Prioritizing Repairs | Home Protection

Damaged hardboard siding

Continuing our series on What Projects First?, today we’re going to look at protecting your home from future damage. This will not only help you retain the value of your home (or even increase it, depending on what repairs you make), but will also ensure your family’s safety in the long run.

Siding

Take the time to examine the siding on your home. Find out how old it is and how long that particular type of siding is supposed to last. For example, hardboard siding (a.k.a. masonite siding) can last several years, as long as it’s properly cared for, such as painted with a sealant regularly. But it’s quite susceptible to water damage. Alternatively, vinyl siding can last from 20-40 years, with many manufacturers now offering lifetime warranties. Our Evolution of Siding article will give you more insight into the wear life of the various siding options. 

The most important thing here is to purposefully take care of the siding you have – repair or replace any worn or broken pieces and be diligent with the rest. Cleaning the siding once a year will help you to examine each piece for damage. With painted or stained siding, annual touch ups will keep you from having to address all of it at once (that is, unless you want to change the color). HA Construction can certainly help you with any major overhaul to your siding.

Roof

The most common type of roof in our area, asphalt shingles, lasts approximately 20 years. However, it could be less in consideration of the extreme weather that sometimes hits us in Missouri (such as hail storms, strong winds or ice in the winter). As such, it’s also important to have it examined by a professional annually to check for roof damage and repair loose or missing shingles. Otherwise you’ll have to deal with leaks and the damage they can cause as well.

Landscaping

No, we’re not talking about curb appeal here. The grade of your yard is a valuable way for directing runoff and water drainage away from your home. A slope of the landscape that causes rain water to pool around your home can – you guessed it – be a source for water damage and flooding.

The next time we have a heavy rain, watch the way the water flows around your home. Does it pool in areas or drain? Does it steer clear of your home entirely, or flow next to it? Does the ground stay wet for a long period of time near your home, or dry out quickly? Do you have a sub-pump in your basement or crawl space and is it working properly to drain water (basically, that area should always be dry, even in a heavy rain)?

If water sticks around, then you likely need to address the landscaping around your home. This may require bringing in gravel or dirt to change the grade of the landscape and redirect water flow. You may need to replace or upgrade guttering to direct water off the roof more effectively so it doesn’t create a moat around your home. HA Construction can help you determine what options are best.

Speaking of Water Damage

The most common issue when dealing with siding or roof damage is a water leak. Leaving these elements under-protected and worn means water damage to the rest of your home, compromising structural integrity, and makes your home susceptible to bugs (and we’re not talking a few marching ants here).

The water damage really is of the biggest concern, because that can lead to the growth of mold, a fungus that can cause severe health problems in those exposed. This is not something you want to endure, both physically and financially. The costs for the removal of mold in your home can be devastating to your check book.

If you suspect that you have water damage – or problem areas that can lead to water damage – contact HA Construction for an assessment as soon as possible. The longer you wait to address it, the more expense you will likely incur. 

Roof Damage – Causes, Prevention and Care

The sun may be shining today, but we are at the cusp of a season when the weather can cause the most damage. Tornadoes and thunderstorms produce wind, hail and flying debris that can put the roof of your home in shambles. However, prepared homeowners know how to take preventative measures, and know what to do if a beautiful spring storm brings not-so-lovely results.

Hail Damage

Hail is the most common cause for noticeable roof damage. How much damage suffered fully depends upon the size of the hail, the pitch of your roof and the contributions from the wind (such as direction and force). Since you can’t do anything to change the size of the hail and the wind force, and your roof pitch may be better in some circumstances but worse in others, preventing damage from hail is a slight oxymoron.

What you can do, however, is have your roof inspected before the hard season hits, along the end of winter and beginning of spring. Have HA Construction check your roof for any loose shingles or areas that need patching before damaging hail comes battering on your home like a drum solo at a rock concert. If you roof shingles are already in bad shape, it just opens up the space for far more damage that you want to deal with.

Consider tagging along as Andy and his crew examine your roof space, so that you know what to look for after a hailstorm hits. If you do suffer hail damage to your roof, contact your home owners insurance immediately (it’s also a good idea to make sure hail damage is part of your coverage plan) to get the claims process moving – and don’t forget to recommend HA Construction for the repair work.

Damage from Tree Branches

We Missourians know a thing or two about the damage that tree branches can cause, even in the middle of winter (think ice storm circa 2007). Whether it’s ice causing tree branches and limps to break and fall on your roof, or storms blowing them with increasing impact into your shingles, tree branches can cause significant damage. Even in the best of circumstances, small limps can get up under your shingles and cause damage over time.

In that regard, you should have the trees surrounding your home checked and pruned periodically. The recommendation is for young trees with a diameter of three to 12 inches to be trimmed/pruned every one to three years. Older trees, with a diameter of 13 to 30 inches, should be pruned every four to six years.

It’s important to note that, unless you have training, you probably shouldn’t prune the trees yourself because you can cause detrimental damage. Instead, hire a professional tree service that has certified arborists on staff, so they will protect the integrity of your trees for years to come.

Wind Damage

Yes, well, there is absolutely nothing you can do about the wind, and all it takes is 20-30 mph and you can have damage to a roof that’s not in ideal working order – not to mention the debris that comes along with it. The preventive measures for the damage wind can cause is simply making sure your shingles are nailed down appropriately and the wind can’t get up underneath them, causing them to loosen and blow off. HA Construction, of course, can examine your roof and make sure everything is properly in its place.

Damage Due to Poor Maintenance

Roofs with little to no pitch (or slope) tend to see the most damage on a yearly basis, so you’ll need to stay consistent with repairs. If not properly maintained, flashing (which creates a water tight boundary between sections of your roof) in bad shape can cause leaks, so be sure to have that checked as well.

As you may have concluded, a poorly maintained roof can make your damage problems far worse in the end. It’s important to have your roof inspected yearly so that you can have any problem areas repaired prior to stormy weather.