Take
the Caulk Walk
Caulking is
an important maintenance step for your home. An uncaulked area can look
bad, allow air infiltration to rob you of energy dollars and invite moisture,
dirt and insects to attack your home.
That's why
we suggest you take a caulk walk around the exterior of your house a couple
of times each year. Where do you caulk? Generally, it's best to caulk where
two different parts of the house or two different materials come together.
Here's where you should look:
*
Check around
door and window frames where the frame and side of the house come together.
*
Look at
the joint between the side of the house and the foundation.
*
Inspect
the area where the chimney and roof meet.
*
Fill the
gap where pipes enter the house.
*
Check the
places where the porch or steps meet the body of the house.
* Be sure there's no
space where exhaust vents come out of the house.
* Fill the seam at the
corners of the house where the two sides meet.
* If there are window
units for air conditioning, caulk any spaces between the unit and the window.
Be sure to
use a quality caulk made for exterior use.
HINT:
Caulk is slow to squirt during cold weather. You can help during the winter
by wrapping the tube with a heating pad before going outside. |