Four Recommended Home Areas To Seal

There are various benefits to caulking – it could act as a waterproof, air-tight seal that keeps moisture from seeping into the structures of your buildings and prevent mold and mildew from growing. Sealing these gaps and openings could also slow down the degradation of your home’s exterior and reduce your utility costs by keeping warm and cold air out.

But, more importantly, it creates an even and more uniform surface for the exterior of your home and helps your paintwork to last longer. While many use sealants like polyurethane to caulk the home’s exterior, they can be used in the interior areas as well – think bathtubs, tubs, and tiles, to keep water and air from entering the opening to prevent structural damages. Here are the four home areas to seal.

Recommended Home Areas to Seal

Before you start caulking, you will want to ensure that you have the right type of caulk for the various areas you have to seal – we cover this in the section below. Then, when you’re ready to start doing the sealing, you will want to look out for these common areas of your home that may already have issues:

• Windows: We’d recommend looking out for any gaps in the trim area. If so, apply the sealant to the sides and top of the frame. For other types of windows, use caulk on all sides of the windows. In comparison to metal-framed windows, wooden windows will require more caulk. Therefore, apply it to the area where the wood and glass connect, including the trims, sills, and sidings.
• Doors: Over time, gaps and openings could occur in the door frames, especially exterior doors as they are exposed to the elements. Pay close attention to the front, back, and garage doors, as moisture and humidity, can cause the wood to rot and impact the paintwork. The trims, sidings, door frames should be the areas you’re looking to caulk.
• Bathtubs, Showers, and Faucets: Sealants like polyurethanes are a great contender for this purpose. They are waterproof and provide an air-tight seal that prevents mildew and mold from growing due to the prevalence of moisture. The gaps where your sink, shower base, and bathtub frame meets the walls are where you need to caulk and pay close attention to.
• Roofs: The soffits (underside eaves of your roof overhang) and fascia boards are some areas you need to pay attention to, to increase their durability and longevity. As they will be exposed to the external elements, caulking would also reduce the amount you will need to maintain your roofs’ condition.

Picking The Right Caulk for The Right Surfaces

Selecting the right type of caulk for the appropriate surfaces is crucial in determining the longevity and durability of your application. This decision will depend on the conditions and environments, such as external elements, temperature, and humidity. Additionally, your surface materials will play a part as this will impact the level of flexibility you require your caulk to be and whether it will need to be painted after for the overall aesthetics. While there is a wide range available in the market, these are types of caulks you will want to look out for:

• Silicone – Ideal for caulking surfaces that are non-porous, such as glass, metal, and ceramic tiles. As you cannot paint over this type of sealant due to its flexibility, you will need to find appropriate color options to match your home’s décor and aesthetics.
• Acrylic Latex – A combination of acrylic latex, this inflexible and paintable caulk is ideal for both indoor and outdoor applications. It is suitable for sealing crown moldings as well as window and door frames.
• Butyl Rubber – Highly flexible and paintable sealant can be used to caulk metals, concrete, and bricks in roof gutters and flashers.

Polyurethane – For the crevices in between bathtubs, showers, and sinks that meet the walls, this sealant can be made with polyurethane, providing an air-tight, waterproof seal to prevent mildew and mold growth.