Decorating Mistakes That Can Damage Your House

After last week’s column about sprucing up the outside of your home for fall, I got a good follow-up question: What’s the best way to decorate without damaging the house?

It’s worth talking about because we’re entering several straight months of outdoor decorating. Pumpkins and Halloween decorations will soon give way to Thanksgiving wreaths and then holiday lights and garlands. And every year, homeowners unintentionally make holes, trap moisture, or damage parts of their homes in the process. So before you start decorating, here are a few things I’d avoid.

Don’t Put Holes in Your Siding

This is probably the biggest one. Vinyl siding is designed to shed water, and putting a screw or nail through it creates a hole where there shouldn’t be one.

Instead, look for siding hooks and clips designed to slip into the seams of vinyl siding without puncturing it. There are also exterior-rated removable hooks that work on certain surfaces.

The same rule applies when the Christmas lights come out. There are inexpensive clips made specifically for attaching lights to gutters, shingles and other surfaces without putting holes in them.

Be Careful With Brick and Masonry

Brick may seem indestructible, but that doesn’t mean you should start drilling into it every time you want to hang something.

If something truly needs to be permanently mounted, it should be done with the proper fastener and in the proper location. For temporary seasonal decorations, look for alternatives such as brick clips that grip the brick without drilling.

And if you do need to drill into masonry, know what you’re drilling into first. Brick, mortar and manufactured stone aren’t interchangeable.

Don’t Hang Heavy Decorations From Gutters

Gutters are another tempting attachment point, particularly during the holidays.

Lightweight light clips are one thing. A heavy wreath, garland or decoration pulling on the gutter is another. Gutters aren’t designed to support much additional weight, and a heavy decoration combined with wind, rain, snow or ice can pull sections loose or affect their pitch.

Use gutters for products specifically designed to attach there, not as an all-purpose hanging system.

Watch What You Put Against the House

Some of my favorite fall decorations are also some of the messiest. Pumpkins, hay bales, cornstalks and live plants all hold moisture. If they sit against wood trim, siding or a door for weeks, particularly during a rainy stretch, they can keep that area damp.

Give natural decorations a little breathing room. Check underneath pumpkins and planters occasionally, too. A pumpkin that looked great when you bought it can turn into a soft, leaking mess surprisingly quickly.

The same goes for outdoor rugs. If one stays soaked after every rain, periodically lift it and let the surface underneath dry.

Think Twice Before Using Adhesive

Not every product marketed as removable behaves perfectly on every surface. Adhesive hooks and tape can be useful, but check whether the product is rated for outdoor use and appropriate for the material you’re putting it on. Painted doors and trim are especially worth treating carefully. Pulling off a decoration in January and taking a patch of paint with it isn't the way anyone wants to finish the holidays.

When removing adhesive products, follow the manufacturer’s directions rather than simply pulling them off.

Remember That Decorations Move

Something that looks perfectly harmless when you put it up on a calm afternoon may behave very differently during the first windy October night.

Signs, wreaths, metal decorations and other hanging pieces can repeatedly bang or scrape against siding, doors and trim. Over several weeks, that movement can scratch paint and finishes.

Secure decorations well and pay attention to what they'll touch if the wind starts moving them around.

Don’t Forget About the Door

The front door tends to get more decorations than just about any other part of the house.

Before hanging a large wreath or sign, make sure it isn’t interfering with the storm door, weatherstripping, lock or door operation. Over-the-door wreath hangers are convenient, but very thick ones can sometimes prevent a door from closing or sealing properly. If you have to force the door closed once the decoration is installed, find another way to hang it.

A Little Restraint Saves Repairs Later

I’m all for decorating the house. Fall and the holidays are some of the best times of year to make the front of your home feel welcoming.

Just remember that most seasonal decorations will only be there for a few weeks. It doesn’t make much sense to create a permanent hole, stain or repair for something temporary.

Use the right clips and fasteners, keep moisture in mind, and pay attention to what you're attaching decorations to. When January rolls around and everything comes back down, your house should look exactly the way it did before you started.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Email your questions for Bob to info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” All questions may be considered for publication. To contact Bob for your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit odonnellbros.com. Advice is for guidance only.

Does Your House Need Gutter Guards

September is one of those months when I start looking up at the trees around my house and thinking about what’s coming. Right now, the leaves are still mostly where they belong. Give it another few weeks, though, and they’ll be on the lawn, in the driveway, and, of course, filling up the gutters.

That makes now a good time to ask a question I hear from homeowners pretty regularly: Does my house need gutter guards?

