Protecting Your Home from the Elements
Order of contents Introduction
Winter Weather Damage Summer Weather Damage DIY Options Energy Matters The Payoff
Resources
Introduction A home is so much more than mere shelter. It's a gathering place for a family, a place where memories are made, a space for relaxation, jubilation and comfort. Clearly, the home represents more than a mere physical structure - though when that physical structure is threatened, so too is its greater purpose. Thus, a home needs protecting. As is often the case, taking preventative action against weather damage can payoff greatly. Here's our brief guide on how to protect your home from the elements:
Winter Weather Damage When it comes to weather damage - particularly for British homes wintertime is the worst. Snow, rain, wind and everything in between can wreak havoc on the component elements of a house or flat. Some of the most common examples of winter weather damage include: Roof Damage After a hearty snowfall, it's not uncommon for home to incur roof damage. As the snow accumulates atop a roof, the weight of it can cause the structure to crack or fall-in. In addition, the snow can melt, resulting in water damage and leaks. Water Damage Water damage from flooding or snow accumulation against exterior walls can lead to moulding and rot. In severe cases, this can cause dangerous structural damage to the home. Frozen Pipes On those cold winter nights when the temperature drops below freezing, the standing water in its pipes can turn to ice, causing them to crack or burst.
Sun Weather Damage There are two reasons why sun damage to homes isn't discussed often in the UK. Firstly, many UK homes are made of stone or concrete, materials which typically do well in sunny weather. Secondly, Britain isn't necessarily known for its sunshine. However, over time the sun's exposure can cause damage to British homes, particularly any which feature wood components like porches, decks, wood siding, wooden window frames and wooden shingles. The sun's UV rays will attack the natural fibres in wood just as they do to your skin after a day of too much sunbathing. These harmful rays break the wood's finish, causing cracks and splintering. To make matters worse, when moisture gets into these cracks, it causes the wood to mould and rot. According to DIY home expert Danny Lipford, the sun's exposure can also damage any vinyl components of your home - such as vinyl siding, downspouts, gutters or overhangs. The sun causes this hard plastic material to oxidise, quickening the aging process and causing a dirty, yellowish appearance.
DIY Options Frozen Pipes There are a lot of preventative techniques you can employ to prevent your pipes from freezing in cold weather. According to The Weather Channel, homeowners can use the following DIY techniques: Cover any exposed pipes with insulating sleeves Plug-up all cracks in your home's exterior walls and foundation with caulking Run water from your tap in a slow trickle at all times to keep water flowing through the pipes (and thus, less likely to freeze) Open cabinet doors so that the home's warm air can warm the exposed pipes Water/Sun/Snow Damage To protect the wooden components of your home from sun damage as well as winter weather damage, staining will do the trick. Before applying the wood stain, make sure the wood is aged enough to easily absorb water (wood that's too new will not yet be able to absorb the water and therefore the staining will be ineffective).
Clear any surface dirt/debris off the wood and clean it with a concentrated wood cleaner and a push brush. Depending on the staining product you're using, it's likely that you will have to wait for the wood to dry before staining. Once dry, proceed with brushing or spraying on the stain.
For sun damage to any vinyl components, you can use a simple vinyl cleaner to help protect it and to clear-up any aesthetic damage from oxidisation. You may already own one of these spray bottles for cleaning the inside of your car, otherwise you can consult your local DIY shop for cleaners that are made specifically for vinyl siding. To prevent structural damage and water damage causes by snow accumulation, it's important to remove the snow before it can gather along exterior walls and the roof. However, when it comes to removing snow from a roof, it's best to hire an expert - as is a dangerous job that requires professional skills and equipment.
Energy Matters The exterior of your house isn't the only aspect of your home that needs protection from the elements. Your home's interior - specifically its heating and cooling systems - also need looking after. The winter brings with it cold temperatures and short, dark days. The summertime, though usually highly-anticipated, means increased exposure to the sun's damaging UV rays. Fortunately, your home can be a warm, cosy retreat from the winter weather as well as a cool sanctuary during those extra hot summer days. To ensure it's the oasis you want it to be, heed the following tips: Get your boiler serviced every year. By maintaining your boiler with regular check-ups by an engineer, you can avoid breakdowns during those cold winter months and expensive repair fees. Install double-glazed windows to keep the warm air inside during the wintertime and the cool air in during summertime. Install an air-conditioning system if you live in a warm-weather climate. Though probably unnecessary in the UK, air-conditioning systems are very useful if you live in warmer climate or perhaps have a holiday home in a warm-weather country. However, to save on electricity, you may want to consider alternatives to electric air conditioning systems, such as geothermal heat pumps or solar powered air conditioning.
The Payoff Protecting your home from the elements will help ensure it fulfils both its structural and domestic purpose. However, there's another key reason why protecting your home from weather damage is so important - it will save you money! The cost of repairing water damage or structural damage caused by snow, broken pipes and UV rays usually far exceeds the cost of prevention measures. For example, a tin of decking stain will cost you around ÂŁ15.99, while purchasing a new DIY decking kit will cost you around ÂŁ499.99 - which would you prefer?
Resources The Weather Channel
Danny Lipford Rafter Tales Which? Ecomagination