Maintaining the exterior of your home.
As with most things relating to maintenance in the home, the longer you leave it the worse it is going to get, and this couldn’t ring more true for the exterior of your house. Battling with the elements day-in, day-out, the outside of your house needs regular attention vital for the future value of your home. Annual attentiveness to the paint job, roof and driveway will help to improve your home’s ‘curb appeal’ and help you to avoid bigger, more costly jobs in the future.
By following the subsequent advice, you will ensure that your house is the best looking on the street. Staggering the times of the year when you tackle each of these projects will help you manage your budget as well as time.
Paint Job
Paint not only makes your house look good but also protects it from the weather. If you neglect the paint job on your home for too long, you are more likely to get rot and mould that can develop into a much bigger and more expensive problem. Having your home freshened up every two to three years is ample but keep an eye on the paint in case you start to see patches or peeling. It may be severely damaged by rain, ice, humidity, the sun or insects and need immediate attention.
Windows
Cleaning the windows is an easy fix and something you can do yourself to keep your home looking good. As tedious a job as this may be, especially if you have double-glazing, cleaning the windows inside an out through the entire house will get rid of any unsightly smudge marks and help your home to shine.
Driveway and Patio
Power washing your driveway and patio with a power blaster hose can be quite an enjoyable experience especially as you begin to see the dirt clear away. You can also get specific cleaning products at the shops to help remove stains such as oil and rust from your driveway.
Drains and guttering
Make sure you remove all the debris from your guttering and drains so that you don’t get a blockage. Overflowing gutters are not very attractive and can lead to bigger problems if left unattended such as the gutter falling down all together. Fallen leaves are regularly a problem during the autumn so make sure you keep an eye out for any build up.
Roof
When reviewing your roof once or twice a year, you need to look for fallen slates, moss growth, leaning chimneys or pockets of light shining into the attic. Ideally you will have a pair of binoculars to look up at the roof and access to the loft. If you do find any problems you must act immediately to avoid damage to the roof timbers and plastic ceilings in your home. Thatch roofs require a repair specialist so do not use quick-fix materials otherwise you may cause long-term damage.
Fences and the shed
Fences are a great way to keep the nosey neighbours out but they can also look terrible if they rot or decay. Make sure you treat your fences and your shed with a coat of wood preserver and protection to prevent changes caused by the weather. You can also choose from several colours to give you fence and shed a deep, attractive shade that compliments your garden.
Garden
Keeping a freshly cut lawn is a key component of a well maintained home, as nothing looks worse than an overgrown garden with weeds sprouting everywhere. If you are not much of a gardener, consider having your flowerbeds replaced with gravel so you only have to concern yourself with the grass. This leaves room for you to place potted plants on the gravel as you please without the pressure of a lot of maintenance time.
Clutter
Overall clutter in the garden does not look good, especially if it has been left out through the winter or for long periods of time. Why not repaint garden furniture that looks old or rusty, replenish your furniture with new pillows, wipe down the patio umbrella, clean the BBQ, tidy up potted plants and the bird table and clear up any other items?
By doing some of all of the above, your home will take on a new lease of life from the outside. Your home will be much more attractive to buyers on the market and to you and your friends.
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