Published: June 9, 2009
Over the past several weeks the Washington DC Metro area has experienced steady rains, along with the occasional thunder or lightning storm. This type of weather can be typical for our region during the late spring, summer and early fall months — particularly as we get closer to hurricane season, where our region gets the remnant storms that carry up along the east coast after a hurricane. As a result, we have received many phone calls from homeowners who have noticed missing shingles, leaks, had their homes damaged by broken trees or limbs, missing siding panels, or other items of concern. Many homeowners know how important it is to prepare their home for the winter months, but this is often overlooked during the summer months when the weather is anticipated to be more pleasant. Here is a quick list of things you can do to prepare your home for the summer months ahead:
1. Complete a quick visual survey of your roof and take note of any missing or loose shingles. These are the perfect entryways for water during light rainfall. Contact a roof contractor to complete a repair, which can typically be done immediately and at a much lower cost than repairing both the roof and interior damage from leaks.
2. If you have vinyl siding, check to be sure that the panels are all interlocked with no buckling or warping. Buckling or warping indicates that pieces may not have been installed correctly and are being bent out of shape with the change from cold weather to hot weather. Also, with heavy winds we receive many calls from homeowners who have single pieces blown off of their home — a quick walk-around your house and you may be able to spot these items before they happen!
3. Although not weather related, one of the most common siding repairs we complete during the summer months is replacing melted siding — the result of a grill sitting too close to the home!
4. With the humid months approaching, complete a check of the trim boards on your home. They may show signs of rotting as the weather changes.
5. During the next moderate rainfall, check your gutters to be sure they are not overflowing. Overflow on your gutters may be a result of a clogged drain, but it could also be an issue of not having the correct sized gutter for your roof’s size and shape. Also, overflow may result in leakage on the inside of your home — commonly in the basement area.
6. On the next warm day, pop into the attic and check to see if it feels overheated. Many homeowners have underventilated homes, which can be fixed by installing proper ventilation (which can vary between attic fans, ridge ventilation or soffit ventilation, depending on the size and shape of your home). You will save on your energy bills and lengthen the life span of your roof system.
7. Check the seals on your windows — with heavy rains poor window seals can leak, causing interior damage. This is also a good chance to be sure that your window sills and trim are in good shape.
We recommend that homeowners with homes over 15 – 20 years old have their home inspected twice a year (during the winter and the summer) to check for preventative measures they can take to protect their home from possible leaks or other exterior damage. To schedule your free inspection call our office at (301) 417-1000.
