As a homeowner you have many things to take care of around the house. Maintaining your home is a huge part of protecting your home and thus your investment. In order to do so, you need to know what you are looking for and what it entails.
There are several major parts to the exterior of your home: siding, windows and doors, insulation, soffit, and fascia. You need to know the basics about them so that you can make sure they are well maintained and protect your home best.
Let’s take a closer look at these elements of your home’s exterior:
1. Siding
Siding is the first defense of your home against the elements. It protects your walls and home interior from wind, rain, hail, etc. Moisture can damage your home, and the siding is there to prevent that. Moisture damage can lead to severe problems like mold, rot, and mildew.
Not all siding is equally well made. The better the siding, the better your home is protected. There are several types of siding, including fiber cement siding, vinyl siding, wood and engineered wood siding. There are pros and cons for all of them, but some types definitely have more disadvantages than others.
The siding type we recommend most is the best on the market: James Hardie fiber cement siding. This superior siding is extremely durable and will protect your home for many years to come. The advantages of this siding are numerous.
In addition to being very durable, it also has a number of important resistances. Fiber cement is resistant to pests, mildew, mold, rot, and impact damage. In a place like Colorado with severe wind and hail storms, that is very important.
Furthermore, when you have James Hardie fiber cement siding installed, you have a number of choices including different styles and textures. There are over 700 amazing colors to choose from as well. You are sure to find a siding style and color you will love. We are a James Hardie Elite Preferred contractor and can install this siding right.
2. Windows and Doors
The parts of the house where you bring the outside in are the windows and doors. They bring light into your home and let you enter, exist, and enjoy the view. However, they also need to keep wind, rain, noise, etc. outside of your home.
High quality windows and doors are essential in order to protect your home exterior and make it most energy efficient and comfortable. Brands like Pella offer wonderful products of a quality that you can trust and that will protect your home.
Pella offers a wide variety of products, styles, and colors for both windows and doors. They are available with the right fit for any home and budget. Pella is an ENERGY STAR partner which means guaranteed energy efficiency and thus savings for you.
3. Insulation
Insulation is part of the exterior, even though you cannot see it. It is installed right under the siding to make the house more energy efficient. It helps to keep out the cold air in the winter and keep it inside in the summer.
Having insulation installed will vastly improve the comfort in your home by making it easier to control the temperature. The energy efficiency of the home will immediately become noticeable in your utility bills. By saving on those bills, the insulation will quickly pay for itself.
4. Soffit and Fascia
The trim on your home has several elements, including the soffit and fascia. They are architectural and decorative parts of the home that are often painted differently to provide accents. Moreover, they are important parts of the home’s exterior that protect the house itself.
The soffit is the part that covers the underside of the roof overhang and underneath the rafter tails. Simply put, if you stand under the edge of the roof and look up, you will see the soffit. It connects the roof and the siding of your home.
The fascia is more visible and easier to identify. The fascia faces out. It is the horizontal board that you can see at the end of the rafters and along the bottom of the roof. It offers horizontal support for the bottom edge of the roof tiles or shingles.
Both the soffit and the fascia protect the exposed parts of the roof. They keep insects, birds, squirrels, bats, and other pests out of your attic. Additionally, they keep rainwater out and thus help prevent mold, rot, and mildew.
Your Trusted Exterior Home Remodeling Guide
Are you unsure whether your exterior is well-maintained? Do you have questions about the different elements of your home’s exterior? Then do not hesitate to contact us! We are here for you and always happy to help.
If you need any work done on the exterior of your home, Colorado Siding Repair is the contractor you can trust. We will always be honest with you, and we never use high pressure sale tactics. We want what is best for you, your home, and your budget.
Because of that, our team members always take the educational approach, providing you with all the facts. That way you will have all the information to make an informed decision. Once you know what your home needs, we offer financing options to make it possible.
Call Colorado Siding Repair today to get a hassle-free quote. Together we will get the exterior of your home looking beautiful and keep it well maintained!
