How to Weatherproof Your Home

As a house grows older, it needs more attention. Older homes constantly need upkeep and maintenance. If your home is more than 10 years old, it’s probably in need of weatherproof maintenance. Caulk and other weatherproofing materials need replacing after at least 10 years or sooner if they are exposed to direct sunlight or harsh winter weather. It’s a good idea before each harsh winter or if you have a harsh summer, to replace weatherproofing around the home. Not only will this save energy, it will save your home from rot or other weather aliments your home may get with time and weather.

Start by checking around windows and doors for crumbling caulk. If the caulk is graying or peeling, it needs to be replaced. Use a screwdriver of utility knife to remove the old caulk. Dig out the old caulk from the cracks and use a brush or shop vac to remove any left over pieces. Use a fresh tube of exterior caulk with a long lifespan and apply around widows and doors. Use a damp sponge to wipe any excess caulk from around the freshly applied areas.

Where a wood frame home meets a concrete foundation, is a great concern for weatherproofing. Scrape any old caulk out and replace with new exterior caulk. If the gap between the frame and foundation are large, you can use wood shims to help fill the gap. This way you won’t need to use large amounts of caulk. You can also use pre-rolled caulk filling or chink to fill in the hole and caulk over with exterior grade caulk.

Old doors and windows need weather-stripping replace about every 10 years. You can peel the old weather-stripping away and buy a new vinyl substitute. This newer material will last longer than the old conventional rubber strips that were used in older homes. If you have windows or doors that wont accept the newer vinyl strips, you can use vinyl striping without the grove insert. It has a sticky adhesive along one side to attach to the door or window. These won’t last as long as the other inserts and will need to be replaced over several years.

Replace your threshold on your doors as needed. The older the home the more likely it will need to be replaced. You can purchase pre-made threshold that adjust to the size of the door opening so you don’t need to be handy to repair the threshold. Check the rubber stop under the door as well. If you’re replacing your threshold then you probably need to replace the rubber insert under the door. Vinyl inserts for under the door are available also.

With these simple maintenance tips, you can save yourself tons of money over the years. A few dollars today will save you a few dollars tomorrow in repair bills to fix rot, and will save you big bucks when heating or cooling your home.