Is the sun doing a number on your home exterior?
The heat of the sun in August can be blistering — literally, but mostly only to painted surfaces. Today’s advanced paint formulas are more protective of home exteriors, but none lasts forever. The sun draws moisture out of your home, and when paint is in the way, the moisture struggles to get past it, and the result can be blistering, cracking and peeling.
Poor surface preparation and low-quality paint make this problem a near certainty, with the only question being when it will start.
VINYL HOME EXTERIORS CAN MELT
Vinyl siding is manufactured to withstand the heat of the sun, but homeowners have been seeing their vinyl home exteriors buckling and warping more often lately. Why? New windows.
So-called “low-e” windows can have a magnifying-glass-like effect on vinyl siding. If your neighbors upgrade to these types of windows, the sun can reflect off of them and melt your siding if you live in an area in which homes are situated in close quarters.
If you can get your neighbor to install awnings, the problem won’t continue, but if you need to replace your siding, the best thing to do is to choose a different home exterior product that’s not vulnerable to the effects of these windows, like fiber cement or aluminum siding.
SUN DRIES OUT WOOD
Wood siding also suffers under the sun’s unforgiving rays. The heat can cause wood to fade, dry out, crack and break, even if you’ve sealed it. Relentlessly re-sealing your wood every season can help stave off the damaging effects of the sun, but only for a time.
LONG-LASTING STUCCO
Stucco is unaffected by the sun, and that’s why it’s such a popular material in the Southwest U.S. and other hot, dry areas. It’s true that some color loss is expected over the years, but the material itself will not degrade in the heat. Rain is the true enemy of stucco, since it can eventually erode the surface.
Some homeowners opt to paint their stucco if the color fades to the point where they find it unattractive. This also gives them a chance to choose a new color. However, once you paint anything, you’re stuck repainting it — forever. A better choice might be a fresh, new layer of coating for your stucco.
STONE AND BRICK HOME EXTERIORS
Brick and rock exteriors are also impervious to the sun’s heat, and not just their structure either, but their color as well. No amount of sun, rain or huffing and puffing is going to affect this home exterior. It’s boasts a rare combination of strength and beauty.
If your home exterior has been suffering through the hot Utah summer, call the experts at Renovation by Burbach. We can suggest a fix or talk with you about selecting a new, more durable cladding.
Don’t suffer with an ugly home exterior — call the professionals at Renovation by Burbach today.
