Salt, Sun, and Sand are Tough on Homes.

Do you live at the beaches? Ponte Vedra Beach, Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, or Atlantic Beach? Did you move there due to the proximity to the beach and water? Do you like the salty air as you get closer to the ocean?

The beaches are beautiful here in Greater Jacksonville and they are a draw to many who live near them. If it were not for the occasional hurricane, and the threat they bring, many others may choose to live at the beaches.

If you live near the beaches you must understand that the salt, sun, and sand are tough on your home. Let us look at each of these three individually and how you can stay ahead of them.

Salt is corrosive. Metal products on homes near the beach corrode much more quickly than for a home in say, Orange Park. If you are having your deck built, or refurbished, ask that corrosion resistant screws or nails be used when possible.

The sun gets top billing in the Sunshine State, but the Ultraviolet (UV) rays are destructive. Just as you and I get a sunburn from the sun, years of UV exposure take their toll on your home. Paint fades, becomes chalky or blisters, allowing water to penetrate. Caulking dries out and becomes brittle and allows water to intrude. These must be addressed, or damage follows.

For many, sand is the best part of the beach. Soft on the feet, allowing us to go barefoot, the beach is swept clean with each high tide allowing a fresh start to those taking a walk. That same sand is why we recommend tile floors because it scratches and damages wood flooring. It also gets in sliding glass door tracks and many other places and wears things more quickly than they would wear if sand were not everywhere.

Salt, sun, and sand also work together to do their damage. Moisture from morning fog or showers wet our decks, and then the sun dries them out. Sand wears at the finish. Day after day this soaking and blistering means that decks need to be cleaned and stained/sealed more often closer to the ocean. With smaller trees as you get closer to the water, there is less shade, and the sun is relentless in doing its damage.

Enjoy the beaches lifestyle and those walks in the sand, just be prepared to keep your home in good shape. Whether you do it yourself or hire somebody, this is part of the cost of the beach’s lifestyle. Outside and inside your home, the salt, sun and sand are tough on homes.