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When the end of summer is finally in sight, it is always a good practice to start looking at your home and see what repairs may need to be taken care of. Acting early on repairs can ensure that you are well equipped to handle the dog days of summer, while also preventing potential home calamities in the fall and winter. Here are some summer home repairs you need to make to prevent serious problems for your home.
1. A Leaky Roof
If you notice a small drip from the roof, now is the time to fix it. Roofing repair can be a bit of challenge if you do not know how to get started. It is in your best interest to hire a professional roofing company to inspect your roof and repair problems. Not only do they have the right knowledge, they have all the safety equipment. Falls from roofs can be fatal and seriously injurious.
To find out if you have a roof leak, look at the ceilings. Do you notice any water-stains on your ceiling? Check inside the attic for signs of wetness or water stains rolling down the boards. While you are in the attic, turn off your light and look for any signs of pinholes allowing light to stream through. This will show you exactly where you have some small roofing repairs to make. Check on the insulation level in your attic, as is might be time to add new insulation to help keep your heating and cooling costs under control.
2. Gutter Repairs
Using a ladder, climb up next to the gutters and clean out all the debris. Mud will accumulate in the gutter over the summer as a result of sudden storms and unexpected rainfalls. Wear gloves to protect your hands as you scoop out the mud and debris. You should also use a small hand trowel to scrape out any additional remnants. If you need to, use a hammer to nail the gutters back in place. A lot of homes will have the gutter system start to bend or pull away from the home due to large icicles that pull on the gutter during the winter. Secure the gutters using nails approved for a gutter system. A clogged gutter system can cause flooding problems, as the gutters are unable to properly remove water from the roof and away from the foundation.
3. Service Your HVAC
Ideally, you would call your local HVAC expert in the early spring to come out and service your unit. But for many busy homeowners, your AC unit and its potential problems don’t become readily apparent until summer has arrived. Older units may be hanging on by a thread, and as the temperatures climb, they risk breaking down. Having an expert service your system will let you know to plan on a replacement in the near future. They can also re-charge your Freon so your home will stay nice and cool during the summer. Plan on changing the filter on your HVAC system to keep fresh air circulating in the home.
4. Repair Air Leaks
A simple air leak from a door or window can increase your energy costs. You need to detect air leaks to look for problems that need repairs. Add a new layer of weather-stripping around the windows and doors. If you have an older home, consider having the windows completely replaced. New windows can insulate your home and reduce your energy bill significantly.
Byline: Lana Velasquez is a Texas-based freelance home improvement blogger. Having completed many of these end-of-summer repairs, she is now enlisting help from wood crafters and pavers in Houston to cap off her home renovations this year.
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33 Comments
A big thanks for solving my doubts regarding the roof styles and design and leakage.This information really helped me. I would like to see more elaboration of your given terms. Thank you
All this information is really trust worthy. One can rely on that onformation. Good work by its content writer.
Glad you found the article helpful roofstyler . We’ll work on elaborating on the article. Thanks for commenting! -Gary
I think it is great tips for those who always looking for better roofing services and hope it clears all the doubts regarding services of http://www.nulookhomedesign.com/. I want also more information about metal roofing tiles cleaning. Thanks for sharing it.
jensmott , Fall would be a perfect time for these home repairs. We would absolutely recommend having a professional roofing company check out your roof. They know exactly what to look for and it can be a dangerous diy project. Thanks for your question! Gary
jensmott , Fall would be a perfect time for these home repairs. We would absolutely recommend having a professional roofing company check out your roof. They know exactly what to look for and it can be a dangerous diy project. Thanks for your question! Gary
Most of us would want to keep the gutters clean & unclogged. If water collects in the gutters, not only will it damage the exterior walls, but more damage may be caused to the roof attached to the gutters. This may cause rust on the roof if it is also of a metal increasing your expenses. It is best to consult the experts for maintenance & new installations.
Reference:- http://www.guttermasters.com.au/contact
Good points! Thanks for sharing!
A couple winters ago there was a violent windstorm that took some of the shingles off of my home. My house is about 24 years old and I am starting to think it needs new shingles. If these shingles are as old as my home, shouldn’t the new ones last a little longer than the older ones?
Luke | <a href=’http://hanleyroofing.com/service-locations/silverdale’ > Hanley Roofing</a>
lkj12321 Sounds like you should have a local professional roofing company come in and inspect your roof. Roofing is dangerous if you’re not experienced and a pro in your area should be able to help you out. Thanks for the comment.
It’s really important to finish all roofing projects by the end of the summer in this area because of the rain. We get a lot in the Fall, for some reason, and by the time it snows, there is no way to finish up repairs! I’m so glad we don’t have any damages to deal with this year. Last year was tricky trying to get them fixed up by the time Fall came.
