Spring is the perfect time to check your home’s maintenance. With the temperature warming up, you finally have a chance to get to all the repairs that the winter weather prevented you from making. And when you’re a homeowner, there are a lot of projects to look at beyond basic dusting and vacuuming!

We’ve compiled a basic checklist of things you should check to keep your home in good repair:

  1. Check your roof for damaged or missing shingles. Now, most of us aren’t roofing professionals. However, unless you’ve already noticed a significant leak, all you really need is a good pair of binoculars. Take a look at your roof to see if you can find any signs of cracked, missing, or popped up shingles. If you see anything amiss, you can take a closer look on a ladder or go ahead and call a roofing professional.
  2. Inspect and clean your chimney. Check the exterior of your chimney for any signs of damage or cracks. This is also a good time to check the cover and make sure that no animals have made it their home during the winter. You should also have your chimney cleaned – you can do this yourself, but it’s one job that may be best handled by a professional chimney sweep.

 

Chimney Cleaning

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3. Check your attic for any signs of mold or animals. Winter is the most likely time for your attic to become host to small animals like squirrels or raccoons. Check for any signs of infestation, including nests or pellets. Also check your attic for any signs of water damage or mold, which will appear as grey or black blotches.

4. Service and inspect your A/C unit. Spring is the perfect time to make sure that your A/C unit is in good working order before the hotter weather. This is especially important if you live in particularly hot or humid climates. Changing the filter annually on your unit can help your system work better and more efficiently, saving you money. Also be sure to check the condensation drainage hose for any signs of mold or blockages.

5. Inspect and caulk windows. With the summer weather right around the corner, now is a great time to check for any damaged caulking or warped windowpanes caused by freezing weather. This will help keep the cooler air in your home and keep any pests outside it. Consider getting double-paned windows to help save energy costs.

6. Check for leaky plumbing and sweaty pipes. Check for any cracks in the plumbing that might have been caused by the winter freeze. Be sure to check both under kitchen and bathroom sinks and in the basement.

7. Clear gutters and downspouts. One of the biggest causes of exterior flooding and leaky basements is improperly maintained gutters. Clear out any debris from your gutters and make sure that all downspouts are pointed away hack clash royale from your home and foundation.

Gutter

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8. Check siding and any exposed wood trim. Give your siding a close visual inspection, keeping an eye out for any openings or cracks that insects would be able to get in. It’s much easier to prevent a termite infestation than to try to get rid of one. Also check any wood trim for signs of rot – you can easily do this by prodding it with a screwdriver. Repair any damaged trim before summer rains , which could cause additional damage.

9. Clean and reseal your deck. Annual cleaning can extended the life of your deck. Although a good hose-down may be all that’s required, spring is also the best time to scrub and reseal your deck if it’s needed. Also be sure to check your deck for any cracked or splintered boards. This is one portion of your home where a little maintenance goes a long way!

Pressure Washing

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10. Inspect your yard. This goes beyond basic mowing and weeding. Make sure any drainage and runoff flows away from your house rather than towards it. Also make sure to fill in any low or hollowed-out areas of your yard with compacted soil. Not only can this cause flooding and possible damage to your foundation, but standing water in your yard can turn into a breeding ground for mosquitos, and nothing wrecks a good summer party like swarms of insects!

11. Finally, pressure wash your home’s exterior and sidewalks. Yearly pressure washing can keep your home looking clean and bright. You can rent a pressure washer for the day for a very reasonable rate, and this small investment can have huge payoffs. Also make sure to wash your windows so that they’ll let in as much summer sun as possible.

Clean Brick

Photo Credit: OakCityHomeServices.com