By Earl Correll, CEO + President of On Point Custom Homes
Now is as good as time as any to tackle those pesky projects that should be on your annual home maintenance honey-do list.
First up, caulk and seal. Keeping a healthy seal on your home helps in more ways than you probably realize. Humidity and water control, keeping bugs and pesky critters out, etc. We recommend you inspect both the inside and outside of your home at least once a year and touch up any necessary caulking or sealing repairs.
Use acrylic caulk on any non-wet interior areas and silicone caulk for any wet areas. On the exterior of your home, we recommend using an elastomeric silicone caulk as it better protects from water and mold and has elastic qualities which helps it remain strong despite shifting or stretching. If you have large gaps to fill, consider using foam rod backer to fill the gaps before applying your caulk. This ensures the caulk has something to hold onto and aids against future gapping.
In addition to touching up caulk, inspect your weatherstripping and draft stops to ensure they don’t need replacing. You can pick up new weatherstripping from your local hardware store and it is easy to install yourself.
Once your house is sealed nicely, it is time to focus on drywall cracks and nail pops. Small hairline cracks and nail pops in drywall are common and happen due to subtle shifts overtime. Generally, small cracks are nothing more than an eyesore. To repair, all you need is some joint compound. Remember less is more when applying any type of filler. Take your spackle and spackle knife and apply in thin layers until the crack or nail pop is now even with the rest of the drywall surface. From there, you can do any necessary touch up paint or even repaint the entire wall for the best uniform outcome.
Lastly, if your concrete, siding, or brick is looking dingy, consider giving it a nice power wash. You can rent power washers from your local hardware store. Depending on level of dirt or algae build up on the exterior of a house, it’s possible to get away with using a pre rinse application with a cleaning solution and regular garden hose to break down the build-up. If your pre-rinse does not do the job, use a fan tip (30 degrees or more) on your power washer at start at the top of the wall and work your way down moving right to left, left to right. The same method can be used for driveways, starting at highest point and washing downward following the drainage. Be sure to avoid windows and remain at a safe distance so the pressure doesn’t do any damage.
Take advantage of these spring weekends at home and tackle that honey-do list. Your house will be in better shape to withstand the test of time because of it.