Spring Home Maintenance Checklist
It’s March and signs of the season are “springing” up everywhere. Soon, weekends will be filled with smells from the grill and the loud buzz of lawnmowers. But in order to enjoy your home and outdoor space, you’ll also need to spend a bit of time performing routine home maintenance chores this spring. Not sure where to begin? Start with this list.
Clean out gutters and downspouts. Check for leaky or loose gutters, clear away debris and make sure downspouts drain away from the foundation.
Check and clean exterior walls. Look for trouble spots, particularly around downspouts and eaves, and pressure wash wood and vinyl siding to prevent or remove mold.
Inspect roof and foundation. Many home problems begin with leaks in the roof or disturbances in the foundation. Roof and foundation problems typically are not projects you can repair on your own unless you are skilled in working on these areas of the home. However, you can inspect and discover obvious issues on your own, like cracks in the foundation or missing shingles.
Examine windows and door sills for leaks. If necessary, re-caulk these areas.
Reseal, re-stain or repaint outdoor patios, decks or porches. No matter the type of material your patio, deck or porch is made of, these areas of the home exterior should be cleaned and maintained every year to increase longevity. If your porches or deck are built out of wood, it’s time to clean, stain and reseal if the finish is worn or faded.
Inspect and deep clean appliances. The best way to make sure your appliances last for years to come is to keep them clean and inspect them for issues regularly.
Deep clean cabinets, baseboards, and closets. Now is the best time to clean out and scrub those areas of the home that get cluttered and dusty throughout the year.
Check for signs of termites and other pests. If winged insects are swarming near openings in wood, it’s termites. Spring is a great time to hire a pest control company to come out and perform preemptive strikes against household pests that can cause major damage if allowed to stick around.
Schedule maintenance for HVAC systems. It’s well worth the money to hire an HVAC repairer/installer for a routine inspection/maintenance appointment. We have hot, sometimes miserable summer days. Make sure your A/C is up to the task of keeping your family cool all season long.
Perform hot water heater and heat pump maintenance. Lubricate circulating pump and motor on hot water heater as well as the blowing motor on the heat pump.
Inspect sprinkler/irrigation system. Check for leaky valves, exposed lines and any other problems affecting this system.
Check attics and basements. Look for problems such as leaks and pest infestation.
