blog post, we will discuss the different outdoor maintenance projects that you should complete to get your home ready for summer!
Roof
Emergency roof repairs can come at the worst possible times. Not to mention, they can also be extremely expensive. We recommend getting your roof inspected by a professional every few years. We also recommend for homeowners to do visual inspections to ensure the roof is properly maintained. Ideally, these inspections should take place in the fall and spring months. When performing a visual inspection, you should be looking for:
- Gapping where the roofing and siding meet (especially near vents)
- Damaged or loose shingles
- Damaged mortar around the chimney
If you see any signs of damage, call a Vancouver roofing professional right away.
Gutters
We recommend for you to clean out your gutters every fall and spring. Remove any debris that may have built up over the winter months to ensure the Vancouver rain water can properly drain. This will minimize water build-up and alleviate the potential damage it can cause to your landscaping, lawn, exterior walls, foundation, basement, and crawlspace.
It is important to ensure your gutters remain properly attached to your home. Check for loose or sagging gutters in the spring.
Deck
You should power wash and seal your wooden deck every one to three years (depending on the amount of foot traffic it gets during the summertime).
A power washer will be able to remove any debris that accumulated on the deck over the winter months. This may include, stains, algae, mold, mildew, etc.
The best time to seal your deck is in the spring and early summer months when it is sunny out. This will give the sealant enough time to fully dry. Regular outdoor maintenance can extend the life of your deck and allow it to last up to 30 years!
Trees and Shrubbery
We recommend for you to inspect your trees and shrubbery every fall and spring. Look for:
- Large, dead branches
- Broken branches
- Cavities or rotten wood
These should be removed prior to the snowy, winter months, and in the spring time. If you do not inspect and remove these branches and they fall, they can cause damage to your home, car, utility lines, etc.
Lawn
In the fall, reseed areas of your law that are thinning. This will help to reduce the possibility of weeds growing in when the snow begins to melt. Fertilize your lawn to encourage growth in the spring.
Exterior Walls
It is important to visually check the exterior walls of your home after the winter months to see if there is any weather-related damage. Your home may need to be repainted, caulking around the windows may need to be redone, and mildew may need to be cleaned off.
While some situations can be avoided with maintenance and the proper precautions, we know first hand that emergency situations can happen. Contact Universal Plumbing and Heating right away if you experience any leaks in your home.
