If you’re like most homeowners, you are constantly working to make improvements. Some services you can attempt on your own, but for many services, you should contact an expert. Before attempting any project, you should fully understand if you can handle the work. Here is a list of the house exterior services you should consider for your house this year.
1. Upgrade Your Deck
When you are thinking about the best house exterior services you want to attempt for your house this year, you should add a deck to your list. If you don’t currently have a deck, you should consider installing one. Decks are a great way to add value to your home because they are considered more appealing to potential buyers. You should contact high-quality and reputable deck builders to install a new deck in your space.
If you already have a deck, you should consider making some upgrades to it. Some of these upgrades could include under-deck waterproofing. When you have an existing deck, you should have it inspected to determine if it’s in need of repairs or isn’t secure. Any time you have loose boards or screws on your deck, you should replace them. When there are damaged areas on your deck, you should contact a professional to assess and repair it. It’s critical to keep your deck clean of dirt and debris.
You can do this by hosing off all the dirt and debris sitting on the deck. Once you do that, then you should scrub it with a gentle cleanser and scrub brush. Once you ensure that your deck is secure and clean, you can consider adding some decorative planters. This improves the look of your deck while giving it an inviting feel.
2. Continue to Maintain Your Roof
It is common for homeowners to be uncertain about just how essential their roof is for their homes. Not only does a roof protect everything inside your house, but it keeps the temperature-controlled and items secure. This is one of the reasons why your roof should be close to the top of your list of house exterior services. In addition, the roof of your house provides a barrier between your house and the external weather elements. This is why it’s important to have proper maintenance, service, and inspections of your roof. Hiring a professional contractor to provide roofing services may help you avoid having to replace your roof too soon. When you hire a reputable company to assess the condition of your roof, you may be able to reduce the burden.
It is crucial that you add regular roof inspection to your house maintenance checklist. You can do the inspection on your own, but it’s best to contact your local roofer to perform a roof inspection. During an inspection of your roof, there are some common problems a professional roofer will pay attention to. Before a contractor handles leaky roof repair, they will check for your roof’s flashing and look for rust or cracked caulk. A contractor examines the shingles to ensure there is no curling, blistering, or buckling. You should check your shingles for broken or missing shingles. The vent pipes should be inspected to see if they have any worn-out or cracked rubber boots. Moss and lichen on a roof are often signs that there is decay underneath the shingles.
3. Care For Your Asphalt
When you think about house exterior services, there may be one ware that you easily overlook. Yet, it is one of the more critical aspects of your home. That is the driveway. It is typically one of the most used areas in and around your home. When you think about home maintenance, you should add your driveway to that list. Some of the maintenance for your driveway, you can do yourself, but other areas may need an asphalt contractor. When you have a concrete driveway, it should be sealed on an annual basis. An asphalt one, on the other hand, should be sealed every couple of years.
Asphalt crack sealing the driveway helps stop further cracking, freezing, and water from getting underneath the asphalt. If there are any cracks in your driveway, now is the time to fill or patch them. It is essential that you remove any trees that are close to the driveway or have their roots trimmed. A level and smooth driveway reduce the risk of tripping and falling. In order to reduce the amount of water on the driveway, you may want to consider creating a strip around the edge to allow for water and snow runoff. This strip helps to reduce the chance of water penetrating through the surface.
It prevents water from sitting on the driveway; you want to ensure your gutter downspouts drain into the yard and not onto your driveway. You want to make sure that your driveway is clean. If there are substances on the driveway, you should clean them quickly. If liquids are left on the driveway, they can soften asphalt and penetrate up to a quarter inch of concrete. These stains begin to break it down and cause holes and weakened areas.
4. Give Your Patio Some Attention
When you are thinking about the house exterior services you should consider for your home, don’t overlook your patio. While it seems like it doesn’t require much attention, it does require some. You want to be sure to ensure that you maintain specific areas. If you don’t feel comfortable caring for your patio yourself, you can hire a professional concrete patio company to handle these areas for you. You should have a professional inspect your patio regularly to ensure it’s structurally sound. They should check the foundation, supports, and beams. This will let you know that it’s safe to use.
