The Ways Caulking Services Can Improve Your Wichita Home or Business

Are you looking for ways to make your Wichita, KS home or commercial property more comfortable, energy-efficient, and protected against the ravages of water damage? All of that and much more can be accomplished with professional caulking service from a qualified local handyman. Caulk is a very versatile product that can go in numerous places around your building, and it has some very important protective qualities that shouldn't be overlooked if you want to keep your house looking and functioning at its best for a long time.

Caulking service in Wichita, KS, may look pretty simply—just squeeze it out of the tube-like toothpaste. But it's one of those things that is simple in theory and surprisingly difficult in practice, especially when it's going in visible locations and needs to be applied evenly with a practiced, steady hand. That's why making an appointment for professional assistance is the fastest, easiest, most cost-effective way to get the full advantages of Wichita caulking service.

If you've noticed some places around your residential or commercial property that could benefit from caulking service, rely on your local Wichita handyman to take care of it efficiently. The team of service professionals at Mr. Handyman of the Wichita Metro Area is your convenient, one-call solution to get the job done with the highest standards of quality workmanship and experienced customer service.

What is Caulk?

Caulk has been used since ancient times to seal up gaps in ships, buildings, and other structures or items that are vulnerable to moisture incursion. Back then, caulk was fibrous material soaked in pine tar to give it water-resistant qualities. It's obviously come a long way, and modern caulking compounds are made with a wide range of synthetic materials such as silicone, acrylic, and vinyl. It's a flexible sealant compound that is packaged in tubes or cartridges and squeezed out to form a bead. But the purpose is still basically the same as it always was—to close up gaps and cracks that could let in water, air drafts, insects, and other unwelcome things that will make a structureless comfortable, and sanitary, as well as seriously affect its structural integrity.

What's the Difference Between Caulk and Caulking?

It's pretty common for these two words to be used interchangeably, but they don't mean the same thing. Caulk is the substance that is applied, while caulking is the action of applying it.

Which Type is Best for Wichita Caulking Service?

There are quite a few different types of sealant compounds, but there are only a few kinds that are typically used in residential applications for normal caulking service purposes. Here are the most common varieties you'll encounter:

• Acrylic Latex: This type is the most commonly used for interior caulking to seal small gaps, cracks, and holes, and once it's dry, it is painted over, so it's not visible. Acrylic latex is the kind you would find in a hardware store for smaller projects.

• Vinyl Latex: It's just as easy to use as acrylic latex, but vinyl latex is waterproof and more durable, so it's better suited for outdoor sealant applications.

• Silicone: When it comes to Wichita caulking service, silicone is the most durable and watertight option. It's usually used as bathroom sealant around toilets, sinks, and other plumbing fixtures. It is great at adhering to non-porous surfaces and can be very long-lasting when applied correctly by an experienced handyman.

• Adhesive Caulk: A very strong glue that also has sealing properties, this variety is used to hold two surfaces together so they can form a solid bond. For example, it can be used between baseboards, other types of exterior trim, and wallboard.

Where and How Can Caulking Be Used?

There are dozens, maybe even hundreds of places in houses that have been sealed or filled—or should have been and weren't. The same statement applies to commercial buildings, which of course, have pretty much all the same issues as homes, and then some. Here are the key locations and ways that residential and commercial caulking services in Wichita, KS, can be applied by our expert handyman team.

1. Block Heat Transfer

When you've got areas such as window frames and door jambs that have deteriorated over the years with problems such as wood rot or never had adequate door and window sealant applied in the first place, they are likely making heat transfer and moisture penetration a lot easier. That can affect the structural stability of your house and force you to needlessly pay a lot of extra money on your monthly utility bills. Door and window caulking service can restore your home to a more energy-efficient condition and increase your energy savings.

2. Prevent Pest Infestations

Cockroaches, termites, carpenter ants, rats, mice, and hundreds of other types of pests are constantly looking for ways to get inside your cozy, comfortable building and wreak havoc on it. These opportunistic critters are sometimes capable of making their own entrances, but they prefer to work smart, not hard, by finding pre-made gaps and holes that they can wriggle into—and once one of them discovers a way in, they'll bring dozens of their nasty little friends along with them. Our team will get those potential entrance gaps sealed up tight with caulking service to keep unwanted "visitors" outside where they belong.

