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Article 11-2-2010

Seal It Up

Over time houses settle and some of the materials used to build them can warp or break. Sometimes when this happens, your house ends up being exposed. It is exposed because as the materials warp, they no longer seal the house. When a building is not sealed, it becomes vulnerable to weather and even rodents.

Keep the Elements Out
Keeping the weather out is an important aspect of a sealed house. If rain enters a building through places that should be sealed, it can cause damage. Rain can affect wood by soaking in and causing it to rot. In other cases the water can accumulate and cause mold to form. When wood beams that support your house rot or mold develops in an out-of-sight area, you are in for an expensive repair or cleaning bill. You can avoid such a bill by simply making sure that basic maintenance is performed.

An unsealed house can let in more weather than just rain. The air that comes into an unsealed house can drive your electric bill through the roof. Summer temperatures in Tampa require constant air conditioning. You do not want your AC to have to work harder just because you have not made sure that your house is properly sealed.

Stop the Invasion
Another possible problem that can arise with an unsealed house is unwanted guests. Rodents looking for places to nest can easily find their way into an attic through unsealed areas in the roof or around the foundation. Once inside, they can nest and reproduce at an alarming rate. Before long a small number of rats that take refuge in your attic can continually breed until you are living below a colony with several dozen rodents.

Meanwhile, even smaller invaders - such as ants, roaches, and other insects - can also find their way into your home. Getting rid of all these critters may require assistance from an experienced exterminator.

Seal it Right the First Time
In order to avoid any of these expensive and even unsanitary circumstances, you should have your home sealed. A professional knows exactly where to look to find places where weather and rodents might enter your home. They will check places like:

• Around doors
• Around the foundation of the home
• Around corners
• Near gutters (Soffits and fascia hold up gutters and contribute to sealing your house, so making sure that these overlooked pieces of your home are intact is very beneficial.)
• Around chimneys or pipes that provide ventilation
• Around windows

If open spaces are found after a home inspection, they must be sealed. Sometimes they can be sealed easily with caulk. In other instances you will need to put more effort into the project. Gutters, soffits, fascia and other parts of the structure may need to be replaced. If your house is not sealed, it is very important to address the problem. Once problems begin to arise, they will certainly grow. Ultimately you will likely have a much larger home repair job on your hands. It may be helpful to think about it like this. If you have to spend money on your house, you would probably prefer to spend it on a renovation, like putting in a new kitchen, than on fixing something that broken due to lack of diligence.

Sources:
Check This House.com
Center for Disease Control
HGTV

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