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Summer's long days and warm weather makes it a perfect time for serious preventative maintenance on the outside of a home. It's also a good time to complete the tasks that will help your home better survive next winter.
Each of these fairly simple do-it-yourself tasks will take only a few minutes during each month, and will help keep your home in top shape.
JUNE
With temperatures well above freezing, June is good time to paint your home's exterior. Things such as blistering or cracking paint should be addressed as soon as possible as they can lead to other problems, such as wood rot. Paint defects can be spot patched. However, if your home's exterior has a large amount of flaws, you may want to consider repainting the entire home.
JULY
An annual power washing and resealing of a pressure-treated wood deck is not only a way to make it look nicer but helps extend the deck's life. Renting a high-pressure power washer to clean a deck removes dirt and dead wood fiber, which gives the deck a drab appearance. A new coat of deck sealer, meanwhile, prevents the deck from graying and also stops cracking and splitting of the wood.
AUGUST
August's often muggy temperatures can drain the water supply. Often, homeowners can see the effects of that drain by reduced water pressure in their homes.
To make sure you're getting all the water pressure you can, clean out the traps in the faucet's end every year. Often, the flow of water is impaired by mineral deposits and other debris stuck in the traps, which looks like a small screen.
Unscrew the end of the faucet with a pair of pliers and remove the trap from the tip. Flush out the debris and replace the trap. |
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Here are the materials you'll need to complete these jobs, and their approximate cost:
 Sanding block ($5)
Razor-blade scraper ($10)
Drop cloths ($2)
Roller and paint tray ($12)
Paintbrushes ($8)
Exterior paint ($20 per gallon)
Sandpaper ($5)
Steel wool ($5)
Wood filler ($5)
Deck sealer ($15 per gallon)
Pliers ($8)
Faucet traps ($1)
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See also:
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