The sun is out and the warm weather is upon us. This is prime roofing season as homeowners take the time to get a great look at their homes and identify problems. As temperatures rise, the materials and layers of your home shift and swell… so something that may not have been an issue in the winter can now become one in the summer. With regard to roofing, gutters, and siding:
- Roof – Older shingles get brittle with the heat and may begin to crack, get blown off, or fail to protect your home from the elements.
- Flashing – Materials in joints around vents, and chimneys sometimes crack and moisture begins to get in your attic.
- Siding – Ages with time and floats on your home. With the heat, you may see some buckling or shifting that requires some easy maintenance.
- Gutters – Seedlings fall from trees and clog gutters, often requiring you to get up on the roof and clear them off. Be careful, too many accidents happen with homeowners on the roof!
- Pests – Critters are now active and searching for food and moisture. From ants to chipmunks and everything in between, now is when they’ll find their way into your home!
- Energy – Air conditioning is one of the largest energy costs for a home, so it’s time to look for opportunities to insulate your home and get it more efficient!
Feel free to contact Bauerle to come out and inspect your home for issues! We are experienced inspectors and can give you a rundown on your roof, gutter, and siding health!
In addition to the items above, here’s a solid maintenance list for your home this month:
- Garage – it’s time to oil your door opener, chain, and rollers. Be sure to inspect the bottoms of your walls in your garage as well as any doors. Garages are often an entry point for pests and many are uninsulated.
- Windows – test all your windows and feel for heat coming through around the sill and seals. Old windows that made it through the winter often need some care for fixing seals and gaps.
- Exhausts – go by a lint remover and pull the extra lint out of your dryer. Remove the exhaust hose and make sure it’s not clogged.
- Leaks – check your garden hoses, washer, dishwasher, refrigerator, and sinks for any links.
- Gardening – prune your trees and shrubs, and mulch your gardens as needed. You may want to have the electric company come out if you see your trees growing into electrical lines.
- Pressure Wash – it’s a great time to pressure wash your driveway, patios, and fences – retreating them as necessary.
- Air Conditioning – do yourself a favor and pay for a maintenance package with your local HVAC company and have them out to test your air conditioning… the last thing you need is for your AC to go out on a hot day when everyone else’s does!
- Humidifier – invest in a dehumidifier to improve how comfortable your home air is in addition to saving some funds on air conditioning.
- Ceiling Fans – it’s time to change the direction of your ceiling fans so they spin counterclockwise… this pushes air down and creates a cool brize.
- Pool or Spa – it’s pool season – so time to skim, vacuum, and clean your pool, check the pH levels, replace filters, and repair any leaks.
Inspections are always free, so take advantage of the opportunity to have us out. And don’t forget… roofing technology has significantly changed over the last two decades. New roofs and siding are more energy-efficient and seamless guttering systems with leaf guards can help you with energy costs and reduced maintenance.
