You're sitting out on your patio on a lazy summer day, just drinking in the sunshine and fresh breezes. You lean back, stretch and open your eyes—and suddenly notice that your pergola is not looking so hot. Caked-on grime, patches of softened, crumbling wood, peeling paint, bowed beams and other problems aren't just spots of unsightly cosmetic damage. They are a clear sign that you need professional Walpole pergola repair services from a qualified, local handyman.
Walpole pergola repair might not seem like that big of a deal. The damage often tends to start out small and worsen incrementally over time, so it's not as noticeable as sudden damage from a harsh storm or a collision with a riding lawnmower. But because problems like wood rot do worsen and spread, the damage can get out of control fast and you may not notice until it's too late and there's a risk of property damage or even injury caused by a collapse.
If you see some of the signs that you need pergola repair, count on your experienced Walpole handyman to get the job done right. The team of Walpole handyman service professionals at Mr. Handyman of Central - Eastern Norfolk County & South Shore have decades of combined experience with the types of problems that commonly affect pergolas, such as wood rot. Whatever is wrong, we can correct it quickly and effectively so all you need to do is relax and enjoy the peace of your own backyard.
What is a Pergola?
Pergolas are outdoor structures composed of a roofing grid with beams and rafters, supported by columns. They are typically placed over patios, decks, garden benches and similar locations to provide a shaded space or shelter for outdoor areas that are intended for socializing, dining and relaxation. They are sometimes open on the sides and between rafters, or they may feature retractable canopies and mosquito netting.
Whether you have a freestanding pergola or it is attached to your house at one side of the roof grid, they add appeal and can make your backyard look like it's straight out of the pages of an outdoor design magazine—as long as it's in good condition. When it's in rough shape and needs Walpole pergola repair, it can have the opposite effect and bring down the curb appeal of your residential or commercial property.
What Are the Signs That Walpole Pergola Repair is Needed?
A deteriorated, damaged pergola that is on its last legs—or last columns—is not a very attractive place to relax and enjoy nature. But it can also cause problems that spread to other parts of your property or lead to injury for a member of your household. If you know the signs that indicate your structure is in trouble, you can get the help you need from a local Walpole pergola repair expert on our team before the worst happens. Here are some of the key warning signs homeowners should be aware of.
Rotting Timber
Timber is an excellent building material. It's beautiful, strong, durable, renewable, widely available and easy to work with, so it's no surprise that it's the most popular choice for homeowners and builders alike. That being said, it does have one weakness. Outdoor wooden structures are particularly susceptible to a range of moisture damage issues. The number one, most common (and most irritating) problem is wood rot, a form of decay caused by wood-eating fungi that require the timber to have high moisture content in order to begin growing. That's why any natural wood products that are outdoors are vulnerable to decay, while indoor wood that never gets damp can remain unchanged for more than a century.
Wood rot causes timber to soften and discolor, and eventually crumble apart. There's no real way to restore decayed timber to its former condition, so wood rot repair usually involves removing the damaged piece and replacing it with new, pressure-treated pine wood or cedar wood that is resistant to rot. But when it comes to Walpole pergola repair, that can be more difficult because almost the entire shade structure is made up of supporting beams and columns. If removing the entire decayed piece is not really feasible, your Walpole handyman can likely still fix it up by scraping out the soft, rotted parts and filling the gaps with epoxy wood filler. Once the epoxy has dried and been sanded to a smooth finish, the structure should be painted to conceal the epoxy. If replacement wood is necessary, consider pressure-treated pine wood or cedar wood that have natural and chemical resistance to wood rot.
Leaning or Shifting Posts
Signs of deterioration or damage on supporting columns are a big problem because those columns are holding up the entire roof structure and if they fail, they'll bring the whole structure down with them. Minor cosmetic damage like scuffs or scratches isn't really a cause for concern as far as structural stability goes, though it can hurt curb appeal. But any type of damage that looks like it could affect the stability of the column needs to be taken care of as soon as possible with professional pergola repair. Walpole, MA homeowners may notice wood rot, rust, corrosion and other signs of decay on columns, or that columns are visibly leaning or shift and wobble when they are touched. Your Walpole pergola repair expert can replace columns and column bases to make sure they are looking their best and won't have any difficulty holding up your roof. In some cases we may be able to simply re-secure or repair them without replacement, but typically if they are noticeably leaning it is because they are broken or damaged under the ground and need to be replaced.
Grime Build-Up
If your pergola is looking run down because it's covered in a thick layer of dirt and grime build-up, or there's organic growth such as moss or algae slowly creeping up the columns, that is a clear sign you need professional Walpole pergola repair services. The grime and algae make your outdoor space a lot less appealing and inviting—it's not really the kind of thing you want to show off to friends and family. But all that grime build-up and organic growth can also have some negative effects on your structure.