My answer? It really depends on your house. Gutter guards are designed to keep leaves and other debris from getting into your gutters while still allowing rainwater to flow through. They can be a great addition to many homes, particularly here in Connecticut, where many of us have large, mature trees close to our houses. But that doesn’t mean every house needs them.

To decide if yours is one of them, the first thing I’d do is simply look around your property. Do you have large trees close to the house? If branches extend over or near your roof, your gutters are probably collecting more than just leaves. Pine needles, acorns, seed pods, twigs, and other debris can all end up there. If you're cleaning your gutters several times between September and December, gutter guards may make that job considerably easier.

Next, think about how difficult your gutters are to reach. A ranch with easily accessible gutters is one thing. A two- or three-story house with steep rooflines is another. Cleaning gutters from a ladder can be dangerous, and the harder your gutters are to reach, the more valuable it can be to reduce how frequently they need attention.

Another thing to think about is if your gutters clog regularly. This is probably the biggest clue. If you notice water spilling over the sides of your gutters during a rainstorm, don't ignore it. Sometimes the problem is as simple as a clog, although there can be other causes. Either way, water isn't being directed through your gutter and down your downspout; that's something worth addressing.

Lastly, what kind of debris are you dealing with? Not every property has the same problem. Big maple and oak leaves are different from pine needles or smaller debris. There are several styles of gutter guards available, and what works well for one house isn't necessarily the best choice for another.

There's also an important misconception I always like to clear up: Gutter guards don't mean you can forget about your gutters forever. Even with guards, leaves and debris can collect on top. Smaller material can sometimes get through. Gutters and downspouts should still be checked periodically to make sure water is flowing properly. The goal is to reduce maintenance, not eliminate it.

If you're thinking about adding gutter guards, now is a particularly good time to take care of it. Start by having the gutters cleaned and inspected. Make sure they're secure, that there aren't damaged or sagging sections, and that your downspouts are draining properly. There's no sense putting a new system over gutters that already have a problem.

Then take a look at the trees around your house and think back to last fall. Were you constantly cleaning gutters? Did you have overflowing water every time it rained? Are your gutters high enough that cleaning them has become a job you'd rather not tackle now, or in the future as you and your house age?

If you're answering yes to those questions, your house may be a very good candidate for gutter guards. It's a lot nicer to figure that out on a September afternoon than halfway up a ladder with a handful of wet leaves in November.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Have a question? Email info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” For your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for general guidance only.

What's Under Your Roof Matters

When you’re getting estimates for a new roof, most of the conversation naturally revolves around the things you can see, including the shingles, color, style and, of course, the final price.

There is another part of your roof that deserves just as much attention, even though you will probably never see it once the job is finished: the plywood underneath.

The plywood, also called roof decking or sheathing, is essentially the foundation of your roofing system. The underlayment and shingles are installed over it, so the decking needs to be solid, dry and structurally sound enough to properly support the new roof. The tricky part is that we often do not know exactly what condition that plywood is in until the old roof comes off.

A roof can look relatively normal from the outside while hiding deteriorated plywood underneath. Years of small leaks, condensation, poor ventilation, or moisture intrusion can leave sections of the decking soft, rotten, moldy or otherwise compromised. Once the old shingles and underlayment are removed, the roofing crew finally gets a good look at what has been happening underneath.

Does that mean every roof replacement needs all-new plywood? Not necessarily. If the existing decking is dry, solid, properly installed, and in good condition, there may be no reason to replace it. However, if portions have deteriorated, replacing those sections is an important part of doing the roof correctly.

This is also one of the areas where homeowners can get caught off guard by cost. Plywood is expensive, and depending on how much needs to be replaced, it can add a noticeable amount to the final bill. When you are already making a major investment in a new roof, it is understandable to wonder whether the old plywood can simply stay in place.

Putting brand-new roofing materials over deteriorated decking is a little like installing beautiful new hardwood floors over a damaged subfloor. You may save money that day, but you have not solved the underlying problem.

Weak or damaged decking may not hold roofing fasteners as securely as sound material. It can also contribute to uneven or sagging areas and leave the roofing system more vulnerable to problems in the future. Most importantly, you are installing a product designed to last for decades over a foundation that may already be deteriorating.

There is also the issue of the manufacturer’s warranty. Roofing manufacturers generally require shingles to be installed according to their specifications and over an appropriate, sound roof deck. Installing shingles over compromised or improperly prepared decking can potentially affect warranty coverage. The exact requirements vary by manufacturer and product, which is another reason the condition of the decking should be addressed during installation rather than ignored.

