Winter can be hard on your home.
What to look for when you inspect your home for weathering damage.


Colorado has quite the variety of weather. While we average over three hundred sunny days a year, we also have lots of snow, harsh winter weather, strong winds and rainy weeks. It pays to inspect your home each spring to head off any small problems that can, without attention, grow into large and expensive issues. So the next sunny day, take a stroll around your home. Keep an eye out for:

• Stucco siding? Look for hairline cracks near the windows or doors; water can migrate inside and cause mold. Careful caulking can head off a heap of trouble.

• Woodpeckers drilling away? Look for small holes about one to two inches round. These little birds may be funny cartoon characters, but in real life their drilling of just about any siding they can find is not funny. Filling in these holes in the “off season” and keeping a good coat of paint on your house is a vital step in bird proofing your home.

• Wooden windows? Is the bottom of the frame or window sash showing any cracks? If so a quick touch up can save the cost of replacing rotted wood.

• Any gutter leaks? Look for water marks around the gutters at the joints, near the down spouts or at the corners. Sometimes they may just need a good cleaning to get them to flow again. Slow leaks can damage the wood soffit and fascia boards behind the gutters.

• Masonite (or composite) siding? Take a close look at the bottom edges of the siding. If the siding has small cracks on the bottom edge capillary action will draw water up into the siding. Over time this can swell the siding up and make replacement necessary.

• Natural wood doors? Beautiful to behold, but Colorado weather is hard on wood. If there is any “checking” in the clear coating of your doors it may be time to add one more coat of protection. Simple upkeep can keep you from needing to replace that gorgeous wood door.

• Wooden decks? Keep those splinters at bay. If you see cracks or splintering wood on your decks and railing it may be time to apply a quick coat of deck stain. Water, snow, foot traffic and sun really take a toll on any wooden deck.

• Decorative cement? Many homes have patterned cement to enhance the look of entry areas. Repeated freeze-thaw cycles can cause cement to spall. You’ll notice it first as the top layer of the cement may seem to “peel away” in sheets. Water sealers can help keep your cement solid and beautiful. If you let spalling get started, given time, you may have to replace the cement.

• Wood siding? We have used all kinds of wood to side our homes in Colorado. Redwood, cedar, plywood…the list goes on and on. Again, if you keep the wood sealed, water stays out and wood siding can last and last. Look for small cracks that follow the grain of the wood. Joints should be tight and caulked closed. Don’t let water and sun ruin your siding.

A quick check around now can save you money and time over the long haul. These problems all start small and are simple to fix if you are a proactive home owner. If you would like a free inspection, call Jacobsen Brothers Painting at 303-449-3239 and we’ll be glad to take a stroll with you.