3 tips to protect your home this winter

(BPT) - Cold temperatures, snow, sleet and ice can all wreak havoc on your home's gutters, windows and gardens, but it can have even more harmful effects on exterior wooden surfaces, such as decks, siding or roof shingles. Residing in Rhode Island, Pete Flood, whose family founded the Flood wood care brand 175 years ago, knows this all too well.

"The coastal climate is tough on wood," Flood says. "The salt and humidity in the air sticks around all year." Maintaining your home's exterior wood surfaces, and of course using the right products, can help protect your home from harsh climates year round, but particularly harsh winter weather."

While the Flood wood care brand is now powered by PPG, a global innovator in coatings, Flood's knowledge and deep understanding of the Flood brand's heritage gives him a unique perspective on his own staining projects. Having just refinished his home's siding and roof shingles this past August, Flood shares his favorite professional tips and products to help you prep and protect the outside of your home for the winter.

Prepare before starting projects

Whether you are refinishing your deck, porch, siding or roof, it's important to properly prepare the surface before starting your project. It not only helps to clean the wood, but also helps the stain to look its best for as long as possible. Rather than using a power washer, Flood recommends using a wood cleaner to properly remove dirt and loose fibers. "My family developed the first Flood wood cleaner in 1980, and today, the Flood Pro Series Wood Cleaner cleans a deck in half the time it takes to power wash while removing four times more dirt than water alone."

Choosing the right product

"Since my grandfather and brother were painting contractors, our family knew the importance of a quality product," Flood says. Choosing the right product for your project can make the difference between both appearance and protection. First, it's important to understand the climate in your region to ensure you use a product that can protect against particular elements such as rain, snow or sunlight. Then, it's just as important to select a product that will meet your appearance expectations.

"When I last refinished my house in 2008, we used Flood CWF in Cedar Tone, and the product has held up really well over the years," Flood says. "This time around, we used Flood Pro Series CWF-UV 5 for its UV protection, water repellency against rain and snow, as well as penetrating protection below the wood surface."

Maintenance moving forward

It's important to plan for protection this winter, but ideally you will also be protecting your home for future winters, summers and more, which is why choosing a durable, lasting product is so important. With the harsh climates in Rhode Island and many other areas of the country, this is especially important to Flood to avoid having to refinish his home year after year.

"Flood products have that balance of great appearance and durability as they age. When you do need to refinish your home again, it may not need to be completely redone. It may only require cleaning and recoating, which is a lot less work."

Pete Flood received Flood stain product in exchange for participation in this interview. All opinions expressed are his own.

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