Exterior maintenance on your home is extremely important. Your house is one of the biggest investments you will make in your life, and the best way to keep it in high-quality shape is to make sure you are maintaining and repairing the exterior every year.
What does the exterior include? In this article, we will be detailing the best ways to take care of your windows, soffits, and fascia. Whether they need to be cleaned, repaired, or completely replaced, Aloha Construction has all the tips and tricks you need to know to properly maintain the exterior maintenance for your home.
Windows
Windows are an aesthetically pleasing aspect to your home’s interior and exterior, but they are also highly durable. With proper installation and maintenance, your windows can last up to 25 years in your house. Properly maintained windows will also keep your heating and cooling bills low. If they become drafty, those energy costs will skyrocket. Finally, proper maintenance is important to avoid leaks and insect damage in your home. Now that you know why window maintenance is important, what is the best way to take care of them?
Cleaning: The best way to clean windows is to wipe the frame and casing down with a damp cloth to remove dirt and debris, and clean the glass with a glass cleaner.
Repairs: Next, inspect your window frame. Do you see any signs of rotting wood that need to be replaced? Look closely at the window too. Are there any small cracks in the glass that have gone unnoticed? Is there moisture between the panes? Finally, check the wall. Windows can be affected by the hot and cold, and contract or expand in extreme temperature. Has this caused any small gaps between the wall and the window?
If you see any of these problems, it’s important to call Aloha Construction to get them fixed right away. Depending on the severity of the damages, the windows may just need to be resealed or may need to be completely replaced.
Soffits
Soffits are the boards that run along the underhangs of anything on your home’s exterior. You can find them under a balcony, porch covers, or the eaves of your roof. Soffits also cover the attic vents of your house and and allow for better airflow through your home. Soffits are important because they protect your house from moisture. Because of this, if they aren’t properly maintained, a damaged soffit can lead to leaks, rotting, and even mold growth on your home. So, how can you maintain your soffits?
Cleaning: The best way to clean your soffits is to use a ladder to reach them, and wipe them down with a sponge and a bucket of warm, soapy water. This is also a good time to check your vents and clean them from any blockage.
Repairs: A rotting soffit can cause a lot of damage to your home, and needs to be replaced. When you are cleaning your soffits, check them carefully for signs of water damage, where there might be a color change, rot, or softened or swelled wood. Insects and small animals can also damage your soffits, so keep an eye out for any nests or hives that may have been built into them. If you spot any of these telltale signs, call Aloha Construction for a soffit inspection and replacement before they get worse.
Fascia
The final part of your home’s exterior that we will be focusing on today is the fascia. Fascia is similar to the soffits. It is the wood, vinyl, or aluminum that runs along the edge of your roof and is attached to your gutters. It is used to protect your roof from water and weather damages. Like the soffits, when fascia is damaged it can allow leaks and mold to form in your home. The fascia on your house should be cleaned and inspected every year to check for damage.
Cleaning: The easiest way to clean your fascia is to do it alongside your soffits. Use a ladder to reach your roof side, and wipe down the fascia with warm, soapy water and a sponge to remove dirt and grime.
Repairs: While cleaning your fascia, inspect it for any damages that may have been caused during the year. Has it been pulled from the side of the roof from high winds or storms? This can cause a gap that will allow water to soak into your roof. Check the fascia for rot as well. It is the first line of defense for your home and if it is damaged, your house will soon be as well. If you spot any of this while cleaning it’s important to call Aloha Construction right away to have your fascia repaired or replaced.
Cleaning, maintaining, and repairing the exterior of your home is essential to protect it from the elements. Your windows, soffits, and fascia are all aesthetically pleasing aspects of your house, but they are also important protective elements. They keep water, rot, and mold out of your roof, and help retain heating and cooling to keep energy costs down.
Every year you should wash, wipe down, and inspect your windows for cracks, gaps, and rot. Get on a ladder and clean your soffits, and inspect them closely for rot, mold, moisture or small animals. Finally, remember to clean the fascia on your home as well with warm water, soap, and a sponge, and make sure they haven’t pulled off your roof or started to leak and rot. By keeping an eye on these important parts of your home’s exterior and catching problems as they arise, you can ward off expensive repairs down the road. Use our Aloha Construction exterior maintenance guide to make sure your home is getting the high-quality care it deserves!
