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Our homes are usually one of, if not the largest investments that will make in our entire lifetime. Preventing damage to our house is an important factor in maintaining its value. One of the things that can cause the most problems for a home is water damage. Water damage can happen from many different sources.

Although many of us may routinely check our pipes and roof tops for evidence of intruding water problems, some places we can ignore entirely until it is maybe time to paint. These areas are our doors and windows. Besides the roof and outer walls of our home, our doors and windows are exposed to more water elements all the time because of wet weather such as rain, sleet, and snow.

With the doors on our home that we use frequently, water damage might not go unnoticed for that long, but with infrequently used doors and windows that are seldom opened, water damage can occur slowly over time and escape our notice completely. It is important to add windows and doors to that routine check list if they are not already on it.

So what do you do when you find a window or door that water is damaging? That depends on how much damage has already occurred. When doors are exposed to excessive moisture or dripping water, it can cause the door, if it is wood, and the surrounding wood jams to swell.

This will eventually cause to door to stick or not open and close properly. Water can be dripping down the outside wall and getting on the door in bad weather. You will need to locate the source of water and repair whatever is necessary to stop it. It can cause rusting on metal doors and frames over long periods of time. A little prevention is a lot easier than letting the problem go and having to replace an entire door and jam.

Windows exposed to water can result in the same things. Leaking gutters can sometimes be the culprit that exposes your windows and doors to excessive water. With wooden windows, damage can occur pretty quickly. They can swell shut and not open at all.

Caulking that is old can shrink away and turn loose from the building and window or door and allow water in. Keeping windows and doors caulked with weather proof caulking can prevent water from getting in around the installation areas.

Metal windows also need to be caulked to prevent rust from starting. It may take longer to damage a metal door or window but it can damage the wood work around them quickly.