Cracks, gaps and holes in siding

Q: I was looking at the door frames outside my house and saw a lot of small cracks at the corners of the frames. Should I be concerned? Can I repair these myself? — Tom H., Manchester, N.H.

A: Most small cracks are nothing to be concerned about. The exterior of a house goes through a lot of changes in a year due to weather, heat, cold, rain, ice, snow and debris strikes. Building materials swell and shrink with these extremes, and over time they will begin to show a bit of wear and tear.

•However, even though no major damage is apparent, patching small cracks, gaps and holes in frames, siding and masonry as soon as possible (or in spring and fall) will keep them from becoming worrying issues. Slightly larger gaps can become entry points for insects and rodents. And addressing these small issues will keep you attuned to the overall health of the house, preventing or catching potentially big issues before expensive damage is done.

•The most common areas for cracks and gaps to appear are between window or door frames; at the corners of the house; between pieces of siding or between the siding and the foundation masonry; around vents, skylights and plumbing or electrical fixtures; and around chimneys and roof flashing. Go around the entire house and note problem spots, probing suspect areas with a screwdriver to see if material is easily dislodged.

•Fill the small cracks in the frame corners with acrylic latex caulk, a good all-around material that bonds well, lasts a long time and can be painted over. Smooth it out flush and allow it to dry before painting.

•Cracks or gaps in masonry should be patched with mortar. Clean out all loose debris, wet the area, mix up the mortar and trowel it on, feathering out the edges. If possible, keep the patched area moist for up to two days to ensure that the mortar sets properly.

HOME TIP: To keep a caulking gun tip from drying out between uses, clean the tip off and cover it with a slip-on pencil eraser.