Houses Need Love, Too

By:

When you love something, you take care of it, right? This month is all about House Love and different ways we show that love.  So let’s get down to business with 3 ways you can EASILY show love to your biggest investment.  And not by adorning it with fancy design elements, although that rocks, too.   But by generally taking care…it’s the little things…once again.  Even though our contest is over, you can still take our quiz below. Talk about LOVE!  We are really feeling it.

So let’s get into it.

Outdoor light fixtures:

These are quite possibly my favorite part of an exterior.  Season after season and year after after year, they become SUPER DIRTY!  It takes minutes to clean each one and you will be blown away by the reward you get from this one.  Talk about instant gratification!  Flip a switch…literally.  First, turn off the breaker to that area just in case.  Next, remove the light bulbs.   I use glass cleaner on the glass and then just good old baking soda and water with a gentle sponge on the aged copper.  However, if not copper, you can even use mild soap and water.  Easy.

 

Gutters:

These can be a real eye sore after Fall and right into Winter.  The problem with ignoring it…real damage is being done.  Water HAS TO BE ABLE to flow away from the house or it can easily find its way into your house.  In addition, a heavy, full gutter will start to weigh more than what it can hold and will pull away from the exterior causing damage.  This is one House Love item that makes me sad when I see it.  Makes me feel like the home owner doesn’t like living there…

 

Pressure Wash: 

This one is SO FUN!  What is old is NEW again. Here at brick&batten, we recently completed a project out west that had mildew, stains, and signs of water on the home’s exterior.  The first item on the brick&batten checklist for that property…a good pressure wash.  That house will look almost new in less than a few hours with a pressure washer.  Don’t own one?  Neither do we.  Just rent one…it’s not expensive and they WORK!  Window sills, outdoor siding, patios, driveways, sidewalks, and even other exterior features will be brought back to life after a good pressure wash.

Pressure-wash

Spring is rapidly approaching…and February is brick&batten #Houselove month….So show some love!  Enter to win a free brick&batten design by showing us why your house could use some love.

 

Author

Alli’s passion for home design began during childhood when she’d accompany her father to various fixer-upper properties he was working on. Years later, Alli received a degree in physical therapy from Indiana University, but her love of design and personal need brought her back to the home design industry. Alli co-founded brick&batten in 2017 with her sister, Cassie, out of necessity. She was looking for a service like brick&batten for her own home, but one didn’t exist. Alli loves designing exteriors that inspire people. She’s also interested in real estate investment and enjoys creating exterior designs that will provide a great return on investment. Alli lives in Atlanta with her partner, three children, and their dogs. She loves to travel and often finds herself looking at houses in the areas she visits for inspiration and ideas.