One of the easiest steps you can take for your patio is to keep it clean. The good news is water, and mild soap can easily remove debris and dirt from your patio. You want to avoid using harsh chemicals on the surface of your patio. It’s a good idea to protect your patio in the winter by covering it. When not in use, a cover protects your patio from extreme temperatures, snow, and rain. You may not realize it, but proper drainage for your patio is essential. It prevents water from pooling on it and causing damage over time. It is also critical that all downspouts and gutters are properly installed so they drain properly and the water moves away from your patio.
5. Pay Attention to Those Trees
One of the top house exterior services that you should consider hiring a professional to do every time is tree trim and removal. This is a case when you should consider a local tree removal professional because trimming trees is dangerous. When you hire tree trimming services, they will take the proper safety precautions, which include wearing personal protective equipment. Tree trimming contractors use the right tools that are necessary for safe and effective trimming. The tools must be properly maintained and sharpened to be appropriate for the job. Another consideration is that different tree species require different types of trimming requirements. When you hire professional arborists, they understand the specific needs of all trees to avoid causing damage or harm to the trees in your yard.
You may want to consider having your trees trimmed if you see they are overgrown or there are a lot of dead branches. Dead or diseased branches can fall without any warning and hurt people or animals, and damage property. When there are diseased or damaged branches, they can cause harm to other branches and trees in your yard. When you trim them, it helps to ensure the tree can have healthy growth. Another consideration is if your trees are growing too close to power lines, you should have professionals come and trim them back. This way, the trees won’t interfere with the power lines.
6. Install a Fence
Another important house exterior services to consider is a fence. A fence is a great way to make your property private and secure. You want to make sure you contact a reputable and dependable fence company. Adding a fence to your yard is the ideal way to protect your house from unwanted guests and keep others from getting too close to your house. Again, you can ask your friends and family for recommendations.
Not only can fences add privacy, but also style to your home. There are many different styles, colors, and options from which you can choose. You are sure to be able to find one that suits your preference and the style of your home. A fence gives you a perimeter around your house while providing balance and endpoints. If you have small children or pets, you may want to consider adding a fence to help keep them secure in your yard. Not only can they not get out, but others cannot get in.
7. Your Chimney is Important, Too
While a chimney is on the inside and outside of your home, it is good to put it on the list of house exterior services. The top part of your chimney is outside of your house and typically has a chimney cap. You want to ensure your chimney cap is not damaged or missing. The chimney cap protects the interior part of the chimney from extreme weather like snow and rain. These types of weather can cause damage to the chimney over time. The chimney cap also prevents small animals like squirrels, birds, and other animals from getting inside your chimney and creating a nest. A nest can become a fire hazard.
A chimney cap also prevents sparks from coming out of the chimney and landing on the roof or nearby surface. If sparks were to land on these surfaces, they could start a fire. A chimney cap also allows air to flow freely through the chimney to help it work more efficiently and reduce the risk of fire. You want to have the inside of your chimney serviced, too. When it is not maintained properly, there can be a risk of fire. Debris, dirt, and creosote can build up and catch on fire. In addition, carbon monoxide buildup can be caused by a dirty chimney. This can be deadly when it occurs. However, if you have regular chimney maintenance, it can help prevent carbon monoxide from entering your home.
8. Don’t Overlook the Garage
While you are thinking about house exterior services you may need and a garage isn’t technically the exterior, you should consider giving it some attention. If you are like most homeowners, you may not think it requires maintenance to function properly. However, even if you don’t use your garage for your vehicle, you still want to make sure it’s working properly. Your garage doors should have service at least once a year. While you can perform some amount of inspection on your garage doors, you should really leave it up to a qualified technician. While handling an assessment, the technician will test your garage doors and adjust them as needed. They will also balance and lubricate them as needed. This ensures that your garage doors will always work exactly when you need them.
In addition to your garage doors, you want to give the garage floor some attention. Unfortunately, you probably overlook most of the time. You may want to consider garage floor services because they provide a durable and long-lasting finish. They can stand up to heavy use while resisting chemicals, impact, and stains. Epoxy coatings are a good example of garage floor services. Garage floor services improve the way your garage looks because they give it a high-gloss finish making it easy to clean and maintain.
Here is a great starting point for the services you may need outside of your home. Of course, you should consider other areas outside your house, but this list can get you started in the right direction.