Our homes are usually one of, if not the most substantial investment that we might make in our entire lifetime. Discouraging harm to our home is an essential factor in retaining its value. One of the worst things that can make terrible problems for a home is water damage. Water incidents may be caused by many different things. Even if the majority of us routinely check our water lines and house tops for evidence of intruding water, many spots we may miss completely until they become obvious. These areas are often our doors and windows. Other than the roof and exterior walls of the home, our windows and doors get exposed to most water due to weather such as rain, sleet, and snow.

With the doors that we open and close constantly, water issues may not go undetected for very long, but doors and windows that are hardly ever used, water damage may occur gradually over time and escape our awareness all together. It is important to add windows and doors to that regular check list if they are not on it already.

So, what should you do if you find a door or window that water is causing destruction to? That depends on how much harm has already been done. When doors come in contact with excessive moisture or streaming water, if the door is wood, it will eventually cause the door or its frame to swell. This may cause the door to stick or not open or close correctly. Water can be coming down the outside wall and getting on the door in bad weather. You must find the problem and fix it. It could create rusting on metal doors and frames with time. Some prevention now is much better than ignoring the problem and having to buy an entire door and jam later on.

Windows exposed to too much water can result in the same destruction. Damaged gutters may be what can cause doors and windows to be exposed to excessive water. With wooden windows, devastation may occur fairly fast. They also could swell shut and not open at all.

Caulking that is old will dry up and turn loose from whatever it is attached to. Keeping these places that need caulking is a must. Make sure you use the proper caulking for outdoor surfaces. It is especially made for weather proofing and preventing water penetration. It prevents it from getting in around the installation areas. Metal windows must also be caulked around installation areas as well. It can take longer to damage a metal door or window, but it could still need to be fixed or replaced if it rusts out.