All that build-up traps moisture and harbors harmful bacteria that accelerates the deterioration of paint and sealant, leaving the material underneath prone to water damage like wood rot. It can also disguise other warning signs of trouble. Pressure washing will take care of this Walpole pergola repair problem, and we'll also take care of refinishing as well to make sure your boards are protected. We can get your pergola looking as good as the day it was installed, much faster and more effectively than if we had to scrub away at it with a bristle brush.
Peeling Paint or Flaking Wood Stain
Speaking of pressure washing, did you know it's one of the best ways to remove peeling paint or flaking wood stain and prime an outdoor structure for refinishing? Peeling paint is an early warning sign of moisture damage. Once water starts to seep into the wood, it swells up and pushes on paint from the underside. That causes the paint to lift, bubble, crack and peel away in strips. The paint and sealant are the only things preventing water incursion in the first place, so once they start to peel away, even more water gets in and it's a self-perpetuating cycle until the whole thing is in tatters and rotting away.
Pressure washer machines are able to produce pressures that range between 750 and 3,000 psi (pound-force per square inch). That's strong enough to strip away damaged paint, along with dirt, stains and other stubborn substances, leaving behind a smooth, clean surface to refinish. If you're not up to the task of painting or staining and then sealing your structure to keep out moisture, no problem—our team can take care of that for you as part of our Walpole pergola repair services.
Insect Infestations
If you've ever had to deal with an infestation of destructive insects such as termites or carpenter ants, you know how much damage those little pests can cause in a short amount of time. They're only too pleased to target your pergola if given the chance, and they are capable of creating some major problems that require Walpole pergola repair. If you see signs of insect activity such as a maze of holes or channels on the surface of the wood, or "sawdust" accumulating under your structure, you know it's time for Walpole pergola repair—along with a dose of pesticide to prevent them from coming right back and causing even more trouble with your newly repaired structure.
Beam Arching
This particular Walpole pergola repair issue is usually related to faulty installation. If a beam has to span a gap between supporting posts that is too big for it, the beam can slowly start to arch or bend over time. If the problem continues unabated, the roof structure can eventually collapse—and needless to say, that could cause serious injury to anyone who happens to be underneath. In this case, your Walpole pergola repair professional will need to replace the damaged beam with a longer one.
Rusted Hardware
It's pretty common for pergolas to be held together in places with metal hardware such as screws and brackets. Metal is sturdy, but it can suffer corrosion and decay over time which can cause it to break or come loose. If it's truly just the metal hardware that has degraded, your Walpole pergola repair handyman can simply replace the metal parts. But rust is usually related to water exposure, and if you have serious water damage on the metal parts, the wood parts are probably affected by rot. If the damage is really widespread, the whole structure might need to be replaced. But if it's just one particular area, Walpole pergola repair techniques will probably be sufficient to get it back in good shape.
What's the Best Way to Avoid Needing Pergola Repair, Walpole, MA in the Future?
After having a professional take care of pergola repair, Walpole, MA homeowners are often interested to learn a few maintenance tips so they can avoid needing replacement and pergola repair in Walpole, MA for longer. Regular maintenance is key to preventing damage or catching and halting damaging factors early on, and when it comes to timber, that means preventing moisture incursion. If you have a metal or vinyl pergola, rot isn't going to be such a concern because of the low-maintenance vinyl material. Here are some tips to help preserve the beauty and longevity of your structure:
- Inspect the entire thing (as much as possible) at least once per year, checking for signs of wood rot and other forms of decay.
- Trim tree branches and bushes so you don't have moisture-laden leaves soaking the bottom half of your columns and leaving them vulnerable to water damage.
- Have your structure refinished and sealed every few years to keep the wood in solid, strong condition.
Can Walpole Pergola Repair Improve Property Value?
It may not actually raise your selling price when you put your house on the real estate market, but it can help to convince prospective home buyers to seal the deal. If one of the first things they see is a rotted, leaning pergola covered in peeling paint and stains, that's going to be a big red flag warning them to run for the hills before they even get through the door.
Trust Your Local Handyman For Expert Pergola Repair in Walpole, MA
Regardless of whether you are in Walpole, MA or a nearby community such as Hingham, Hanover or Quincy, you can count on the same outstanding workmanship and experienced customer service from the team of professionals at Mr. Handyman of Central - Eastern Norfolk County & South Shore. Get in touch with us today at (508) 465-2092 to find out more about our reliable handyman services or to schedule a convenient appointment time.