Summer & Fall Home Exterior Maintenance
BUSTAMANTE STAFF • August 1, 2023
Essential Warm Weather Tasks & Tips Around the House
Yes, the sunshine isn’t simply good for the soul—it’s good for home maintenance, too. Nothing says summer like warm weather, pool parties, and barbecues. Although a comfortable hammock and a tall glass of lemonade may be calling you, take time to do some important summer and fall home maintenance before you relax this season.
Maintain Your Home’s Exterior
As the seasons change, so should your home maintenance tasks. Now that winter and spring are through, you can tackle exterior maintenance projects you couldn’t do during wet or frozen weather. These maintenance tasks will prepare your home for when the sun is bright, and the temperatures are high!
- Clean Out Gutters, Downspouts & Window Wells: Leaves, petals, and seeds can accumulate in your gutters and window wells over the seasons to ensure they are flowing smoothly and easily. Clear the debris to keep rainwater draining properly and away from your home’s foundation.
- Inspect Your Roof: Perform a thorough visual assessment. If you only need a few shingles replaced, a contractor may be able to replace them for a nominal charge. For extensive damage, you should contact a professional engineer for an inspection.
- Check Your Siding: Walk around the house and look for rotting, loose, or damaged siding and make repairs if necessary. Power wash your siding to clean any dirt or debris that built up over the previous seasons.
- Clean & Repair the Windows: Wash your windows inside and out and recaulk or replace the weather stripping if necessary. This will help increase your energy efficiency.
- Inspect Your Foundation: Throughout the year, the soil surrounding a home expands and contracts from changes in the moisture content and temperature levels. The inward bowing of a basement wall and cracking can occur when the pressure exceeds the strength of the wall. Foundation settlement, cracking, sinking, crumbling, and chipping can lead to flooding, wall collapse, and even pest infestations.
- Clean & Repair the Deck: Start by pressure washing the deck and if after cleaning, the deck coating has worn away, apply a waterproofing coating while the temperatures are warm and dry. If your deck has loose boards and/or railings, cracks, or decay, it may need some work.
- Refill Driveway & Walkway Cracks: An unsightly hole or crack in your driveway detracts from your home’s curb appeal and can become a growing problem. You may need to patch, resurface, or replace a driveway that was damaged during the icy winter. To extend its longevity, an asphalt driveway should be resealed every two to five years.
- Maintain Hardscaping: Check the hardscape features around your house, such as patios, planting bed borders, and retaining walls. They might need to be cleaned or repaired.
- Landscaping Grading: The winter and spring months can be rough on your plants and flowers. You might need to do some upkeep like removing any sticks, branches and other outdoor debris from your yard and gardens. Cut back overgrown bushes or trees, and prune as required based on the species.
Protect Your Property with Regular Seasonal Maintenance
Summer and Fall are the perfect time to freshen up your home's exterior, to fix minor issues, and prepare things you'll use during the warm weather. To keep your home’s exterior in great shape, you can count on the professionals from
BUSTAMANTE ENGINEERS for
Structural Inspection Services,
Building Envelope Consulting,
Stormwater Management advice and
Historic Preservation Consultation.
Click to contact us online or call 215-394-6990 today…
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