Lakefront Homes in Polk County: The Extra Maintenance

Living on the Chain of Lakes or a lake in Polk City means more moisture, more sun and more wind on the water side of the house. What wears out faster and what to do.

Polk County has hundreds of named lakes, and a large share of the homes we work on in Winter Haven, Lake Alfred, Polk City, Auburndale and Lake Wales sit on one. A lakefront lot is a wonderful place to live. It is also a harder environment for a house than a lot in the middle of a subdivision, and the difference shows up on the side that faces the water. Here is what wears out faster on a lakefront home and how to stay ahead of it.

Moisture from below and beside

Ground moisture is higher near a lake, and the water side of the house often gets the morning fog and the afternoon breeze off the water. Anything wood near grade, porch posts, deck framing, door thresholds, the bottom of siding, takes on moisture that never fully dries. Rot shows up years earlier than on a dry lot. The response is the same as for any Florida home, only more of it: keep wood off the ground, keep paint sound, and check the usual rot spots every year. Our post on wood rot in Central Florida lists them.

Sun and reflection

A lake reflects sunlight up at the house. The water-facing wall, the lanai ceiling and the underside of the eaves take UV from two directions. Paint chalks and fades faster, wood trim dries and checks, and screens go brittle. Plan on repainting the water side sooner than the street side, and use a quality exterior paint with a UV-resistant formulation. The exterior sun protection guide applies with extra weight here.

Wind and screens

Open water means unobstructed wind. A screened lanai on a lakefront home takes gusts that a lanai in a subdivision never sees, and the panels on the lake side tear first. A rescreen with a heavier mesh on the exposed side, and checking the cage fasteners and cables before hurricane season, is basic lakefront maintenance. Screen doors on the water side wear out fast for the same reason. Our post on rescreening a lanai covers the materials.

Pests

Lakes bring midges, mosquitoes and, in Florida, everything that eats them. No-see-um screen on the lanai is a real quality-of-life change. Seals on doors and windows matter more, and small gaps at the soffit and the garage door become highways. Termites like moist wood, and a lakefront lot has more of it; the termite guide is worth reading if the house has any wood framing or trim.

Docks, seawalls and the yard

Docks and seawalls are specialty work outside what we do, but the transition from the yard to the house is ours: steps, railings, walkways and outdoor showers all live in the wet zone. Aluminum railings, composite deck boards and concrete or paver walkways hold up where wood struggles. A working outdoor shower with a proper drain keeps lake water and sand out of the house.

Inside the house

Higher outdoor humidity means the AC works harder to keep indoor humidity down, and sliding doors facing the water are where the humid air gets in. Good door seals, a working bathroom exhaust fan and, in some homes, a whole-house dehumidifier make the difference between a house that smells fresh and one that smells like the lake. Our post on humidity and mold covers the indoor side.

An annual lakefront checklist

• Probe wood at grade on the water side: posts, thresholds, deck framing, siding bottoms.
• Check the paint on the water-facing wall and eaves; recoat before it chalks through.
• Inspect every screen panel and the cage hardware before June.
• Check door and window seals on the water side.
• Clean and inspect the lanai ceiling and fans.
• Check railings and steps to the water for loose fasteners and soft wood.
• Have the exhaust fans and AC drain serviced; humidity is your main enemy.

Cost in the Lakeland area

None of this is expensive individually. All of it is expensive if it is skipped for five years. A free estimate after a walk around the house puts a number on whatever is due.

Inventive Home Improvement maintains and repairs lakefront homes in Winter Haven, Polk City, Lake Alfred and across Polk County with home repairs, painting and carpentry. Call (863) 633-5499.

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