With Spring in its infancy, rest assured there will be a number of rain showers from today through the ends of Summer. Rain’s great for the lawn and gardens on our property, but repeated rain showers, moreover severe winds and hail can potentially be damaging for one of the most defensive parts of the home: the roof.
(ARA) – Winter may cause many homeowners to contemplate a new heating system or other major investments, but some small, smart investments can often go just as far toward protecting your home and saving you cash. Through the proper home maintenance techniques, you can keep typical damage caused by snow, ice and rain at bay and avoid major home repairs.
One of the best ways to protect your property from the elements is by sealing surfaces where rain, ice, wind and melting snow can intrude. You can save thousands in repair costs when spring arrives by sealing windows, doors, the roof and even the driveway now, before the damage occurs.
Seal from the top down
Winter elements – from temperature extremes, ice and snow, to wind, rain and water intrusion – can cause extensive damage to roofs, exterior walls, garages, windows, driveways, patios and pavers, sidewalks and other exposed areas. Sealing cracks in these areas can keep out winter’s intrusive, damaging elements and prevent costly problems.
Fall sealing prevents spring leaks
Many expensive, major spring roof repairs start as simple leaks that could have been solved through sealing. The most common roof leaks begin around chimneys, skylights, pipes, flashing and vents.
As part of your fall maintenance routine, seal these potential problem areas by troweling on asphalt cement such as Leak Stopper or All-Weather Roof Cement. Or try a new product – Black Jack Neoprene Flashing Cement, a 100 percent rubber formula that gets tougher over time.
For flat or low-slope asphalt roofs that are cracking at the seams, reseal with Black Jack Roof & Foundation Coating.
Take the chill off winter energy bills
Heat loss is a major cause of high winter energy bills. But according to Energy Star, you can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs – or up to 10 percent on your total annual energy bill – simply by sealing and insulating.
Outside, use 100 percent acrylic caulk to seal around windows, outdoor water spigots, door frames, wall seams and corners, garage doors and under eaves. Caulk anywhere pipes, ducts or vents enter the home. Seal around any seams or cracks in walls and ceilings. Indoors, seal any breaks in walls or ceilings with fume-free SMART zero-VOC elastomeric caulk. Also seal dryer vents, exhaust fans, pipes, ceiling ducts, recessed lighting and attic hatches.
Don’t forget the driveway
Road salt and driveway ice melt products may do the trick to keep driveways and sidewalks from being slippery, but they take a toll on asphalt and cement surfaces. Pitting and cracks from winter water happen, and salt and chemicals can intrude into small driveway or sidewalk cracks, creating major repair issues come spring. Sealing your driveway, sidewalk and patio can help prevent damage.
To avoid expensive problems, caulk cracks in asphalt or concrete with Black Jack or Gardner crack fillers. Then seal concrete (cement) driveways, patios and sidewalks with Krystal Brilliance, a 100 percent acrylic clear sealer that effectively stops salt and water damage. For asphalt (blacktop) surfaces, use a long-lasting sealer like Gardner Pro7 or Black Jack Ultra-Maxx 1000 to reseal your driveway.
The time and money spent on sealing your home now can save you thousands more when warm weather arrives. Visit www.gardner-gibson.com to learn more about sealant products.
(ARA) – With colder temperatures looming, now is the time to check your home for deteriorating mortar joints and loose mortar – and make any minor repairs before they turn into major headaches.
Freezing rain, ice, snow and deicers, as well as freeze/thaw temperature cycles have the potential to cause costly damage. Unrepaired damage can allow water to seep in between cracked, loose mortar and cause interior wall damage.
Minor cosmetic repairs to mortar can be made on any type of brick walls – including garden walls, a home’s exterior brick and chimneys. And making such repairs is easier than many homeowners realize – all you need is a caulk gun and the right repair material.
A sanded acrylic mortar repair caulk – such as Quikrete Mortar Repair – will give the appearance of mortar in texture and color and is a more easily undertaken project for homeowners who are nervous about mixing mortar. The caulk’s sanded acrylic formula adheres to brick, block, stone and concrete surfaces, and the caulk tube’s square applicator tip is designed to smooth mortar joints during application of the caulk.
Before applying, make sure joints are clean, dry and free of grease, dust or loose particles, and remove all loose mortar from the joint. Apply the caulk by pushing the cartridge tip over the surface and forcing a bead of caulking into the opening. Do not apply any thicker than 3/8 inch in one application. Excess caulk can be wiped off with a damp cloth.
For homeowners looking to repair cracks in their fireplace, there is a specially designed mortar that is ideal for repairing damage commonly found in fireboxes. Quikrete Fireplace Mortar is a silicate-based refractory cement caulk ideal for tuck pointing damaged firebox mortar joints and repairing chips, cracks and breaks in fire brick commonly found in fireplaces and wood burning stoves. Once cured, the mortar provides superior adhesion for a durable repair while withstanding temperatures up to 2,000 F.
Using a caulk gun, the mortar is applied in strips no greater than 1/8-inch with multiple 1/8-inch layers for larger joints as needed. Once dry, start a low fire, keeping the temperature below 212 F until the mortar is dried thoroughly. It will typically take one to four hours to assure adequate drying and set time. Afterwards, increase the firebox temperature to 500 F for an additional one to four hours before routine usage.
As the weather changes, your house is more vulnerable to damage than ever. By taking these small steps that don’t require anything more than a caulking gun and about $5 per tube of caulk, homeowners can save significant money later by avoiding the need to make major repairs.
Home siding is one of the biggest home improvement projects which directly impacts on the value and appearance of your home while delivering energy and noise insulation efficiencies. There are numerous siding solutions on the market and they provide a wide variety of choice in style and appearance, cost, ease of installation, maintenance and energy and cost-saving efficiency.
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