With warmer weather approaching, it’s time to think about preparing your home for summer! Routine maintenance will help your home keep its curb appeal for years to come. It’ll also help protect you and your family from the elements.
Here’s how to get your house ready for summer.
Inspect, Clean, and Repair Your Roof
Regular is the best way to ensure that your roof lasts a long time. Before summer hits, inspect your roof for signs of damage. Replace missing shingles and roof sealant if needed, and clear away any debris.
Trees tend to shed leaves, petals, and pollen in the springtime. If these accumulate on your roof, they could lead to rotting.
Late spring is also a good time to . That way, you’re able to remove any moss or mold from your shingles and check for rust on any metallic parts of your roof.
If anything needs repair, late spring and early summer are a great time to get it fixed.
Clean and Repair Siding
Siding can become dingy and dirty over time. Take the opportunity to freshen your siding up for summer by giving it a good cleaning.
The most popular way to wash siding is with a pressure washer. But you can achieve the same results with a garden sprayer and the right cleaning solution.
You also want to be careful that you’re not forcing any water up underneath the siding. This can trap moisture against your house and lead to mold and mildew growth.
Be sure to do your research before using any chemicals on your siding. You want to be sure you’re using the right cleaning supplies so you don’t damage the exterior of your home.
Also, make sure that you trim any tree branches that are touching your siding so they don’t scrape. If you leave branches intact, bugs may also use them as a bridge to your home. Trimming tree branches help to eliminate these pathways and potential insect damage.
Clean and Seal the Deck
Summer is the time of year when your deck sees the most action, so you should make sure it’s ready! Clean any dirt or debris off your deck to prepare it for summer.
Like with your siding, you want to be sure the cleaning products you use won’t damage or stain your deck. It’s better to do your research than to end up making costly repairs later.
Once you clean your deck, it’s a good idea to seal the wood. Deck sealer protects the wood of your deck from the hot sun as well as from weather damage and foot traffic.
Sealing your deck will preserve the color and appearance, saving you on deck repairs as time goes on.
Replace Your Windows
Windows can last for decades with proper care. But you may need to replace your windows soon if they’re difficult to open and close. Likewise, replace any double or triple-pane windows that trap condensation.
When you go window shopping, you may notice ratings for different brands and styles.
You want high ratings for:
- Visible Transmittance: How much sunlight passes through the window.
- Condensation Resistance: The extent to which the window resists condensation or water buildup.
You want low ratings for:
- Air Leakage: How much air leaks around the window.
- Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: How much heat the window lets in.
To learn more, be sure to check out our guide for buying new windows.
Call Any of Our 10 Michigan Locations
Eikenhout is proud to be a building supply company with 9 Michigan locations. To learn more about our inventory, feel free to give us a call. You may also fill out our online contact form and someone from our team will reach out to you soon.
This blog post has been updated.
