At Coastal Windows & Exteriors, we believe in the importance of keeping your home efficient, safe and beautiful. Taking time each year to clean, inspect, and maintain your home is a great way to keep things in order. These are the top items that should be on your annual home maintenance checklist.
Window Replacement
Rainy or snowy seasons bring a lot of moisture. One of the first steps to take is inspecting old windows for moisture damage, especially if your New England home has wood window frames. If the window becomes damaged by rain or snow, it means the window is no longer performing.
How to Detect Moisture Damage in Windows
- Look for discoloration around the windows and on the frames. On the interior of the home, you might find water spots and stains in a brown, yellow, or copper color.
- Walls may crack, bubble or paint can peel away from the surface.
- Wood window frames may display changes in texture. For example, wood window frames may buck when they become detached from the siding. You may also discover sagging window frames that feel spongy in comparison to new wood window frames.
- In the right conditions, mold and mildew growth can form on both the interior and exterior walls.
- With severe moisture damage, you can poke a wood window frame with a screwdriver and it will sink right through the frame.
Other maintenance window problems that need to be addressed include fogged glass that won’t wipe away, drafts around the window frames and high energy bills.
Replace underperforming windows with quality vinyl replacement windows. Select windows that are certified by Energy Star which are proven to save over $400 per year in the New England region.
Roofing
In addition to windows, the roof can also undergo extensive damage from New England weather—especially if it’s poor quality, old, or missing shingles. If your roof isn’t performing properly, you can lose up to 25% of your home’s energy!
How to Detect Roof Problems
- Check for missing shingles. Missing shingles directly expose your home to the elements and result in many issues, ranging from energy loss to moisture damage.
- Check for damaged shingles around the gutters. This indicates that there was damage from ice dams, which can be heavy and strong enough to pull the gutters right off of your roof.
- Check for leaks. One of the common areas where roof leaks occur is around inadequate flashing as well as valleys. Flashing around the chimney plays a prominent role in preventing moisture problems. These leaks can lead to major structural damage in the roof and chimney if not addressed quickly.
- Look for stains on the rafter beams, discoloration, and mold or mildew. This further indicates that there is a leak that is coming from somewhere in the roof.
Replace leaky and faulty roofs with a quality and energy efficient roofing system. High-quality roofing such as our GAF products are designed to last a lifetime. Our professional roof installation keeps energy locked inside of your home while preventing leaks. This combats against mold and mildew, energy loss, and structural damage.
Siding
Your siding is yet another exterior component that battles against New England weather. Damage to your siding can seriously impact overall home performance as well as your curb appeal.
- Check for discoloration in the siding along the eave edges. This is a telltale sign of moisture damage from ice dams.
- Look around and make sure all siding panels are straight and flush against the exterior. If the panels have popped out, moisture may have seeped behind while becoming a mold and mildew breeding ground.
- If panels are loose have fallen off, look closely for mold growth. You will also want to inspect for damage to the exterior walls caused by mold or wear from the harsh New England weather.
- If your panels are wood, take the same approach as for wood window frames to check for rot. Push a screwdriver into the siding and see if the screwdriver sinks into it. Other signs of failing wood exterior include bucking, warping, and peeling paint.
Replace underperforming siding with quality vinyl siding. It protects your home from rain and wind, especially since 60% of homes are vulnerable to wind damage from storms. Choose quality vinyl siding that is professionally installed and protects your home from all elements. Upgrades such as our Prodigy ComfortFactor can make your home cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer, featuring an exceptional R-value and industry-leading thermal barrier.
Update Your Home Today with Windows, Vinyl Siding, & Roofing
Coastal Windows & Exteriors offers quality replacement products for your home maintenance checklist. Improve your property value, curb appeal, and energy savings with windows, doors, roofing, and vinyl siding. Contact us today for a free estimate.
Sources:
https://www.builderonline.com/article/tornado-points-out-flaws-in-home-construction_o
https://www.energystar.gov/ia/partners/manuf_res/windows/eswindows_marksmapsmessaging.pdf
https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/design/windows-doors-and-skylights/update-or-replace-windows#:~:text=Energy%20efficient%20windows%20are%20an,heating%20and%20cooling%20energy%20use.