It’s springtime! The days are longer and the weather is nicer. This time of year it’s always a good idea to do some home maintenance to keep your home in tip-top shape. From repairing winter damage to preparing for the summer, there are many things that should be done to give your home’s major systems and features a tune-up this spring. These 8 spring home maintenance projects will not only maintain your home’s property value, but will also help prevent major issues and repairs later on.
Clean Your Gutters
With spring comes lots of rain. It may not be an easy or fun home maintenance project, but checking and cleaning your gutters is extremely important. If the gutters are blocked or damaged, proper flow of water will be prevented. This can lead to problems in the future such as wood rot, ice damming, pest infestations, and other issues. Therefore, you want to make sure any debris is removed and water flows easily through all of the downspouts. To keep water from pooling into the basement, also make sure that downspouts are extended at least six feet away from the foundation.
Inspect Your Roof
While you are cleaning your gutters, inspect the roof. Roof maintenance is an essential part of home ownership. You will want to check for loose shingles or damage to areas with flashing. It is also important to check chimney caps and vent pipes for any possible damage. By conducting a routine check of your roof each spring, you can catch issues early. If you happen to find a problem that needs repair, the next step is to contact a qualified roofer.
Pressure Wash Your House
The outdoor elements can be harsh on the exterior of your home. Build-up can eventually lead to green mold on the siding. A good home maintenance project to add to your spring routine is to pressure wash your siding to prevent the formation of green mold. Keep in mind that not all exterior coverings can be pressure washed. Check if your siding can be pressure washed first.
Examine Your Home’s Exterior Woodwork
Exterior woodwork requires a lot of maintenance. This is due to its exposure to the elements. Therefore, spring is the perfect time to inspect the state of your wood decks, trim, fences, railings, trellises, sheds, and other outdoor structures. You should plan on resealing or staining exterior wood structures every one to two years. As you plan for staining or resealing, also look for any wood rot or damage caused by water penetration and/or insects such as termites or carpenter bees.
Check out Carpenter Bees for more information on identification, prevention, and management.
Get Your HVAC Inspected
Regular maintenance of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system is one thing you don’t want to skip out on. Too often, home owners forgo the spring time maintenance to their HVAC systems. What tends to happen? Right in the middle of the hot, blazing heat of the summer, the air conditioning breaks down. So, rather than losing the comforts of home during a heat wave, you should add having a licensed HVAC technician service your system to your home maintenance project list.
Clean Your Dryer Vent
The accumulation of lint in the dryer vent can be a fire hazard. Thankfully, you can easily prevent this hazard by cleaning your dryer vent every spring. In addition, you should check the exterior dryer vent cap for damage. Both of these tasks are easy for you to do yourself.
Check Your Window’s Caulking
You can find caulk in many areas of your home. One of those areas includes around the inside and outside of all windows. Window caulk can eventually break down leading to water leaks and air drafts. Therefore, it’s important to check your windows each spring for gaps, tears, or cracks. If you find any windows with damaged caulk, have it addressed right away.
Check Your Basement
Another task to add to your spring home maintenance project list is to check to your basement. Moisture can be a common issue in basements. As a result, there are many areas in which mold and fungus can grow. So, you will want to make sure your sump pump (if you have one) is in good working condition and your dehumidifier is running smoothly.
Completing these spring home maintenance projects are important in keeping your home in top-notch condition. They will also be important should you look to sell your home at any point. So, make sure you take the time to complete these maintenance tasks this spring.
If you have specific questions about the home maintenance necessary to sell a home, I can help! Contact me with questions or to see what your home is worth.
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