Are you looking for ways to increase the comfort and functionality of your home, or are you interested in a few simple upgrades that could lead to better energy efficiency and higher property value? While many homeowners focus on their home’s interiors when it comes to home improvement projects, some of the best improvements you can make to your home could be around the exterior.
If you want to make some improvements this year, the following are some of the top home improvement projects for your home’s exterior. These projects offer aesthetic and functional benefits, some of which can increase your property value while reducing energy costs or simply make your home more beautiful. Read through this list and start thinking of the ways you could improve your home’s exterior.
Replace your windows
The windows around your home are some of the most important fixtures on your property. Windows allow natural light into your home and help you control the airflow through your home. Whether you want to replace old and worn windows or simply replace the windows for a more aesthetically pleasing look, a window replacement project can benefit your home in many ways inside and out.
First, think about how old your windows are. If they’re outdated, they might be costing you money in the form of higher energy bills. Modern windows from top manufacturers are highly energy efficient and available in a wide range of customizable options. You could replace older double-hung windows with a more modern style like double hung, or add windows to certain areas of your home for more natural light.
Once you have an idea of what you would like to do when it comes to replacing your windows, the whole process could only take a few hours or a single day of work. If you decide to invest in this home improvement project, remember that it’s best to replace all of your home’s windows at the same time. This helps make it easier to keep track of your windows’ lifespans and will also ensure consistent energy efficiency throughout your home.
Rethink your home’s siding
Does your home have the curb appeal you want, or do you think your siding choice is a bit dated? Whether your home’s siding is simply drab and needs cleaning, or if it is in genuine need of replacement, replacing your home’s siding can be a great option for protecting your home and increasing property value.
High-quality vinyl siding has low maintenance requirements and can last for many years before it needs full replacement. It’s also affordable and available in an innumerable range of finishes, styles, and colors. You could also experiment with multiple types of siding, such as a bottom layer of brick or stone topped with a vinyl siding in a color to match.
Start thinking about the ways you could reinvent your home’s exterior with a siding replacement project. This type of work doesn’t take terribly long, and you could have potential to increase the insulation and energy efficiency of your home at the same time. Insulated vinyl siding is a great option for many types of homes and can limit your power consumption during the extreme weather throughout the year, keeping your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
Think about your gutter system
The gutters that trace the outline of your home’s roof serve a very important purpose. Your gutters move rainwater and snowmelt off your roof and away from your home through the downspout system. While you are likely good about cleaning your gutters regularly, it’s just as important to check their fittings and joints regularly for signs of rust and corrosion.
If you notice any issues with your gutters or you think it’s time to replace them, this is one home improvement project that can yield fantastic results you’ll notice immediately. A few possibilities for this type of project include:
- Installing a more streamlined gutter system that moves water off of and away from your home more efficiently.
- Applying gutter shields to your gutter system, preventing them from filling up with leaves, twigs, and other debris. This can dramatically cut down on your maintenance requirements.
Installing new downspout systems. You could have downspouts installed that extend into the ground and empty farther away from your home, lowering your risk of flooding around your home’s foundation.
These are just a few of the possibilities for improving the gutter system around your home. Take time to inspect your gutters and start thinking of things you could do to make them work better, look better, and make maintenance easier.
Make your outdoor gathering spaces more inviting
As the weather improves, you’re probably going to want to spend more time outside with your friends and family. If you see lots of cookouts and outdoor gatherings in your future, take time to look at the spaces you generally use for these events. Have you wanted to replace your deck or patio space? Do you think adding more walking surfaces around your home would make the outdoor spaces more inviting?
There are countless options when it comes to creating more space for entertaining around your home. If you already have concrete walking surfaces around your back door, you could expand this area or install some type of covering to make the seating area more comfortable. A few other possibilities include installing a fire pit in your backyard for cozy gatherings on summer evenings, installing a retractable awning that provides shade during hot summer days, or improving your deck area.
Inspect your home’s masonry
If you want to make a functional improvement to your home, the property’s masonry is a great place to start. Masonry prevents your home from sustaining leaks and helps with energy efficiency. If you have cracked and crumbling masonry, your home’s heating, air conditioning, and ventilation systems are probably working much harder than they should to keep the inside of your home comfortable throughout the year. Damaged masonry is also a welcome mat for pests like rodents and insects.
Masonry improvements can also enhance the visual appeal of your home in countless ways. Adding masonry to your home’s exterior can instantly boost curb appeal, and you can add brickwork or stonework to different areas around your home for added function and aesthetic appeal. For example, you could lay a brick walking path that connects your back porch to your garden area, or a stone wall to create visual interest and play with elevation in an area of your yard.
