Maintenance Tips to Manage Your Wooden Shutters in Federal Way in the Winter
Wooden shutters in Federal Way offer some excellent benefits. However, they do need some maintenance, especially in the winter months. This can be the harshest time on the materials.
That means you need to take steps to care for them. Here are our top maintenance tips during the winter months.
Inspect Your Shutters Regularly
As the weather cools in the fall, you’ll need to take a look at your window coverings. Inspect the wooden shutters in Federal Way for any signs of damage. This could be the slightest crack or some paint starting to peel. If you see any of this, you know that you need to take steps to repair now. These are only going to get worse when the winter weather comes in.
You’ll also need to look at the joints and hinges. They can start to rust and become damaged easily, and the winter weather will make it worse due to the moisture and the temperatures.
Give Your Shutters a Good Clean
You should clean your shutters regularly anyway. However, as the winter rolls in, you’ll need to give your wooden shutters in Federal Way a good clean. Get some mild soap and some warm water to get into the nitty gritty parts of the shutters. This is where dirt and grime starts to gather.
Don’t use too much water. You don’t want the water to get into the wood can cause it to swell. This is going to lead to further damage in the winter.
Add a Protective Layer Over the Top
Look out for water-repellent sealants and finishes. They will protect your shutters from the moisture in the air. And there is a lot of moisture in the winter. Sure, the air itself tends to be drier in the winter than in the summer, but you get a lot more rain and snow.
If the wood isn’t protected, the moisture will get in. This leads to rotting and mold growth, and you will need to replace your wooden shutters in Federal Way a lot sooner than you’d like.
Ensure You Can Fully Secure Them
The weather can turn quickly in the winter months. High winds bring a lot of flying debris, and all it takes is a gust to hit your shutters just “right” and the shutters come flying off the house. You’ll need to make sure you secure them fully.
After a storm, get out and check on them. You want to make sure there has been no damage after the stormy weather. If you see just a small crack, you’ll need to make sure it’s repaired. Your shutters won’t last another storm.
Plan for any repairs on your wooden shutters in Federal Way. A lot of damage that they withstand can usually be repaired so you don’t need to replace them early. However, you will need to carry out maintenance. This is best throughout the year, but it is especially needed in the winter months. The cold and the wet will cause far more damage if there’s already something there.