Home Tip of the Month

This tip is courtesy of my friend Chris Curles, Residential Inspector (770-493-0227).

How can you help prevent wood rot on your window sills and trip?

• The first thing is to keep the bushes and shrubs trimmed back away from the house at least eighteen inches.
  
• Second, the window sills and trim need to be caulked and painted (check on their condition annually)


• Finally, the third way to prevent wood rot is to remove the window screens on all of the windows that you don't use for ventilation. The reason is that the metal bottom section of the screen acts like a dam and water ponds on the window sills. As the paint on the window sills deteriorates, water seeps into the sill and the wood begins to rot.

The interesting thing is that wood rot occurs more quickly on new homes than on older homes. The wood on older homes is truly stronger and more resistant to rot. For tips on replacing window sills go to This Old House.

If you would like more information on this topic, please call Chris Curles, send an email or visit his website. He would really like to hear from you!www.HomeInspectionsAtlanta.comChrisCurl@comcast.net