Even when you’re not a home builder, you know how to admire or compliment the exterior of a house. But what exactly makes a house stand out from the crowd? What features are you praising? Cleanliness, neutral colors, plentiful lighting, and a perfectly-kept landscaping are the physical features that increase a property’s curb appeal.
One feature that people often forget about or overlook is the overall symmetry. Art can be anything, from order to chaos, whereas architecture requires precision to create an order that is functional, safe, and also aesthetically pleasing. Architectural precision is what creates a form of symmetry that reflects who we are and how we see things. It provides us with a sense of balance we need to stay focused, content, and at peace.
This is what you get from Fairfield exterior trim. Repair services or maintenance are frequent requests your local Fairfield handyman gets from clients, especially after a long winter that leaves behind a lot of grime and sometimes even moisture damage. When you need trusted handyman services for Fairfield exterior trim repair, count on your local service professionals at Mr. Handyman of Upper Fairfield County to get the job done.
During house construction, exterior trim is often used to refer to finishing materials like moldings or window and door frames, but there are more important systems that contribute to your property’s exterior protection.
Think of features and materials that are designed to protect your home from the elements. What protects your roof and attic from moisture and water damage? Or what helps anchor your siding on every corner of your property?
Your rain gutters are often referred to as eavestroughs. They are designed to safely catch rainwater and direct it away from your home and foundation via downspout outlets with efficiently installed elbow run-offs. Many other systems heavily rely on your gutters for effective drainage. As we have mentioned before, moisture damage can lead to roof leaks and moisture damage in your attic, as well as compromise your siding and foundation’s health. Most houses have weeping tiles installed around the property, which are meant to catch excess water as additional means to protect your foundation and support your plumbing system. While your weeping tile is doing its own job, your rain gutters take care of everything from the top. If clogs or other types of damage obstruct the water flow, your Fairfield exterior trim repair technicians will conduct a thorough inspection and offer you the best repair solutions.
Your soffit and fascia certainly add to that finishing touch of your home’s overall aesthetics even if you’re not familiar with their functions. As long as they make your property look neat and tidy, that’s all that counts, right? But there is more.
Whether you look at your roof from the front or back, do you notice how your roof extends slightly past the wall? That part of your roof is known as the eaves and is made of the soffit—situated beneath the extension, connecting to the far edge of the roof all the way to the siding, and the fascia boards—the trim boards that attach to the rafters and also hold your rain gutters (in the most cases). As part of your roof’s extension, these components are crucial in supporting your rain gutters. Moreover, soffit and fascia rely on your gutters to redirect all the stormwater, so they can focus on keeping your roof and attic dry from moisture.
Additionally, your soffit is responsible for distributing fresh air throughout your home via the attic. During an appointment for exterior trim repair, Fairfield, CT service technicians will ensure that the soffit vents are not blocked by dysfunctional gutters.
Like your gutters, soffit and fascia are typically made of aluminum, but you will still find fascia materials made of wood on older properties. When you hire our professional Fairfield exterior trim repair services, we’ll likely recommend that you upgrade your wood trim with more reliable, weather-resistant materials for long-term benefits.
This feature is something most property owners are already familiar with, except that some types of exterior trim like windows and door casings need to be more resilient with more weather-resistant materials and additional installations.
Properties with A-frame roofs are the most traditional building type we know, and they certainly help in protecting your exterior trim, especially near windows. If you have a building with a roofed porch, it will provide extra protection to your front door and nearby windows. That said, they’re still exposed to the elements and could still deteriorate after years of use or fall victim to termite damage or wood rot. Our Fairfield exterior trim repair professionals offer effective ways to protect your window and door frames from elements like strong winds, salt air corrosion, and heavy rainfall.
Not every house requires corner boards, but many could definitely benefit from them. People often call them corner moldings to give the term an aesthetic feel. Depending on how a house is built, you may get some cosmetic imperfections during siding installations, particularly with some types of vinyl siding. So the best way to eliminate these visible flaws is to install corner trim. Corner boards are primarily made of wooden materials and require routine inspections to prevent rot.
The way you choose your materials is based on preference and functionality. But your Fairfield exterior trim repair technicians suggest keeping your region’s climate in mind as well. Although many would advise you against using metal materials due to potential salt air corrosion, the same could also happen to wood materials. Saltwater is harmful for many things, but as long as you take the necessary precautions to protect your property’s exterior materials, you’re safe with the most high-quality materials.
