Three things to check on the house in July

I like to think I’m a manly sort of man. I know which end of a screwdriver to hold, and I have plenty of good words for when electrical items don’t work.

So I was drawn to a website called “The Art of Manliness” – just to see if they had it right, you understand.

A helpful checklist for summer home maintenance caught my eye, but on looking it over there was very little about the care of exterior paintwork. But summer is the best time to check out your exterior paintwork, while there is the opportunity to get it fixed in good weather.

(Best to act before it gets like this)

I’d always recommend checking the following:

1. Paint around window and door frames can crack in the heat due to expansion and contraction of the wood and the paint itself. When that happens, the next thing is that water starts to get in. Before long, rot sets in and you have an expensive repair on your hands. It’s easy to check ground floor windows, but upper floors and areas around guttering are obviously harder to get to. If it’s more than four or five years since the exterior was painted it’s a good idea to get it checked.

(It will take more than a tin of paint to fix this)

2. Summer is a great time for growing things, especially weeds, molds and fungi in the edges around frames. They will open up cracks. Once again, water is the next thing to get in with the same effect. If there’s any sign of growths around frames then an inspection is called for.

(And here’s one we prepared earlier, in South London: now protected to GD Parvin standard)

3. Silicone sealing around the edges of frames dries out after a few years, and natural movement pulls it away from the wood or the walls. Even small gaps can lead to water damage. It takes a close look to see if problems are starting to develop, but the effort is definitely worthwhile.

We’re always happy to advise and, even if you just want us to have a look, we’ll do our best to get someone to pop round to you.

Good exterior paints should last at least five years in most cases but a bit of maintenance and touch-ups can extend that considerably.

And then, with peace of mind fully guaranteed, you can make the most of the summer.

Best Regards,
Geoff Parvin