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The benefits of caulking
For most people their home is their largest asset and it is very important to protect your largest asset by keeping the exterior of your home water tight, to avoid any potential wood rot or mould issues which can cause expensive damage that has to be repaired in order to maintain your homes optimum value. Below is some useful information on the benefits of caulking and why it so important.
Exterior caulking is a very important part of any exterior paint job for a number of reasons.
- Protection from rot and erosion by sealing gaps and cracks to keep damaging water out.
- Conserves energy by stopping drafts and reducing heat loss.
- Keeps damaging insects and pests out.
- Keeping water out prevents any harmful mould from developing inside the walls.
- Enhances the cosmetic appearance
- Extends the life of a quality paint job by not allowing water to get behind the paint, causing it to lose its integrity and adherence.
All caulking in general provides these basic benefits but a quality caulking has another important benefit of being able to stay flexible longer which is key to lasting performance and protection; especially in places with frequent temperature changes such as here in Newfoundland.
Failed caulking causes wood to rot
When caulking fails, it allows water to enter. The wood then becomes wet and begins to rot because the paint acts as a moisture barrier, which prevents the wood from drying out fast enough between rainfalls. The longer it remains wet the further it will spread and cause even more damage.
Why caulking fails
Over time caulking tends to fail by drying out and losing its flexibility. When this happens, it begins to let go which creates gaps that allows water to enter. This commonly happens with the cheaper caulking brands because at around $2 – $3 a tube, people believe they are saving a bundle on the product compared to the premium priced caulking at $6 – $10 a tube.
Sadly, most will find that in the long run, the inexpensive caulking actually costs way more because once it starts to dry out, most of it will need to be removed before any new caulking can be applied. When you consider that labor costs much more than a quality product and having to do a job over again sooner than later, it does not save any money at all but is very dear.
Why Quality Matters
When it comes to caulking, a quality caulking is one that is able to stay flexible during temperature changes. Caulking is often used between two dissimilar substrates (like wood and metal or plastic), which have different expanding and contracting rates, so a flexible caulking is key to accommodating these differences.
There are many types of caulking to choose from in the hardware and paint stores but for exterior applications in particular, you want a premium product that stays flexible, is non-toxic, paintable, and long lasting.
Note: There is a ‘highly recommended’ top quality product available at ‘The Paint Shop’ called ‘Pro Stretch‘ by AllPro. It’s an Acrylic Urethane Elastomeric Sealant rated as ‘Lifetime Durability‘ and a ‘High Performance 800% Elongation‘. They have a variety of types and colours available for various applications.
*Pic on the right is a sample of a 2″ gap sealed with AllPro ‘Pro Stretch’.
Before and after ⇓
By: JellyBean Painters