Are Your Curb Appeal Improvements Actually Damaging Your Home?
Homeowners often see the latest trend in upgrading curb appeal or a Pinterest post and immediately set out to mimic it. Many times, these “upgrades” do more harm than good. Before you start making too many plans for home improvement projects during warmer weather, it’s important to do your research about protecting your home’s exterior.
In an effort to protect you from unintended damage, here are the most common curb-appeal improvement ideas we see actually hurting homes rather than raising resale value.
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Avoid Those Whimsical Vines
There’s something really magical about entering a space with lush greens, blooming flowers, and hanging vines. When you are persistent enough to have such beautiful landscaping, it’s easy to be proud of your creeping vines that make your home that much more magical. From the street, the vines add enchantment. Upon a closer look, you might find damage instead of fairies.
Vines have a way of creeping up and into your home’s exterior. They can penetrate siding and shingles, compromising the protection and insulation these materials are meant to provide. Your siding and shingles could end up pulling away from the home. The plant also introduces moisture underneath the home’s protective barrier, leading to rot, mold, and mildew. Unsurprisingly, insects will find this vulnerability as an opportunity to infest your home.
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Reconsider Removing Your Downspout Extensions
Homeowners often deem downspout extensions as pesky, unsightly objects. Many people remove them to improve the look of their homes, add landscaping, or make room for a walkway. Unfortunately, downspout extensions serve a very important purpose – avoiding water damage.
While gutters catch rainwater and redirect it, downspout extensions carry that water even further away from your home. All homes require water redirection, but some homes need further help because of the way that their land is pitched. Removing your downspout extension might cause rainwater to pool next to your home, leading to water damage that could seep into your crawlspace or basement.
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Stop Powerwashing Your Roof and Siding
Power washing is a common activity homeowners prioritize in warmer weather as a way to make their home’s exterior look new. A burst of pressurized steam can wash away even the most stubborn dirt and organic growth built up over the year. What many homeowners don’t realize, though, is that there is a risk to power washing.
Power washing is too intense to use directly on your home’s exterior. It can cause shingles to fall off your roof and can damage your siding. Power washing should be reserved for cleaning driveways, patios, walkways, and sidewalks. An alternative is called soft washing, which is a similar technique that uses a less powerful stream of water.
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Upgrade Your Home The Right Way
At Advance Inc., we’re proud to educate homeowners about protecting their homes from damage and the importance of improving resale value. Responsible homeowners do their best to keep their homes safe and comfortable, and we want to support them in any way they can. With decades of experience, our team is ready and waiting for your call to answer your questions and get started on your home upgrade.
Contact Advance Inc. to schedule an in-home consultation.