Spruce Up the Outside Appearance of Your Home!

Okay, your house is looking in tip-top shape...on the inside, that is. But on the outside your house is a mess. Here are ten simple, everyday tips that you can do to make your home look wonderful on the outside as well.

One: Pressure clean your home. You would be amazed at how simple it is to pressure clean your house (you can rent a pressure cleaner for a very reasonable price or purchase one) and what a huge difference it makes from doing so. Many times you cannot see how truly dingy your home is until you start to pressure clean it. Make sure to clean garage doors, windows, and porches as well.

Two: If your paint is chipping on window frames, shutters, the garage door or the house itself, it may be time to paint. You can do it yourself or hire a professional but the results from a fresh coat of paint are always phenomenal. If you are painting yourself, make sure that you scrape off existing paint that is chipping as best you can, sanding if necessary, and be absolutely certain to use a top notch primer before you begin painting (adhering, of course, to the manufacturers directions).

Three: If you do not have shutters, think about having some put up. The cost is relatively low and installation fairly easy. You can install them yourself in little time, or hire a professional to do it. Make sure to comparison shop to see which type of shutters best fit the window sizes and style of your home. If you have existing shutters in place make sure they are clean or freshly painted, if they need to be.

Four: Get those eaves troughs clean. Nothing says uncared for quite as loudly as gutters spilling over with dead and/or decaying leaves from last season. Not only that but if they are full they are not able to do their job, which is to direct water away from your roof and home.

Five: If the driveway is concrete and stained, consider a muriatic acid wash. If it is blacktop, consider having it refaced. You can do this with concrete as well if you prefer not to acid wash it. The results will last quite a few years and can do wonders for the outside appearance of your home. Chances are if you do this, neighbors in the close vicinity will follow suit as well.