Many of us dream of owning a home by the sea and living the ultimate waterfront lifestyle. We imagine ourselves waking up to the sound of the waves crashing and enjoying the cool, crisp breeze coming from the ocean. It definitely sounds like paradise!
However, there are some complications in living by the sea. No matter how dreamy it may sound, the seaside provides a difficult atmosphere for our properties. In this article, you will learn some of the common home issues you may encounter when you live by the sea. We will also discuss some home maintenance and handyman tips you can use that will help prevent damages that might break your pocket.Whether it’s maintaining your security flyscreen doors; regularly cleaning and painting fences or following a routine when it comes to keeping the appearance of your lawn, you will find the following tips useful in securing the value of your home.
Lawn Care Tips
Just because you live by the sea that does not mean you cannot have a lawn. However, you have to know that the climate, wind and salt spray are the biggest enemies of seaside homeowners who maintain lawns. It can be quite difficult to keep the grass looking lush, but there are some ways you can use to ensure that it iskept healthy.
- Carefully cut the grass – Do not cut the grass too short as you may damage it and shorten its lifespan.
- Weed out – You can use herbicides to prevent the weeds from growing and spreading. If they still grow, you can simply manually remove the weeds.
- Regularly fertilise the grass – Apply fertilisers every six to eight weeks and remember to immediately water the lawn right after the application.
- Control dry areas –When you see brown patches in your lawn, water it frequently. If this trick does not work, then it’s likely that the brown patches are caused by a disease. What you have to do is isolate the area and use a fungicide to prevent the disease from affecting the rest of your lawn.
Cleaning and Maintaining Rain Gutters
When you live by the sea, your home’s rain gutters are more susceptible to rusting. Rust is a common problem of seaside homeowners due to the high level of salt that the wind blows to the house. You will be delighted to know that there are methods you can use to maximise the life of your downpipes and gutters. The best way you can do this is by thoroughly cleaning your gutters at least twice every year. Do this by the end of autumn when the leaves have stopped falling. You can also clean your gutters right before the winter months and at the end of spring season. When you keep your gutters clean, water tends to recede bringing with it any salt residue.
Aside from keeping your gutters clean, you have to make sure that they are dropping properly. There should be no low points where the water will merge and stay. When there’s heavy rain, observe the overflowing parts of your gutters. Get the crooked gutters examined and fixed to resolve clogging. Finally, have your gutters painted every two years. Doing so will improve the appearance of your house and also extend the life of your gutters.
Maintaining Security Flyscreen Doors and Other Sorts of Safety Doors
Just like gutters, safety doors, fly screen doors and decorative doors are susceptible to rusting. There are marine grade stainless steel security doors you can find in the market. However, you have to know that they are still subject to corrosion. Every once in a while, remember to clean your security flyscreen doors or safety doors. If you plan on purchasing new fly screens, opt for a mesh that is nylon-based. Fly screens of this sort are seaside-friendly and they tend to live longer in this kind of atmosphere.
Keeping the Appearance of your Fence
When you drive around a neighbourhood by the sea, you will see that a lot of the houses have rusted fences. These are the hardest to maintain due to the fact that their bottoms come in contact with the ground. There are fencing suppliers that advise a particular distance from the ground for mounting the panels. You will find it helpful in the long run if you follow these instructions. Aside from that, you can also regularly paint or oil the fence to prolong its life. If you have the budget, search for installers who can mount high-quality fencing that comes with long warranties. In this case, you can ensure that there are professionals taking care of your fence for a certain period of time.
Functioning Locks
Since it tends to get very humid living by the sea, locks tend to become sticky. The salt residue and dust build-up merge with the damp air and affect your locks.Keep in mind that oil-based lubricants will only make your locks function for a brief time. Using them will only accumulate more dust and dirt and heavily damage your locks. What you have to use is a good amount of graphite powder which is a carbon-based, dry lubricating material.
Maintaining a seaside home may be difficult, but the lifestyle and atmosphere are definitely worth every effort and penny. When the time comes that you decide to put your property on the market, you will see how your investment and hard work pays off.
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