Property maintenance
This time of year the general exterior of the property needs look at.
I would start with gutters and down pipes, make sure all the gutters are clear of debris’ and that the downpipes flow properly.
I have just come of a job where this was not checked for years and the state of the walls internally where shocking. It was an older property so it was what we call solid walls or 9” walls. This means there is no cavity so over time with this massive amount of water penetrating through the brick the damage to the inside can get really bad.
A good indicator of overflowing gutters/downpipes in that on the wall directly below the overflowing section there will be a build up of green algae and in extreme cases plant growth will be apparent.
Again I can’t stress enough that just by annually checking the gutters and down pipes it will really keep repair works to a minimum. It’s a cause of damp and mould growth and worst case the wall will need to be completely stripped back to the bare wall, dried out then re-boarded and plastered costing a lot of money. If you’re not happy getting up a ladder yourself there are people now that offer such services and for less than £100 for a standard terrace house you could get the gutters checked and cleaned out, well worth the cost.
Windows
Windows are usually overlooked. PVC windows have a life span of about 10 years, you could easily extend this by keeping the windows clean inside and out and keeping the window hinges lubricated with 3 in 1 oil. This prolongs the life of the window dramatically, also on the opening part of the window keep the seals lubricated, to do this it’s simply a case of buying a pot of Vaseline and rubbing a small coating over the seals. This stops the rubber drying out increasing the life span and helps maintain the seal.
Timber windows ensure all the paint work is looking solid (no flakes or cracks) if there is fill any cracks with a 2 part exterior filler, scrape of any flakes and paint over at least 2 coats.. Now I swear by Sadolin superdec exterior wood paint, it almost gives the timber a plastic coating and makes even rough looking timber look good, and really helps protect the timber from the elements.
Roof
It sounds obvious but no one generally does it, but look up and check out your roof, make sure there are no missing tiles even if you haven’t noticed any problem inside doesn’t mean the water isn’t slowly making its way in and eventually this will cause big problems, if there is slipped or missing tiles instruct a local builder/roofer to check it out.
Also look at the chimney, do you notice plants growing out or anything looking cracked and broken. If so get a price to sort it out (look at my article choosing a builder).
Usually if there’s a problem with the chimney tell signs internally are staining around the chimney breast. But even if there are no sign internally it doesn’t mean it doesn’t need sorting, it may be its one storm away from making its way in.
Exterior walls
Poor wall condition can cause lots of problems, damp ingress, mould, flaking paint, water staining and so on.
Even if you have cavity walls water can still work its way through. Usually in cavities debris falls down bridging the cavity and connecting the internal and external wall which is a good path for water to travel.
Insure pointing in is in good condition and there are no missing bricks or obvious holes(from pipework etc. If it all looks in fairly good condition there is a product that helps protect the brickwork and makes it more waterproof. These products are great as they stop brickwork becoming saturated and allow water to run off more freely. There are lots of products available, Thomson water seal is a known one and this is painted on with a brush. However now there are some more environmentally friendly versions and these products also let the building breath, whereas the other products just seal it all in.
Look on my products page for these products mentioned and more information.