The elements of nature takes its toll on exterior paint, particularly water in any of its forms; rain, snow, ice or fog. It leads to wood rot, mold, insect infestation and other conditions that cause destruction. You can’t give rain and melting snow a chance to contact bare wood in your home or allow it to seep and freeze in stone, brick and concrete. If it does it will compromise the finish.

These gaps between the clapboard house siding boards, the siding and the window, and gaps in the window trim can all admit water. These gaps should be filled and painted. Any bare wood where the paint has chipped should also be painted before the wet season begins in the fall. The best time to inspect for and repair damage to the exterior paint of your home is before wet weather sets in.

How to maintain exterior house trim and siding:

In the late summer or early fall, inspect your home exterior and make notes of what needs to be repaired.

Inspect for peeling paint. Bare wood or metal should be cleaned and spot painted to protect it from any moisture penetration. Hammer in any popped nail heads and paint them. Stucco cracks should be patched with caulking and painted.
Inspect for gaps in exterior siding between butt joints where any two boards come together end-to-end and where the siding meets corners and other trim pieces. Use a good quality water resistant exterior caulk to seal all gaps to keep out water and insects.
Inspect the trim around all doors, windows and all other places where pipes and vents pass through exterior walls. The trim around the top and sides should be sealed with a good quality exterior caulk. Gaps between trim and the house will allow water to seep in as it runs down the side of the house. Water that gets behind the trim can damage walls, windows, drywall, and interior trim. Seal gaps between the trim and the wall at the top edge and ends of horizontal trim. Leave the bottom edges uncaulked so that any water will flow out. Vertical trim should have the top and sides sealed with caulking and the bottom left unsealed.

Sealing gaps to prevent water infiltration will have a dramatic impact on preserving your home. Your home will look better and last longer and require less maintenance and repairs. It is important maintenance and relatively simple to complete. Following these steps will improve the life span of your home and reduce overall maintenance expense.

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