When battling the elements to keep your house intact, it’s easy to forget that while your lovely stone veneers might be a thing of beauty, they are susceptible to damage and need some extra love and care. Therefore, you should know how to protect your stone veneers from the hurricane with just a few simple steps.
Protect the areas below your stone veneers
You must keep the regions below your stone veneer walls dry, so take extra steps to guard against potential flooding. To do that, use tarps and plywood to cover all the outside ground underneath your home. You should also remove any grates, and remember to cover your house plants.
Check The Stability of your stone veneers
The best way to secure the stone veneer siding from severe winds is to anchor them properly and securely. To do that, use a masonry fastener and follow the instructions for the specific product carefully. If necessary, you may need a hammer drill or similar device to help you drill into the mortar joints.
Wipe down your stone veneers
Make sure that you use the correct type of cloth to remove dirt and debris, as this may cause damage to the surface of your siding. Also, be sure that you remove excess dirt and dust before applying a protective coating. You can use a garden hose and a soft brush for this purpose.
Use air conditioning
Make sure that you use an air conditioner. If the unit is directly connected to the house, place it inside a protected area; near the garage or a windowless room with a ceiling fan. Leave the unit running fully and set your thermostat to about 65 degrees or higher. This will help protect your stone veneers from the hurricane.
Remove any debris
Be very careful about this. If any debris gets too close to the surface, you might end up with holes and cracks in the glazed surface of your stone veneers, making it very difficult to protect them adequately during the hurricane season. You can use a small broom or leaf blower to remove any loose material that may be in your way.
Create a window cover to cover any cracks
This is something that you can easily do. If you have an old piece of window glass, you can create a patch using it to cover any cracks or holes that develop on the stone veneers. You should use silicone caulk to prepare this patch, apply it to the area with your finger or a squeegee, and smooth it out to get an even finish on your newly created patch.
Get your paint out
You’ll need to protect your stone veneers from the elements every day, so you’ll want to ensure that you’re prepared for rain. Get an extra can of paint for your exterior trim and create a makeshift shelf above your garage where you can store it until needed. Be sure to put the can on a piece of wood so it doesn’t get wet, as this will ruin the paint.
You can follow these steps to protect your stone veneers from the hurricane. With just a little extra effort in the future, you can be sure that you will protect your veneer walls against the elements and make them look beautiful for many more years. Choose a high-quality brand to get the best result out of your stone veneer siding. Sherwood Lumber’s Ply Gem stone veneers are the most popular manufactured stone veneers in today’s market.
