Fall Maintenance for your Home’s Exterior

The colder temps and colorful foliage give it away.  Fall is here which means winter is just around the corner.  Your home can take a real beating during the winter months. Minnesota Exteriors recommends that homeowners do a thorough evaluation
of your home’s exterior now before small issues turn in to major catastrophes.

Your roof is your home’s first defense against the elements.  It is very important to check your roof for cracked shingles, curling shingles, missing shingles, storm damage and wear and tear from old age.  If you are uncomfortable getting on your roof-DON’T! Often roof issues can be seen from the ground.  Another alternative is to call a reliable roofing company like Minnesota Exteriors who offers free roof inspections.  A professional will come out to your home and check your roof for issues and make
recommendations based on your roof’s current condition.

In addition to checking your shingles for damage you should also make sure that the flashings around chimneys are in good condition.  This can often be a point of entry for water and ice melt.  You may also want to go in your attic and look for evidence of moisture on your rafters.  This can be a sign of a potential roof leak.

Once you have checked your roof for potential issues you should direct your attention to your home’s siding.
Many homes are now being sided using maintenance-free products like vinyl siding, aluminum siding and steel siding.
Often these siding products require very little attention.  Your siding may accumulate dirt and dust which is easily rinsed away.  However, it is important to walk around your home and look for cracked siding or loose siding panels.  Fixing these issues now will prevent larger problems in the future.  If you suspect that your siding has hail damage call a company like
Minnesota Exteriors who will come and inspect your siding and work with your insurance company to get it replaced.

Fiber cement siding and engineered wood siding are also very low-maintenance products.  You will want to check for cracked siding or peeling paint. If you have old, wood siding you will want to look for areas of rot or decay.  If you have extensive damage it may be a good time to consider replacing your siding with a maintenance-free product like vinyl siding, aluminum siding, steel siding, fiber cement siding like James Hardie or engineered wood siding like LP Smartside.

After checking your siding for potential issues it is time to take a look at your windows.  If you have old, drafty widows it would be good to consider replacing them before the cold weather hits.  New windows can decrease your energy bills and will help keep you and your home warm and toasty.  There are many great window products available including vinyl windows, aluminum clad windows, fiberglass windows and wood windows.

If you are not going to be replacing your windows you should check to make sure they are working properly.  If necessary re-caulk around your windows and doors.  You should also replace any damaged or missing weather stripping.  If your exterior trim is showing signs of rot or peeling paint consider having it wrapped with maintenance-fee aluminum.

And finally, you should also check your gutters for proper functionality.  Your gutters may need to be cleaned after the fall season.  Many companies offer this service if you are unable to do it yourself.  Clogged gutters can cause water issues in
other parts of your home.  If you have leaky gutters or cracked gutters you can use a gutter sealant to repair your gutters.  You should also make sure your downspouts are positioned properly to drain water away from your home.  Make sure water will not freeze in areas like sidewalks and stairs.  This could be very dangerous in winter months.  If you want to replace your existing gutters companies like Minnesota Exteriors can come and recommend the best products and layout for your home.

A little routine maintenance now will reduce the chance of big problems later.

Roofing Inspections

At Minnesota Exteriors, we are always happy to inspect your roof for storm damage or general wear and tear. Keep in mind we install windows and siding, but feel free to have us inspect your roof while we’re there. In some cases, we find hail damage on your roof you never knew you had! This is always a nice surprise to the homeowner who has been saving for a new roof and now will only need to pay their insurance deductible. We can estimate the approximate life left on your roof by looking at its condition. We can also look at your windows, doors, and siding to create a priority list for you. We may find you have a good 5 years of useful life for the roof, and you may benefit the most at this time from a window replacement or a siding installation. That’s why it’s always a good idea to have a MEI representative out to your house for a no-pressure consultation. MEI is the Twin Cities’ oldest and most respected home improvement installer with a lifetime workmanship warranty on all siding, roof, window, door, and gutter installations. Call us today!

Spring cleaning for your home’s exterior

The exterior of your home can take a beating over the harsh winter months.  It is important that you take the time to do a thorough spring “check-up” to make sure there aren’t issues that need to be addressed.  Major catastrophes can often be avoided by a little maintenance and attention.

It is important to check your roof, siding, gutters and windows for potential issues.  If many problems are uncovered, you may decide that it is time to get a free in-home estimate on roofing replacement, siding replacement or window replacement.  Minnesota Exteriors offers these services to homeowners in the Greater Twin Cities Metro area including Minneapolis, St.
Paul and surrounding suburbs like Maple Grove, Brooklyn Park, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Lino Lakes, Ramsey and many others.

Don’t get on your roof unless you feel 100% comfortable doing so.  Make sure you have a sturdy ladder and shoes with good grip.  If you don’t want to get on your roof you can look for many potential issues from the ground using a pair of binoculars.  First check for shingles that are missing, cracked or curling.  These are signs that your roof needs to be replaced.  Also look for areas where asphalt granules seem to have worn off.  You can also look for large amounts of granules in your gutters.  Your roof may also have black streaks which are a sign that you have mold or algae growing on your roof.  Some companies offer roof washing services that can rid your roof of the stripes.  If the problem is allowed to continue for too long you will probably
need to consider roof replacement.  You should also make sure all of your flashings are not in need of new caulk.
Another way to look for potential problems is to go in to your attic.  Look for evidence of water marks on your rafters.  If you do have a leaky roof it is crucial that you have a professional roofing contractor like Minnesota Exteriors replace your roof as soon as possible.

Your siding should also be checked for issues.  If you have wood siding you will want to look for areas or rot that may act as rance points for insects and rodents.  You may also have areas of peeling paint that should be addressed.  If you find yourself making repairs to your wooden siding every year you may want to consider replacing your siding with something maintenance free.  Minnesota Exteriors can replace your old, wooden siding with vinyl siding, aluminum siding, steel siding, fiber cement
siding or engineered wood siding.  If you suspect that water is getting behind your siding you must take care of the issue
immediately to avoid further damage to your home.  If your siding has become dirty over the winter months it can typically be cleaned with soap and water.  Do not use harsh chemicals on your siding-always check with the manufacturer to see what they recommend for their products.

You may uncover issues with your windows.  Wood windows may show signs of deterioration due to exposure to water and snow.  If the paint is peeling from your window trim consider having it wrapped in maintenance-free aluminum.  You should
also take the time to make sure that the weep holes on your windows are free of dirt and debris.  Patio door sills can also become blocked with dirt and insects.  Minnesota Exteriors offers wood, vinyl, aluminum and fiberglass windows.  You also have the option of insert windows or full frame replacement.  If your existing windows are very damaged you should probably consider full frame replacement windows.

It is not uncommon for gutters to need periodic cleaning.  Clogged gutters can cause water issues in other parts of your home.
You should also look for cracks and leaks.  If you have many leaks you should call a gutter professional like Minnesota Exteriors and get a free estimate on new gutters.  You should also consider new gutters if your existing gutters have pulled away from your house or if you notice water coming down from behind your gutters.  You can also add gutter protection to your gutters to reduce the amount of debris that makes it into your gutter although no gutter protection is 100% effective.

After doing an evaluation of your home’s exterior you may decide that it is time to replace certain elements like your windows, siding or roofing.  Call Minnesota Exteriors for your free in-home estimate.  We also offer free roof inspections and can help determine if your roof needs replacement or if it is in good condition.