Whether you choose natural or engineered wood, they are either naturally moisture resistant or require chemical treatments to become more resilient. For instance, cedar and redwood fend off moisture and are fairly resistant to the elements. That’s why they’re popular for decking and require minimal deck repairs. Although wood is durable, it’s high maintenance and needs routine sanding and resealing. This way, potential cracks and holes can be prevented and the wood’s natural shine is restored. Wooden fascia boards and corner trim are still common on even new builds and need to be taken care of accordingly. Realized that you have wooden fascia that appears to be faded? Get your Fairfield exterior trim repair expert to inspect it.
Besides working well on siding, fiber cement makes an ideal trim material. It’s rot- and fire-resistant and can be made to mimic real wood, except that it won’t crack or fade. Fiber cement trim is ideal for corner boards, window, and door frames. The only downside is that it’s heavier than other materials and may have a higher upfront cost, including for installation. Routine checkups for foundation cracks are recommended for fiber cement.
Synthetic materials tend to be more cost-effective and durable than natural wood. They’re usually easy to install and don’t cost too much in labor unless a lot of cutting is involved. Although they’re low-maintenance, our Fairfield exterior trim repair professional recommends exterior painting every three to five years, depending on the weather situation.
There is a slight difference between PVC and vinyl’s strengths. While PVC is strong enough to withstand constant sun exposure, vinyl trims could warp if exposed to high temperatures and direct sunlight.
To create durable composite products, you combine natural wood fibers with plastic and chemical additives. For this reason, composite decking has become popular for homeowners who dread maintenance. If you feel the same way, weather-resistant composite trim will be ideal for your property. Some manufacturers often offer a 50-year guarantee on their products.
Fairfield, CT homeowners may notice a wet, grimy exterior after a cold, snowy winter. Some areas of your home that don’t get much sunlight will take longer to dry after all that snow has melted. And exactly those surface materials are most susceptible to damage. If you don’t get Fairfield exterior trim repair services in time before the rainy season kicks off, your functional and decorative trims could suffer from weather damage that leads to wood rot and other problems.
When your paint is peeling off the wood or metal material, it’s a moisture- and weather-related issue, indicating that the surface area is dirty or has suffered from too much humidity and salinity. Direct exposure to sunlight can also cause material to dry out faster.
All that said, a bad paint or poor surface preparation job could also trigger your paint to peel. It’s important to choose a paint that corresponds with your surface material and use it evenly rather than applying numerous coats.
Wood rot only requires a 20 percent moisture content to kick off. Let’s assume moisture has penetrated your wood board’s interior because a small crack or hole went undetected. Combined with a decent temperature and oxygen level, it will start the decaying process almost immediately. The frames of your windows and doors should be one of the first places to check for rotted wood because you use them on a daily basis. Slamming doors will affect your frames, ceiling, and walls, leading to air leaks and material deterioration.
Signs of wood rot include
Exterior trim made of metal materials in Fairfield CT, whether steel or aluminum, are susceptible to corrosion. Being in the realm of a humid continental climate, your properties have to endure a certain salinity level that comes from the Atlantic Ocean. Aluminum gutters are popular because they are lightweight, cost-effective, and highly durable. If you have had one of our expert Fairfield handymen install your gutters, they would have made sure that a quality acrylic bonding primer was used to seal the surface. It makes the surface slick and glossy, enabling smooth water flow.
Corrosion isn’t always easy to detect until you experience gutter damage like cracks, watermarks, or peeling paint. This damage could restrict water flow and lead to clogs. As soon as you know Fairfield exterior trim repair services are needed to rectify this situation, call the experts at Mr. Handyman to clear and repair your rain gutters.
Similar to the previous warning signs, it’s important to know the causes of clogged gutters. If your gutters are old and defective, we highly recommend considering a replacement. When you hire us for exterior trim repair, Fairfield, CT technicians will get down to the root cause of your clogged eavestrough system. If you have traditional U-shaped gutters and live in an area with lots of trees, you’ll require gutter cleaning appointments at least twice a year to maintain a clear system; otherwise, leaves, debris, and bird nests will start to accumulate and block the water flow on a rainy day.
Fairfield Exterior Trim Repair Prevention
Do you live in Fairfield CT or in one of our other beautiful surrounding communities? Whether you’re in Westport, Darien, or New Canaan, contact us today to learn more about our Fairfield exterior trim repair services.
Our team of experts prides themselves on their excellent workmanship, skills, and outspokenness to enable them to communicate with you honestly and courteously. We bring many years of experience in home maintenance and repairs, from crown molding installation to drywall repair to many other home improvement projects!
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