Here in the UK many of us rejoice the occasions when the sun sees fit to grace us with its presence, however our UK housing stock may not be embracing the heat with quite so much fervour.
While the summer sun brings an explosion of new life to our outside spaces, being indoors might cause you to wilt. Many UK homes were purpose built to trap in the heat, which is great in the winter but means that on a hot summers day they reach temperatures comparable to a fiery furnace.
Aside from creating sweltering conditions, what affect does the hot weather have on your home?
Let’s start at the foundation
When you think of particularly hot climates you might think of sandy beaches and baked earth beneath your feet – and the UK soil isn’t immune to the processes that result in such conditions. In excessive heat, the moisture in the soil begins to dry up in a process known as soil shrinkage. This can be a huge problem for building foundations, particular for older building or those with shallower foundations, and can lead to the formation of small cracks or, in more serious cases, subsidence issues.
One way to combat soil shrinkage affecting your home is to use a hose around the perimeter of the foundations. Soaking the soil to keep it consistently moist makes it less susceptible to shrinkage and swelling under extreme weather conditions.
Cracking conditions
Periods of intense heat followed by a sudden dip in temperature can also take a toll on other structural building materials, such as the plaster and wood or plastic facades.
The continued expansion and contraction caused by fluctuating temperature can form cracks or expand those already present, which in turn can lead to unwanted moisture infiltrating the protective barriers of your home. If you spot a hairline crack, it might not be anything to raise an eyebrow at, however larger or expanding cracks may require further insight from a professional and should be closely monitored.
Warped Wood
Are your windows and doors starting to stick? Have you noticed a few more creaks and groans around the house? No, you’re not in the midst of a haunting, the beams and panels that make up the structure of your home may just be expressing their frustrations with the heat.
High and fitful temperatures can lead to wood expansion. So, while your door might have fit nice and snugly in its frame yesterday, it may have expanded that smidge too much in the heat to be a comfortable fit today.
Wood is hygroscopic, meaning it will change in line with its environmental changes. As it is a porous material the wood will attempt to match its internal humidity level to the external humidity level, causing the wood to expand and contract as it absorbs and releases moisture.
As warm air tends to hold more moisture, especially in the muggy weather of the UK, the wood will absorb the moisture from the atmosphere and expand, causing your doors to stick.
Make sure the heat doesn’t raise the roof
Just as many neglect to protect their scalp from the sun, potential damage to your roof in hot weather is often overlooked. Your roof protects you against the elements come rain come shine, and whilst we may emphasise the shelter it provides in rainy downpours, your roof also bears the brunt of the hot weather.
Continuous intense heat can degrade the materials of your roof, making them more susceptible to damage, and you’re unlikely to notice the effects of any damage caused until the next summer deluge comes your way.
Hot dry weather can dry out the stonework and mortar around your roof, leading to the pointing to crumble away. Additionally, hot weather fluctuations can elicit expansion and contraction in guttering and flashing, potentially leading to cracks and leaks.
So, even when the skies are blue and there’s little chance of rain, it’s important to keep an eye out for any noticeable damage to your roof, whether that be missing slates or cracks in the guttering, because when it finally does rain, it pours.
Don’t put it off for a rainy day…
All in all, though the summer heat may leave us fatigued, the hot weather doesn’t cancel out the need for continued upkeep and assessment of the home to prevent problems occurring later down the line.
If you’re interested in having a professional assessment of a potential property purchase to highlight any possible defects, get in touch today for a home survey!