3. Finish Tile Edges

When tile is installed, or tile repairs are completed on walls, such as for a kitchen backsplash or shower wall tiles, there's a point where the tile transitions into another material such as drywall or meets a different plane at a 90-degree angle—and those transition areas need caulking service to seal off the edge of the tile or fill the corner gap. Some installers choose to use shower sealant in corners where two planes of tile meet instead of grout because all buildings shift and settle over time, and the semi-flexible caulk gives it more room for movement than rigid grout joints. Areas that are frequently doused by water, such as shower tiles, may also need caulk over top of the grout lines to prevent dirt, mildew, and moisture penetration. Are you working on a shower remodel? Here's what local homeowners should know about Wichita shower remodels.

4. Repair the Roof

Your roof has to withstand constant abuse from the sun beating down on it, thousands of gallons of rainwater and snowmelt, wildlife attacks, falling leaves and branches, and so much more. With all those damaging factors at play, it's absolutely critical that it's kept in great shape, so it protects everything underneath it. Our handyman team will take care of roof repair with caulking service to get gaps and cracks sealed up tight against moisture, pests, and other potential problems. At the same time, we can check your fascia boards and soffits to make sure they're in good condition, and the vents are open to allow adequate air circulation in your attic space.

5. Seal Up Gutters

While we're up by your roofline checking your soffits and fascia boards, it's the perfect opportunity to take a look at your rain gutters and see if they need caulking service as well. Your gutters collect all the rainwater from your roof (that's tens of thousands of gallons per year) and channel it safely into downspouts where it can be disposed of a safe distance away from your house. But when your gutters have rusted or decayed and have holes or cracks that are letting water through, it can cause huge problems that range from a leaking roof to a cracked foundation. We'll close up those holes and gaps with gutter sealant to restore your home's protection against water damage.

6. Prime Surfaces for Painting

If you're planning on painting your walls or interior trim in the near future, it's a good idea to get caulking service first. Your local handyman can use painter's caulk, which is an acrylic latex compound, to fill in and smooth over tiny cracks, dents, and other imperfections prior to painting, so you have a perfectly smooth, even surface to work with. Not up to the task of doing all that painting yourself? No problem—we can take care of that step for you as well, so all you need to do is sit back and enjoy your freshly painted room.

7. Protect Against Fire

We've mentioned moisture and water damage quite a few times, but did you know caulking service can also help to protect your building against the spread of fire? Once a fire starts, the best-case scenario is to keep it contained in one room or area of the house until it can be put out to limit property damage and risk of injury. Fireproof caulk, which is a specialized variety, can be used at vulnerable points such as door frames, interior wall framing, and electrical conduits to help limit the fire's ability to spread to different parts of your house and make a terrible situation that much worse.

8. Reattach and Glue Down

When bits of interior trim such as baseboards and crown moldings come loose or a corner of the carpet is sticking up, it can be solved with Wichita caulking service. Your handyman will simply apply some dabs of adhesive sealant to the back of the loose part and press it back in to place to form a tight, long-lasting bond between the trim and wallboard or whatever else needs to be reattached and glued back down.

9. Touch Up Wallpaper

Wallpaper is experiencing a resurgence in popularity these days, but it's not any easier to work with than it was back in its original heyday. If you've got wallpaper with loose edges that are lifting up at the seams, call your handyman and tell them to bring a tube of adhesive compound. We'll apply it to the underside of the loose edge and smooth it down, then put a strip over the top of the seam edge and smooth it down until it's invisible for extra holding power on your Wichita caulking service.

10. Fill Holes in Siding

Vinyl siding is durable and can stand up to a lot, but impacts from factors such as a serious hailstorm or a slingshot can create holes and cracks that allow for heat transfer and let in moisture, causing severe water damage. Your caulking service professional will use vinyl latex exterior caulk to seal those holes and gaps, making your building a lot more energy efficient than it was before.

Can Energy Costs Be Affected by Caulking Service in Wichita, KS?

Absolutely. You may have noticed a theme above— caulking service is primarily used to seal up gaps, cracks, and holes that let in moisture and allow heat transfer to occur. The heat transfer part is what really drives up the energy costs on your utility bills. Heat transfer is the natural process in which thermal energy tries to move from a warm area to a colder area. That changes the temperature inside your home and forces your HVAC system to operate for longer periods of time to compensate for the change. Since it's already fairly costly to run your HVAC, the additional operation time can really add up to significant changes in your energy bills. By sealing your house up and stopping heat transfer from occurring, we can give your HVAC system a break and increase your energy savings.

When You Need Wichita Caulking Service, Call the Team of Experts at Mr. Handyman!

Property owners in Wichita, KS, and residents of other nearby communities such as Andover, Augusta, and Benjamin Hills, can trust the team of professionals at Mr. Handyman of the Wichita Metro Area for reliable handyman services. Give us a call today to find out more about our trustworthy handyman team or to schedule a convenient appointment for caulking service.