Making Over The Outside Of Your Home

Making Over The Outside Of Your Home. Our houses get beaten by the weather. They stand through wind, rain, snow, and sun, and they endure falling leaves and smog of passing traffic. If you’re lucky enough to live close to the coast, they probably take more of a battering. More abrasive winds and rain bring extra salt and sand. 

Add to that nature taking its toll. Moss and algae will form wherever they can. And birds, insects, and wasps may nest in your walls and roof.  Gutters get blocked, and roof tiles slip.

But how much attention do we pay to the outside of our homes? We spent a lot of our time indoors, and don’t tend to spend a lot of time looking in detail at the outside. 

Having a good check on the walls and roof of your property is recommended. Here are a few things to look for, and some fixes to keep your home looking good from the outside.

Working Out A Plan Of Action

If possible, get up on a ladder and look at your roof. Make sure someone foots your ladder for you, and keep yourself safe! Look out for tiles that may have cracked or slipped. If there are any, you will need to hire a roofing contractor to get these fixed, as they could cause leaks in your home. 

Check the gutters. Often they can get filled up with dead leaves and moss which can cause them to block. Any blockages may result in overflowing rainwater potentially causing damp issues internally. Your gutters may break over time. 

If your gutters are prone to collecting debris or are close to trees, think about getting gutter guards fitted to prevent future damage.

Have a look for any signs of nests on your roof. Insects and animals can cause damage over time, so it is best to get these removed. Make sure and hire a professional to ensure that you can move the nest by law, and then have them take it to a safer place. Removing the nest yourself may cause injury or suffering to the animals. 

Repainting

A great way of improving the outside of your home cosmetically is to repaint it. Before you paint, though, you will need to clean your walls. Over an extended period, they will have acquired a coating of dirt. Any paint or cladding on your walls currently may also be loose, or flaky. Using hot soapy water and a wire brush, scrub your walls from top to bottom. Make sure and try and get them as smooth and clean as possible, and free of debris. 

Using thick masking tape, cover any areas that you don’t want paint getting on. Use a protective sheet on the ground to catch any drips.

Once you’ve done this, you will need to treat your walls with a stabilizing solution to get them ready for painting. The aim here is to allow dusty or flaky parts of the wall to bind while creating less absorbance on porous walls. This is a vital stage, as the walls need this or you may find that the paint does not take well to the wall, and you will need to repaint. 

Once the stabilizing solution is dry, then it’s time to paint. Use suitable, weather-resistant, masonry paint. You can use a masonry roller for covering large areas, then use a brush for cutting into any tight corners. 

You’ll probably need a couple of coats, especially if you’re using a light color. 

Cladding

If your home has weatherboards or any other form of cladding, you may need to replace portions of this from time to time if it becomes too worn or damaged. Check routinely for signs of wear and tear. 

To make sure that any wooden cladding on the exterior of your home is well maintained, repaint and varnish the wood regularly to prevent any water damage. 

Doors and Windows

Doors and windows can attract dirt. Keeping your windows looking sparkly clean will mean that they need regular attention. Hire a window cleaner to visit every couple of weeks.

Door and window frames can often attract mold and other grime. Get a brush and some hot soapy water with bleach and clean right into the corners of all of your UPVC frames. If your frames are wood, check for any rot while cleaning them, as you may need to replace parts of the structure if this is the case. 

Keep any wooden frames in good condition by regularly painting them with an exterior gloss.