Spring is coming! If you haven’t already started preparing your home for the season, it’s time to get busy! To help you make sure everything is ready in time, here’s a checklist of all the things you need to do to prepare your home before spring hits full force. Be sure to complete each of these tasks before the leaves change color—or even better, while they’re still on the trees!
Screens
As days become longer and warmer, home-owners are lured outside to work on their yards, gardens, and patios. Take a few moments now to inspect screens before spring cleaning hits full swing. Winter storms can wreak havoc on your screens, so be sure to check them for holes or cracks. You may want to contact a local handyman or repair person if you spot signs of damage. Alternatively, you can install new screen material yourself.
Roof
If you haven’t had your roof inspected in a while, it’s probably time to schedule an appointment. If you live in an area where snow and ice are common, remember that your roof is more than just a place to keep out water—it’s also crucial to keeping out cold. A new layer of snow may not seem like much weight, but add that on top of three or four months of winter chill and it can cause serious damage to your home.
Gutters
Spring is a great time to clean out your gutters, which have likely filled up with leaves and other debris over the winter. You should also check to make sure your gutters are properly connected to your downspouts so water flows away from your home when it rains. Gutter cleaning is a job that takes just minutes but can help prevent water damage in the long run. Using these easy steps, you can clean out even stubborn clogs from above ground gutters yourself and keep them working well all year long.
Sealing And Weatherizing
After a long winter, you might have been a little lax in keeping your home sealed and weatherized. You’re probably going to want to get back into that routine right away before the cold weather arrives again. Spend some time checking around your windows and doors, as well as any other places that may be susceptible to leaks or drafts. Be sure all of your hardware is functioning properly, too. When it comes to home maintenance, spring is just as good of a time as any!
Plumbing And Electricity
Getting your home’s plumbing and electricity ready for spring shouldn’t be overlooked. Inspect all pipes, valves, water heaters, and wiring to ensure they’re in good condition. If you notice anything that needs attention, get it fixed before you open up the windows and invite spring weather.
Caulking and Painting
It might not seem like it, but caulking and painting could make a huge difference in your home’s energy efficiency. But with all that good weather happening outside, you may be inclined to skip these chores. However, if you don’t perform these duties now, your summer energy bills will probably pay for them later. Therefore, be sure to check off these items on your spring checklist.
Windows
You should use a window cleaner to clean off dust and dirt on the window and door surrounds. Also, take a rag and remove sand, dirt, or dust from the door and window hinges, sills, and tracks. Debris left unattended can lead to bigger problems later. You may also want to take a closer look at the windows and doors, as you can also assess the quality of the paint job or stained-glass if you examine them closely. Depending on how much exposure it has had to the weather, repair to a damaged finish may be necessary. Check for any signs of water damage so that rot does not develop.
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