Preparing Your House for Spring: Exterior Maintenance

Keeping your home in good condition is important, and what better time to do it than Spring when the weather if finally starting to warm up again.  Last week we discussed Spring Cleaning and interior maintenance; now we will focus on exterior home improvement at the Lake of the Ozarks.  It's a good idea to walk around the outside of your house each Spring to check for anything that needs repaired, especially after a rough winter.  Winter is tough on roofs and chimneys, as well as windows, walls, foundations and gutters.  Check out these tips on keeping the exterior of your home in tip-top shape and call All-Star Home Renovations with any maintenance issues you need help with.  

Examine Caulking
Walk around your house taking a close look at the caulking around all your windows and doors. Also, open your windows and check the weather stripping.  Replace old or cracking caulk and replace weather stripping.  A tight seal is the first line of defense against water and air; any leakage will let that hot summer air in and all your cool indoor air escape.  For help with window replacement at the Lake of the Ozarks, give All-Star Home Renovations a call.  

Clean Out Gutters
Clean out your gutters and downspouts.  Nature's debris can even be worse in the spring than the fall due to decomposed leaves, twigs, spring petals and seeds.  Consider adding extensions to your downspouts so the water drains at least 3 to 4 feet from your home's foundation.  

Repair Roof
Inspect the roof for missing or broken shingles or tiles.  Also check for any shifted shingles or nails that have popped out.  You don't need to climb up there yourself, risking a nasty fall.  You can probably spot trouble from the ground with a pair of binoculars.  Or call a roofing company, most will usually inspect your roof and give you an estimate for free.
 
Inspect Chimney

Check the joints between the bricks or stones to see if any have cracked, fallen out or have vegetation growing out.  All of these signal water infiltration.  Also look for any white calcium-like deposits which indicates that your joints are no longer repelling water, but absorbing it.  If you find any of these signs, consider resealing your chimney with a clear, water resistant material such as Thoroseal products.  Then call a chimney sweep to make sure that the chimney caps are in place and the damper is working properly. During the summer, you can close the damper to save energy and eliminate bad odors from seeping into your home.    

Scan Siding 
No matter what type of siding you have, check it out for trouble spots, especially under eaves and near the gutter downspouts.  Water stains typically mean that the gutters are not adequately containing the runoff.  If you have wood siding, be sure to check for any damages or openings that carpenter ants or woodpeckers could get nest in or burrow through.  If you find that it needs replaced, All-Star is here to help with your siding at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Pressure Washing
Pressure wash the exterior of your home to remove accumulated dirt, mold, stains and the like from the siding, deck, sidewalks, driveway and garage floor, fences, and lawn furniture.  Be careful not to get the windows because the pressure could scratch the glass or crack the caulking and never power wash the screens because you could damage the mesh.   Spring-clean your home's exterior

Repair Sidewalks and Driveways
Spring is the time to fix any breakdowns in concrete or asphalt before it worsens.  For surface cracks, chips or flaking in concrete, you can use cement repair products such as Quikrete to fix them yourself.  If the cracks are much deeper or the damage is to hard to fix yourself, call in a professional.  Asphalt is much more difficult and you should call a professional first thing.  To increase the longevity of your driveway and sidewalks, have your asphalt resealed every 2 to 5 years and concrete every 1 to 3 years.  
 
Prepare to Mow

Thoroughly rake your yard for any dead limbs that have fallen and any other debris that could get caught in your mower when the time comes to cut the grass.  Soil compaction and chemical change during the winter can leave your lawn vulnerable to weed growth; consider using an organic herbicide to prevent them from popping up when that warmer weather hits. Having a dull lawn mower blade tears grass instead of slicing it, leaving it vulnerable to disease, sun damage and insects.  A blade typically needs sharpened once or twice a year depending on the size of your yard.  You should also tune up your lawn mower after every 25 hours of use to increase its efficiency and reduce the emission of pollution.  Make sure that all your outdoor water systems such as faucets, pipes and sprinkler systems if you have them, are all in proper working condition.  

Spring maintenance is important for everyone, especially those thinking about putting their house on the market.  Your home goes through changes as it ages and climate conditions change.  Home buyers want to feel confident that everything has been well attended and taken care of before buying a home. And even if you aren't planning to sell, you will rest assured that your house is in good operating condition.  Now get to work so you can enjoy the warm weather that is to come!

Follow our blog for advice on remodels at the Lake of the Ozarks, minor home repairs and improvements, tips to improve the value of your home, and so much more.

All-Star Home Renovations serves the entire Lake of the Ozarks area. We can handle everything from your most complex home improvement and remodeling projects to the simplest.

All-Star Renovations has 25 years experience and is fully insured!

• Kitchen Remodels
• Bathroom Remodels
• Deck Additions
• Siding, Roofing, Windows & Doors
• Tile & Flooring Installation
• Screened Room Additions
• Custom Trim Finish Work
• ... and so much more!

Request a free estimate on your next project!

Serving the Entire Lake of the Ozarks Area

Adam : 573-286-2569
adam@all-star-renovations.com

Jay: 573-480-4757
jay@all-star-renovations.com

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