Alexi | <a href=’http://www.campbell-roofing.com/roof-repair’ >http://www.campbell-roofing.com/roof-repair</a>
This article is spot on! College Station roofing firm Schulte Roofing (www.SchulteRoofing.com), says consumers should fix their roof now before costs run out of control, as it is easier to fix an old roof than a broken one.
I haven't checked my attic lately for leaks. I live in an older house and I am constantly doing repairs. I don't want to neglect something like a water leak. <a href='http://www.bandjroofing.com/bothell-roofer.html' >http://www.bandjroofing.com/bothell-roofer.html</a>
We could really use a roof repair. It’ll be costly, but we’ve had so much water in our house that I think it’ll be worth it. I think we’re also starting to get mold and mildew problems so that’ll make it worse. I should probably jump on that sooner than later.
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daveyhiltz It’s money well spent! Especially if you’re now seeing mold. You know what a nightmare that can be! Thanks for sharing.
A lot of people overlook the importance of repairing their gutter. It is imperative that you take care of that aspect of your house. You can cause serious flooding on your roof if you avoid it. http://www.aussieplumbinggutters.com.au/gutter-replacement
I have a leak in my roof. It started last winter when we had snow piled up for a few days. I guess my shingles just had never been under that much stress. The leak started shortly afterwards and we still get dripped on when it rains. I just hope that it doesn’t get too serious before I can repair it.
http://www.deananddunnroofing.com/roofing/
That is interesting that the article mentions checking your roof. The other day I noticed that my neighbor was outside checking his roof. I don't know if he found any problems, but it would be interesting to talk to him and see what he says. It seems like most people would not want to overlook a leaking problem. http://www.spikeroofrepairdenver.com
Good point about repairing your leaky roof before winter comes. That could make the problem much worse with the colder temperatures and snow build up. Thanks for the advice on roofing repairs.
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CaseyJones1 Our pleasure! Glad you found the article helpful and thanks for your comment!
Winter is
coming and so is the snow which means roof leaks can plague your house and
cause a lot of trouble. So before the season properly comes, it would be wise
to fully inspect you roof for leaks and weak spots.
bulletproofroofer It’s been a rough winter here in the Northeast and I would even recommend a Spring inspection. Some roofs really took a beating here! Thanks for your comment.
Gary, this was a great article about some repairs that should be done for the end of summer. The part about getting a leaky roof fixed seems like a good idea. My husband and I better check our roof to make sure everything is okay.
Emily Smith | http://www.a1roofingandsidingofli.com/roofing.html
I can't think of the last time I checked my attic! My husband checked the roof when we moved in years ago, but we never checked the attic. That is such a smart idea. It is so much easter to go check on that, rather than paying to repair your entire roof!
http://www.mmroofsystems.com/residential/2796240
That’s a great idea to take care of some home repairs at the end of the summer so you’re ready for fall and winter, especially roofing repairs! It seems like there can be a lot more rain and snow during the last part of the year and you don’t want that leaking into your house. Hopefully any leaks you find are small and can be easily fixed without spending too much. http://www.rippysroofing.com/en/okotoks.html
HollieTruesdale Especially this past winter Hollie! Glad it was helpful.
GaryBruzzese The weather is a little finicky where I live so it just started raining and snowing this week! Thankfully no leaks that I can tell so far.
Finding home repairs to do around my home has been daily thing for me. Especially doing it during the summer when friends and families come over. The main thing that I focus the most on is doing roof repairs on my roof. My brother has been a great help to me by willing to come up this summer to help me out with the roof. http://www.mttroofing.com.au
Gary, I agree with the importance to make sure to inspect the roof for leaks and damages. My neighbor didn’t notice a leak until it was too late. It ended up costing him several thousand dollars of damage.
http://awkuettel.com/services/roofing/
Gary, thank you for the tips. I’m going to have to keep these repairs in mind. I’m considering replacing my roofing actually. It seems like I may have a leak but I would need to do more investigation.
http://www.tothroofing.com/Roofing_Repairs_and_Replacements_Oakmont_PA.html
It was interesting to read that the first tip mentions “A Leaky Roof”. It reminded me of when my brother had to do some research on his roof because he started to notice some problems. The last thing a homeowner would probably want is to have issues with their roof, so it might be a good idea to keep an eye out for potential issues. http://www.economy-roofing.com/services
Its a great post. I think we should get our home repaired before the winter comes as a precautionary measures lest its too late.The tips provided herein could be a great help.Not only during winter but all the time its really necessary to keep it it in an intact condition to avoid any discomfort.All the surroundings and interiors including the roof ,walls, flooring etc should be taken care of . Additionally things of seemingly little significance like treating tiles with anti-termite liquids and taking care of the fire places is also important. http://www.cleanwrap.net/custom-applications/
The weather is going to start getting colder now that summer is nearly over. With that being the case, I really want to make sure that my room is good shape before the snowy months get here. After seeing this, I’ve realized that the best way to do that is contacting a professional roofing company and having them look at it.
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