Split aluminum siding and metal roof installation
If you don’t fix problems on your home’s exterior, they can eventually lead to trouble inside.

In this week’s radio show, we’re talking about exterior issues. Here are solutions for common, and also some unique, home problems.


Painted aluminum siding
The key to success in painting aluminum siding is prep work.

Painting Aluminum Siding

Yellow “age spots” keep popping up on the aluminum siding of Keith’s Illinois home. He’s having trouble cleaning them and wants to know how he can paint the siding.

To paint the siding, you will need to clean it. The best product to use is trisodium phosphate. This is a powerful chemical compound that will strip the age spots and any chalk-like dust that’s on the surface.

Use exterior-grade acrylic latex paint compatible with metal as a primer, then top it off with a satin or flat finish (sheen) paint. You don’t want anything too high-gloss because the shiny finish will be reflective in any dent in the aluminum siding.

You can do this yourself by using a paint roller. Roll the paint on, then back brush it lightly to even out the paint strokes.

Depending on the size of your house, however, you might want to consider hiring a professional to spray the whole house.

Skip to [skipto time=25:06][25:06][/skipto] for the full segment on the Today’s Homeowner Radio Show.


Construction of a metal roof
Although metal roofs are installed in large pieces, you still need to have adequate coverage underneath to prevent leaks.

Filling a Hole Under a Metal Roof

When Remy from Alabama had a metal roof installed, a static vent cover had to be removed along with the old shingle roof.

When he was in his attic recently, he noticed a 12-inch-by-12-inch square-cut hole in the roof where the vent was. Water has been condensing on the exposed underlay and dripping down onto the insulation above the kitchen. 

The simplest way to fix this is to take a piece of three-quarter-inch plywood and cut it to fit into the hole. Secure it into the hole with construction adhesive and prop a two-by-four up against it to keep it in place in the rafter.

Next, screw the plywood in with a screw gun and caulk around the perimeter to keep moisture out. 

Once this is done, no more moisture should leak out from the hole.

Skip to [skipto time=18:56][18:56][/skipto] for the full segment on the Today’s Homeowner Radio Show.


Concrete in a front entryway
If the concrete slab in front of your door is sloping toward the house, you can easily fix it to prevent drainage into your home. (Photo courtesy of Keith)

Sloping Concrete Away From an Entry Door

Keith from Louisiana is looking for a solution to a drainage problem at his entry door.

When his house was built in 1995, an entry door was added after the slab was complete, and the concrete was not cut down.

Now, when it rains, water flows toward the house since the concrete is sloped toward the house. 

The easiest way to remedy this is to add a thin layer of concrete on top of the existing slab. Before laying the extra concrete, caulk around the threshold of the door with silicone and thoroughly clean the concrete.

Then, apply Quikrete Re-Cap Concrete Resurfacer, as directed on the bag. Create a half-inch downward slope away from the door to keep the water away. And lightly brush a broom over the concrete to create an anti-slip finish. 

Doing this will save you the hassle of removing the existing concrete to create that downward draining slope.

At least, this would be the process if the only issue were a concrete slab that needed slope adjustment.

This homeowner has a unique problem because there’s also a brick lip that’s an inch higher than the concete, so even if we slope the concrete down, the water will still pool, and maybe even back up into the house with a very heavy rain, due to that lip.

For this unique situation, Keith should remove the row of bricks and use resurfacer to pitch the concrete slab.

Skip to [skipto time=43:22][43:22][/skipto] for the full segment on the Today’s Homeowner Radio Show.


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    avatar for Danny Lipford

    Danny Lipford

    Founder

    Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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