Maintaining your home's exterior is vital to it health. Why say "health"?  Because behind your exterior walls there may be mildew, rotten framing materials, insects and/or rain that has penetrated and damaged the structure of your home - without you ever being aware that destruction is taking place.

Recently a home had water penetrate through a window sill.  The homeowner thought this was a one time event.  It wasn't!!  Years of water penetration had destroyed the wall framing - mildew formed and the carpet padding was ruined.  Thousand of dollars were spent to repair the situation when a tube of caulking could have stopped the problem.

The following are suggestions that may alleviate these problems:

  • Walk around the exterior of your home - checking all windows and doors for cracked or missing caulking.
  • Inspect all gutters and downspouts - leaves will cause blockage which will cause water to back up and penetrate through the gutter board.
  • Check downspouts to make sure they are draining away from the home - water should be discharged a minimum of three feet away.
  • Look for peeling exterior paint - this is a sign that your home is in need of painting.
  • If you have exterior lawn sprinklers, schedule winterization of the system.
  • Exterior hose bibs should be shut off in the winter and the valve should be left in the open position until Spring.
  • HVAC system should have be  maintenance checked for efficiency.
  • Replace HVAC filters regularly and clean electronic filters monthly