Guide to exterior home repairs: 80 great

With this book you will learn how to tackle must do exterior repairs for your home, You'll find dozens of helpful tips and ideas covering the following: * Roof Repairs * Gutters and Downspouts * Concrete Work * Siding Repairs and Maintenance * Chimney Repairs * Tools and Ladders * Water System * and more Here's just a small sample of the tips included: Never rest a ladder on a gutter. It will bend the gutter out of shape, causing low spots where pools of water will collect when it rains. When cleaning gutters, inspect each hanger for bent straps and popped nails as you work your way along the gutter. If the house has a fascia or board trim, check the gutter's alignment with it. The gutter should rest firmly against the fascia for maximum support. Clean gutters by hand, then hose them down after you've removed the debris. This flushes out the remnants and gives you an opportunity to observe the flow of water and see low spots or improper pitch. Check the nails or screws in the straps holding the downspout to your house. These can work themselves loose with use or age, or when a downspout has been used as a ladder support. If a hollow glass block in your garage wall breaks, clean the opening and soak some pieces of brick. Put the pieces into the opening and pack the hole solidly with concrete mix. You must use brick or the mix will fall out. Make drilling in masonry easier by making a pilot hole with a masonry nail at the exact spot where you want to drill. If you put sand on top of asphalt sealer it will prevent the sealer from sticking to your shoes. You can prevent wooden forms from sticking to concrete by painting the parts that will be in contact with the cement with oil. An old metal Venetian blind slat can be used as a finishing trowel on small concrete jobs. The best time to caulk is when painting the house. Apply primer to the seams first, then caulk. (Primer helps the caulking stick.) Allow the caulking to cure for a couple of days, then apply a finish coat. Be sure to use a corn pound that will take paint. If you caulk in very hot weather and the caulking gets runny, place it in the refrigerator for an hour or two. When mixing acid and water always add the acid to the water, never vice versa. Put on goggles, gloves, and an apron before mixing, and leave them on until after you rinse off. To remove mildew from house siding, scrub the surface with a bleach and water solution (1 cup of bleach to 1 gallon of warm water). Flush the area with clear water and allow it to dry thoroughly before painting.