garage door repair

If you or someone you know lives next to the beach, you know it is beautiful and can offer a lot of great benefits. However, one of the drawbacks of living by the beach is the fact there is a lot of salty air from the ocean water. This is something that you don’t get with homes located elsewhere. The salty air can have negative impacts on the entire property, like your siding and the HVAC system. However, your garage door might get the worst of it. The best way to reduce the damage that salty air does to your garage is to stay diligent on the upkeep and maintenance. 

Before we get into the negative aspects of beach living, let’s first discuss the benefits and the reasons why homeowners choose to live in places like Newport Beach, Long Beach and Seal Beach. First, there is the obvious reason – the ocean and the beach are naturally beautiful. Climate is usually much warmer than normal areas as well. Scientific studies have shown that people who live next to naturally beautiful water environments will increase your well-being. People who live by the beach tend to have less stress, are calmer, sleep better and get more exercise. These things all check out and those of us who live next to the beach can confirm. 

The negative side of beach living, as previously mentioned, is the damage that salty air can do to your home. The reason for this is because salty air is naturally corrosive. This can break down parts of your home like concrete, wood and bricks significantly faster than homes that are located elsewhere. When there are massive rains that cause floods, this damage can happen even faster. As you’d probably guess, the closer you live to the shore, the worse the impact your home will get. 

There are metals located within concrete. Exposure to salty air will erode this metal over time. This weakens the structure and damages the foundation. This damage can eventually cause a complete collapse. Mold is another issue when it comes to salty air. This is especially true for areas of the home that don’t get any natural light. If there is mold in your home, this can lead to some serious health issues. 

Another area of damage that comes with salty air is roofs and HVAC systems. While HVAC systems in other homes can last up to 15 years, the buildup of salt in beach properties can cause them to only last 5 years. Placing an HVAC system at a part of the home that doesn’t the fact the ocean can help reduce the salt damage. Roofs can deteriorate due to salt corrosion. This is especially true if a roof is made from metal. If corrosion causes holes, this can cause leaks, leading to water damage. 

While living next to the beach can bring a lot of benefits and natural beauty, it also can lead to problems and headaches. However, understanding why these things happen is one of the first things you can do to help reduce the negative impacts the salty air has on your home.