The home exterior has functional and decorative features with their unique purposes. Dryer vents are designed to channel the laundry exhaust, corbels provide architectural support and flower boxes provide a way to change the exterior style of the house per season. It is important to keep these features managed and maintained for the better outlook of the house and to prevent damage to the house down the line. Features especially light fixtures of home exterior require maintenance for looking clean and great by preventing leaks and other problems.
Guidelines for Care and Maintenance of Exterior Features:
The following are the guidelines for the care and maintenance of the Exterior features of your home.
For Light Fixtures
- Do not leave porch lights open all night as they will attract bugs that can enter the house while the door is opened. It is better to use yellow lightbulbs in yard light fixtures as the insects are less attracted to them.
- For inspecting defective bulbs it is important to check exterior lights once a week.
- Use a mild soap detergent to clean light fixtures and before cleaning cut the power to the light fixtures by turning off the circuit breakers. After cleaning, allow the fixtures to get dried and reset breakers to ON.
- Repair holes around the light fixtures using elastomeric caulk.
- Make sure the fixtures are of actual brass while cleaning brass ones as the non -brass-finished can damage the fixtures.
- See article for Exterior fillers for getting more information.
For Dryer Vent
- Ensure your dryer vent is unblocked.
- After every load, removing lint from the dryer lint’s filter is necessary.
- Removal of any lint from the exhaust duct running between the back of the dryer and the dry vent once a year is mandatory.
- Call a licensed professional to clean the roof if the dryer vent exists on it.
For Corbels
- Maintenance of corbels is necessary to prevent early deterioration of the wood and loss of aesthetic appeal.
- Repaint and check the wood once a year.
- Inspection of the wood surfaces annually for signs of early deterioration is suggested and it is advised to paint them as needed.
- Maintain fillers around the corbels.
For Flowerboxes
- They need to be maintained once a year. Follow the guidelines below:
- Clean them and make sure the boxes are properly fastened for preventing water dripping onto the exterior façade.
- Weep holes need to be clear of any obstructions.
- Checking of fillers around the brackets is necessary.
