Home Maintenance Series: Spring

As winter ends, you’ll be ready for spring cleaning throughout your home, as well as some time spent outside in the warmer weather. Add the following items to your checklists (as they fit your home) to ensure you’re taking care of every area and appliance you own.

Inside of Your Home

Heat and Cooling: Depending on the heating and cooling systems in your home, you’ll want to:

Schedule a biannual checkup for your HVAC system.
Check, and potentially clean, your vent covers and ducts.
For boilers, drain the system to clear out sediment.

Plumbing work includes:

Look under sinks, as well as around and behind toilets and showers, to spot new leaks that have popped up over time.
Check faucets for drips while they’re closed.
Check the flapper in your toilet (it will need to be replaced if you hear your toilet running more than usual).
Look at your ceiling for telltale water damage signs, such as yellowish stains around windows, under plumbing, or on the top level of your home (for roof leaks).
If you have a sump pump, check to ensure it’s draining properly.
Call a local plumber for help with any tasks that are beyond your skill level.

Preventing fires and other catastrophes:

Schedule your annual chimney checkup. Due to not only fires, but also the dangerous gasses chimneys carry, this is essential in every home.
Check to make sure all of your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are working, Replace batteries as needed.

Outside of Your Home:

Your home’s exterior is the barrier that protects your living space from the elements. Make sure it’s in good condition after harsh winters by doing the following tasks:

Walk around the exterior of your home, searching for cracks in the siding, missing shingles, and anything else that needs obvious repair. Check the facade and foundation for cracks and/or pooling water.
Check and clean the inside of your gutters. Hire a professional if preferred.
Clean your siding, windows, and doors. This is typically done with a regular garden hose, a small amount of detergent (too much will harm your landscaping plants), and rags or a siding cleaning kit.
Sweep your deck and then spray it down with the garden hose. Check for loose nails and loose or rotting boards while you work. Stain and reseal if needed.
If you have a pool, open it up for the summer, clean it out, and fill it with the necessary chemicals. Be sure to check and change valves and filters as well.

On Your Property:

Your yard needs almost as much care as your home! The following tasks will keep your grass, gardens, and trees looking their best:

Rake up any leaves and sticks that were leftover from the fall.
Lay a thin layer of fresh mulch in your garden beds and under shrubs. Mulch is beatifying, and it also helps keep in moisture and prevent weed growth.
Turn on your outside faucets.
Have any trees inspected annually by an arborist for signs of disease or death. This prevents trees from suddenly falling and causing damage to your home.
Reseed your lawn if you have bald patches, and add fresh perennials to your flower gardens. When the lilacs bloom, it will be time to fertilize your grass to prevent weed growth.
Before purring away your snow blower, drain the fuel, add a stabilizer, and clean the motor and parts. Then, pull out the lawn mower and consider having a tuneup done to ensure it’s in working order for the spring and summer.

All in all, spring brings quite a few tasks for homeowners. But by following the advice above, you’ll have a safe, clean, and beautiful home to enjoy all season long!