Reinvent the landscape around your home
While it may not be a direct improvement to your home itself, changing the landscape around your home can have a dramatic impact on your curb appeal and home maintenance. If there are things you would like to change about your yard, taking the time to invest in these changes can yield fantastic returns. A few changes can also provide the practical benefits of making it much easier to tend to your plants, mow your grass, and generally enjoy the outdoors around your home even more.
It’s possible to reshape the slopes of your yard, plant or remove trees and shrubs, and design protected garden areas for flowers and vegetables alike. Touches like brick or stone barriers, colored mulch, and seasonal flowers can make your home more beautiful from the outside, and some of these changes could potentially make it easier to care for your home’s exterior.
Think about your home’s insulation
The insulation that protects your home from the elements often goes overlooked. While you may not directly notice any problems with it, having a professional inspect your insulation can offer better energy efficiency and increased comfort throughout your home. It’s also possible to install new types of insulation, such as insulated vinyl siding, that offer robust protection throughout the year.
Attic insulation is one of the most important fixtures of any home. In fact, many homeowners notice significant energy savings after replacing their attic insulation. You could be overspending on your energy bills without realizing it if your insulation needs attention, and older insulation is also a prime location for many other problems to appear, such as pest infestations and water damage. If you’re not sure when you last had your insulation inspected, scheduling a professional inspection could be one of the best decisions you make when it comes to home improvement.
Repair or replace your chimney
If you use your home’s fireplaces often, then chimney maintenance should be part of your regular household maintenance routine. If you’re looking for ways to enhance and improve your home’s exterior, when was the last time you took a careful look at your chimney? There are many options for replacing your chimney, including changing the masonry or switching from brick to stone to suit your aesthetic tastes. Start looking through your options and see if you can find a new chimney design that suits your style and provides the functionality you expect from your chimney.
Schedule a checkup for your roof
How old is your home’s roof? If you have lived in your home for several years and never replaced or repaired the roof, it may be time to invest in a professional inspection. An expertly installed asphalt shingle roof will last for 20 to 25 years at best, but many things can shorten the lifespan of a roof. Pest invasions, physical damage from storms, and water damage through gaps in your shingles can all eventually lead to expensive repairs.
If you need to repair or replace your roof, you may as well take the opportunity to install upgrades or improvements that will provide additional protection and energy savings for the future. You can also use this opportunity to change things. If you have always wanted a different style roof, a roof replacement is the prime opportunity to try something new. Asphalt shingles are available in many styles and colors, and you may want to combine a new roof with additional changes to your home’s exterior to completely reimagine the outside of your home.
Benefits of switching to a metal roof
While thinking of the ways you could improve your roof’s performance and enhance its visual appeal, you could also consider switching from a traditional asphalt shingle roof to a metal roof. Metal roofs are incredibly versatile, offer increased protection from the elements, and typically result in a much lower cost of ownership compared to an asphalt shingle roof. A professionally installed metal roof can last 75 years or longer, more than three times the lifespan of an asphalt shingle roof.
In addition to the increased functional lifespan a metal roof offers, many homeowners find that they provide additional benefits that may not be immediately obvious. Some homeowners assume that a metal roof would be unbearably loud during a heavy rainstorm, but the reality is that most metal roofs are actually quieter during heavy precipitation than asphalt shingle roofs. They’re better at shedding snow during the winter and move water easily into the gutter system.
Metal roofs can also increase a home’s energy efficiency. They’re much harder to penetrate than asphalt shingle roofs and will prevent air from escaping. They also act as an insulating barrier around a home. During the summer, a metal roof will absorb sunlight and prevent the heat from penetrating into the home. During the winter, the same absorption effect creates a temperature buffer around the home, preventing cold air from entering. Over time, most homeowners who switch to metal roofs also see their energy bills decrease. While a metal roof may have a higher initial installation cost than an asphalt shingle roof, it will likely make up the difference in energy savings very quickly.
Work with professionals for your home exterior improvement projects
Ultimately, the possibilities are nearly endless when it comes to the various ways you can improve and enhance your home’s exterior. Whether you want increased functionality and efficiency, greater curb appeal and aesthetics, or a blend of both improved looks and performance, working on your home’s exterior can be incredibly rewarding. If you decide to undertake any of these projects, Able Roof can help. Contact us for a free estimate for window replacements, roof work, insulation replacement, new gutters on your home, and many other exterior improvement projects.
