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Stable Maintenance
The following are a few points to consider to keep your
stables and outbuildings in good condition.
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Inspect
Your Buildings
-
Make a
Plan
-
Look
After Your Roof
-
The
Foundations
-
Repairing
Structural Problems
-
Paint
It
-
Keep
Doors & Windows Repaired
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Control independent pest control company,
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Inspect
Your Buildings
Check the
condition of your stables and outbuildings at least once a year. This helps to identify problems and
enable planning for repairs.
Most building deterioration is
caused by water. If
unprotected and left damp, wood will decay, eventually destroying the structure.
The impact of falling trees, wind-blown debris, and
equipment can also seriously damage buildings or create a problem area where
water may begin its destruction.
Walk around the outside of the building
first. Look for evidence of leaks and dampness; binoculars are useful to inspect
the roof. Check to see if the lines of the building are straight. Make a note of
any areas of storm damage and areas of peeling paint and rotten wood.
Inside the building inspect the foundation for
any problems. Use a torch to inspect dark areas. Look out for spoiled hay or debris that
may be covering rotting wood.
Make a list of possible problem areas.
Using a builder to estimate any repairs can be
useful to assess the
condition of your stables and outbuildings.
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Make
a Plan
Once you have assessed the condition of your buildings, you can develop a
maintenance plan. The next step is to decide the repair priorities and to set a
timescale for doing the work. Deciding who should do the work will require some thought.
Some of the work can be done by yourself but other work could be done more
quickly and cheaply by a professional builder.
Look
After Your Roof
Making sure that the roofs on your
building are watertight is the first maintenance task Check the roof at least once a year
for any leaks paying particular attention to potential problem
areas where roofing or flashing may fail, such as the eaves and along intersecting
walls. Repair any damaged flashing. Check your guttering for any blockages and
that the pipe lagging is secure.
Slate roofs should last several hundred years, and it is usually more
economical to repair them than to replace them with other materials. Hang replacement and new slates with stainless steel or copper nails and
hooks, which will not rust.
Metal roofing, including corrugated roofing, is very durable, but may need painting to prevent rust after
its original coating wears off. The next serious
threat to this type of roof is wind damage which can lift sheets along the outside
edges of the roof and the ridge cap. Nails in corrugated roofing tend to work
loose slowly, so they should occasionally be hammered back down to prevent wind
damage.
Asphalt roofing typically lasts
between ten and twenty-five years. Although once asphalt begins to leak the whole
roof generally must be replaced. Sunlight on the south side or moisture on the
north side of roofs may lead to one side wearing out before the other.
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The Foundations
Foundation failure can lead to structural collapse. Poor drainage and frost heaving
are the
primary foundation problems. The foundations should be slightly sloped so that surface
liquids flow away from the building. Do not allow
vegetation, debris and other materials that retain water to accumulate around
the foundation.
Repairing Structural
Problems
Structural failure can rapidly lead to collapse of part or all of a
building, particularly when the building is stressed by a heavy load of hay, snow, or even by high winds.
Check over the entire frame of your buildings each year,
looking for any structural defects. Look for insect damage and fungus growth in
timbers that appear damp. Wood preservatives will stop fungus growth and
prevent further deterioration.
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Paint
It
A good paint/creosote job will provide decoration and protection and it is one of the best ways to preserve the exterior of your
buildings, protecting it from moisture penetration. Before you paint make sure to inspect where
the old paint has failed to see if there are indications of other problems. Paint
that is peeling in large flakes down to bare wood usually indicates a moisture
problem that should be fixed before repainting. If only the top layer of paint is
peeling away, the surface was probably not properly prepared before the last
painting. It is normal for paint to wear away in small flakes, especially on the
sunny south and west sides of a building.
Preparing the surface for painting is
almost as important as painting itself. Remove loose paint chips and dust
from all surfaces. A sharp hand scraper works best with loose paint. Do not use
torches to remove paint because they may cause a fire. Gentle power washing may
be effective if surfaces are allowed to dry several days before painting.
Paint after all repairs are complete and the
surface is properly prepared, clean and dry. New paint should be high
quality, guaranteed to last ten years or longer. Labour can be
reduced by applying paint with a sprayer, but windows, roofing and other
unpainted areas should be carefully masked to prevent damage from overspray.
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Keep Doors and Windows
Repaired
As the moving parts of your buildings, windows and doors may require more maintenance
than other features, but their repair will be much less expensive than buying
replacements.
First check hinges and latches to see if they need to be
adjusted or reset with longer or new screws. Oil all the bolts and hinges.
Windows may have broken glass,
deteriorated glazing, or problems with the wooden frame. Replacing
or patching decayed, broken or missing pieces of the frame may require
taking apart the window. New or
recycled glass may be installed with new glazing putty.
Check and update electrical systems
to ensure that they are safe and of strong enough lighting. Old electrical wiring and fixtures should be inspected
by an electrician and defective materials should be replaced.
Maintenance problems may occur where buildings have been altered or other buildings attached.
These
should be checked to see that flashing and other measures to shed water are
intact and work. Connected buildings may move
apart as their two foundations heave or settle independently, tearing flashing
and creating roof leaks.
TIP - Keep some road salt
handy to put across the yard the night before frost or snow is predicted.
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Building
Stables Paddock
Maintenance Stable & Yard
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