I always encourage homeowners to look beyond the big number at the bottom of a roofing estimate and review what is actually included. Ask your contractor what the estimate says about plywood or roof decking, whether any replacement is included and what the additional cost will be if deteriorated sections are discovered after the old roof is removed.

This is especially important when comparing estimates from different contractors. One contractor may appear considerably less expensive than another, but the two estimates may not include the same scope of work. If one accounts for replacing damaged decking and another barely mentions it, the lower price may not tell the whole story.

Nobody likes unexpected costs during a home improvement project, and contractors do not particularly enjoy delivering that news either. However, when we uncover rotten or deteriorated plywood, replacing what needs to be replaced is usually money better spent than covering up the problem and hoping for the best.

A new roof is a significant investment in your home, and ideally, you should be able to install it and not worry about it again for a very long time. When the old shingles come off, homeowners should understand what is underneath, review the condition of the decking with their contractor and know how any necessary replacement will affect the project.

Saving money is always worthwhile, but cutting a corner that could compromise the life of your new roof rarely is.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Have a question? Email info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” For your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for general guidance only.

When you’re getting estimates for a new roof, most of the conversation naturally revolves around the things you can see, including the shingles, color, style and, of course, the final price.

There is another part of your roof that deserves just as much attention, even though you will probably never see it once the job is finished: the plywood underneath.

The plywood, also called roof decking or sheathing, is essentially the foundation of your roofing system. The underlayment and shingles are installed over it, so the decking needs to be solid, dry and structurally sound enough to properly support the new roof. The tricky part is that we often do not know exactly what condition that plywood is in until the old roof comes off.

A roof can look relatively normal from the outside while hiding deteriorated plywood underneath. Years of small leaks, condensation, poor ventilation, or moisture intrusion can leave sections of the decking soft, rotten, moldy or otherwise compromised. Once the old shingles and underlayment are removed, the roofing crew finally gets a good look at what has been happening underneath.

Does that mean every roof replacement needs all-new plywood? Not necessarily. If the existing decking is dry, solid, properly installed, and in good condition, there may be no reason to replace it. However, if portions have deteriorated, replacing those sections is an important part of doing the roof correctly.

This is also one of the areas where homeowners can get caught off guard by cost. Plywood is expensive, and depending on how much needs to be replaced, it can add a noticeable amount to the final bill. When you are already making a major investment in a new roof, it is understandable to wonder whether the old plywood can simply stay in place.

Putting brand-new roofing materials over deteriorated decking is a little like installing beautiful new hardwood floors over a damaged subfloor. You may save money that day, but you have not solved the underlying problem.

Weak or damaged decking may not hold roofing fasteners as securely as sound material. It can also contribute to uneven or sagging areas and leave the roofing system more vulnerable to problems in the future. Most importantly, you are installing a product designed to last for decades over a foundation that may already be deteriorating.

There is also the issue of the manufacturer’s warranty. Roofing manufacturers generally require shingles to be installed according to their specifications and over an appropriate, sound roof deck. Installing shingles over compromised or improperly prepared decking can potentially affect warranty coverage. The exact requirements vary by manufacturer and product, which is another reason the condition of the decking should be addressed during installation rather than ignored.

I always encourage homeowners to look beyond the big number at the bottom of a roofing estimate and review what is actually included. Ask your contractor what the estimate says about plywood or roof decking, whether any replacement is included and what the additional cost will be if deteriorated sections are discovered after the old roof is removed.

This is especially important when comparing estimates from different contractors. One contractor may appear considerably less expensive than another, but the two estimates may not include the same scope of work. If one accounts for replacing damaged decking and another barely mentions it, the lower price may not tell the whole story.

Nobody likes unexpected costs during a home improvement project, and contractors do not particularly enjoy delivering that news either. However, when we uncover rotten or deteriorated plywood, replacing what needs to be replaced is usually money better spent than covering up the problem and hoping for the best.

A new roof is a significant investment in your home, and ideally, you should be able to install it and not worry about it again for a very long time. When the old shingles come off, homeowners should understand what is underneath, review the condition of the decking with their contractor and know how any necessary replacement will affect the project.

Saving money is always worthwhile, but cutting a corner that could compromise the life of your new roof rarely is.

Bob O’Donnell is the owner of O’Donnell Bros. Inc., a Bristol-based home improvement company established in 1975. Have a question? Email info@odonnellbros.com with the subject line “Ask the Pro.” For your remodeling needs, call O’Donnell Bros. Inc. at (860) 589-5155 or visit www.odonnellbros.com. Advice is for general guidance only.