While the inside of your home is important to how you and your family function daily, the outside is how most people will perceive you and can have a massive impact on the value of your home. If your home is beautiful, people will have a higher opinion of you whereas an unsightly appearance may cause your neighbors to have a negative impression of you and make you feel self conscious.
The good news is there’s a lot you can do to improve your house’s appearance, from considering the average re-roofing costs in Vacaville and potentially getting a brand new roof to simply cleaning up a bit. You’ll find a few of your options explained below to help you decide the best way to beautify your private comfort space.
Inspect Your Roof
The first step is to have a professional inspect your roof. Sometimes the roof will look bad due to damage or age so having an expert tell which is causing the problem and how to fix it can be a lifesaver.
They’ll locate the problem and recommend solutions to you while also letting you know which issues are so damaging they need to be remedied right away, which may be signs of deeper issues and what concerns they may have about what could cause problems in the future. Take their advice seriously because failing to do so could result in much more expensive emergency repairs down the line.
Clean the Siding
While you might not think about cleaning your siding often, you should seriously consider it. Think about it this way: your house protects you from the elements, which includes high winds, rain, pollen and more. This takes a toll on your house’s appearance overtime. On top of this, some spots of your home get more sun than others and the spots that don’t get sunshine may start to grow moss, lichen and even mold. This is obviously undesired but can be easily remedied.
You can take a nice summer’s day to spray it down with the garden hose and scrub with a homemade solution of either water and vinegar or dish soap and water to remove excess grime. From there, you just spray it with the hose one more time before giving any stubborn spots your full attention and then admiring your handiwork.
Look for Cracks and Holes
One of the most difficult things to remove from inside a home is pests, and the easiest way for pests to get inside is through damage. This damage is unsightly, so if you’re looking to improve your home’s aesthetics you can kill two birds with one stone here. Take a good walk around your house and inspect it carefully for anywhere that pests may enter, from holes created by desperate mice to cracks utilized by crafty bugs and spiders.
Once located you can begin repairing them. Sometimes a simple application of caulk and a small amount of insecticide is all that’s needed while other damage may require full on siding replacement. Once you’ve assessed and remedied the damage, take a closer look at every doorway, windowsill and vent opening.
These are all spots commonly used by insects to enter or exit, and you can’t stop every bug, you can limit how many are able to get inside in various ways, from refitting a door to applying some caulk around a windowsill to even placing a filter on vents. Each problem will require a unique solution so don’t hesitate to do thorough research before performing a repair.
Consider Painting
It’s likely been quite a while since your home was last painted so it may be looking faded or cracked as a result. It’s also possible that you just don’t like that color anymore.
Whatever the reason, a fresh coat of paint will brighten up any home and make it look as good as new, even if the new layer is the same color as the previous one. Just make sure to thoroughly clean it before you start looking for paint because excess dirt will not only ruin a new paint job but also could obscure the original color.
Maintain the Driveway
While you may not necessarily consider your driveway to be a part of your house, its health and appearance can have a direct impact on that of your home, so it’s wise to give it a once-over every now and then. The first step you should take is to look for cracks and fill them in. They will grow over time otherwise and can create a large variety of issues.
Of course, you can also clean your driveway to make it look better, though it may sound silly at first. You also need to find a way to protect the edges of your driveway, and the methods of doing so typically improve its appearance. For example, maybe adding an edge trim would protect it from rain runoff while giving it a new aesthetic.
The best way to maintain it is to prevent damage in the first place by parking your vehicles in the middle of the driveway and resealing it. Should this fail, though, correct blemishes or damage as fast as possible to keep your home well-maintained and looking good.
Don’t Forget the Front Door
While the siding and roof will attract the eyes of passersby, any who approach will also notice the front door. Many people forget this and leave it looking nasty until either they finally notice the grime or an issue arises because of it. You can set yourself apart by cleaning your front door occasionally.
You can start by taking a clean cloth or vacuum to the top of the door and slowly removing the dust and debris that has collected there over time.
As you do this, keep an eye out for damage. Time wreaks havoc on all things and this is especially true of frequently used items like the front door. If there is wear or damage on the door, its frame or even the stoop it sits on. Repair, revarnish and lubricate as necessary to get it looking and moving like new. Once you’ve checked for damage and dusted then you can use soap and water to get a much more thorough clean. Don’t forget to wipe down the handle too.
