Winter in Northwest Arkansas is notoriously hard on a house. Between the freezing temperatures, ice, and thawing cycles, your home’s exterior takes a beating. The problem? Most of the damage winter leaves behind is easily overlooked until spring rains turn a minor issue into a massive repair bill.
At Ambassador Home Maintenance, our goal is to catch these problems before they become emergencies. Before the heavy spring storms hit, here are the six exterior areas you need to inspect right now:
1. Roof and Flashing Inspection Ice and wind can easily lift shingles or damage the metal flashing around your chimney and vents. If the flashing is compromised, water will find its way into your attic and eventually your ceilings.
2. Exterior Caulking Failures Caulking around your windows and doors naturally shrinks and cracks when exposed to freezing temperatures. Failed caulk not only lets the spring rain inside your walls, but it also allows your expensive, air-conditioned air to escape once summer hits.
3. Cracked Concrete When water seeps into tiny cracks in your driveway or walkways and freezes, it expands, causing the concrete to break apart. Sealing these cracks now prevents further deterioration and tripping hazards.
4. Deck Rot Moisture from sitting snow and ice is a deck’s worst enemy. Soft, spongy wood or splintering boards are clear signs of deck rot. Catching rot early means you might only need to replace a single board rather than rebuilding the entire structure.
5. Siding and Trim Issues Wood trim around your exterior doors and roofline is highly susceptible to water damage during the winter thaw. If you notice peeling paint or warped siding, moisture is already getting behind the protective layer.
6. Gutter Damage The sheer weight of ice and snow can cause gutters to sag, pull away from the fascia board, or completely detach. If your gutters aren’t properly secured and pitched before the spring rains, water will dump directly against your foundation.
Stop Reacting and Start Protecting!
You don’t have to spend your weekends on a ladder looking for cracked caulk and sagging gutters. Ambassador Home Maintenance offers proactive subscription plans that take the burden of homeownership off your shoulders. When you subscribe, we perform a thorough whole-house assessment to catch all of this hidden winter damage, and you even get free “bonus fix-it hours” to let us handle the repairs!
Call Ambassador Home Maintenance today at 479-401-2501, email us, or fill out our form schedule your Spring Assessment and protect your home’s exterior!
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