Heat damage is bad news for any Phoenix homeowner. It's worse if you have plans to sell your house, especially if you’re in a competitive real estate market.
Phoenix has always been hot, but it has been getting hotter lately. According to research by Climate Central, Arizona has been the third-fastest warming US state for the past 40 years. In 2023 alone, Phoenix experienced 31 consecutive days of record-high heat, reaching over 110 degrees Fahrenheit. Hot weather may not be an obvious threat to your home like water leaks or termites, but heat exposure can do a lot of damage.
While you can’t escape the heat, you can be prepared for it. There are steps you can take to help your house make it through a scorching summer, and you can learn how to sell a house in poor condition caused by heat damage.
3 ways heat can damage your house
Exposure to excessive heat can have a severe impact on the condition of your property in Phoenix. Hot summer days can lead to:
- Wood and paint damage: Heat can dry out the wooden parts of your house, which can include your deck, shutters, and siding. Heat damage can make the wood look warped and discolored. If you've painted any surfaces that are exposed to heat, the paint may bubble, crack, or peel.
- Roof and attic damage: Your roof is the most exposed part of your house, making it prone to blistering and cracking shingles. Located right under the roof, attics are typically the hottest and most humid part of the house. A buildup of heat and moisture under your roof will cause your shingles to deteriorate faster. Cracked shingles can also lead to leaks and potential water damage.
- Structural damage: Heat can affect the ground below your house and even lead to foundation problems. Heat causes evaporation, which makes the soil shrink. This shrinking can cause separations or shifts in your home’s foundation, which can lead to damage and the need for repairs.
How to protect your house from damage caused by heat
If your Phoenix home does have heat damage, here’s what you can do to:
- Address wood damage and paint damage. You may want to use a protective coating on any wood surfaces outside your house in order to prevent future sun damage. You could try repainting damaged wooden surfaces with elastomeric paint. This type of paint is flexible, allowing it to shrink and inflate in response to elemental stressors.
- Inspect and protect your roof. Consider applying a protective coating to your roof and installing vapor barriers. It's also a good idea to schedule regular maintenance checks to ensure that your roof is in good shape. Additionally, installing an attic door cover and updating insulation can help protect your roof and attic from the heat.
- Prevent structural damage. To combat foundation damage caused by heat, you may want to install sprinklers around the outside of your house and run them regularly to ensure that the soil doesn’t dry out and shift. Large trees can also pull moisture away from the soil underneath your house, so you might want to make sure there are no large trees too close to your home’s structure.
How much does it cost to repair heat damage in your home?
One of the first things to do before selling a house is to address any damage, particularly if you plan on listing it on the traditional real estate market instead of selling a damaged home “as is.” Average costs to repair heat damage include:
- Siding: $11,512
- Painting: $3,165
- Roof repairs: $1,133
- Insulation: $1,848
- Landscaping: $3,511
Your air conditioning system may take a beating during the hot summer months in Arizona, which means you may also need to make repairs or updates to your HVAC unit. HVAC maintenance can cost an average of $250, and replacing your HVAC system costs an average of $7,500, according to Angi’s List.
If you’re considering making repairs before you sell your house, you should be aware of the time, effort, and cost of doing so, and whether or not you will need a permit for the required projects.
Sell your heat-damaged home with We Buy Ugly Houses®.
We Buy Ugly Houses® is here for you when you’re selling a damaged home in Phoenix. If you already have a house with obvious signs of heat damage and don't want to deal with the hassle of making repairs, you could always consider selling it to us.
We’re Phoenix’s go-to off-market home buyer, and we’ve been in the business of buying houses and helping homeowners across the nation for the past 25 years. With our 3-step home-buying process, we can take you from a quick offer to a fast closing, sometimes in as little as 3 weeks. We pay all typical closing costs, and we don’t charge commissions or hidden fees. We buy houses in Phoenix "as is," including fire- and heat damaged homes.
You don't need to worry about cracks in your foundation or missing shingles on the roof because we don’t require you to make any repairs or do any renovations. Just give us a call and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with one of our local property buyers in Phoenix. To get more insight into our process and find out what it’s like to sell to We Buy Ugly Houses, read reviews from previous sellers.
Selling a damaged property can be easy. Reach out to We Buy Ugly Houses in Phoenix for a stress-free home sale.
