Spring Home Maintenance Tips

Spring Home Maintenance Tips After a dark and cold winter, spring’s warm breezes, beautiful flowers, chirping birds and of course bright sunshine are, well, a breath of fresh air. Breathe in, breathe out. Okay, now that you have taken a moment to enjoy the pleasant elements of spring, it is time to get busy. There is one downside to all of that bright spring sunshine, and that is that it tends to highlight all of the things around your home that winter so cunningly disguised. Think dead plants left over in the flower beds from last season, those atrocious leaf filled gutters, dulled and polluted mulch and even cracked sidewalks. That’s right folks, spring might mean sunshine and much missed warm air, but it also means a lot of hard work before you can enjoy it.Here is a simple checklist to help you target the areas of your home that require a little spring maintenance. Use this list to keep track of your chores and get them done quickly, leaving you more time to get out and enjoy the great outdoors! Spring Home Maintenance Checklist

• Inspect your shingles – Closely examine your roof shingles to ensure that none were dislodged or damaged during the harsh winter months. If so, you want to be sure to repair them prior to the upcoming April showers!
• Check your gutters – Inspect your gutters for leaks or improper drainage, which could lead to water in the crawl space or basement. Clear the gutters and make sure that they are completely free of debris.
• Examine the chimney – Examine your chimney’s exterior for damage. Also, have the flue cleaned by a professional.
• Check concrete for cracks – Inspect all concrete areas for signs of movement or cracks. Fill cracks with caulking or concrete filler, once dry pressure wash and seal with a layer of cement.
• Relocate firewood – If you had firewood stored near your home to keep the family warm during those harsh winter months, now is the time to move it. Make sure you store it at the very least 2 feet away from the home and 18 inches off of the ground.
• Check faucets – Inspect outdoor faucets and hoses for signs of damage such as pipe damage and dry rot from the cold winter months.
• Service the AC unit – Do not wait until the hot July sun hits with full force and suddenly you realize that your AC unit is not as efficient as it should be, or worse does not work. Have the outside unit serviced and cleaned, as well as the inside ductwork cleaned and inspected.
• Check your power equipment – De-winterize all of your outdoor power equipment such as lawnmowers, weed eaters, blowers, chainsaws, etc.