Who doesn’t want to keep their home looking good? But we often tend to ignore the little details in our quest to make things externally attractive. Today, we will touch upon two such easily overlooked essentials; gutters and siding.
Gutters are an essential part of roof installation that keeps water from accumulating on the roof and channels it away from your home. Without proper rain gutters, there’s a chance of water accumulation around the foundation of the house, which in turn could make it weak.
Rainwater if not funneled away could seep into the home. The rainwater can be led away from the rooftops, into pits for being reused or recharging ground water.
Gutters come in various shapes like half round and L. Largely gutters are made out of vinyl, copper, zinc, steel and aluminum. While vinyl is the cheapest, copper is the most expensive material that gutters are made out of.
If you use the right materials and stick a strict maintenance schedule, gutters could last you a lifetime. Although you can install a gutter yourself if you want seamless gutters or you have a multistoried house it’s better to call in the pros.
Gutter Maintenance:
A lot of debris flows with the water from the rooftops through the gutters. Use a scoop to clean the gunk that has settled into the gutters and flush it with water thereafter. You should also use leaf stoppers, gutter guards, and debris stoppers to make your life easier.
If you neglect cleaning the gutters at least once a year it could ruin your landscaping and siding. Now let’s delve a little deeper into the other overlooked part of a house, siding.
Sidings are attached to the exterior side of the wall or building and form the first layer of defense, in addition to the roof. Naturally, they are made out of weatherproof materials. They are smaller in size than the walls they cover and are joined together in different arrangements. This helps them naturally expand and contract when exposed to the elements.
Siding protects it the walls from getting wet and retaining moisture. Depending on the material the sidings are made of it could additionally have pest repellant and fire resistant properties. Fiber-cement based sidings tick off all the boxes when it comes to protecting your walls. Other materials like vinyl and wood-based sidings can also be used depending on your needs.
Vinyl Sidings: They come in a variety of colors and textures, they are made of PVC. The biggest advantages of these siding are they are virtually maintenance free and are for the budget conscious. These were alternatives to aluminum sidings and came to the fore in the 1950’s. These sidings are made up of two layers, the top one contains titanium dioxide that provides UV protection as well as the colors. The second is the limestone layer which helps to keep costs low.
Vinyl Siding Maintenance:
Though they don’t require maintenance, they should be washed at least once a year to keep your house looking fresh. They can be easily replaced in case they are damaged.
Wood or Wood products Sidings: can go through numerous wet and dry weather cycles, which means a longer life. They also provide a classy exterior look. Engineered wood sidings are durable and lighter than other wood alternatives.
Wood Siding Maintenance:
Wood sidings are susceptible to moisture, mildew or mold. To keep serious issues like indoor humidity and prevent leaky rooms, you’ll need to fight mold on the wood sidings.
If you find dark spots, you can scrub them out with a solution of ¾ cup bleach in a gallon of water. Make sure you are wearing gloves and protecting your eyes with proper eyewear. If there’s loose paint or cracks on your siding, it’s better to get in touch with a professional siding repair and replacement contractor.
Fiber Cement: Like the name suggests it’s made of a mixture of fiber, cement, and sand. It offers the toughness of concrete and can be ordered pre-painted. The fiber cement siding trend is currently catching on because of its versatility.
Fiber Cement Siding Maintenance:
This siding uses a special curing process which makes it resistant to moisture absorption. That doesn’t mean its maintenance free. You should check the caulk that’s used to join the siding to the other parts of the home for leaks, warping, cracks and mold. If you observe any of these signs call us at (972) 596-0159 to find out if it’s something you should worry about.
Absolute construction has been in business since 2007 and is ranked within the top 150 Roofing companies nationwide.